Biomass Week - October 14, 2011

October 14, 2011

Pennsylvania school district opts for CHP system Making the connection between the local supply of woody biomass and the need for future energy cost reduction, a school district near Meadville, Pa., agreed to commission a thermally led combined heat and power project. READ MORE SHARE
PFI brings densified biomass information to Capitol Hill PFI members and staff have wrapped up a series of meetings with more than 30 senators, representatives, staffers and administrators on Capitol Hill to help them better understand the importance of densified biomass in U.S. energy policies. READ MORE SHARE
	Industry experts discuss wood's role in U.S. energy policy A single, science-based and inclusive biomass definition is the focal point in the biomass industry's efforts to bolster policy that can spur development, said Charlie Niebling at the opening session of the Northeast biomass conference. READ MORE SHARE
Pennsylvania seed company embraces biomass Calvin Ernst, owner and operator of Ernst Conservation Seeds, lives a biomass-related life every day. The Meadville, Pa.-based company was founded in 1965 and has expanded and now includes Ernst Biomass and a pellet manufacturing facility. READ MORE SHARE
Great Lakes ports prepare for biomass exports John Elliot, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corp. of Erie County, kicked off BBI International's Northeast Biomass Conference & Trade Show with discussion about the opportunities for worldwide export of biomass via the Great Lakes. READ MORE SHARE
Community CHP project focus of biomass conference discussion What started as a trip to Gussing, Austria, to see a combined-heat-and-power plant in action has turned into developing plans for a similar facility in northern Pennsylvania's borough of Smethport. READ MORE SHARE
Dairy waste AD system kicks off biomass conference tour Raising his voice over the loud noises of the anaerobic digestion system at Fairview Swiss Cheese in Fredonia, Pa., Rick Koller explained the ins and outs of the process to tour participants of the Northeast Biomass Conference & Trade Show. READ MORE SHARE
AGE promotes 'cow power' AD business model As part of the panel "Leveraging Wastewater and Manure Streams for Energy Production" at the Northeast Biomass Conference & Trade Show Oct. 11-13 in Pittsburgh, presenters discussed how anaerobic digestion is catching on in the Northeast. READ MORE SHARE
Still hope for Vancouver biomass district heating plant Just when the prospects for a biomass district heating plant planned for downtown Vancouver, Wash., were looking glum, it turns out there is hope for the project after all. READ MORE SHARE
House approves EPA Regulatory Relief Act Moving its way through Congress, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act has received bipartisan approval in the House, leaving Senate approval the last step in passage of legislation that would grant the EPA time to improve the flawed boiler MACT rules. READ MORE SHARE
Eastern Illinois University fires up biomass gasification system Eastern Illinois University has commissioned a biomass gasification energy system that will annually consume about 27,000 tons of wood chips to provide heat and electricity to the campus. READ MORE SHARE
Iberdrola halts Oregon biomass project Iberdrola Renewables has announced that its 26.8-megawatt (MW) biomass power project at Collins Pine Co.'s Fremont sawmill in Lakeview, Ore., will be put on hold indefinitely, due to lack of a power purchase agreement. READ MORE SHARE
Pratt & Whitney build waste heat recovery plant at pellet mill As a way to enable Canadian pellet mill Nechako Green Energy Ltd. to make the most of its waste products, Pratt & Whitney Power Systems will install a 2-megawatt (MW) biomass waste heat recovery plant at the Vanderhoof, British Columbia facility. READ MORE SHARE
California bill a win for biogas California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed Senate Bill 489, a law that allows small-scale biomass and biogas projects (1 megawatt or less) to qualify for the state's Net Energy Metering program. READ MORE SHARE
BTEC webinar mini-series to examine regional biomass heat As winter nears, beating the cold is on the minds of many U.S. homeowners. To help homeowners make informed decisions, the BTEC will present a three-part webinar mini-series that will examine biomass heating in different regions of the country. READ MORE SHARE
Grand opening held for 100-MW biomass facility in Florida The BPA participated in the grand opening of the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center biomass facility in Gainesville, Fla., on Oct. 11. Upon completion, this facility will be one of the two largest biomass facilities in the country. READ MORE SHARE
Oregon torrefaction company finalist in cleantech competition Biomass torrefaction company HM3 Energy Inc. has been selected as one of three finalists in the 2011 Cleantech Open Business Competition's Pacific Northwest Division. READ MORE SHARE
2010 census shows wood is fastest growing heating fuel Recently released U.S. Census figures show the number of households heating with wood grew 34 percent between 2000 and 2010, faster than any other heating fuel. Electricity showed the second fastest growth, with a 24 percent increase. READ MORE SHARE