Biomass Week - February 18, 2011

BCAP on the chopping block again Just months after the BCAP narrowly escaped defunding with the failure of the proposed federal omnibus spending bill, the biomass industry is gearing up for another battle, as an amendment to the new spending bill eliminates funding for the program. READ MORE SHARE
Pellet manufacturer buys Virginia port terminal Pellet manufacturer Enviva LP will be able to expand its shipping capacity with the acquisition of a port terminal in Chesapeake, Va. The location is suitable for the export of wood pellets and will be the shipment point for its proposed N.C. plant. READ MORE SHARE
	Two California biomass plants fined for emissions violations After completing a joint investigation, the U.S. EPA and San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District ordered two California biomass power plants to pay civil penalties of $835,000 to resolve alleged Clean Air Act and district rule violations. READ MORE SHARE
Report: Few states ready to tap wood heat potential The Alliance for Green Heat has released a report that is aimed at state officials and finds that while the use of wood for heat in many states is rapidly increasing, most states do little or nothing to promote and manage it. READ MORE SHARE
Heating the Midwest Summit exceeds expectations February's Heating the Midwest Summit was a success and drew resounding support for developing a vision similar to the Heating the Northeast Renewable Biomass effort, which envisions sourcing 25 percent of residential heating from renewables by 2025. READ MORE SHARE
Biomass holding company expands pellet capacity Under the umbrella of new holding company Biomaxx Inc., Rochester, N.Y.-based private equity firm DeltaPoint Capital Management LLC has tripled its capacity for wood pellet production with its most recent purchase of four pellet plants. READ MORE SHARE
Dominion to repower coal plant with biomass Dominion Virginia Power is planning to reopen an off-line coal-fired power plant in Altavista, Va., and repower it with biomass.The plant has been in cold reserve storage rather than retired, and could be brought back on-line with just a little work. READ MORE SHARE
Report: Promise and limits of biomass energy in the Northeast Forest biomass could replace as much as one quarter of the liquid fossil fuel now being used for industrial and commercial heating in the Northeastern United States, according to a report released Feb. 17 by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. READ MORE SHARE
Wisconsin biomass power plant gets draft air permits We Energies has received draft air permits for its 50-megawatt cogeneration plant in Rothschild, Wis. Following the issuance of the draft permits from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is a 30-day public comment period and hearing. READ MORE SHARE
Oregon governor announces biomass grant program Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has unveiled the Oregon Forest Products Energy Project, a program that will help fund biomass cogeneration projects at existing forest product companies within the state, and be used to produce a project development guide. READ MORE SHARE