Biomass Week - September 26, 2014

EPA: 3.5 million cellulosic biogas RINs generated in August The U.S. EPA has published renewable identification number (RIN) data for August, reporting that nearly 3.5 million cellulosic RINs were generated during the month. More than 1.44 billion RINs were produced across all five biofuel categories. READ MORE SHARE
Canfor to add pellet production to 2 sawmill sites in Canada Canfor Corp. plans to collocate a pellet plant at each of the company's sawmill sites at Chetwynd and Fort St. John in Vancouver, British Columbia. The two facilities combined will have a capacity of 175,000 metric tons of pellets per year. READ MORE SHARE
	Legislation would extend biofuel, bioenergy tax credits Legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 19 aims to enact two-year extensions for several clean energy tax incentives. The bill is titled the Bridge to a Clean Energy Future Act of 2014. READ MORE SHARE
GranBio begins cellulosic ethanol production in Brazil GranBio has initiated production at the first commercial-scale plant for second-generation ethanol in the Southern Hemisphere. The Bioflex 1, unit built in Sao Miguel dos Campos, Alagoas, has an initial production capacity of 82 MMly (21.66 MMgy). READ MORE SHARE
BIO: EPA inaction on RFS proposal has increased GHG emissions A new report published by the Biotechnology Industry Organization indicates U.S. EPA inaction on finalizing the 2014 renewable fuel standard has resulted in a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions. READ MORE SHARE
Maverick Synfuels introduces modular methane-to-methanol system Maverick Synfuels recently announced the development of its Maverick Oasis system for methanol production. The company says the system provides producers with another way to monetize biogas reserves and natural gas. READ MORE SHARE
Montana school moving from fuel oil to wood pellets Eight years after its elementary became the one of the first schools in the state to use biomass as heating fuel, Troy Public Schools is in the process of converting its high school to wood pellets. READ MORE SHARE
EIA: Bioenergy capacity continues to increase The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the September issue of its Electric Power Monthly report, indicating total in-service bioenergy capacity equaled 13,431.4 MW as of the close of July, up from 13,368.4 MW at the close of June. READ MORE SHARE
USDA grant supports bioenergy project at Tarleton's dairy center Texas A&M AgriLife Research has been awarded a USDA grant to support a two-year project that will demonstrate technologies for water purification, treatment and recycling and power generation using biomass at Tarleton State University's dairy center. READ MORE SHARE
NexSteppe raises $22 million in series C financing NexSteppe recently announced it has raised $22 million in its third round of funding. New investors Total Energy Ventures and ELFH Holding GmbH join existing investors Braemar Energy Ventures, CYM Ventures, DuPont Ventures and others. READ MORE SHARE
Vega Biofuels' pilot torrefaction joint venture wins USDA grant Vega Biofuels Inc. has announced that its Allendale, South Carolina, joint venture project with Agri-Tech Producers LLC has been awarded a Value-Added Producer Grant from the USDA in the amount of $200,000. READ MORE SHARE
Plant variants point the way to improved biofuel production Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council have discovered variant straw plants whose cell walls are more easily broken down to make biofuels. READ MORE SHARE
Search for better biofuels microbes leads to the human gut Scientists have scoured cow rumens and termite guts for microbes that can efficiently break down plant cell walls for the production of cellulosic biofuels, but some of the best microbial candidates actually may reside in the human lower intestine. READ MORE SHARE
Southwest Airlines to purchase biojet fuel from Red Rock Biofuels Southwest Airlines has signed an agreement with Red Rocks Biofuels LLC to purchase low carbon renewable jet fuel, made using forest residues that will help reduce the risk of destructive wildfires in the Western United States. READ MORE SHARE
USDA announces REAP funding for bioenergy projects On Sept. 18, the USDA announced it is investing $68 million in 540 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects under the Rural Energy for America Program. Bioenergy projects were among those selected to receive funding. READ MORE SHARE
Neste Oil adds biopropane production to Rotterdam biorefinery Finland-based Neste Oil has announced plans to add biopropane production capabilities to its biorefinery in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Construction of the project is expected to begin immediately, with biopropane sales commencing in 2016. READ MORE SHARE
ESF faculty member contributes to biogenic carbon report Robert W. Malmsheimer, a professor at the State College of New York, was part of the Society of American Foresters team that provided policy makers with a summary of the existing science regarding forest bioenergy and "carbon debts." READ MORE SHARE
Greenlane commissions Canadian plant, faces pending acquisition Greenlane Biogas Technologies recently announced the commissioning of a 16,000 cubic-meter-per-hour biogas plant in Montreal. In mid-September Pressure Technologies announced an agreement to acquire the business and certain assets of the company. READ MORE SHARE
Coalition examines effective alternative fuel policies Local policies to promote alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are among the most effective, a recent study by the Clean Energy Coalition finds. The study compares the number of alternative fuel vehicles in each state to the types of policies. READ MORE SHARE
Recycled cooking oil powers Finnair flight to New York Finnair operated its flight from Helsinki to New York on Sept. 23 with an Airbus A330 using environmentally sustainable biofuel, coinciding with the UN Climate Summit taking place in New York on the same day. READ MORE SHARE
Proterro, Bunge plan pilot study of sucrose production process Proterro and Bunge Global Innovation LLC have announced a pilot study of Proterro's sucrose-production technology in Brazil. Two of Proterro's photobioreactors have been installed at Bunge's Moema Fazenda sugarcane mill as part of the project. READ MORE SHARE
Bridgestone begins producing natural rubber in Mesa, Arizona Bridgestone Americas Inc. is one step closer to its long-term environmental goal of developing a new, domestic and commercially-viable source for natural rubber with the opening of its Biorubber Process Research Center in Mesa, Arizona. READ MORE SHARE
Vecoplan opens technology center in Germany Vecoplan AG recently celebrated the grand opening of its new 17,000 square-foot technology center in Germany. The facility is equipped with more than 25 machines for the processing, recycling or repurposing of waste and biomass. READ MORE SHARE
Schott, Algatechnologies agree to continue partnership Schott AG and Algatechnologies Ltd. have signed a research and development agreement to strengthen their partnership following a successful one-year study at Algatech's algae production facility. READ MORE SHARE