The proof will be in the pudding, but up here in the heavily forested northeast corner of the country, we may have hit upon an approach to breaking the Congressional logjam blocking biomass thermal incentives.
 First, here&rsquo;s a bit of background. When U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, surprised everyone last year by announcing she would not seek re-election, the partisan sharks and hyenas suddenly saw a chance for Democrats to pick up a Republican seat. At the time, control of the Senate appeared to hang in the balance. Democratic optimism quickly disappeared, however, when popular former Gov. Angus King announced his candidacy. King, an independent, handily won the three-way election with 53 percent of the total vote; the Republican and Democratic candidates received only 30 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
 Part of King&rsquo;s success came from his cordial relationships with Maine business leaders; a portion came from his thorough command of energy issues, in part from his investments and management experience in low-head hydro&mdash;prior to his election as governor&mdash;and wind power, after his two gubernatorial terms. At a debate hosted by Maine&rsquo;s Environmental and Technology Council, the first such confrontation between the top three candidates, King clearly emerged by far as the best-informed in a state where energy is a major issue.
 Fast forward to February, when Maine entrepreneur Les Otten, founder of both Maine Energy Systems and the Maine Pellet Fuels Association, invites King for a tour of his OkeFEN boiler assembly plant in Bethel, Maine. It&rsquo;s also the home of the Sunday River ski resort, which Otten developed. King accepts, and Otten cuts short the plant tour to provide King with PowerPoint presentations crafted by a carefully assembled group of economic and forestry specialists, each of whom spoke to the logical concerns of an elected official seeking to make broad-based decisions.
 A constant problem confronting Maine&rsquo;s pellet industry, with four pellet manufacturing plants plus Otten&rsquo;s boiler assembly operation, has been objections of the state&rsquo;s long-dominant pulp and paper firms to perceived competition for fiber. These concerns have led King&rsquo;s successor as Maine governor to constantly hedge the bets that he wanted to make on behalf of wood pellets replacing some of Maine&rsquo;s over-dependence on heating oil. Anticipating King&rsquo;s similar concerns, the group meeting with him over the Congressional recess included a top executive with one of Maine&rsquo;s leading forest product firms, who spoke on &ldquo;how traditional and new wood-based industries can complement, rather than compete.&rdquo;
 Additionally, King was provided with a summary by Maine Forest Service&rsquo;s director of forest policy and management, which set forth the growing surplus of wood in Maine&rsquo;s sustainably managed forests. The group also assured King that any Maine pellets produced for export would have to meet European sustainable forestry management standards.
 A former Maine Forest Service employee was on hand to provide Sen. King with a detailed report on how federal stimulus funds entrusted to the forest service for fuel-switching in public buildings are now saving local taxpayers millions of dollars in fuel costs. In the instance of such fuel-switching in a municipality that is home to a large pellet manufacturing plant, such savings result in a substantial reduction in property taxes for the pellet mill, enabling the mill to purchase a pellet delivery truck to better serve the school and other customers.
 Key to the overall impression made upon the newly elected senator was a presentation by the Northern Forest center, a nonprofit &ldquo;committed to thriving communities and healthy forests.&rdquo; The group spoke to the economic and community benefits of developing the pellet heating industry in northern tier states, and specific benefits accruing to homeowners in Berlin, N.H., where the Center is funding a demonstration project converting a neighborhood to pellet heat.
 The bottom line in this story is the phone call from Sen. King to Otten, upon the former&rsquo;s return to Washington, stating that he plans to play a lead role in advancing the ongoing quest by the Biomass Thermal Energy Council to obtain the same federal tax incentives that for years have been extended to residential and industrial users of virtually all other forms of renewable energy. In this quest, he will no doubt be joined by Maine&rsquo;s senior Sen. Susan Collins, a long-time supporter of pellet heating, who, a day later, received the same presentation from Maine&rsquo;s group of advocates.&nbsp; Author: Bill Bell Executive Director, Maine Pellet Fuels Association <a href="mailto:feedalliance@gwi.net">feedalliance@gwi.net </a> 207-752-1392

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Strategic Industry Effort Proves Successful 

The late Ray Charles once said an old, sweet song kept Georgia on his&nbsp; mind. Today, it&rsquo;s the growing biomass production industry that is keeping pellet producers from forgetting the Empire State of the South.
 Georgia&rsquo;s forestry industry had every right to sing the blues during the Great Recession. In the years between 2006 and 2010, the industry lost 41,235 direct and indirect employees, dealing a horrible blow to Georgia&rsquo;s second-largest industry and the 47 counties that are dependent on the state&rsquo;s forests, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.
 With the economy currently rebounding, however, the U.S. Southeast, especially&nbsp; Georgia, has become a hotbed for biomass projects.&nbsp; Georgia&rsquo;s forestry industry is showing signs of stabilization as of 2011, due in part to the biomass industry. Herty Advanced Materials and Development Center, a "new product accelerator" aligned with Georgia Southern University, currently has 32 bioenergy projects, proposed or in operation, ranking it second in the nation&ndash;&ndash;behind California with 33&ndash;&ndash;according to Jill Stuckey, director of external relations. These projects are investing millions of dollars in rural communities hit hard by the recession and employing dozens of local residents, she says. Germany-based RWE Innogy located its wholly owned subsidiary Georgia Biomass LLC, one of the largest pellet plants in the world, at Waycross, Ga.
 Neighboring states are experiencing slower development&ndash;&ndash;Florida currently has 15 bioenergy projects and Alabama has eight. So what makes Georgia the Graceland of southern bioenergy? James Roecker, CEO of Georgia Biomass, says RWE&rsquo;s decision to locate the company&rsquo;s first U.S. facility in Georgia was influenced by several factors, largely, Georgia offers an abundant fiber supply in close proximity to the coast. &ldquo;[And] the Savannah harbor we are utilizing has good capability to handle and ship wood pellets in bulk, and has proven capability and facilities to store and ship other bulk products,&rdquo; he adds. There is also an established rail corridor that connects the fiber basket with the harbor, plus the city of Waycross has a healthy business climate and provided access to good labor talent, he says. &ldquo;We received exceptional support from the local, economic development organization, the county, and the state of Georgia.&rdquo;&nbsp;
 Though it isn&rsquo;t the sole factor, as evidenced by Roecker&rsquo;s statements, an abundant&mdash;and growing&mdash;biomass supply is playing a major role in what&rsquo;s being perceived as a pellet and biomass project boom.
 More Biomass, More Business
 Georgia has an estimated 24 million acres of trees, which have been growing roughly 30 percent above usage for the past few years, according to Craig Scroggs, a USDA Rural Business and Cooperative specialist. The state forestry commission says that of the 24 million acres, 92 percent is in private hands and ready for commercial use, the highest in the U.S.
 Recognizing the value of its largest natural resources, Georgia takes great strides in sustaining its forested lands. According to the forestry commission, the state's forested land has remained stable since the 1950s, and has a greater volume than in the 1930s. Forest loss due to expanding cities is offset by converting old farm lands to forest, the commission says.&nbsp; By responsibly managing its green sea, the forestry industry provides the perfect nest for bioenergy projects and other wood-related businesses. &ldquo;We have more biomass than anyone in the nation except for Oregon&mdash;we plant trees like Iowa plants corn,&rdquo; Stuckey says.
 The business environment is the second reason pellet producers are making Georgia their home. State and local governments cooperate with existing and interested parties to create incentives and an efficient planning process, and it&rsquo;s that business/government synergy that&rsquo;s making things happen. One example is Georgia&rsquo;s Quick Start program. The program provides free workforce training to qualified businesses in the state, and each training program is tailor-made to the specific company. The program trained 80 employees at Georgia Biomass, and Roecker says the training included team dynamics, problem solving, communications and plant operations. He adds that he has received very favorable feedback from the involved employees.
 One Stop Shop, a program established by Herty in 2005, is another tool pellet companies are utilizing. It acts as a networking forum for new and expanding businesses, and includes matching companies to universities and state and federal offices to expedite permitting and explain state and federal policies and procedures. Stuckey says other states have tried to duplicate the program, but was unaware if they were as successful. The Herty program has brought in billions of dollars of new companies to Georgia, and more are coming in, she says.
 Herty&rsquo;s newest pilot pellet mill, at Savannah, Ga., also demonstrates the cooperation between state organizations and private businesses. On Feb. 5, Herty announced the opening of the fully integrated pilot pellet mill, which will provide a facility for producers to validate process technology testing different pellet designs. The plant allows producers to lower risk by testing a pellet design without having to interrupt a plant&rsquo;s production line.
 Georgia also offers tax credits to taxpayers and biomass projects. Taxpayers are eligible for credits when they transport or divert wood waste to biomass facilities on a per-ton basis, and biomass projects are eligible for a clean energy property tax credit. The credit is available to businesses installing renewable energy products and can cover up to 35 percent of the cost.
 Even the USDA invests in biomass projects in Georgia. Scroggs says that in 2012, the USDA Rural Development guaranteed a $9.6 million loan for SEGA Biofuels to retool its facility to produce a more desirable wood pellet, and other USDA programs utilized were the Rural Energy for America Program, Woody Biomass Utilization Grant, and the Advanced Biofuel Producer Program. To date, the USDA has invested up to $450 million in biomass projects in the state.
 Although Georgia has the natural resources and the government and private programs that assist getting steel in the ground, the existing infrastructure is the last crucial piece of the biomass boom.
 Ideal Infrastructure 
 The cohesion between road, rail, and shipping terminal creates the ideal logistic scenario for producers.&nbsp; As of 2007, Georgia is crisscrossed with over 117,000 miles of public roads, including 18,000 miles of state highway and 1,000-plus miles of major interstate highway.&nbsp; A $119 million expansion of the Jimmy DelLoach Parkway is one of the most recent updates to the state's road system. Set to come online in late 2015, the project is a four-lane extension from Interstate 95 to less than a mile from the Port of Savannah, and aims to make port traffic more efficient and less congested.
 With more than 5,000 miles of rail, Georgia&rsquo;s railroad system could stretch from Chicago to Moscow, attracting many&nbsp; pellet producers to locate their facilities on or near this major line of transportation. Georgia Biomass and SEGA Biofuels are located on the CSX mainline to the Port of Savannah. At the ribbon cutting for Georgia Biomass, Hans B&uuml;nting, CEO of RWE Innogy, said the partnership between CSX rail yards and the port in Savannah was one of the most important factors in choosing a location for the project.
 Although Georgia&rsquo;s 100-mile coastline is shorter than its northern and southern neighbors, it is home to the fastest growing deep-water ports in the U.S, and their capabilities are being upgraded. The ports in Savannah and Brunswick are in the process of expanding or renovating their facilities. According to the Georgia Port Authority, Gov. Nathan Deal allocated more than $134.4 million and proposed another $46 million to deepen the Port of Savannah to accommodate super-sized container ships. The GPA predicts the expansion project will prepare the area for larger container ships and lower transportation costs.
 Mostly known for its automobile import and export facility, the Port of Brunswick is also receiving a makeover from the state. In order to meet the growing demand for local biomass fuels, the GPA has upgraded the East River Terminal at the Port of Brunswick, which increased output to 1 million tons annually.
 Economics 101 says with a boom, there must be a bust. As more and more biomass projects locate to Georgia, it seems that it is only a matter of time before pellet producers have to compete with each other, as well as other forestry-related industries, while remaining sustainable. Scroggs said although biomass production levels have been 20 to 30 percent higher than usage, tremendous growth in the pellet industry in Georgia will move the state towards a one-to-one production-to-usage ratio in the near future.
 &ldquo;The pellet industry is here now and has been really successful and really fast growing,&rdquo; Stuckey says. While the pellet industry is a wonderful placeholder for the next 10 to 15 years, she adds, where the real future lies will be with companies that can afford to pay more for biomass feedstock to efficiently create crude oil products for drop-in fuel replacements, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. To avoid future feedstock conflicts, Herty is looking at other types of plants that grow faster than pine trees, such as miscanthus and the paulownia tree to create a more sustainable environment, as well as testing different pellet consistencies with Herty&rsquo;s pilot pellet mill.
 Roecker, too, is optimistic about the future. &ldquo;We strategically located our Waycross facility to be in a fiber basket that is not shared by others in our industry or by sawmills along the coast,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Based on the studies we have participated in, all indications are that fiber supply will be plentiful for the foreseeable future.&rdquo; Author: Chris Hanson Staff Writer, Biomass Magazine 701-738-4970 <a href="mailto:chanson@bbiinternational.com">chanson@bbiinternational.com</a>

PELLET PUNDIT: RWE chose Waycross, Ga., for the location of the largest pellet plant in the world.

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PINING FOR PELLETS: Soperton, Ga., is known as â€œThe Land of a Million Pines.â€� 

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Over 24 million acres of biomass, an attractive business climate and suite of incentives is keeping Georgia in the project spotlight. 

The Root  of Georgia's  Pellet Boom

Last month, while touring the site of the nearly complete American Renewables-owned Gainesville (Fla.) Renewable Energy Center I had to make a conscious effort to say &ldquo;wow&rdquo; less often. I was concerned that my hosts from project builder Fagen Inc. would learn that I had never before seen anything quite like what I was taking in right then. In hindsight, I realize I had no reason for concern, as this facility, which is now racing toward substantial completion, is unique unto the world in its size, scope and technological complexity. This $500 million project joins a sister facility in Nagodoches, Texas, as one of two 100-MW woody biomass-fired power plants to come online in the past two years. As the sun comes up in Gainesville, Fla., a steady stream of trucks fills first one parking lot, and then another, as hundreds of workers file onto the site to lift, weld and will this massive facility into being.
As our spring Biomass Construction Update (page16) clearly points out, this scene is not unique to Gainesville. The biomass industry is on the move, and construction projects in every sector of the biomass-to-energy space are well-underway.&nbsp; In many cases, these projects are months away from coming online and delivering clean power, pellets, thermal energy or liquid fuels to a waiting energy marketplace.&nbsp; Each time a project is completed, the promise of biomass-derived energy is fulfilled and likely expanded.
 While job creation is often touted as one of the great benefits of the expansion of biomass-derived energy, when delivered in aggregate, job numbers run the danger of becoming abstract. Once on a real construction site, however, the interconnected web of economic activity created by that one project becomes readily apparent, and its varied material input strands unfold to all corners of the global economy.
 We&rsquo;re all incredibly proud of this issue of Biomass Magazine. This pride does not stem primarily from the great reporting, data collection and photography that carry the message of this growing industry in this month&rsquo;s issue, however. Rather, this pride comes from the realization that all of you who continue to innovate, advocate, and invent, have built impressive momentum in the continual battle for energy market share, and every day firmly cement the role of biomass in our energy future.

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Building Impressive Momentum

As a means of ensuring long-term fuel supply security, the U.S. military is actively pursuing development of petroleum alternative jet fuels from domestic resources. In addition to being &ldquo;drop-in-compatible&rdquo; with, and less carbon-intensive than their petroleum-derived counterparts, they must be cost-competitive.
 The U.S. Congress has been debating over whether to allow funding for production of renewable biofuels for use by the military. Last year, the U.S. Navy spent approximately $26 per gallon to acquire renewably derived jet fuel for testing by jet aircraft. While it can probably be agreed that $26 per gallon is unsustainable, &ldquo;first-off&rdquo; technologies are almost always considerably more expensive than their proverbial &ldquo;nth plant&rdquo; versions, which benefit from process optimization, engineering and manufacturing improvements generated as commercialization progresses and market penetration increases.
 Recently, the Energy &amp; Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota produced a specification-compliant jet fuel by combining blendstocks made from coal and biomass. The EERC has already developed a technology to produce 100 percent renewable jet fuel from vegetable oil, but a better near-term solution may be an approach that combines fossil and renewable resources.
 Production of the coal blendstock utilized an Accelergy Corp. microcatalytic direct coal liquefaction (DCL) technology to convert coal to raw liquids, which were then upgraded via hydroprocessing. Because DCL leverages the fuel chemistry of coal, DCL liquids typically require less hydrogen consumption and are less carbon-intensive than other coal-derived liquids that require more extensive processing. The biomass blendstock was a 100 percent renewable jet fuel product made from canola oil using the EERC&rsquo;s integrated hydrotreating and isomerization technology. The fuel produced from these blendstocks was evaluated by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright&ndash;Patterson Air Force Base, and was found to comply with AFRL alternative jet fuel preliminary screening criteria.
 In addition to energy density, freeze point, and flash point, another critical performance parameter for synthetic&mdash;as well as petroleum-derived&mdash;jet fuel is thermal stability. By exceeding the thermal stability standard for U.S. military jet fuel, the coal-biomass fuel was demonstrated to burn cleanly, which means it will not leave performance- and safety-degrading deposits on important turbine engine parts.
 The new fuel is part of a long-term EERC effort to broaden the resource base for fuel production beyond petroleum, in alignment with the military need for energy security. Enhanced operability, energy security, and reducing aviation&rsquo;s impact on the environment are drivers toward the use of renewable and nonpetroleum sources for producing jet fuel.
 New technologies such as coal-biomass liquefaction reduce the environmental footprint of the fuel, limit land use competition between food and fuel production, and draw on the vast coal reserves in the U.S. Such fuel processing allows the U.S. to continue to tap existing infrastructure while integrating a greenhouse gas-neutral biomass feedstock.
 In summary, an advanced direct liquefaction process shows promise for producing alternative fuels. Liquefaction-derived fuel comprises essentially the same chemical composition as petroleum fuels and integrates well with all aspects of petroleum fuel utilization, including production, distribution, storage, and combustion in ground, aerial, and marine vehicles. With the technology showing great viability, work continues to lower the cost well below $26 per gallon. Author: Chris J. Zygarlicke EERC, Deputy Associate Director for Research 701-777-5123 <a href="mailto: czygarlicke@undeerc.org">&nbsp;czygarlicke@undeerc.org</a>

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Alternative Fuels for Military, Only if Price is Right

Amyris names chief business officer Amyris Inc. has appointed Zanna McFerson as its chief business officer, effective March 4. In her new position, McFerson will be responsible for Amyris&rsquo;s commercial and product line activities. McFerson was previously a vice president at Cargill, serving as business director of Truvia, a natural sugar substitute she helped create over the past decade. In her prior position, she directed an extensive global team with resources across research and development, agronomy, supply chain, and scientific and regulatory affairs and marketing. During her two-decade career at Cargill, McFerson helped commercialize new, breakthrough products. RSB Services Foundation adds board member The RSB Services Foundation, the implementing entity of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, a global sustainability standard and certification system for biofuel production, has named Richard Palmer as a board member of the RSB Services Foundation. Palmer currently serves as president and CEO of Global Clean Energy Holdings Inc. He is also a trustee and president for the Center of Sustainable Energy Farming. Palmer has more than 30 years of senior-level management experience, where he has brought insight and innovation to a diverse group of companies in the energy industry. He is an active member of the American Council on Renewable Energy and the American Society of Plant Biologists.
 Proterro expands executive team, receives patent Proterro Inc. has added Edi Eliezer as its engineering vice president. Eliezer has three decades of experience in industrial bioengineering, with expertise in biochemicals and biofuels. He also has commercial operations experience in bioprocess development, fermentation systems, bioreactor design, facility engineering, scale-up and downstream/upstream process integration. Prior to joining Proterro, Eliezer served as director of bioprocess technology and engineering at Fluor Corp., and as vice president of technology research and development at DuPont Tate &amp; Lyle BioProducts. Proterro has also received a composition of matter patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that protects its engineered photosynthetic cyanobacteria and their genetic code. BTEC launches associate network The Biomass Thermal Energy Council has announced the launch of its new associate class membership, a complimentary membership level for recognized educational institutions and government agencies. Associate status in the BTEC allows qualifying organizations to receive all informational updates and participate in all membership activities. They are excluded from taking part in policy activities and leadership of the organization, such as election of the board, running for board seats, or chairing but can receive full membership benefits by upgrading to the nonprofit level. BTEC&rsquo;s associate network currently features six organizations. Cereplast subsidiary to develop algae-based polymers Bioplastic manufacturer Cereplast Inc. has announced the incorporation of a new wholly owned subsidiary, Algaeplast Inc. Algaeplast's focus will be on the development and manufacture of algae-based bioplastics. Cereplast brought the first products made from Cereplast Algae bioplastics grades to market in 2011, and commercialized Biopropylene 109D in December. Biopropylene 109D has 20 percent postindustrial algae biomatter. While Cereplast&rsquo;s goal was to create a bioplastic made from 50 percent algae content, Algaeplast&rsquo;s ultimate goal is to bring to market new polymers made from 100 percent algae content. European producers, airlines form biofuels organization The Sustainable Biofuels Initiative in Europe aims to expedite the deployment of advanced biofuel technologies. CEOs representing seven European biofuel producers and airlines formed the group in February. Organizations participating in the group include Chemtex, British Airways, BTG, Chemrec, Clariant, Dong Energy and UPM. The group&rsquo;s manifesto said its members aim to speak with a single voice and take a lead position in the development of advanced biofuels. They will address EU policy matters, national governments and financial institutions of common interest. The initiative also plans to work with other related international groups.

McFerson has experience developing commercial arrangements, supply chains and marketing strategies.

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Eliezer will aid in the development and execution of Proterroâ€™s pilot and demonstration projects.   


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Business Briefs

Bloomberg New Energy Finance and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy have released a report, titled &ldquo;Sustainable Energy in America 2013 Factbook,&rdquo; that shows power generation capacity from biomass and waste feedstocks increased from 13.9 gigawatts (GW) in 2008 t0 14.7 GW in 2012. &ldquo;Since 2008, interest in dedicated biomass combustion has started to pick up, driven by attractive states subsidies or feedstock availability,&rdquo; said BNEF and BCSE in the report.
 The report shows that annual asset finance for biomass generation averaged more than $900 million from 2008 through 2012. This is a substantially lower amount than found in the wind in solar sectors, which the report attributes to a smaller number of bankable products. The authors of the report also assert that capital tends to be available for biomass projects that have a power purchase agreement in place, as well as an experienced EPC contractor and protection against feedstock availability and price risk.

U.S. cumulative nonhydropower renewable capacity (GW)

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Renewable energy gains momentum

In the February issue of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration has predicted power production from woody biomass will increase from 103 gigawatt hours (GWh) per day in 2012 to 106 GWh per day in 2013 and 110 GWh per day in 2014. Power production from waste biomass is also expected to increase this year, rising from 54 GWh per day in 2012 to 56 GWh per day in 2013. Overall, the EIA expects total electricity generation across all sectors to increase by 0.5 percent in 2013 and 0.8 percent in 2014.
 The U.S. electric power sector consumed 177 trillion Btu of wood biomass power in 2012, along with 252 trillion Btu of waste biomass power in 2012. This is expected to increase to a relative 198 trillion Btu and 260 trillion Btu in 2013, and 220 trillion Btu and 261 trillion Btu in 2014.

EIA predicts increase in biomass power 

As we begin to see how the new Congress is shaking out, we&rsquo;ve also had our eyes on changes in the administration. Even though the president stayed in office, there are inevitably changes from a first term to a second term as cabinet members and advisors shift around. The biomass industry should be encouraged by the announcement of Gina McCarthy as the nominee for U.S. EPA administrator. &nbsp;McCarthy, if confirmed by the Senate, will make an excellent EPA administrator, for biomass as well as the other renewable energy sources that we work closely with. Her career has the ideal&mdash;and unusual&mdash;mix of state and federal roles, with time served in both Connecticut and Massachusetts state governments and at the EPA.
 This combination of experience will bode well as important issues like the Tailoring Rule and Boiler MACT/Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials Rules are addressed, and, hopefully, resolved under her leadership. The Tailoring Rule has significant implications for federal and state energy policy because it will define how biomass greenhouse gas emissions are regulated. In addition, if biomass fuels are regulated as &ldquo;wastes,&rdquo; costly rules&mdash;with no public health or environmental benefit&mdash;will be imposed. McCarthy currently serves as assistant administrator for EPA&rsquo;s Office of Air and Radiation, and in this role she has demonstrated a balanced approach toward ensuring improved public health while giving businesses what they need to prosper. This is especially encouraging for biomass, as our industry is a solution for balancing environmental and economic concerns.
 She also has a strong record of bipartisanship, and a history of supporting the development of biofuels and the implementation of renewable fuels standards, which are closely related to our industry.
 McCarthy&rsquo;s confirmation as head of EPA could prove to be a critical step toward a better understanding of biomass and what it does for our nation at the highest levels of government. Biomass Power Association fully supports her nomination, and we look forward to working with her soon. Author: Bob Cleaves President and CEO, Biomass Power Association <a href="http://www.biomasspowerassociation.com">www.biomasspowerassociation.com </a> <a href="mailto:bob@biomasspowerassociation.com">bob@biomasspowerassociation.com</a>

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Strong Support for Gina McCarthy  as Head of EPA

When Eric Johnson, contracts project manager at Fagen Inc., drives off the American Renewable Gainesville Renewable Energy Center job site early this fall, he&rsquo;ll be completing the final task in a master construction schedule bearing nearly 30,000 individual line items. He will be the last to leave of approximately 1,400 civil engineers, crane and bulldozer operators, boilermakers, millwrights, pipefitters, electricians, ironworkers and hundreds of other laborers directly employed by Fagen, or working under their supervision, who are responsible for building this 100-MW biomass power plant.
 The asphalt road that will ultimately carry Johnson off the project did not exist just 26 months ago. While the project was certainly in development when talks between project owners American Renewables and Granite Falls, Minn.-based Fagen Inc. were underway, the 130 acres where the facility now sits was an undeveloped pine bog. All of that changed in late March 2011, when American Renewables awarded the construction contract to the Fagen team and issued them a notice to proceed.
 Upon authorization to proceed, a team of foresters and loggers descended upon the site and began preparing it for the civil engineering work that needed to be completed to support the coming influx of people, equipment and material necessary to build the facility. Site preparation continued through early summer, with deployment of specialized equipment that sifted the site&rsquo;s sandy soils to remove tree stumps and roots, leaving a pristine base for construction to begin.&nbsp;
 After preparing the site, the Fagen team moved into their first civil engineering phase of the job&mdash;construction of the truck receiving infrastructure and the facility&rsquo;s woodyard. Monumental in size and scope on its own, this phase was identified early in the scheduling process as important to get underway as soon as possible. &ldquo;That was big,&rdquo; notes Tim Griffin, project manager at Fagen Inc. and the ranking Fagen team member. &ldquo;That was our first civil phase of the job. We poured concrete on July 6, 2011.&rdquo;
 For the truck receiving building, pilings were driven around the perimeter of what would become the structure, and the dirt inside of the pilings was removed. In this void, a 5-foot thick slab of concrete was poured, and walls were formed to create a giant hopper that would be the first stop for biomass entering the site. The importance of completing construction of this component was not lost on anyone. &ldquo;We knew it was a critical path project, so that was the first thing we asked engineering to release to us,&rdquo; Griffin adds.
 With construction of the truck receiving area and woodyard well -underway, similar work began on the pad and foundation where the facility&rsquo;s boiler, turbine, and baghouse would ultimately rest. A boiler and steam turbine capable of generating 100 MW of electrical power are massive pieces of machinery and require an immense, burly slab of concrete to support them. The facility&rsquo;s immense size may best be understood by considering the sheer volume of concrete that was poured into the gargantuan slab. Griffin paints a picture of the slab&rsquo;s size, saying, &ldquo;The pad for the baghouse was about 1,800 yards, a 3-foot thick slab. The boiler pad is 5-foot thick and that was about 5,600 yards. We poured the boiler slab not monolithically, but in four different pours.&rdquo;&nbsp;
 Considering that a standard concrete truck carries only 10 yards of concrete and measures nearly 40 feet from bumper to bumper, a hypothetical line of trucks needed to pour this slab would stretch nearly six miles.
 To minimize congestion on the roads and avoid the hottest portions of the day, work on the slabs was conducted during the overnight hours. The resultant slabs are a source of pride for both Griffin and Evan Fagen president and chief operating officer of Fagen. &ldquo;We have a very good team here, and our crews did just a stellar job just getting us out of the ground,&rdquo; says Fagen. &ldquo;The slabs, they are beautiful, there are no bird baths in them. It is just very, very nice work&hellip;the civil team sets the tone for the job.&rdquo;
 With completion of the dirt and concrete work in the woodyard and boiler, baghouse and cooling tower pads, the project&rsquo;s various components were ready to &ldquo;go vertical,&rdquo; an industry term that denotes when structures begin to rise visibly from the ground.
 Going Vertical 
 The structural steel skeleton that now houses the facility&rsquo;s boiler, steam turbine and baghouse rises more than 190 feet feet from its concrete base. On the east side of the facility, an elevator has been installed to allow ready access to the boiler, day bins, steam turbine, baghouse and other vital components that will have to be monitored and maintained throughout the life of the facility. This structural skeleton was the result of a planned, carefully orchestrated effort by multiple crews working in concert to complete the assignments needed for&nbsp; the next phase to proceed, while staying out of one another&rsquo;s way. &ldquo;We had the pipe rack up and erected first,&rdquo; says Griffin. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the equivalent to a couple of floors high of the main boiler. We could start on our pipe rack, and with Metso ready to go vertical with their steel, we could be out of their way. So that was the first vertical structure on the site.&rdquo;
 In early spring 2012, the structure was built out enough for the boilermakers to begin the construction and erection of the facility&rsquo;s boiler. &ldquo;Then Metso came on the site,&rdquo; Griffin recalls. &ldquo;They came on Feb. 2, and by March 15 they were setting their first steel, and began going vertical.&rdquo;
 The vast majority of the work on the Gainesville site has been performed by Fagen personnel, but Fagen left the fabrication of the facility boiler to Metso&rsquo;s boilermakers. Metso crews installed thousands of tons of steel, more than 19,000 feet of pipe of all sizes, and performed more than 10,000 individual field welds, nearly all X-rayed to ensure they were perfectly completed. This meticulous attention to detail paid off as the boiler was just recently put through its first significant test. &ldquo;We got our hydrostatic test off last week, which was a big milestone for the project,&rdquo; Griffin beams. &ldquo;We filled it full of water and some oxygen scavengers and then brought the pressure up to 2700 pounds. Generally, on new boilers, there are a few leaks. On this job, just about all piping was X-rayed, and we had zero leaks. That is not very common at all.&rdquo;
 With that milestone met, the facility is in the final stages of construction. &ldquo;Right now, there is a lot of mechanical, electrical and instrumentation activities going on but the big push now is the commissioning of the plant,&rdquo; says Fagen.
 While commissioning awaits, the process of handing the facility over to owner American Renewables and its contracted operations and maintenance provider, NAES Corp., is well underway.&nbsp; The facility&rsquo;s plant manager has been on the project site for nearly six months, and in late March the remaining NAES staff will join him to begin their site specific-training.
 The facility was to begin receiving biomass shipments in March to ensure that the woodyard&rsquo;s 11 conveyors, stacker and reclaimer are all correctly balanced and capable of delivering the fuel the boiler will require when the boiler is first fired in June.
 Later this summer, the facility will begin emerging from its construction chrysalis and take flight toward its operational life. Once operational, the site will join a sister facility in Nagodoches, Texas, developed by American Renewables, built by Fagen, and now owned and operated by Southern Power company, as one of the two largest woody biomass power facilities in the country.
 When asked about the completion date for the facility, Griffin explains that completion is actually broken into two project milestones. On Aug. 30, the project will be classified as having entered &ldquo;substantial completion.&rdquo; Once in this phase, Griffin says that boiler performance and emissions profiles are taken at different output levels in a series of final tests, before meeting a guaranteed completion date of Nov. 30.
 Pondering the approaching completion date, as well as the end of Fagen&rsquo;s day-to-day presence on the site, Fagen has much to reflect on. &ldquo;I was on the road with this company for eight years, and when you finish a job and you&rsquo;re headed out&mdash;you have all your stuff in your vehicle and your headed home or to the next project&mdash;and everything is turned over, and the customer is happy, it&rsquo;s a very good feeling.&rdquo;
 Griffin likens that final moment on site to the experience of leaving his home for a long vacation, noting one significant difference. &ldquo;The good thing here is you just leave everything on.&rdquo;
 Author: Tim Portz Executive Editor, Biomass Magazine 651-398-9154 <a href="mailto:tportz@bbiinternational.com">tportz@bbiinternational.com </a>

POWER TOWER: This stacker/reclaimer towers over the GREC woodyard, which is complete and will begin receiving material in late March.The pile underneath the stacker/reclaimer will approach 125,000 cubic yards of biomass when full. 

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TRUCK TRIO: The GREC woodyard boasts three truck receiving bays, equipped with truck tippers and dust control equipment. 


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WELD INTEGRITY: Nearly every weld performed in the field on the installed boiler is X-rayed.

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EARLY RISERS: The day begins as workers file to their respective work stations. When GREC is complete, nearly 1,500 skilled laborers will have worked on the facility.

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Fagen Inc. nears completion of American Renewables' 100-MW woody biomass power plant in Gainesville, Fla. 

Priming a Man-made Masterpiece

Nestled along the Wisconsin River within the town of Rothschild, Wis., sits Domtar&rsquo;s paper mill. Built over 100 years ago it serves as one of the region&rsquo;s largest employers. Considered an area landmark, its presence now is perhaps more marked than ever, with the gradual but seemingly overnight construction of a 50-MW biomass cogeneration plant.
 Reaching a skyscraping 265 feet at its highest point, the facility is a new addition to the landscape that residents across the river have been able to watch grow over the past couple of years, a result of years of partnership, permitting and meticulous planning. The bustling construction site&mdash;active even through the harsh winter months&mdash;is described by Craig Timm, manager of Domtar&rsquo;s public affairs, as &ldquo;its own little city.&rdquo; Having reached peak construction last fall, with around 500 workers on site any given time, the plant is now in the final stretch of construction.
 Reflecting on the four-year development process, Domtar and We Energies are enthused&mdash;and proud&mdash;to share their experiences in working together toward a common goal, but at the same time having completely different backgrounds and objectives.
 Project Pieces 
 Terry Carroll, asset manager for We Energies, says that the idea for the project emerged when the utility was exploring ways to meet the state renewable portfolio standard, which requires 10 percent of electric sales from renewables by 2015. &ldquo;We had one major wind project at the time and were looking at others, but realized that we needed some diversity, so we started looking at biomass,&rdquo; Carroll says. &ldquo;Where would it make the most sense, and who would make a good partner? In terms of procuring biomass, papermaking or lumber product companies are already doing that.&rdquo;&nbsp;
 After We Energies contacted the Pulp and Paper Products Council to gauge potential for a partnership and explain what the company was hoping to do, Domtar responded to the request. From that point on, the two businesses became dedicated partners and began the project, groundbreaking of which occurred in June 2011.
 As Domtar already possessed expertise in feedstock procurement, one of the typical key project puzzle pieces was already in place. &ldquo;We already do business [in sourcing wood fuel], had a small biomass boiler, and a pulping operation that utilizes logs,&rdquo; says Jim Freiberg, Domtar project manager. &ldquo;It made sense for us to partner as the fuel procurement agent, and in terms of our financial interests, this would give us the opportunity to manufacture our product at lower costs, utilizing steam from the plant.&rdquo;
 At the time, Domtar was utilizing three aging pieces of steam generating equipment that were destined for replacement in the near future, according to Freiberg, so the opportunity arose in perfect timing for the papermaker.
 The power facility will use around 500,000 tons per year of woody biomass material, according to Carroll, which will come ready-to-burn from Domtar&rsquo;s fuel yard, or will be shredded or chipped off site by suppliers. All fuel will arrive in trucks&mdash;about 75 loads per day&mdash;and be delivered to one of three receiving stations, where trucks will back into a covered truck tipper and be tilted to release fuel onto the conveyor system. Air in the unloading station is drawn under a vacuum to filter, minimize and suppress airborne dust, and then vented through a 110-foot chimney attached to the truck-unloading baghouse filter.&nbsp; &ldquo;We have a number of neighbors close by, residences across the street, so all of our biomass handling system is enclosed to keep noise and dust at a minimum,&rdquo; says Carroll.
 Enclosed conveyors transport the fuel to the storage building, also completely enclosed, where about five to seven days&rsquo; worth of fuel is stored, according to Carroll. There, an automatic loading system will scalp fuel off the pile, pull it up to another conveyor, and send it into the boiler building. &ldquo;There we have a modest amount of storage, an hour or less, before it&rsquo;s fired into the boiler,&rdquo; he says.
 The Metso circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler is housed in a 190-foot boiler building, replacing three old boilers&mdash;one biomass-fired, and two old gas boilers, and is accompanied by a natural gas auxiliary boiler. &ldquo;Since the [biomass] boiler undergoes periodic outages a couple of times per year, Domtar needs a backup supply of steam,&rdquo; Carroll explains. The CFB boiler, coupled with a state-of-the-art emissions control system, will reduce Domtar&rsquo;s previous emissions by roughly 30 percent. Designed with the U.S. EPA&rsquo;s Boiler MACT rules in mind, the project&rsquo;s timing was ideal for planned compliance.
 The two-section cooling tower was deployed to eliminate discharge of heated water into the Wisconsin River, and the one selected for the project possesses a plume abatement technology that minimizes water vapor, which is often mistaken for air pollution. At above freezing temperatures, the plume normally will not be visible&mdash;if it is, only as a fine mist and will usually dissipate within 30 feet of the top of the tower.
 Right now, all major components of the project are in place, so it&rsquo;s just a matter of connecting and testing them. According to Boldt Construction Project Manager Myron Wagner, getting some of the massive equipment pieces in place required a lot more planning than one might suspect.
 Construction Perspective 
 For jobs requiring movement of extremely heavy equipment, which Wagner says are referred to as &ldquo;large or major picks,&rdquo; Boldt uses precision lifting, a complex engineering method used to map out a lift from beginning to end. &ldquo;The major picks are all engineered, meaning we bring an engineer out with special software, enter in heights and angles and everything is predetermined, right down to the size of chokers and shackles we have to have,&rdquo; Wagner explains. &ldquo;One of these picks could be as many as 50 pages of engineering.&rdquo;
 There isn&rsquo;t room for error with these kinds of lifts, Wagner adds, as some of this equipment is 50 or 100 tons. &ldquo;You have to get it right the first time; you don&rsquo;t get a second chance. And on this particular job, we had a couple of interesting picks. For instance, for the steam drum, we had to use two 350-ton cranes at one time.&rdquo;
 Wagner says this specific project has been unique in that it&rsquo;s essentially been many smaller projects put together. &ldquo;At any time, we&rsquo;re working in probably seven or eight different major areas.&nbsp; At the same time, that&rsquo;s been a little challenging, because we&rsquo;ve been building a powerhouse on a paper mill site, which are [paper mill sites] generally very tight areas, and this one is no exception.&rdquo;
 Domtar has to ship its product out, typically having 50 to 80 trucks coming in and out each day, and that has to happen without disturbances. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s been tough for us,&rdquo; Wagner admits. &ldquo;When we start working in a new area, we have to find a new spot for them to park 50 or 80 trailers. So far though, we&rsquo;ve managed to do that, and we&rsquo;re proud we haven&rsquo;t disrupted their business.&rdquo;
 On where the project is currently, hydro testing of the boiler was recently completed, one of the project milestones. &ldquo;We put water in it and pressurized it to 1.5 times its operating pressure, which in this case was 2,800 psi, and we held that for a length of time to prove there were no leaks, and that was successful,&rdquo; says Wagner. &ldquo;The next milestone will be to complete the gas pass&mdash;the flu gas that moves through the stacks goes through a number of gyrations to get there&mdash;so we can fire this thing up, put fuel through it. Hopefully that&rsquo;ll happen in early June.&rdquo;
 &nbsp;Initially the plant will be fueled on gas until any kinks are worked out, then biomass will be added. Wagner estimates the entire testing period could last up to two and a half months.
 On what the big priority has been as general contractor of the project, Wagner says safety has been No. 1, followed closely by schedule and budget. &ldquo;We always want everyone here to go home the same way they came,&rdquo; he adds.
 And being a good neighbor has also been important, an aspect that Freiberg and Carroll also highlight.
 Good Neighbor
 About 90 percent of the labor on site has been hired locally by Boldt, which is based in Appleton, Wis., either within the county or the state. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s always a goal of ours, but this local community has been exceptional,&rdquo; Wagner says. &ldquo;We have been very fortunate having our craft laborers being very knowledgeable about what they&rsquo;re doing. &ldquo;
 He adds that We Energies spared no expense to cut down on sound or dust, making sure neither reaches nearby residents or businesses, and that Boldt also tries to source as many building materials locally as possible.
 And, of course, on top of job creation, in a town of just under 5,300 people, a big construction project means money in the pockets of local goods and services business owners.
 In turn, the good neighbor attitude has been returned by the community. &ldquo;Members [of the community] have been great,&rdquo; Timm adds. They, and elected officials on all levels, labor unions, chambers of commerce&hellip;they&rsquo;ve been right along with us during this whole process.&rdquo; Author: Anna Simet Managing Editor, Biomass Magazine <a href="mailto:asimet@bbiinternational.com">asimet@bbiinternational.com</a> 701-751-2756

LOFTY LIFT: Two 350-ton cranes were required to lift the plant's massive steam drum.

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FORGING ON: Construction at the site of We Energies' and Domtar's biomass cogeneration plant continued through the harsh winter.

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After several years of development, the finish line for We Energies' and Domtar's 50-MW cogeneration plant in Rothschild, Wis., is in sight. 

Where  Power  Meets Paper 

Quitman, Miss.-based New Biomass Energy LLC has made its third shipment of torrefied wood pellets to Europe. The shipment, consisting of more than 4,000 tons, will be used to fuel coal-fired power plants. &ldquo;We see our shipments of thousands of tons during this past year as a great achievement not only for our company, but for the torrefaction industry as a whole,&rdquo; said Mike White, executive vice president of New Biomass Energy.
 The company has been producing torrefied wood pellets using commercial-scale reactors at its Quitman plant since early last year, and is currently in the process of expanding its production capacity to help meet growing demand from Europe. The expansion will increase capacity from 150,000 tons per year to 250,000 tons per year. According to Neal Smaler, president of New Biomass Energy, the expansion is expected to be complete later this year.

U.S. wood pellet production capacity (in thousand metric tons)

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U.S. producer ships torrefied pellets to EU

Georgia Southern University&rsquo;s Herty Advanced Materials Development Center has opened the first fully-integrated pilot pellet mill in the U.S. With nearly $2 million invested in process equipment, the facility will provide a platform for innovation in process technology and pellet design in the U.S.
 Herty will work with technology providers and developers to help validate a number of product development projects. The team will also support researchers working to enhance pellet design and development methods for lowering operating costs.
 According to the U.S. International Trade Commission, annual global pellet imports have grown to more than $1.5 billion during the past decade, however, research into improving the production of pellets, as well as optimizing pellet operation and composition has lagged behind industry growth. With the new pilot facility, developers, manufacturers, and researchers will have access to a flexible, integrated production facility that can produce pellets with properties that are consistent with those achieved in large-scale commercial facilities.

Pilot pellet mill opens at Georgia Southern

Pending legislation in New Mexico would enable renewable energy certificates (RECs) to be issued for the generation and use of thermal energy produced from renewable resources, with extra credits assigned to thermal energy generated from forest biomass.
 The bill, S.B. 204, was introduced by state Sen. Phil Griego. According to the text of the legislation, each REC has a minimum value of 1 kWh for the purpose of renewable portfolio standard (RPS) compliance. For thermal credits, 3,412 Btu of useful thermal energy would be equivalent to at least 1 kWh for purposes of RPS compliance. For biomass energy produced using a majority of feedstock from forest-related materials, an additional REC per unit of energy would be assigned above the normal allocation.

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Bill would allow REC generation for biomass thermal 

Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent, Maine, showcased its new biomass-fueled boilers system at an open house in February. The system features a Chiptec furnace that is designed to make managing the equipment more convenient for the hospital. It includes a gravity-fed storage system that feeds a conveyor to minimize jamming and reduces the number of augers needed to deliver the wood chips to the boiler. In addition, the furnace system can be accessed remotely online.
 The system is expected to save the hospital approximately $200,000 per year using fuel sourced from a sawmill in Portage, Maine. The project was funded through a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service and a $6.7 million Community Facility Guaranteed Loan through USDA Rural Development. With the grant funds and anticipated fuel savings, the $3.5 million project will pay for itself in approximately four years.

New England hospital installs biomass boiler

Anyone lucky enough to attend the World Sustainable Energy Days in Wels, Austria, has come close to achieving time travel. This annual biomass energy conference showcases the state of biomass heating that is years ahead of the general U.S. market, some companies notwithstanding.&nbsp; I would not do the event justice by sharing its impressive attendance metrics and globally relevant speaker content.&nbsp; What WSED does superbly is shine a bright and hot light on the path of advanced biomass thermal energy systems and what it takes to get there.&nbsp;
 Over the course of four days in this midsized Austrian city, I experienced what the US biomass thermal market could be.&nbsp; Aisles upon aisles of biomass thermal vendors displayed equipment for bulk pellet fuel storage, wood chip handling, integration with solar thermal systems, and combusting agricultural fuels. These vendors had not just one solution at a particulate scale, but a suite of products for the broad spectrum of consumers. For example, the industry tour through the snowy country and urban landscapes profiled large, advanced commercial-scale, pellet-and-chip heating systems at a BMW service center, and a high-end architectural complex, respectively. These and numerous other installations are generations beyond the smoking outdoor wood boiler or "grandpa's wood stove,&rdquo; and they simultaneously represent the future and the norm. This market, however, didn't develop in a vacuum.
 The presence or omission of policy indeed drives and contributes to biomass sales, encouraging the use of certain products and services over others. While biomass fuels occupy a significant cost savings compared to propane and heating oil, incentives from aboard for power generation have the potential to impact the price of export and domestically used biomass fuels. Let me be clear: markets for biomass are good, and the biomass thermal needs more of them, for fuels, technologies, and a broader array of customers. Several presentations during WSED displayed what we all know, that export markets are in the driver&rsquo;s seat of the U.S. biomass market, and European utilities have the ability to pay more for the fuel if they have to. Yes, the biomass thermal market is growing, too, but to achieve the 15 percent penetration of the heating market per the Austrian example, we need a paradigm shift, and we have a role to play in its creation.&nbsp;
 Europe's ambitious 2020 energy goals will likely undergo serious evaluation of the partner nations' renewable energy incentives, mandates, and treatment of biogenic emissions. Rising European debt, the occasional political instability, and seven more years means that the foreign market now will likely not be the market in 2020. Additional players will arrive from Asia, South America, and even Oceana, with pellet manufacturing facilities that may rival those on our shores. Again, energy policy is the driver and markets are simply responding.
 The best, provocative conferences are those where one comes home with as many business cards as new questions. What will the global market hold for biomass thermal fuels and the adoption of advanced thermal technologies? How will our state and federal representatives respond to the importation of tens of billions of dollars of oil while cheaper and renewable fuel leaves our shores?
Why are we content to provide other nations with renewable energy but so unwilling to use more of it ourselves, creating a few thousand (or more) jobs in the process? Foreign and domestic companies are eager to invest, manufacture, and sell into the U.S. biomass heating market, but they view us cautiously, even skeptically. Even after sharing the string of recent state and federal policy, regulatory and professional achievements to promote biomass thermal fuels and, I could sense that the world wants to see bigger wins and certainty. To my new friends abroad, solutions are coming. Author: Joseph Seymour Executive Director, Biomass Thermal Energy Council 202-596-3974 ext. 302 <a href="mailto:jseymour@ttcorp.com">jseymour@ttcorp.com</a>

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What Does the Future Hold for U.S. Biomass Heating?

Climbing oil prices and growing demands for cleaner energy sources inspired many boiler manufacturers to put a fresh spin on the traditional use of biomass to generate steam and heat. Today&rsquo;s biomass boiler integrates modern technology to develop automatic systems that manage the process from emissions and air control to ash removal.&nbsp; With the modernization of steam boilers came hundreds of varieties, sizes and manufacturers, each one presenting new designs, cutting-edge technology, and a preview of what is yet to come. Coolidge, Ga.-based Hurst Boiler, the design of which is featured here, is one of those companies.
 The general layout of a Hurst boiler system consists of three sections: a metering bin, a furnace and a hybrid boiler that together to produce steam that can be used for heating or generating power in a steam turbine. Manufacturers use a variety of methods to combust biomass feedstock. The Hurst system uses reciprocating fire grates to move feed stock through the boiler. Designed for use in large industrial settings such as factories, schools and greenhouses, it produces 3,450 to 10,000 pounds of steam per hour at 100 to 400 psi using biomass with a moisture content of 30 to 50 percent.
 Fuel Metering Bin
 At the beginning of the boiler process, fuel from the storage area is supplied via conveyor to the metering bin. The conveyor evenly disperses the fuel and transfers it into the combustion chamber through metering tubes. To determine the correct fuel proportion, the metering bin reacts to the conveyer system based on the current fuel load, system condition, and performance requirements. The metering tubes inside the bin are specifically engineered to move the fuel and treat it before it lands in the feed auger. The tubes are built with rifling, a type of spiral cut, inside to allow fuel to land in the auger in a way that avoids blockage. Additionally, the metering tubes are equipped with thermo-actuated switches to prevent heat from the furnace igniting fuel inside the tubes. When the switch overheats, a solenoid valve activates, releasing water into the tube to diminish any heat working backwards in the system. The switch can be utilized to treat fuel and prevent premature burning to keep the furnace from overheating.
 Into the Furnace
 After the fuel is measured, it is then fed to the furnace section. With temperatures reaching up to 1,850 degrees Fahrenheit, the combustion chamber is encased in 13 inches of heat-retaining material, refractory walls, radiant wet arches, and mineral wool. At 9 inches thick, the bulk of the insulation material is insulation mud, and the last 4 inches consist of steel plating and other materials. The combustion chamber includes the reciprocating grates, above- and under-fire air intakes, and an ash removal system.
 Inside the combustion chamber, fuel is fed from the metering bin to the reciprocating grates. The step-like, hydraulic grates alternate back and forth to move the fuel through the combustion zone. At the bottom of the steps, the resulting ash is dumped into the water-filled ash collector.
 Under the grates is the under-fire air fan. The fan injects preheated air generated from the flue gases and combines with the solid fuel and volatile gases to release heated gas upwards through to the refractory chamber. The under-fire fan is governed by the zone damper slides, and accounts for fluctuating conditions to maintain a constant steam supply.
 As heat and volatile gases move up to the refractory chamber, they combine with air from an over-fire wall jet nozzle. This causes complete combustion of volatile gases and produces maximum heat from the fuel around the refractory arch.
 The refractory chamber is located above the combustion area. It is the largest part of the furnace and holds the 1,832 F furnace gases for a set amount of time to ensure complete combustion and breakdown of hazardous hydrocarbons.&nbsp; As the burning gases move up and out of the refractory zone, it reaches the next section of the operation, the hybrid boilers. Hybrid Boilers
 The boiler consists of water tube and fire tube sections, which are insulated with 2 inches of mineral wool and covered with sheet steel lagging. It is this coating that keeps the boiler from reaching temperatures of 120 F. The first half of the hybrid boiler, the water tube section, receives the initial heat from the burning fuel below. The water section is gas tight and comprised of arched water tubes to supply heated water for the fire tube section.
 The burning gases leave the water tube and travel through horizontal pipes inside the fire tube. Each tube is surrounded by water, and evaporates as the heated gas travels and doubles back through the tubes. From the fire tube section, steam travels through the top to be used as heat in buildings, or to power steam generators. At this stage, any heavy particulates, or fly ash, are dropped into a blower system that deposits them into the ash collector. The rest of the exhaust gas moves to the multicyclone collector. Collection Tubes
 The multi-cyclone collector is located past the fire tube section and consists of 9-inch collection tubes. Inside them are spinners that collect even more particulates. Like in the fire tube section, the fly ash goes through a blower system back to the combustion chamber and ultimately the ash collection system. Finally, the heat that the exhaust gas contains is used by the economizer mounted on top of the exhaust stack to preheat water for the feed water storage device. Ash
Much of the heavier waste, such as particulates and ash from burned feed stock, is deposited into the ash conveyer system, which consists of a water-filled trough that saturates ash to prevent dust escaping to the heat exchanger. As it sinks to the bottom, the ash is pulled by a chain outside of the furnace. The water is drained using an inclined slope and the left-over ash is deposited onto another convoyer to be used as fertilizer or other uses. Author: Chris Hanson Staff Writer, Biomass Magazine 701-738-4970 <a href="mailto:Climbing oil prices and growing demands for cleaner energy sources inspired many boiler manufacturers to put a fresh spin on the traditional use of biomass to generate steam and heat. Today&rsquo;s biomass boiler integrates modern technology to develop automatic systems that manage the process from emissions and air control to ash removal. With the modernization of steam boilers came hundreds of varieties, sizes and manufacturers, each one presenting new designs, cutting-edge technology, and a preview of what is yet to come. Coolidge, Ga.-based Hurst Boiler, the design of which is featured here, is one of those companies. The general layout of a Hurst boiler system consists of three sections: a metering bin, a furnace and a hybrid boiler that together to produce steam that can be used for heating or generating power in a steam turbine. Manufacturers use a variety of methods to combust biomass feedstock. The Hurst system uses reciprocating fire grates to move feed stock through the boiler. Designed for use in large industrial settings such as factories, schools and greenhouses, it produces 3,450 to 10,000 pounds of steam per hour at 100 to 400 psi using biomass with a moisture content of 30 to 50 percent. Fuel Metering Bin At the beginning of the boiler process, fuel from the storage area is supplied via conveyor to the metering bin. The conveyor evenly disperses the fuel and transfers it into the combustion chamber through metering tubes. To determine the correct fuel proportion, the metering bin reacts to the conveyer system based on the current fuel load, system condition, and performance requirements. The metering tubes inside the bin are specifically engineered to move the fuel and treat it before it lands in the feed auger. The tubes are built with rifling, a type of spiral cut, inside to allow fuel to land in the auger in a way that avoids blockage. Additionally, the metering tubes are equipped with thermo-actuated switches to prevent heat from the furnace igniting fuel inside the tubes. When the switch overheats, a solenoid valve activates, releasing water into the tube to diminish any heat working backwards in the system. The switch can be utilized to treat fuel and prevent premature burning to keep the furnace from overheating. Into the Furnace After the fuel is measured, it is then fed to the furnace section. With temperatures reaching up to 1,850 degrees Fahrenheit, the combustion chamber is encased in 13 inches of heat-retaining material, refractory walls, radiant wet arches, and mineral wool. At 9 inches thick, the bulk of the insulation material is insulation mud, and the last 4 inches consist of steel plating and other materials. The combustion chamber includes the reciprocating grates, above- and under-fire air intakes, and an ash removal system. Inside the combustion chamber, fuel is fed from the metering bin to the reciprocating grates. The step-like, hydraulic grates alternate back and forth to move the fuel through the combustion zone. At the bottom of the steps, the resulting ash is dumped into the water-filled ash collector. Under the grates is the under-fire air fan. The fan injects preheated air generated from the flue gases and combines with the solid fuel and volatile gases to release heated gas upwards through to the refractory chamber. The under-fire fan is governed by the zone damper slides, and accounts for fluctuating conditions to maintain a constant steam supply. As heat and volatile gases move up to the refractory chamber, they combine with air from an over-fire wall jet nozzle. This causes complete combustion of volatile gases and produces maximum heat from the fuel around the refractory arch. The refractory chamber is located above the combustion area. It is the largest part of the furnace and holds the 1,832 F furnace gases for a set amount of time to ensure complete combustion and breakdown of hazardous hydrocarbons. As the burning gases move up and out of the refractory zone, it reaches the next section of the operation, the hybrid boilers. Hybrid Boilers The boiler consists of water tube and fire tube sections, which are insulated with 2 inches of mineral wool and covered with sheet steel lagging. It is this coating that keeps the boiler from reaching temperatures of 120 F. The first half of the hybrid boiler, the water tube section, receives the initial heat from the burning fuel below. The water section is gas tight and comprised of arched water tubes to supply heated water for the fire tube section. The burning gases leave the water tube and travel through horizontal pipes inside the fire tube. Each tube is surrounded by water, and evaporates as the heated gas travels and doubles back through the tubes. From the fire tube section, steam travels through the top to be used as heat in buildings, or to power steam generators. At this stage, any heavy particulates, or fly ash, are dropped into a blower system that deposits them into the ash collector. The rest of the exhaust gas moves to the multicyclone collector. Collection Tubes The multi-cyclone collector is located past the fire tube section and consists of 9-inch collection tubes. Inside them are spinners that collect even more particulates. Like in the fire tube section, the fly ash goes through a blower system back to the combustion chamber and ultimately the ash collection system. Finally, the heat that the exhaust gas contains is used by the economizer mounted on top of the exhaust stack to preheat water for the feed water storage device. Ash Much of the heavier waste, such as particulates and ash from burned feed stock, is deposited into the ash conveyer system, which consists of a water-filled trough that saturates ash to prevent dust escaping to the heat exchanger. As it sinks to the bottom, the ash is pulled by a chain outside of the furnace. The water is drained using an inclined slope and the left-over ash is deposited onto another convoyer to be used as fertilizer or other uses. Author: Chris Hanson Staff Writer, Biomass Magazine 701-738-4970 chanson@bbiinternational.com">chanson@bbiinternational.com</a> 8799

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How it works: A Biomass Boiler

The U.S. EPA 2012 Landfill Methane Outreach Program has awarded the St. Landry (La.) Solid Waste Disposal District the Project of the Year Award for using compressed landfill gas to power 13 vehicles in the St. Landry Parish sheriff department&rsquo;s fleet.
 To convert the landfill gas into transportation-grade fuel, the biogas is fed through a conditioning system manufactured by BioCNG LLC. The system utilizes sulfa and carbon treatments to remove hydrogen sulfide, siloxane and other volatile organic compounds. The gas is then sent through a series of filters and membranes to remove carbon and particulates before being chilled and compressed for use in compressed natural gas equipped vehicles.

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Louisiana waste disposal district recognized for biogas project

GreenWhey Energy Inc. has secured construction and long-term financing needed to construct and operate a $28 million anaerobic digester facility in Turtle Lake, Wis. Once complete, the facility will process 500,000 gallons per day of waste water from local food companies, generating 3.2 MW of power along with process heat and fertilizer coproducts. Power generated at the facility will be sold to Xcel Energy, while waste heat will be sold back to local factories.
 Baker Tilly Capital LLC, a consultant to project developer GreenWhey Energy, has reported the $28 million in investments include senior load financing from Caterpillar Financial Services, New Markets Tax Credit financing from CAP Services Inc., and equity funding from Geo Investors Fund and a federal grant. Ecolab Inc. is serving as project technology provider and Caterpillar Inc. supplied two engines and generators to the facility. Symbiont Inc. is providing engineering services, while Miron Construction Co. Inc. is general contractor. The project is on schedule to be complete this summer.

Wisconsin AD project  secures financing

I am honored to be writing my first column for Biomass Magazine focused on the U.S. biogas sector. I have worked on biogas energy systems for the past decade, and it is exciting to finally be at a point where increased interest in this valuable and underutilized technology is starting to build. But make no mistake, there is far more work to be done to fully take advantage of the enormous potential of biogas.
 The very first biogas energy system project I was involved with was at a Minnesota dairy farm that installed a plug-flow anaerobic digester, in 1998, and used the collected biogas to produce renewable electricity and heat. My organization, at the time, was the coordinator for a team of University of Minnesota researchers and interested stakeholders studying the impact of using digested manure as a fertilizer, the ability of anaerobic digestion to destruct weed seeds in manure, and the economics of the entire system. According to the U.S. EPA AgStar program, today there are 192 biogas systems using manure and other organic resources to provide a source of renewable energy. But we could and should be doing much better, not only in the utilization of livestock manure, but all organic waste streams.
 As an example, this last year, I collaborated with Joe Kramer at the Energy Center of Wisconsin to examine the current barriers and future opportunities for U.S. swine farms to adopt anaerobic digestion and produce renewable energy, while supplying additional environmental benefits. Our research found there are some technical and policy barriers that need to be overcome to take greater advantage of this resource, but these barriers are not insurmountable, and there is great promise for increased adoption at swine farms. There are countless other organic waste streams that merit closer examination.
 The past several years have witnessed some incredibly exciting developments that present a real opportunity to put organic waste streams to work in a much larger way towards providing a source of renewable energy to meet our electricity, thermal and transportation energy needs. The opportunity to combine organic waste streams together, known as co-digestion, is beginning to grow. This is significant, because when we combine manure with a higher-carbon source such as fats, oils and greases or food processing waste, projects can greatly increase overall biogas production, and this can have a positive impact on project economics.
 There have also been projects that have pioneered the ability to remove carbon dioxide and other trace gases or impurities to produce a product that is equivalent to natural gas and can be injected into the natural gas pipeline to meet thermal energy needs, or supply a source of fuel for the natural gas vehicle market. Projects have also experimented with the ability to clean and compress biogas closer to the site of production to supply biobased compressed natural gas to a refueling station. Not only has the U.S. biogas sector been working hard to expand the energy utilization opportunities for biogas, but it has also aggressively pursued projects that capture biogas from our nation&rsquo;s landfills, municipal wastewater treatment facilities, industrial wastewater treatment and constructed projects to combine waste streams from multiple sources such as livestock manure, food-processing waste, crop residues or source-separated organics from households and institutions. There are new projects slated for construction this year, and I believe we will observe new development models, diverse feedstock utilization and increased demonstration of biogas&rsquo;s ability to supply renewable energy options to the underserved thermal and transportation markets.
 Each of these developments are major leaps forward, and when taken together, clearly demonstrate the ability of biogas energy systems to more-effectively manage organic waste streams while supplying a reliable and flexible source of renewable energy. Biogas is unique when compared to other traditional renewable energy sources in its ability to meet electricity, thermal or transportation fuel needs, while making a contribution toward reducing greenhouse emissions and providing multiple other environmental benefits.
 Even with all the valuable benefits biogas energy systems provide, and recent project developments that create real opportunity to expand the U.S. biogas market, the pace of growth is still too slow. Luckily, there are many advocates of increasing the use of biogas to help meet our nation&rsquo;s energy needs, and multiple companies and interested stakeholders working incredibly hard to get projects installed that demonstrate the ability of biogas to help us achieve greater levels of renewable energy production while providing multiple environmental benefits. I am excited to use this column in the coming year to share with you exciting industry and policy developments that will move biogas into the spotlight for its contribution towards building a better energy future. Author: Amanda Bilek Energy Policy Specialist, Great Plains Institute <a href="mailto:abilek@gpisd.net">abilek@gpisd.net</a>

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Bright Future for Biogas Energy Systems

Most biogas projects constructed these days&mdash;typically variations of an anaerobic digester &mdash;are successful projects for the owners, but unfortunately, not all are. Accurate statistics on exactly why some projects succeed, and others fail, are frustratingly hard to come by. The U.S. EPA Ag-Star program's website maintains a useful database on agricultural digesters that are currently in operation, but for the most part, the database does not include all the digesters that have ceased operations or the reasons why, nor does it include non-agricultural installations. Some states track biogas projects within state boundaries, but many do not.
 Anecdotally, it appears as if there are two fundamental ingredients that are key to any biogas project's success: a suitable technology must be selected to solve a particular problem, and the benefits that a biogas project afford an owner must absolutely justify its cost. In other words, the economic return of the project must be acceptable to whoever is paying for it, and the specific technological solutions applied need to be appropriate to the waste stream(s). If either of these key ingredients is missing, the biogas project cannot succeed.
 Technology Selection
 Digester designs vary considerably, and finding the most appropriate technology to process a given waste stream requires performing a reasonable level of due diligence. When one hears of a biogas installation that is struggling because the type of digester installed was inappropriate for its feedstocks, it often becomes evident that before choosing a specific technology provider, the developer did not engage with multiple anaerobic digestion vendors, or hire an experienced consultant familiar with more than one type of digester.
 Once a technology provider rises to the top, next steps should include speaking with the provider&rsquo;s customers and employing independent resources to determine their track record. It is much simpler to perform this research beforehand, than to later suffer the consequences of a technological &ldquo;bad fit.&rdquo;
 Good, Better, Best
 Two projects in the same county process a similar volume and type of material. Both will probably generate a similar amount of biogas. However, one cost $7 million to construct, and the other will cost $22 million. It is not only possible to find such a disparity&mdash;this is a real-world example. Can both projects be successful? Yes. Can either or both fail? Also, yes. Of course, there are many independent variables and circumstances to consider for each individual project, but what holds true for one may not for another.
 That being said, the more expensive &ldquo;platinum-plated&rdquo; installations do need to justify their additional cost, especially if the extra expenditures are not offset by higher revenues. Keep in mind that top-end equipment sometimes comes with higher maintenance costs, too. For example, an engine/generator (genset) provider might require $500 spark plugs for their engines, while others do not.
 Sears stores famously offered &ldquo;good, better and best&rdquo; products. Sometimes the &ldquo;best&rdquo; components and configurations are&nbsp; required. But when they are not, perhaps &ldquo;good&rdquo; or &ldquo;better&rdquo; will do. Your reward for performing prudent due diligence may just be lowered financial risk and a more attractive return on investment.
 Rainbows and Unicorns
 You&rsquo;re well into the research and planning process. You&rsquo;ve made your preliminary technology decisions and your financial pro-forma is looking great. But, are you considering only the most optimistic conditions and performance assumptions? How flexible is your pro forma to fluctuations in the nation&rsquo;s economy? Or to swings in commodities such as natural gas or diesel? Will you depend upon a market for biosolids that already exists, or are you assuming that if you make it, they will come?
 Overly rosy predictions for biosolids sales, biogas production, conversion efficiencies to other saleable products such as electricity or compressed natural gas, power purchase agreement renewal rates and long-term feedstock availability are among the culprits found in some underperforming biogas sites. Your project should be robust and flexible enough to handle a range of possibilities. In short, taking a more skeptical, &ldquo;squinty-eyed&rdquo; perspective of your own pro forma can be a very helpful exercise.
 Project Creep and Greed
 No, this isn&rsquo;t someone who hovers around asking too many questions. Anyone who has done any home remodeling can relate to the phenomenon of project creep. "As long as we're doing this, we might as well do that too." It's incredibly easy to fall victim to it. For example, amenities such as landscaping, a visitor's observation deck, additional offices, larger gensets, an architect to design the utility building, a fountain and lighted sign out front may not seem expensive or extravagant individually. Sometimes they are justifiable expenses, but taken together they can add up to a sizeable sum. Project creep leads to budget creep.
 Some biogas projects are overburdened by an unreasonably high cost of financing. Biogas projects have really never been get-rich-quick schemes, and generally one shouldn&rsquo;t expect a mountain of revenues from only one installation. In fact, one sign that a biogas pro forma may be overly optimistic is an atypically high rate of return.
 &nbsp;However, as long as they are put together smartly, biogas installations are good, solid investments with an excellent track record, and do not justify a high-risk percentage/classification. The cost of money is quite low these days, and pairing an appropriate funding vehicle with a well-planned biogas opportunity is very much worth the additional matchmaking effort.
 Don&rsquo;t forget the adage &ldquo;Success breeds more success.&rdquo; One might consider first determining a very stable financial template for a biogas project that provides a reasonable and steady return, then repeat as many times as desired.
 The Unexpected
 Everyone knows how difficult it can be to take more than one bite at the financing apple. Therefore, it can be critically important not to undershoot a project&rsquo;s estimated capital cost. Here, experience counts and a reputable consultant, general contractor or biogas vendor can help accurately estimate the total project expenses, including the products and services that are not directly provided by them.
 Even so, there are often certain expenses, such as interconnect costs to a utility that are difficult or impossible to estimate beforehand. There could be other expenses that crop up in the course of construction or startup that nobody anticipated, so setting aside an amount on your pro forma for such unexpected contingencies will lessen the likelihood of&nbsp; a situation where there isn&rsquo;t quite enough funding to get a project finished. In some cases, the contingency budget could be as high as 10 percent of a project&rsquo;s total cost. Ideally this cushion will not be needed, but it is included in the event it is.
 Startup
 One often-overlooked or under-considered expense is the time it will take for a digester to ramp up to full operation. Depending upon the waste stream, it could take days, weeks or even months for the digester system to reach its maximum output. Every waste stream is unique, and sometimes adjustments need to be made to the process. The bottom line is that there will be a time frame between when you start feeding a digester, and when it begins performing to the point of earning revenue. Expect it.
 Congratulations on your new and successful biogas project. Have you already started the next one? Author: Doug VanOrnum Business Development, DVO Anaerobic Systems <a href="mailto:dougv@dvoinc.net">dougv@dvoinc.net</a> 920-849 -9797

EXAMINING EXPENSES: Top-end equipment sometimes comes with higher maintenance costs; the additional cost has to be justified.

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EXPLORING OPTIONS: Digester designs vary considerably, and finding the most appropriate technology to process a given waste stream requires performing a reasonable level of due diligence.

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Being thrifty when building a biogas project may make or break a project.


Biogas: Value Engineering

The U.S. EPA has published a new final rule, qualifying additional fuel pathways under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) for cellulosic and advanced biofuels. The rulemaking covers two new feedstocks: camelina and energy cane. It also qualifies renewable gasoline and renewable gasoline blendstocks made from certain feedstocks via specified processes as cellulosic for RFS compliance.&nbsp;
 Under the new rule, ethanol, renewable diesel (including jet fuel and heating oil) and naphtha produced from energy cane feedstock can now qualify to generate cellulosic biofuel renewable identification numbers (RINs). In addition, renewable diesel (including jet fuel and heating oil), naphtha and liquified petroleum gas made from camelina feedstock are now eligible for advanced RINs.
 Regarding renewable gasoline and renewable gasoline blendstocks, new feedstocks are qualified as applicable for cellulosic biofuel production under certain conditions. When utilizing natural gas, biogas and/or biomass as the only process energy source, several technologies are also qualified for cellulosic biofuel production.

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EPA approves new fuel pathways 

Cottonwood, Kan.-based Green Dot Holdings LLC has acquired the bioplastics division of Atchison, Kan.-based MGP Ingredients Inc. The acquisition includes a manufacturing facility located in Onaga, Kan., certain assets at the company&rsquo;s research and development facility in Atchison, and three lines of bioplastic materials currently sold by MGP under the Terratek brand name.
 The acquisition increases Green Dot&rsquo;s product offerings. The Terratek line of products includes wood-based bioplastics, starch composites and biodegradable starch-based resins. In addition to its elastomers and the Terratek line, Green Dot can also develop customized client formations using starch, wood and other biomass materials. According to the company, its state-of-the-art compounding lab can quickly develop and test formulas for specific formulations.
 According to Green Dot CEO Mark Remmert, additional acquisitions could be in his company&rsquo;s future. &ldquo;We do have an ambition and desire to continue to grow the company,&rdquo; Remmert said. Green Dot is also investigating the use of alternative feedstocks for manufacturing its bioplastics. &ldquo;We hope to start two projects this year that would take us down a path of using other starches, for example, to replace the corn and wheat starches that we use today,&rdquo; he continued.

Green Dot acquires bioplastic business

When Congress finally made algae eligible for a biofuel tax credit in January, it was capping off a year of extraordinary progress for the companies and research institutions working to make algae biomass a sustainable and economical source of countless products. In 2012, algae-based fuels were successfully demonstrated in military aircraft and ships, and were introduced into commercial markets for automotive fuel. Algae also made advances as an agricultural feed, and even as a source of lower-cost anti-cancer treatments.
 The future that these industry and policy developments are helping to build can now be put into further context, with the results of a recent survey the Algae Biomass Organization conducted of algae industry experts, researchers and enthusiasts. More than 470 people from every segment of the algae industry, almost 90 more than 2012, participated in the 2013 Algae Industry Survey. As in 2012, respondents this year&nbsp; continue their optimism that algae fuels will be price-competitive within the decade, that production and hiring will increase in both the short and long term, and that improved supportive federal policy could significantly benefit the industry&rsquo;s development of algae-based fuels, feeds, fertilizers and other products.
 The fact that these trends stayed positive in this year is perhaps the most encouraging finding of the survey. Last year, the algae industry was heavily criticized during the presidential primaries, biofuel use by the military came under heavy assault by powerful interests, and sustainability research was reaching only vague conclusions about algae&rsquo;s potential. Despite these challenges, the industry continues to hold steady in its optimism. This is true of those who categorized themselves as producers as well as everyone else.
 Naturally, the question on everybody&rsquo;s mind is when fuels derived from algal biomass might become cost-competitive with their fossil fuel counterparts. More than 90 percent overall (and 95 percent of producers) believe it is at least somewhat likely that algae-based fuels will be able to compete with fossil fuels by 2020, and nearly 70 percent overall (75 percent of producers) believe it is moderately likely to extremely likely. Nearly one in four (23 percent) of producers say the price will be below $3 per gallon by 2020.
 Those numbers are remarkably similar to the results of ABO&rsquo;s 2012 Industry Survey, which means we are one more year into the decade and the industry&rsquo;s confidence remains high.
 We also found the algae industry is aggressive about pursuing products beyond fuels. More than a quarter of producers reported being involved in fuels, but even more (35 percent) reported looking at algal biomass for its potential in feeds. More than one in four are eyeing nutritional and nutraceutical markets, and others indicated their interest in markets for algae-derived chemicals, plastics, fertilizers and more.
 Those same producers indicated optimism in increasing their production levels over the next year. Twenty-five percent reported they would be expanding at an existing facility, 22 percent said they would expand with new facilities, and 20 percent reported expansion and both new and existing facilities.
 On hiring prospects, almost 90 percent of employers said better federal policy support would accelerate job growth in the industry. Employers did predict job growth for 2013, along with larger projections for 2020.
 Of course, like any advanced feedstock, algae still has challenges to overcome. Our survey respondents identified the two challenges that are the most significant in making cost-competitive, algae-based fuels. The most-favored response by far was &ldquo;cost-efficient production systems,&rdquo; selected by 44 percent, followed by &ldquo;harvesting and extraction systems,&rdquo; selected by 21 percent of producers. These challenges may not come as a surprise to anybody following the impressive efforts of algae companies to meet and exceed the commercialization milestones of the past year. Yet, we all know these accomplishments are just the stepping stones to full commercial operations.
 The steady and optimistic results of ABO&rsquo;s 2013 survey, the executive summary of which is posted on the ABO website, should encourage all of us working to commercialize sustainable sources of biomass for fuels and other products. Author: Mary Rosenthal Executive Director, Algae Biomass Organization <a href="mailto:mrosenthal@algaebiomass.org">mrosenthal@algaebiomass.org</a> 763-458-0068

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Surveying the Algae Industry

As the construction of Myriant Inc.&rsquo;s $100 million biosuccinic acid production facility draws to a close in the river town of Lake Providence, La., the facility&rsquo;s commission stage is well- underway. While the 450-plus construction jobs that were created when this project officially broke ground in December of 2011 will move on to other projects, 53 permanent jobs will be established once the facility becomes operational. Additionally, the sorghum growers in the delivery radius of the facility will enjoy an additional market opportunity for their crop.
 The process used to convert sugars into bio-succinic acid is a biological one requiring a proprietary biocatalyst that creates succinic acid by virtue of its own metabolic process. The Lake Providence facility has been designed to efficiently carry out this process at commercial scale, producing nearly 30 million pounds of biosuccinic acid per year. Biosuccinic&nbsp; acid is an important platform chemical and can be furthered refined into plastics, urethanes and coatings.
 "This an exciting, yet extremely busy time for the entire team as we work to bring the plant online," says Cenan Ozmeral, Myriant's chief operating officer. "Plant commissioning is never as easy as one hopes. That said, Myriant has taken a deliberate and step-wise approach to scaling our proprietary process, and we benefit from having an experienced engineering and operations team that has built and commissioned dozens of plants over the last 20 years.&rdquo;
 Ozmeral adds that the company firmly believes it will be successful bringing online the first biosuccinic acid chemical plant in the U.S. &ldquo;We very much look forward to reporting that progress." Author: Tim Portz Executive Editor, Biomass Magazine 651-398-9154 <a href="mailto:tportz@bbiinternational.com">tportz@bbiinternational.com </a>

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Renewable chemical company Myriant enters final commissioning phase


April 2013

Business Briefs

Business Briefs

Columns

Strategic Industry Effort Proves Successful

Building Impressive Momentum

Alternative Fuels for Military, Only if Price is Right

Strong Support for Gina McCarthy as Head of EPA

What Does the Future Hold for U.S. Biomass Heating?

Bright Future for Biogas Energy Systems

Surveying the Algae Industry

Featured

The Root of Georgia's Pellet Boom

Priming a Man-made Masterpiece

Where Power Meets Paper

Contributions

Biogas: Value Engineering

Departments

How it works: A Biomass Boiler

Plant Profile: Myriant Inc.

April 2013 .css-7jxktu{position:absolute;bottom:0px;left:0px;right:0px;height:3px;border-radius:3px;background-color:var(--chakra-colors-brandBlack);}

Business Briefs

Business Briefs

Columns

Strategic Industry Effort Proves Successful

Building Impressive Momentum

Alternative Fuels for Military, Only if Price is Right

Strong Support for Gina McCarthy as Head of EPA

What Does the Future Hold for U.S. Biomass Heating?

Bright Future for Biogas Energy Systems

Surveying the Algae Industry

Featured

The Root of Georgia's Pellet Boom

Priming a Man-made Masterpiece

Where Power Meets Paper

Contributions

Biogas: Value Engineering

Departments

How it works: A Biomass Boiler

Plant Profile: Myriant Inc.

April 2013