Biomass Week - June 14, 2013

Senate passes farm bill with mandatory energy title funds The U.S. Senate passed its version of a new Farm Bill, leaving the ag energy industry satisfied with the inclusion of mandatory funding for energy title programs. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on its version of the bill soon. READ MORE SHARE
EPA awards biomass projects under SBIR program The U.S. EPA has announced more than $2 million in funding to 25 small businesses under its Small Business Innovation Research program. Among those awarded were companies developing new and improved methods to utilize biomass for energy and products. READ MORE SHARE
	USDA accepting applications for advanced biofuel, REAP programs The USDA has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of $98.6 million for payments under the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program. A separate notice announces increased funding for the Rural Energy for America Program. READ MORE SHARE
UPM, Renmatix form JDA for biochemical production Finland-based UPM and Pennsylvania-based Renmatix Inc.have announced a non-exclusive joint development agreement (JDA) to optimize Renmatix's Plantrose process to convert hardwood biomass into cellulosic sugars for biochemical production. READ MORE SHARE
Myriant, JM Davy announce successful production of BDO, THF Myriant Corp. and Johnson Matthey - Davy Technologies announced the successful production of bio-butanediol and tetrahydrofuran made from Myriant's bio-succinic acid. The qualification work was conducted at JM Davy's facility at Teesside, England. READ MORE SHARE
BioAmber, IMCD sign European distribution agreement BioAmber Inc. and IMCD Group have announced that IMCD is now distributing BioAmber's biobased succinic acid (Bio-SATM) in the Benelux, France, Iberia, Germany, Poland, South East Europe, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and Ireland. READ MORE SHARE
OSU researchers study rumen fungus for biofuel production A group of researchers from Oklahoma State University have published an analysis of a genome they say has great potential for the cost-effective production of biofuel. The team has described multiple unique features within the genome of rumen fungus. READ MORE SHARE
Cool Planet announces $29.9 million in funding Cool Planet Energy Systems announced it closed on $29.9 million of its anticipated $100 million D series financing that will fund construction of its first commercial production facility. The company currently operates a pilot plant in California. READ MORE SHARE
Moose Creek Energy opens landfill gas facility in Canada Moose Creek Energy's 4.2 MW landfill gas-to-energy plant, located at the Lafleche Environmental Inc. facility in Moose Creek, Ontario, is now open. The facility is Energy Ottawa's second joint venture with Integrated Gas Recovery Services Inc. READ MORE SHARE
N.C. Ports gains state approval for pellet export project The North Carolina Council of State approved recently approved a lease agreement between the North Carolina State Ports Authority and Enviva Holdings LP, giving the Ports the go-ahead to enter the highly competitive wood pellet industry. READ MORE SHARE
EBI announces first patent, publishes annual report The Energy Biosciences Institute was granted its first patent since the public-private research partnership was established in 2007. It focuses on a method to convert C5 and C6 sugars into biofuel.The institute also published its annual report. READ MORE SHARE
NREL, Navy, private industry team to make biobased jet The U.S. DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory is partnering with Cobalt Technologies, U.S. Navy, and Show Me Energy Cooperative to demonstrate that jet fuel can be made economically and in large quantities from a renewable biomass feedstock. READ MORE SHARE
Green Investment Bank releases AD market report The U.K. Green Investment Bank has published a market report on anaerobic digestion (AD) that aims to improve investor understanding of the sector. It includess an overview of market issues and identifies opportunities and barriers for investment READ MORE SHARE
Viaspace announces South African update, new Philippines project Viaspace Inc. recently provided an update on the status of its Giant King Grass growing in South Africa as part of the previously announced agreement Selectra CC. The company also signed a supply contract with Philippines-based sugar producer. READ MORE SHARE
UK reveals phase 2 awards in wetland biomass-to-energy program The U.K. Department of Energy & Climate Change has awarded three bioenergy companies a total of GBP1.34 million ($2.08 million) to support the scale-up of their process designs under phase two of the DECC's wetlands biomass-to-bioenergy competition. READ MORE SHARE