Biomass Week - March 22, 2013

First pellet producer qualifies for PFI standards program New Hampshire-based New England Wood Pellet has qualified for the Pellet Fuels Institute's pellet fuel standards program, making it the first manufacturer to do so. NEWP operates three manufacturing plants in New Hampshire and New York. READ MORE SHARE
Senate votes to maintain military biofuel spending The U.S. Senate has voted down an amendment to H.R. 933 that would stripped $60 million in biofuels funding from the U.S. Department of Defense budget. The amendment was filed by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., on March 14. READ MORE SHARE
	Conn. DEEP proposes biomass, biogas changes to state RPS The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is proposing to restructure the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS), including significant changes for biomass, landfill gas and anaerobic digestion facilities. READ MORE SHARE
BNEF report more accurately compares renewable, fossil resources A new report published by Bloomberg New Energy Finance analyzed wind and bioenergy resources in the U.S. and Brazil using a lifetime production method, allowing for more accurate comparisons to oil and gas reserves. READ MORE SHARE
New tours added to International Biomass Conference & Expo The updated agenda for the sixth annual International Biomass Conference & Expo, North America's largest and fastest growing biomass conference, taking place April 8-10, 2013 in Minneapolis is now available online. READ MORE SHARE
DONG Energy, AVA form biomass district heat agreement DONG Energy and AffaldVarme Aarhus (AVA) have agreed on a new biomass-based heat agreement for the period until 2030. It will mean that Unit 3 of the Studstrup power station in Aarhus will have to be converted for firing with wood pellets. READ MORE SHARE
KiOR announces cellulosic diesel shipment, 2012 financial results On March 18 KiOR Inc. announced the initial shipment of cellulosic diesel from its commercial-scale plant in Columbus, Miss. On the same day, the company reported financial results for the fourth quarter of 2012 as well as the entire fiscal year. READ MORE SHARE
Oregon hearing addresses sunset date of state LCFS On March 18 the Oregon Senate Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources held a public hearing on S.B. 488, which aims to repeal the sunset date of the state's low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) program, known as the Oregon Clean Fuels Program. READ MORE SHARE
Obama talks energy strategy, calls for Energy Security Trust fund President Barack Obama spoke at Argonne National Laboratory on March 15, highlighting the importance of an all-of-the-above energy strategy and calling on Congress to establish a $2 billion Energy Security Trust. READ MORE SHARE
Scientists build stronger, greener concrete with lignin Kansas State University civil engineers are developing the right mix to reduce concrete's carbon footprint and make it stronger. Their innovative ingredient: biofuel byproducts. READ MORE SHARE
Confluence Energy acquisition nearly doubles pellet capacity Kremmling, Colo.-based Confluence Energy has acquired certain assets of Rocky Mountain Pellet in Walden, Colo., a transaction that will nearly double the company's current capacity of 100,000 tons. READ MORE SHARE
Maersk Group pursues lignin-based fuel for marine applications Shipping has so far not benefited from the research and development that has turned biomass into one of the world's most important sources of renewable energy. Two projects involving Maersk aim to change that. Both focus on lignin. READ MORE SHARE
Kedco provides update of Enfield Biomass CHP project Ireland-based Kedco plc has issued an update on its proposed 12 MW Enfield Biomass combined-heat-and-power plant under development in North London. According to Kedco, significant progress had been made on the project to date. READ MORE SHARE
Judge rules Gevo didn't infringe on Butamax patent A U.S. District Court judge filed a March 19 memorandum opinion that concluded Gevo Inc. did not infringe on a Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC patent. Butamax has announced it will immediately appeal the decision. READ MORE SHARE
Q&A with Andrew Held of Virent Andrew Held, senior director of feedstock development at Virent Inc., outlines feedstock development activities, partnership with Coca Cola Co., and provides a sneak peak of his presentation at the 2013 International Biomass Conference & Expo. READ MORE SHARE
Anellotech pilot to produce biomass-based aromatics Anellotech Inc. expects a new pilot plant in Pearl River, N.Y., to be completed midyear and ready to produce 100 kg samples of green benzene and toluene. The pilot facility will also house Anellotech's headquarters and laboratory. READ MORE SHARE
Toomey amendments would reallocate military funding for biofuels On March 14, Sen. Pat Toomey filed two amendments that aim to strip biofuel pending from H.R. 933, a military appropriations bill. Combined, the two amendments would reallocate nearly $175 million in funding away from military biofuel programs. READ MORE SHARE