Biomass Week - November 22, 2013

Wood Stove Decathlon: panelists talk heating with pellets At the Wood Stove Decathalon in Washington, D.C., Nov. 16-19, a panel of experts discussed growth of residential pellet heating, some pros and cons, as well its current role in U.S. renewable energy generation. READ MORE SHARE
Cellulosic biofuel, diesel RINs generated in October The U.S. EPA has published renewable identification number (RIN) data for October, reporting that D3 cellulosic biofuel and D7 cellulosic diesel RINs were generated during the month. D3 and D7 RINs were also generated in June, July and September. READ MORE SHARE
	PFI seeks experts to serve on ISO pellet safety workgroups The Pellet Fuels Institute is recruiting members and other industry representatives to get involved in the development of new pellet safety standards by the International Standards Organization. Those interested are encouraged to contact PFI staff. READ MORE SHARE
EDF Renewable Energy, Santee Cooper dedicate biomass project EDF Renewable Energy and Santee Cooper have dedicated the Pinelands Biomass project, which consists of two nominal 17.8 megawatt (MW) generating facilities located in Allendale and Dorchester Counties in South Carolina. READ MORE SHARE
USDA economists dig into details of the EPA proposed RFS rule A recent FarmDoc Daily post features an analysis of the recent U.S. EPA proposal for the renewable fuel standard written by two economists of the USDA. The post outlines three possible scenarios, assuming the proposed rule is finalized as is. READ MORE SHARE
Financing closes on biomass power plant in British Columbia Fort St. James Green Energy Limited Partnership recently announced that it has closed on its financing for the Fort St. James Green Energy Project, a $235 million, 40-megawatt (MW), biomass-fired power plant in Fort St. James, British Columbia. READ MORE SHARE
Come, and They Will Build It Lockheed Martin's army of engineers has expanded its expertise to bioenergy and biofuels. READ MORE SHARE
DOE funding supports biomass projects on tribal land The U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded funding to support the development of two biomass thermal projects in the Midwest. The awards were made as part of a $7 million round of funding to nine tribal clean energy projects. READ MORE SHARE
Genera, University of Tennessee complete supply chain research In 2009, The U.S. Department of Energy awarded nearly $5 million to Genera Energy Inc. and the University of Tennessee to research and develop economical systems for bulk-handling and processing of chopped switchgrass. That project is now complete. READ MORE SHARE
Dyadic addresses biofuels, biochemicals in Q3 results Dyadic International Inc. recently released financial results for the third quarter, reporting revenues of $3.5 million, up from $2.5 million for the same period of last year. The company also recently announced the award of a new U.S. patent. READ MORE SHARE
EPA schedules 2014 RFS public hearing On Nov. 21, the U.S. EPA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a public hearing will be held on Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C. on the 2014 renewable fuel standard (RFS) proposed rule. READ MORE SHARE
Bioenergy companies respond to PFPI report, letter to SEC A group of investors sent a letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Nov. 20 asking for a review of filings made by three bioenergy producers that they claim include misleading statements about the benefits of biomass energy. READ MORE SHARE
General Motors and Detroit Renewable Energy project announced General Motors and Detroit Renewable Energy announced a new waste-to-energy project that will generate 58 percent of GM's Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant's power needs. READ MORE SHARE
New Canaan Capital closing on first biomass plant New Canaan Capital Management LLC, a private equity-funded limited partnership launched in 2012, is about to close on its first closed-loop biomass power project via the company's Green Energy Opportunity Fund. READ MORE SHARE
Codexis shelves CodeXyme product for cellulosic fuels, chemicals Biocatalyst producer Codexis Inc. recently released its financial results for the third quarter of 2013, reporting that it will immediately begin to wind down its CodeXyme cellulase enzyme program for the production of cellulosic sugars. READ MORE SHARE
Viridis Energy forms subsidiary to broker energy transactions Viridis Energy Inc. has formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Viridis Merchants Inc., to arrange transactions between buyer and sellers of alternative energy, including wood pellets. The company has also hired a commodities trading specialist. READ MORE SHARE
Reinventing the Rail Car A three-party collaboration between Drax, Lloyd's Register Rail U.K. and WH Davis has yielded the world's first pellet rail wagon, which maximizes the efficiency of each train load that rolls out of Britain's ports. READ MORE SHARE
Canada's wood pellet industry examines rapid growth Biomass Magazine is on site at the Wood Pellet Association of Canada's annual general meeting, which is currently underway and highlighting the sector's rapid growth. READ MORE SHARE
Forest2Market begins campaign for wood pellet project developers Forest2Market kicked off a 24-part series to educate wood pellet project developers about the complexities of the U.S. wood supply chain. Topics will range from feed-in tariffs and certificates for difference to sustainable feedstock demonstration. READ MORE SHARE
Beta Renewables technology to make ethanol, bioglycols in China M&G Chemicals announced a second-generation biorefinery in China to convert biomass into ethanol, bioglycols and 45 MW biopower. Using Prosea technology, it will be 4x larger than Beta Renewables' Crescentino, Italy, plant. READ MORE SHARE
Algae tricked into staying up late to produce biomaterials Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Md. and Waseda University in Tokyo have modified cyanobacteria's biological clock to remain in its daytime state. READ MORE SHARE
Chipping Away at Innovation Biomass equipment manufacturers are striving to provide top-of-the-line feedstock-sizing equipment. Inspired by customer feedback and demand, several companies made upgrades to their products this year. READ MORE SHARE
Wood Stove Decathalon underway in Washington, D.C. The Alliance for Green Heat's Wood Stove Decathalon is underway at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., an event during which twelve teams are competing for the title of the cleanest, most efficient and innovative wood stoves. READ MORE SHARE
Canadian plant to transition to biomass Ontario will achieve its goal to eliminate coal-fired generation before the end of 2014. Over the next year, the Thunder Bay Generating Station will stop burning coal and be converted to use advanced biomass as fuel for electricity generation. READ MORE SHARE
8 leading global brand companies, WWF form bioplastic alliance Eight of the world's leading consumer brand companies and conservation group World Wildlife Fund recently announced the formation of the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance to support the responsible development of plastics made from plant material. READ MORE SHARE