Valmet, Finland, and Zilkha Biomass Energy LLC, Houston, Texas, USA, have signed a five-year collaboration agreement in the field of steam exploded black pellets. The purpose of the agreement is to bring steam exploded black pellets to the market. These pellets are principally used for replacing fossil coal as the energy source in heat and power generation. The parties will work together to develop a joint global offering.
Steam exploded black pellets provide a number of benefits compared with traditional wood pellets. These include improved durability, water-resistance, higher energy content, lower shipping costs, and reduced dust problems compared with other types of bio-based pellets. Due to their properties, these black pellets can be handled in a manner similar to fossil coal. This significantly reduces, or even removes, the need for expensive investments in logistics and plant rebuilds.
"Valmet is a highly regarded technology provider in the pulp, paper, and energy industry. Their network will provide a great channel for introducing manufacturers to the advantages of the Zilkha Black® Pellet," said Jack Holmes, CEO of Zilkha Biomass Energy. "Through this five-year collaboration, we are partnering with a well-established technology and equipment supplier to offer advanced solutions for the growing biomass market. We are very excited about this arrangement."
Rickard Andersson, VP, Bio Technology and Environmental Systems, Pulp and Energy Business Line, Valmet, noted that "the market for steam exploded black pellets is expected to grow rapidly in coming years as the pressure to replace fossil fuels with sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives is getting stronger. Combining Zilkha's deep know-how in pellet production and distribution with Valmet's project capabilities brings great opportunities to develop and exploit a new emerging technology."
Zilkha Biomass Energy’s second plant in Selma, Ala. (original plant is in Houston) will start up in early 2015, expanding production of the company’s black pellet by 275,000 metric tpy. The Zilkha Black Pellet is the first advanced pellet in the industry that is now commercially available.
More information is available online.
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