Three biocoal plants under construction

May 31, 2011, Villenave d’Ornon, France –
Thermya is building three industrial biocoal production units that use Torspyd, an
innovative biomass torrefaction process developed by the company. Thermya is a
French engineering company involved in biomass-to-energy conversion
technologies.

A first unit is currently under
construction at Urnieta, Spain, under the supervision of Grupo Lantec, promoter
and developer of the project. Thermya, who granted a Torspyd license to
Lantec’s subsidiary Idema, has been supporting Lantec with the process
engineering aspects of the project and will continue to provide support and
assistance until successful commissioning of the plant, expected in summer
2011. The plant will operate on a continuous basis, producing 20,000
tonnes/year of biocoal from local forestry residues. The biocoal will supply
neighbouring coal power plants for co-firing with coal.

Thermya is also currently building two
biocoal production units in Mazingarbe, France, for French company LMK Energy.
LMK Energy awarded a contract to Thermya in January 2011 for the turnkey supply
of two biomass torrefaction units with a total production capacity of 40,000
tonnes/year of biocoal. This biocoal will be densified in the form of pellets
or briquettes to supply European power stations. Construction began in March
2011, with the first unit expected online late in the year.