3 Jul 2007

EDF Trading moves into biomass market

EDF Trading, the subsidiary of utility EDF responsible for wholesale market activity, has acquired biomass company Renewable Fuel Supply Limited (RFSL).

RFSL provides a biomass procurement service and logistical and technical support to coal-fired power generation companies that wish to co-fire biomass with coal. It has supplied over 400,000 tonnes of biomass since 2004, according to EDF.

Staff from RFSL who have moved to EDF Trading's London office include Hank Jones, who will lead the biomass business. Jones was a co-founder and director at RFSL and has a wide range of experience in the energy sector, including posts at American Electric Power in London and Duke Energy Resource Corporation in Houston. Other team members include Nick Tsirigotis, Chris Matthews, and Scott Dooley.

"EDF Trading has significant electricity, emissions, coal and freight trading businesses in the physical and financial markets so biomass is complementary to our existing activities," says John Rittenhouse, managing director of EDF Trading. "RFSL's business also has synergies with the EDF Group who are committed to sustainable development and the production of electricity from renewable energy sources," he adds.