Biomass Week - November 8, 2013

USDA funds research to convert beetle-killed trees to bioenergy The USDA has awarded nearly $10 million to a consortium of academic, industry and government organizations led by Colorado State University and their partners to research using insect-killed trees in the Rockies as bioenergy feedstock. READ MORE SHARE
BTEC, PFI: Industry must urge Congress to support BTU Act The Biomass Thermal Energy Council and the Pellet Fuels Institute are urging stakeholders of the biomass thermal industry to contact their congresspersons about supporting the Biomass Thermal Utilization Act. READ MORE SHARE
	Mass. gives $32 million for renewable heating, cooling projects Massachusetts is enticing residents, businesses and public agencies to reduce emissions and heating and cooling costs by making $32 million available to seven programs that will fund renewable heating and cooling projects. READ MORE SHARE
KiOR reports increased production in Q3 results KiOR Inc. has published its third quarter financial results, reporting increased production at its Columbus, Miss., plant. During the quarter, KiOR produced 324,000 gallons of cellulosic fuel, up approximately 150 percent from the previous quarter. READ MORE SHARE
Battelle develops mobile technology to produce bio-oil Battelle engineers and scientists have developed a mobile device that transforms biomass materials into valuable bio-oil using catalytic pyrolysis. The unit currently converts 1 ton of feedstock into as much as 130 gallons of wet bio-oil. READ MORE SHARE
High solids anaerobic digestion system unveiled in Ohio Akron, Ohio-based KB Bioenergy has started up a new $32 million state of the art high solids anaerobic digestion system. The project includes three 600-kilowatt combined-heat-and-power units, which produce a combined 10,000 megawatt hours of energy. READ MORE SHARE
EIA: biomass no. 2 in waste fuel use by manufacturers Waste fuels are a major source of fuel for U.S. manufacturers, accounting for 29 percent of fuel in 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Agriculture waste, mill residue and wood waste accounted for 33 percent of that amount. READ MORE SHARE
Texas AD facility to be sold at auction The Huckabay Ridge anaerobic digestion facility in Stephenville, Texas, is scheduled to be offered for sale at auction on Nov. 21. EM Biogas LLC has engaged Maas Companies Inc. to manage the sale. READ MORE SHARE
Taiwan developers introduce high-yield biobutanol process Researchers have developed a new butanol process that promises to convert 94 percent of the available carbon in biomass, including carbon dioxide, for a greenhouse gas reduction of more than 100 percent at a cost of less than $2 per gallon. READ MORE SHARE
Gevo proves commercial-scale isobutnaol production with corn mash Gevo Inc. has released its third quarter financial results, reporting progress with isobutanol production at its Luverne, Minn., plant and with its paraxylene demonstration facility and biobased jet fuel process. READ MORE SHARE
UK statistics show bioenergy production increased in Q2 The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change has released updated energy trend statistics, showing that 1.55 million metric tons of oil equivalent fuel was used by the bioenergy sector to produce electricity during the second quarter of 2013. READ MORE SHARE
Green Gas Americans acquires Lime Energy landfill gas project Green Gas has acquired Lime Energy's 2.8 megawatt (MW) landfill-gas-to-energy project located in Charlotte County, Fla., through the acquisition of Lime Energy's subsidiary, GES-Port Charlotte LLC, which owns the project. READ MORE SHARE
Ener-G offers AD service to industrial processors Ener-G has launched an outsourced anaerobic digestion (AD) service that includes the design, installation and operation of the renewable energy facilities for a variety of industrial processors. The service is financed by Ener-G. READ MORE SHARE
NRC launches biomaterials program The National Research Council of Canada has launched its Industrial Biomaterials program. The new $55 million, five-year initiative is designed to help create more fuel-efficient vehicles and greener construction materials. READ MORE SHARE
Metso to supply automation for Asia's largest biomass power plant GS Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd., has chosen Metso to supply automation for the Dangjin 4 Biomass Power Plant, currently under construction in Dangjin City, about 70 kilometers southwest of Seoul in South Korea. READ MORE SHARE
Fuels America call considers likely impacts of leaked RFS draft A teleconference hosted by Fuels America on Nov. 6 explored the likely impacts of the U.S. EPA's leaked draft proposal for the 2014 renewable fuel standard volume obligations. Speakers said the proposal would chill investment in advanced biofuels. READ MORE SHARE
Letters fly in support of energy title programs in Farm Bill In the last week, three letters have been sent to the ag committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, urging support for the Farm Bill's energy title programs. The letters have been issued by both federal lawmakers and trade groups. READ MORE SHARE
Analysis considers impact of cofiring pellets at Finland plants Finland-based Helsingin Energia recently announced a collaboration with the Finnish Environmental Institute and Tampere University of Technology to evaluate the environmental impacts cofiring wood pellets at its coal-fired Salmisaari power plant. READ MORE SHARE
Amyris reports reduced farnesene production costs in Q3 results Amyris Inc. has released its financial results for the third quarter of 2013, reporting progress with its plant in Brazil. According to the company, its farnesene production costs are on track to drop to about $4 per liter by the end of the year. READ MORE SHARE
RFA, Growth Energy, BIO ask to intervene in RFS legal challenge The Renewable Fuels Association, Biotechnology Industry Organization, and Growth Energy filed a motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to intervene in support of the renewable fuel standard (RFS) 2013 final rule. READ MORE SHARE