Australia
APRIL 2008: The coal-fired energy industry in Australia has been awarded the backing of business and the NSW Government in its campaign for a large amount of compensation under Kevin Rudd's proposed laws to dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions. The Government's climate change advisor has argued that high polluting coal-fired power plants did no not deserve handouts to secure their futures. read more...

China
MAY 2008: Bucyrus International, Inc. and Huainan Mining Industry (Group) Co., Ltd have entered into a preliminary framework agreement for the potential creation of a joint venture in the Huainan mining area of the Anhui Province in China. Bucyrus would own a controlling interest in the joint venture that would involve constructing a new, state-of the-art manufacturing facility in the Huainan mining area of China, which would initially manufacture belt systems and armoured face conveyors for resale on a preferential basis to Huainan Mining, as well as to other third parties in China and elsewhere. It is possible that the joint venture could manufacture and sell additional underground mining equipment as well. Both Bucyrus and Huainan Mining would contribute financially. The parties predict that initial equipment manufacturing and sales could begin within approximately nine months of final completion of the proposed joint venture.

Czech republic
FEBRUARY 2008: Czech republic. The Czech power group, CEZ, has failed in its negotiations to buy the coal mining company Mostecka Uhelna, (MUS) due to price demands from the miner's minority shareholder. CEZ began discussions with MUS at the end of last year to acquire brown coal mines and end disputes over coal contracts and access to coal supplies between the two companies.

United Kingdom
JULY 2008: Freightliner Group Ltd has announced that it has been acquired by Arcapita, an international investment firm based in Bahrain, for an undisclosed sum, and subject to clearance by the European Commission. Arcapita will acquire Freightliner Group Ltd from its previous owners 3i, Electra Private Equity and Freightliner management and staff. The change of ownership will ensure that Freightliner can continue to invest in and develop its Intermodal and Heavy Haul businesses, and enhance its international activities.

JUNE 2008: Drax Power Ltd and Alstom Power Ltd have signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract for approximately £50 million to build the main processing works associated with the 1.5 million tpa biomass co-firing facility, which is to be constructed at the 4000 MW Drax power plant in North Yorkshire, UK. The processing works will receive, handle, store and process various biomass materials ready for direct injection into the power plant's coal-fired boilers. Drax expects to award contracts for the direct injection equipment and the rail unloading facility in the next few months. The contract has been awarded following a competitive tender process and marks the first major project for Alstom at Drax. Work will begin immediately to prepare the site for construction, which is scheduled to start in the second half of this year. Commissioning of phase one of the project will be completed towards the end of 2009. Co-firing is a recognised carbon abatement technology that has significant potential to reduce CO2 emissions.

United States
APRIL 2008: Nviro Cleantech plc has announced that its subsidiary Vertus Technologies Ltd has signed a contract with Cincinnati Bulk Terminals LLC (CBT) for its first US production site to install and operate a 100,000 tpa Reductive Thermal Processing unit (RTP) at a site on the Ohio River. read more...

MARCH 2008:Foundation Coal Holdings Inc. has announced that an affiliate has successfully bid US$ 180.5 million on a new coal lease adjacent to the western boundary of the Eagle Butte mine north of Gillette, Wyoming.