Biomass Week - May 9, 2014

Rentech acquires New England Wood Pellet Rentech Inc. has acquired all three of New England Wood Pellet's facilities, a $34.5 million investment that adds 240,000 tons to Rentech's annual pellet output. The facilities are located in Jaffrey, N.H., Schuyler, N.Y., and Deposit, N.Y. READ MORE SHARE
Landfill gas-to-energy project opens in Valdosta, Ga. Representatives from Advanced Disposal, Green Power EMC, and Energy Systems Group held a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to commemorate completion of the Pecan Row Landfill Gas-to-Electricity facility at the Pecan Row Landfill in Valdosta, Ga. READ MORE SHARE
	Amyris on track to achieve profitability in 2015 Amyris Inc. has released financial results for the first quarter of 2014, reporting strong operational performance with combined inflows from product sales and collaboration inflows of $17.9 million. READ MORE SHARE
EPA seeks comments on RE-Powering initiative draft action plan The U.S. EPA is seeking public comments on its new draft action plant for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative. The program promotes renewable energy development on current and formerly contaminated lands, landfills and mine sites. READ MORE SHARE
House committee passes anti-biofuel amendments in markup session The House Armed Service Committee held a markup session on the FY 2015 defense authorization bill May 7. During that session, committee members voted in favor of three amendments that would negatively impact the military's ability to use biofuels. READ MORE SHARE
USDA accepting applications for REAP funding The USDA is seeking applications for the Rural Energy for America Program. Up to $12.3 million in grants and $57.8 million in loan guarantees is expected to be made available for the fiscal year 2014 awards. READ MORE SHARE
B.C. partnership to provide wood feedstock for PBEC pellet mill Representatives of Tolko Industries, Nazko First Nations and Pacific BioEnergy Corp. have announced an innovative partnership for the Quesnel Timber Supply Area. Under the partnership, fiber will be supplied to PBEC's pellet mill. READ MORE SHARE
Opcon: Saxlund wins major UK bioenergy contract Energy and environmental technology group Opcon has won a major bioenergy contract for Saxlund's fuel handling and biomass combustion technology in the U.K. The project is expected to undergo commissioning in 2015. READ MORE SHARE
FortisBC seeks applications from biogas developers FortisBC is seeking expressions of interest from potential biomethane suppliers for its renewable natural gas program. The call for applicants will help grow the province's supply of this renewable and carbon neutral energy source. READ MORE SHARE
Konza confirms sale of torrefaction system Konza Renewable Fuels and Aeon Energy Solutions are pleased to announce a full scale commercial 100,000 metric ton per year torrefaction system has been ordered. Expected delivery is early 2015 to a European based corporation. READ MORE SHARE
Senate hearing focuses on Forest Service FY 2015 budget request The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies recently held a hearing on the U.S. Forest Service's fiscal year 2015 budget request. The full budget request is for $5.7 billion. READ MORE SHARE
Anellotech announces start-up of Pearl River pilot plant Anellotech Inc. has announced that it is making available kilogram-scale quantities of green benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) to strategic partners for downstream development. READ MORE SHARE
Ceres expands product development activities in Mexico Ceres Inc. is expanding its current research activities in Mexico. The company's northern hemisphere plant breeding sites complement its product development activities in Brazil, where the company is commercializing sorghum hybrids. READ MORE SHARE
Obama climate change report points to bioenergy for forest health The Obama Administration has released a new U.S. National Climate Assessment, which it describes as the most comprehensive scientific climate change assessment ever generated. READ MORE SHARE
New joint ventures aim to establish hemp-ethanol pilot plant Edmonton, Alberta-based Syngar Technologies Inc. has announced two separate joint venture projects that will, together, help make hemp-to-cellulosic ethanol a step closer to reality. READ MORE SHARE
Senate bill aims to eliminate all energy tax credits Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has introduced legislation to eliminate all tax credits for renewable and traditional energy sources. The legislation, titled the "Energy Freedom & Economic Prosperity Act," is companion legislation to a 2013 House bill. READ MORE SHARE
Solazyme's Q1 results highlight progress at Brazil, Iowa plants Solayzme Inc. has released its financial results for the first quarter of 2014, reporting total revenue of $12.4 million, an increase over the $6.7 million in revenue reported for the same three-month period of 2013. READ MORE SHARE
Amyris earns RSB sustainability certification Amyris Inc. has completed the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials certification process. RSB's certification covers Amyris's renewable hydrocarbon molecules, initially farnesene, produced from sugarcane feedstock in Brazil. READ MORE SHARE
Biofuel groups welcome court of appeals decision on 2013 RFS case The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has rejected a petition by Monroe Energy LLC challenging the U.S. EPA's 2013 renewable fuel standards (RFS). Several biofuel trade organizations intervened in the case. READ MORE SHARE
Valmet to equipment to bioenergy project in Finland Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto Oy (TSE) has chosen Valmet Corp. as the boiler supplier for their upcoming power plant in Naantali, Finland. The new power plant is scheduled to start up in the autumn of 2017. READ MORE SHARE