Enviva Partners, LP received approval from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to install voluntary air quality equipment to further minimize emissions at its Southampton wood pellet production plant. Enviva’s modified permit will also allow for increased production and increased utilization of softwood (pine).

Wood pellets

Enviva receives approval to install new air quality equipment in Southampton plant

Enviva Partners, LP (“Enviva”) received approval from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (“Virginia DEQ”) to install voluntary air quality equipment to further minimize emissions at its Southampton wood pellet production plant. Enviva’s modified permit will also allow for increased production and increased utilization of softwood (pine), as the company says in the press release received by Lesprom Network.

The Virginia DEQ held an informational session for local residents in August, and a well-attended hearing in September, where they heard from stakeholders, residents, and interested parties about the company’s request for additional air quality controls. At the hearing, dozens of local community members expressed their support for the Southampton plant, citing Enviva’s job creation, contribution to economic growth, community support, and strong commitment to air quality and sustainability.

The Virginia DEQ approved Enviva’s requested modifications to its existing air permit for the Southampton plant that will allow it to:

  • Install additional air emission controls equipment to further minimize air emissions;
  • Increase the permitted production volume by about 245,000 metric tons of pellets per year; and
  • Increase the permitted percentage of softwood (pine).

 

Enviva Partners, LP is the world’s largest producer of wood pellets, a renewable and sustainable energy source used to generate electricity and heat.