Thermogen Industries, the pellet manufacturing subsidiary of Cate Street Capital, will utilize Zilkha Biomass Energy’s patented proprietary process to produce black pellets at their Millinocket, Maine location. This partnership will address the growing international demand for a cleaner, renewable, drop-in replacement for coal.
Thermogen Industries will produce more than 300,000 metric tons per year of water-resistant black pellets, greatly increasing the supply of this biomass product to the renewable energy market. Black pellets handle like coal, and they serve as the ideal alternative for coal-firing plants who are under increasing pressure to replace their fossil fuels with cleaner, sustainable sources.
"Thermogen Industries is strategically located in the northeast of the United States, and they have the infrastructure to greatly increase the supply of the Zilkha Black® Pellet," says Jack Holmes, CEO of Zilkha Biomass Energy.
"We’re very excited about the strength of the project and the team they’ve put together. They are an ideal partner for this kind of collaboration."
"Partnering with Zilhka will allow Thermogen to begin producing more pellets more quickly, tripling annual production. This will mean more jobs for Maine, and a stronger financial footing in Thermogen’s early stages. Our customers are saying we must have more capacity from the start, and Zilkha Biomass Energy’s technology will help Thermogen meet that need," says John Hallé, President & CEO of Cate Street Capital.
Biomass pellet export volumes from North America to Europe have steadily increased over the past several quarters and the market for this renewable product is expected to grow rapidly. Black pellets offer an attractive alternative to conventional pellets due to their water-resistance, durability, reduced dust problems, higher energy content and lower shipping cost.
