Biomass Week - August 31, 2012

Progress Energy Florida seeks renewable energy project proposals Progress Energy Florida has issued a request for proposals for renewable energy projects. According to documentation issued by the company, it is looking to offset the need for new power plants by contracting with renewable projects. READ MORE SHARE
Xergi to supply U.K.'s largest turkey farm with biogas plant Bernard Matthews, the U.K.'s largest turkey farmer and supplier, is installing a biogas plant to improve the company's waste handling and energy costs. The project underlines the wide scope of Xergi's biogas technology for handling waste. READ MORE SHARE
	EIA report addresses U.S. biomass power generation The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently issued its latest power generation data. Its Electric Power Monthly report provides an overview of biomass power on a regional basis. In June 2012, the U.S. produced 1.65 million MWh from wood fuel. READ MORE SHARE
BioNitrogen selects gasification supplier for initial urea plant BioNitrogen Corp. recently announced it signed a three-year, non-exclusive agreement with PRM Energy System Inc. for the construction of gasification units for its proposed urea plants. The company also signed feedstock supply and offtake agreements. READ MORE SHARE
Nexterra , Stopford partner for bioenergy projects in the U.K. Nexterra Systems Corp. and Stopford Projects Ltd. have formed a strategic alliance to develop and market Nexterra's energy-from-renewable-waste gasification systems for the industrial and district energy markets in the United Kingdom. READ MORE SHARE
Revote resurrects Montpelier biomass project During a special meeting on Aug. 29, the Montpelier, Vt., city council voted again on the fate of a district heating project that would replace an old state-owned plant with a new biomass plant, reversing its week-old decision to axe the project. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers tweak microbe to turn carbon dioxide into isobutanol Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology modified a microbe to turning carbon dioxide into isobutanol. In nature, the wild soil bacterium turnscarbon compounds into a polymer. MIT researchers have modified it to produce isobutnaol instead. READ MORE SHARE
LS9 adds to executive team after demonstration facility opening LS9 Inc. announced a new chief financial officer. Jon Foster, a Silicon Valley veteran, will take on the CFO role and bring LS9 a mix of financial skills and the experience gained from an advisory board position with the California Clean Energy Fund. READ MORE SHARE
Advanced biofuels industry: Policy instability hurts Calls for a waiver to the renewable fuels standard (RFS) are not helpful to the nascent advanced biofuels sector, said industry representatives who participated in an Aug. 28 press conference organized by the Biotechnology Industry Organization. READ MORE SHARE
EPA, DOT finalize fuel efficiency rule, address biofuel comments The U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of Transportation finalized new fuel efficiency standards on Aug. 28. The new corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards will increase fuel economy to 54.5 mpg for cars and light-duty trucks by model year 2025. READ MORE SHARE
CRIBE grants support Northern Ontario biomass research, projects Northern Ontario's Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy granted $467,000 to Confederation College to build a learning and research facility and is providing funding to Atikokan Renewable Fuels to test wood pellet additives. READ MORE SHARE
TMO Renewables, Chinese officials sign MOU for biomass supply TMO Renewables Ltd. took its first step towards the development of a series of second-generation biofuel plants in China. The company signed an agreement with the authorities of Heilongjiang, China to secure large volumes of biomass. READ MORE SHARE
Enzyme giant to market advanced biofuel yeast strain A C5 yeast strain developed by Terranol for use in advanced biofuel production may soon be available worldwide thanks to Novozymes. The yeast is optimized to convert C5 sugars and works under standard ethanol fermentation temperatures. READ MORE SHARE
Montpelier to revote on biomass district heating project On Aug. 22, the Montpelier, Vt., city council voted 4-2 to axe a biomass district heating project that has been in the works for several years, citing concerns about financial risks. The project is not dead yet, and will undergo another vote Aug. 29. READ MORE SHARE
Waste Management, Renmatix announce joint development agreement Waste Management Inc. and Renmatix announced they have entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) to explore the feasibility of converting post-consumer waste into affordable, sufficient-quality sugars for manufacturing biobased materials. READ MORE SHARE
Biofuels group to Obama: 'Stay the course on the RFS' The newly formed Biofuels Producers Coordinating Council sent a letter to President Obama Aug. 27, cautioning against granting a waiver to the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The letter was signed by the leaders of eight biofuel trade groups. READ MORE SHARE
University of Georgia plant gene discovery benefits biofuels University of Georgia researchers have identified a previously uncharacterized gene that plays a major role in cell wall development of Arabidopsis plants, a discovery that promises to help turn plants into biofuel more efficiently. READ MORE SHARE
Feedback sought on wood pellet delivery, transport recommendation The Northeast Biomass Thermal Working Group is inviting comments on newly-released bulk pellet delivery and transportation recommendations, up until Oct. 1. NEBTWG and a group of other stakeholders began work on the recommendations in early 2012. READ MORE SHARE
Sapphire Energy completes first phase of demonstration plant Sapphire Energy Inc. announced the first phase of its Green Crude Farm. Construction of this first phase began on June 1, 2011 and was completed on time and on budget. When complete, the facility will produce 1.5 million gallons per year of crude. READ MORE SHARE