Enviva LP and Biomass Energy, LLC Announce Strategic Alliance

Wood Pellet Manufacturers Partner to Satisfy Growing Demand for Biomass Fuel

Washington DC; Aug. 15, 2011 – Enviva LP (Enviva), a leading supplier of processed biomass fuel in the United States and Europe, and Biomass Energy, LLC (Biomass Energy), an affiliate of Ensign-Bickford Renewable Energies, Inc. (EBRE), today announced a strategic partnership targeting growing worldwide demand for sustainably sourced wood-pellet fuel.

Enviva and Biomass Energy have joined forces to operate and expand Biomass Energy’s wood chip and pellet manufacturing facility with the goal of producing more than 350,000 metric tons of wood pellets over the agreement’s three-year term.  Much of that supply will be exported to Enviva’s European utility customers which, like other power producers around the globe, are increasingly turning to processed biomass fuel to reduce the environmental footprint of energy generation.  Wood pellet production will be stored and loaded at Enviva’s Chesapeake, Virginia deep water port facilities, a key export terminal developed by Enviva for the safe, reliable storage and handling of the company’s products.  Production from this partnership will also be sold through Biomass Energy’s growing distribution channels to key institutional and retail outlets, where the company has been widely recognized for its high quality products and excellent customer service.

As part of the alliance, which has already begun operations, Enviva will partner with Biomass Energy in the day-to-day operation and maintenance of Biomass Energy’s Bumpass, Virginia facility.  During the initial phase of the agreement, Biomass Energy intends to expand and upgrade the plant’s production capabilities and throughput.  Successful expansion is expected to result in new jobs for the region, both at the plant as well as within local transportation and forestry industries.