Biomass Week - January 18, 2013

BNDES awards Solazyme joint venture a loan for Brazilian facility Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils, a joint venture between Solazyme Inc. and wholly owned Bunge Ltd. subsidiary Bunge Global Innovation LLC, has received approval for a R$245.699 million ($120 million) loan from the Brazilian Development Bank. READ MORE SHARE
Scientists develop tailor "nanobowl" inorganic catalysts In a case of the Goldilocks story retold at the molecular level, scientists at the U.S. DOE's Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern University have discovered a new path to the development of more stable and efficient catalysts. READ MORE SHARE
	Japanese research team produces Euglena-based bioplastic Japanese researchers working with the Advanced Low Carbon Technology Research and Development Program have developed a bioplastic material derived from the microorganism Euglena and compounds obtained from cashew nut shells. READ MORE SHARE
BIO, cellulosic producers call for EPA to issue 2013 RFS volumes The Biotechnology Industry Organization hosted a conference call on Jan. 17 that addressed the need for the U.S. EPA to finalize 2013 volumetric mandates under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The rulemaking is expected to be issued soon. READ MORE SHARE
Report shows 100 biomass power projects came online in 2012 The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Energy Projects has released its latest Energy Infrastructure Update, which includes data through Dec. 2012. The update includes statistics on a variety of energy types, including biomass. READ MORE SHARE
IRENA report finds cost reduction potential for biomass power The International Renewable Energy Agency has published a report that provides a comprehensive analysis of the costs and performance of various renewable power technologies that are currently available. It addresses several biomass technologies. READ MORE SHARE
N.M. biomass plant moves forward with help of city commission The Alamogordo, N.M. city commission has issued a letter of support for a proposed 20 MW biomass power plant under development by New Generation Biomass LLC. The Black Bear Biomass plant would be located on Holloman Air Force Base. READ MORE SHARE
Texas researcher looks into biodiesel production from lignin A two-year research project aims to crack the lignin question by engineering a microbe to break down the byproduct into a lipid, or fat, and then into biodiesel. The research has the potential to make cellulosic biorefineries more profitable. READ MORE SHARE
BP: Renewables to be the fastest growing energy class though 2030 BP expects renewables to continue to be the fastest growing class of energy over the next several years. According to the BP Energy Outlook 2030, renewables will increase at an average of 7.6 percent a year through 2030. READ MORE SHARE
GRFA: Biofuels key to a strong economy and clean energy future The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance has called on the policy development, business and technology sector leaders attending the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, to commit to increasing biofuels' share of the future global energy mix. READ MORE SHARE
EIA: Large mergers drive ownership change of power plants Electric power companies add physical capacity to their fleets in two primary ways: building new generators or buying existing generators. Natural gas and renewable units comprise a majority of the generating capacity bought or sold since 2005. READ MORE SHARE
BioNitrogen's proposed facility hits a new milestone BioNitrogen Corp. has announced that Granherne Inc., a KBR company, and PRM Energy Systems Inc. have completed the conceptual engineering and initial feasibility study for its first commercial-scale plant. READ MORE SHARE
Viaspace Giant King Grass growing in Hawaii While Giant King Grass was previously released from quarantine by the USDA for distribution in the U.S., Hawaii has additional plant import rules, and the crop is being grown in a facility under the purview of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers engineer cyanobacteria to grow chemical precursors Chemists at the University of California, Davis, have engineered blue-green algae to grow chemical precursors for fuels and plastics, the first step in replacing fossil fuels as raw materials for the chemical industry. READ MORE SHARE
Kedco announces new biomass power project Kedco plc has announced the signing of heads of terms with Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners for a new biomass power plant, which will feature a capacity of up to 25 MW. The company has also issued an update of its project portfolio. READ MORE SHARE
Vilsack announces he will remain Agriculture Secretary "As we look ahead to a promising future in our small towns and rural communities, I am pleased to continue working alongside President Obama to grow more opportunity in rural America," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. READ MORE SHARE
FutureMetrics: low-cost natural gas beneficial to wood to energy Wood-to-energy will significantly benefit from the low-cost natural gas, according to a new white paper released from FutureMetrics Inc., including European wood pellet export operations and the domestic wood pellet boiler sector. READ MORE SHARE
EPA publishes RIN data for Nov. 2012 The U.S. EPA has published data on the renewable fuel standard (RFS) for Nov. 2012. No D3 renewable identification numbers (RINs) were generated during the month for cellulosic biofuels. However, I,741 D7 RINs were generated for cellulosic diesel. READ MORE SHARE
USDA announces $25 million in funding for biomass projects Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced $25 million to fund research and development of next-generation renewable energy and high-value biobased products from biomass sources though the Biomass Research and Development Initiative. READ MORE SHARE