Biomass Week - December 13, 2013

GIB-funded project breaks ground in Northern Ireland The U.K.-based Green Investment Bank announced work began on Dec. 9 to construct a 15.8-megawatt biomass plant in Northern Ireland. The combined-heat-and-power plant is being developed by Evermore Renewable Energy on the Londonderry Port. READ MORE SHARE
USDA and Navy announce Farm-to-Fleet venture update Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced a joint Farm-to-Fleet venture update that provides biofuel with a larger role in the military and promotes the rural economy. READ MORE SHARE
	North American pellet exports to Europe continue increase Pellet export volumes from North America to Europe continued to rise during the second quarter of 2013, representing steady growth for the past seven quarters, according to data compiled by Wood Resources International LLC. READ MORE SHARE
House bill aims to create renewable electricity standard On Dec. 4, Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., introduced the Renewable Electricity Standard Act of 2013 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would require utilities to source 25 percent of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025. READ MORE SHARE
Senate hearing addresses 2014 RFS proposal The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works held a hearing Dec. 11 to consider the U.S. EPA's proposed rule to set 2014 volume requirements under the renewable fuel standard. The hearing featured testimony from several stakeholders. READ MORE SHARE
EU project focuses on HTC processing of wet biomass A new European project, named "New technological applications for wet biomass waste stream products," or NEWAPP, focuses on the application of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) processes to convert wet biomass into coal-like products. READ MORE SHARE
Biomass gasification plant under development in central England Site work is set to begin on a 10.3-megawatt biomass gasification plant in Tyseley, England. The Birmingham Bio Power Ltd. plant, under development by Carbonarius, is expected to be operational in early 2016. READ MORE SHARE
DECC official visits Drax, announces CCS funding U.K. Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey visited the Drax coal-to-biomass conversion plant and announced the Department of Energy and Climate Change would award funding to a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project based at the site. READ MORE SHARE
Anaergia delivers anaerobic digestion facility to UK project Anaergia Inc. has announced that UTS Biogas Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Anaergia based in the United Kingdom, has delivered a large-scale anaerobic digestion facility to Shropshire Energy, part of the G's Group. READ MORE SHARE
Proterro issued patent for sugar-making process The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 8,597,914 to Proterro Inc., protecting its unique, biosynthetic sugar-making process. The company's technology features microorganisms that produce sugar in modular photobioreactors. READ MORE SHARE
U of Ill. economists analyze weedy invaders-to-energy concept Could weeds, particularly problematic invasive ones, become a reliable cellulosic ethanol feedstock? It isn't likely in the near-term due to a fundamental dilemma, suggest a group of University of Illinois researchers. READ MORE SHARE
Himark BioGas now digests municipal organic waste An anaerobic digestion facility at Growing Power Hairy Hill L.P. in Canada is utilizing Himark BioGas International's patented IMUS technology to digest 200 tons per day or 73,000 tons per year of municipal solid waste and organics. READ MORE SHARE
Biogas cogeneration facility opens in Canada The Climate Change and Emissions Management Corp. recently joined Lethbridge Biogas LP at the opening of the largest anaerobic digester cogeneration facility in Canada. The $30 million facility currently has a generating capacity of 2.8 megawatts. READ MORE SHARE
Cloning technology being utilized in biomass study Researchers at the University of Georgia are using cloning technology to develop faster-growing sweetgum trees that can be used for biomass energy generation or for pulp and paper production. READ MORE SHARE
EU's policy environment credited with lack of biofuel investment A study published by Agra CEAS Consulting shows that an uncertain policy environment in Europe is negatively impacting investment in first- and second-generation biofuels. Without additional investment, the E.U. is likely to miss its biofuel targets. READ MORE SHARE
EIA predicts increased use of wood biomass in 2014 The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the December issue of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, predicting that energy production from wood biomass and waste biomass will increase next year. READ MORE SHARE
Stakeholders urge Congress to extend biofuel tax policies Tax provisions critical to the biofuel and biopower industries are set to expire at the end of the month, and industry stakeholders are urging Congress for extensions. READ MORE SHARE
Evonik, LanzaTech partner on bioprocessed precursors for plastics Evonik Industries and LanzaTech have signed a three year research cooperation agreement which will see Evonik combining its existing biotechnology platforms with LanzaTech's synthetic biology and gas fermentation expertise. READ MORE SHARE
Concord Blue, Lanzatech partner for waste biomass-to-fuel demo Concord Blue USA Inc. and LanzaTech have entered into an agreement to integrate their individually proven technologies to demonstrate the production of fuels and chemicals from waste materials. READ MORE SHARE
Sapphire Energy, Phillips 66 announce joint development agreement Sapphire Energy Inc. and Phillips 66 have announced a strategic joint development agreement aimed at taking production of algae crude oil a significant step toward commercialization by completing fuel certifications to ready green crude for refining. READ MORE SHARE
IXUS Energy opens biomass training facility IXUS Energy, a national biomass boiler distribution company, has opened a state-of-the-art training center to help meet demand for quality biomass installers, driven by the introduction of the domestic Renewable Heating Incentive. READ MORE SHARE