Biomass Week - December 14, 2012

USDA grants support sustainable bioenergy production Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced $10 million in research grants to spur production of bioenergy and biobased products that will lead to the development of sustainable regional systems and help create jobs. READ MORE SHARE
Company eyes hemp as feedstock for biofuel, power generation Patriot Bioenergy Corp. joined the Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association and sees value in industrial hemp for biomass blending with bituminous coal for power generation as well as a possible cellulosic feedstock for biofuels. READ MORE SHARE
	Biogas plants open in Wash., Calif. Two biogas plants have recently been completed in Washington and California. Both will generate electricity to power onsite operations, but the California facility will also produce a liquid transportation fuel to power a truck fleet. READ MORE SHARE
NNFCC briefing stresses bioenergy can deliver meaningful benefits The U.K. has committed to sourcing 15 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2020, and biomass is expected to pay a crucial role in this goal by delivering low carbon sources of heat, power and liquid fuels. READ MORE SHARE
ICAO president highlights algae biofuel research at COP18 Algae biofuel research being completed at Qatar University was toured by Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez, president of the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, during his trip to the United Nations Climate Change Conference. READ MORE SHARE
NanoMarket report forecasts growth in bioplastics market Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets has published a report, titled "Bio-Plastics Markets - 2013," that projects revenues from bioplastics will reach $6.1 billion by 2018, with 8.6 million tons of bioplastics shipped. READ MORE SHARE
Researcher wins DOE grant for algae hydrodeoxygenation research Funded by a $650,000 grant by the U.S. DOE Office of Biomass Program, Adeniyi Lawal of Stevens Institute of Technology will be leading a team investigating microalgae as a biomass fuel source. READ MORE SHARE
Oregon to implement phase one of Clean Fuels Program On Dec. 7, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission elected to begin implementation of the state's Clean Fuels Program. A spokeswoman for the Oregon DEQ confirmed the commission voted four to one to implement the the proposed rules for phase one. READ MORE SHARE
Georgia wood pellet export terminal will be largest in Southeast A Savannah, Ga., export terminal once used for the export of the paper industry product kaolin clay, will now give Enova Wood Pellet Group LLC a 1.35 million metric ton per year wood pellet export capacity at a single port. READ MORE SHARE
Nova Scotia biomass cogeneration plant sold for $25 million The government of Nova Scotia has sold a 30 MW biomass-fired cogeneration facility to Emera Inc. for $25 million. The Brooklyn Energy facility was recently purchased by the government as a part of a larger deal with Resolute Forest Products. READ MORE SHARE
Biomass power plant to open at Ga. paper mill Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has announced that Dublin-based Green Power Solutions will open a power plant at an existing paper mill in Laurens County, creating 35 permanent jobs with an initial capital investment of $95 million. READ MORE SHARE
WBA disputes forest biomass carbon payback, debt theories The World Bioenergy Association released a new biomass fact sheet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December. The document asserts that theories on carbon debt and "payback time" of biomass are not credible. READ MORE SHARE
German port receives 20,000-ton wood pellet transshipment A vessel with nearly 20,000 tons of wood pellets was discharged at Wismar seaport the week of Dec. 3, according to wood pellet manufacturer German Pellets. READ MORE SHARE
Verenium announces $22.5 million, five-year secured financing Verenium Corp., an industrial biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes, announced on Dec. 10 the signing of a $22.5 million secured debt financing with Athyrium Opportunities Fund. READ MORE SHARE