A prototype tractor which can run on solid biofuel is being developed for the primary industries by AgLoco®, a start-up company based in Christchurch, New Zealand.AgLoco® is developing advanced steam engines which burn dry woodchip to replace diesel tractors on farms and diesel trucks for hauling heavy loads.The company is currently building its first fully functional 150hp tractor, having already …

A report released this week by the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Alliance of Australia and New Zealand (SAFAANZ) titled Bridging the price gap for Sustainable Aviation Fuel, has identified, amongst a number of other recommendations, the creation of a Jet Council as an immediate priority action for Government to accelerate the significant opportunity presented by the development of a domestic Sustainable …

Sieving of chipped forest fuels has recently been suggested as a way to reduce dry matter losses during storage. Sieving provides a more homogeneous acceptable material with better storage properties, which reduces the risk of energy and dry matter losses and spontaneous ignition. Screened chips can be priced higher due to better quality, and both acceptable and reject fractions are …

A sustainable materials company plans to spend at least US$750 million to build a biomass manufacturing facility in Louisiana that will turn wood residue into a chemical used in plastic. Origin Materials, headquartered in West Sacramento, California, said the project is expected to create 200 new jobs. The plant will use sustainable wood residue to produce plant-based polyethylene terephthalate, or …

Genesis Energy believes converting part of the Huntly power station to run on biofuel could be economic, but it will need a source of the specialist wood fuel needed to be created in New Zealand, which the government could assist in setting up. Genesis chief executive Marc England said preliminary work showed converting two of the Rankine units at the …