Biomass Week - December 5, 2014

House passes tax extenders package, Senate vote expected soon The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to pass a short-term tax extenders package that aims to retroactively extend several tax incentives that expired at the end of 2013 and during the current year for one year, through the end of 2014. READ MORE SHARE
Census Bureau releases biomass power plant data The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new economic census statistics on renewable energy, reporting that revenues for electric power generation industries that use renewable energy resources increased 49 percent from 2007 to 2012. READ MORE SHARE
	Nevada County 3 MW biomass gasification project found feasible The Nevada County Biomass Task Force and the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County Grass Valley, California, published a biomass feasibility assessment this December, based on a study conducted over the past year for the potential of a 3 MW project. READ MORE SHARE
USDA announces advanced biofuel payments, bioenergy grants On Dec. 2, the USDA announced it is making more than $5.6 million grant payments to 220 producers under the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program. An additional $4 million in grants are being awarded though three programs supporting bioenergy initiatives. READ MORE SHARE
BPA submits comments on Clean Power Plan to EPA Biomass Power Association has submitted its comments to the U.S. EPA on the Clean Power Plan, the agency's strategy for reducing carbon emissions in each state. The comments highlight the significant environmental benefits provided by biomass power. READ MORE SHARE
Green Circle, Lauritzen Bulkers sign updated contract Lauritzen Bulkers recently announced it signed an eight-year contract with Green Circle Bio Energy for the transportation of 600,000 tons of wood pellets from the U.S. to Europe. READ MORE SHARE
Pennsylvania school receives $500,000 grant for biomass boiler In late October, $12.5 million in Pennsylvania Energy Department Authority grants were awarded to 28 local governments, schools and businesses for alternative and clean energy projects, including those for biomass and biogas. READ MORE SHARE
Stobart announces strategic partnership, CHP project U.K.-based biomass supplier Stobart Energy has entered into a strategic partnership with Imperative Energy Ltd., a provider of biomass energy solutions. The board of Stobart Group Ltd. also recently announced the development of a cogeneration plant. READ MORE SHARE
Leidos provides update of Conn. bioenergy plant in Q3 results Leidos Holdings Inc., the owner of the 37.5 MW Plainfield Renewable Energy biomass plant in Connecticut, has released financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, which ended Oct. 31. READ MORE SHARE
RFP issued for Windham County Vermont modern wood heat program A request for proposals to design and administer a modern wood heating program for Windham County, Vermont, has recently been issued by the Vermont Public Service Department's Clean Energy Development Fund. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers in Finland develop biobased polystyrene While it is used all over the world as a light packaging and insulation material, expanded polystyrene is a problem as waste. This is why researchers in Finland are developing an affordable an alternative made from PLA bioplastic. READ MORE SHARE
Australian government funds biomass harvester development The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has announced $2 million funding support to develop a solution for collecting renewable biomass from fast growing trees. The project is scheduled for completion in 2017. READ MORE SHARE
DOE awards $7 million to 2 feedstock logistics projects The U.S. Department of Energy has announced up to $7 million for two projects aimed at developing and demonstrating ways to reduce the cost of delivering bioenergy feedstocks to biorefineries. READ MORE SHARE
Wartsila to provide 50 MW plant to bioenergy project in Hawaii Wartsila Corp. recently announced it will supply a 50 MW Smart Power Generation power plant to Hawaiian Electric Co. on the island of Oahu. The facility, located at the Schofield Barracks Army Base, is expected to run a biofuel blend. READ MORE SHARE
Canadian government funds enzyme research Canadian officials have announced that the University of Toronto has been selected to receive $5 million to launch its Industrial Biocatalysis Network, which will explore new ways to use enzymes to produce biobased chemicals, plastics and products. READ MORE SHARE
Model evaluates where bioenergy crops grow best Farmers interested in bioenergy crops now have a resource to help them determine which kind of bioenergy crop would grow best in their regions and what kind of harvest to expect. READ MORE SHARE
Montana Western recognized for using energy from burning wood The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation recently presented the University of Montana Western with a plaque to honor the university's commitment to wood energy. READ MORE SHARE
Ameresco announces Q3 results, opens Calif. landfill gas project A grand opening celebration was held last month for Ameresco's 4.3 MW landfill gas-to-energy (LFGTE) project at the Foothill Landfill in Linden, California. The project is expected to generate clean energy to power nearly 2,600 local homes annually. READ MORE SHARE
Valmet to deliver biomass boiler to project in Finland Valmet Corp. and Nokianvirran Energia Oy signed a letter of intent for a delivery of a biomass-fired boiler plant to a steam heating station in Finland. The new heating station will supply process steam for a paper mill and district heating project. READ MORE SHARE
Volvo Trucks' assembly plant in Virginia powered by landfill gas The electric power used by Volvo's New River Valley assembly plant in Dublin, Virginia, is now carbon neutral. As of November, 100 percent of the plant's electricity is generated by methane gas produced at 13 landfills in the region. READ MORE SHARE
Tanac announces plans to construct pellet mill in Brazil Tanac S.A. has announced plans to construct a wood pellet manufacturing plant at its Rio Grande port site, in the south of Brazil. Construction of the 400,000-metric-ton-per-year plant commenced in October and is scheduled to complete in early 2016. READ MORE SHARE
Forest Service exceeds yearly forest restoration goals The U.S. Forest Service recently announced that it exceeded its forest restoration goals for fiscal year 2014, highlighting the agency's continued commitment to improving the health of the America's National Forests. READ MORE SHARE
Next Fuel completes pilot filter test at biogas facility Next Fuel Inc. recently announced it has completed a successful test of its recently acquired Integra Disc Filtration System. The system application was for pretreatment of agricultural-waste generated biogas digestate. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers find way to turn sawdust into gasoline Researchers at KU Leuven's Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis have successfully converted sawdust into building blocks for gasoline. Using a new chemical process, they were able to convert the cellulose in sawdust into hydrocarbon chains. READ MORE SHARE
Edeniq, Global Bio-chem announce joint development agreement Edeniq Inc. has announced a joint development agreement with Global Bio-chem Technology Group Ltd. The companies will cooperate on the development of technology to convert corn stover to cellulosic sugars for use in the production of biochemicals. READ MORE SHARE
Boeing conducts flight with green diesel Boeing has completed the world's first flight using green diesel. The company recently powered its ecoDemonstrator 787 flight test airplane with a blend of 15 percent green diesel and 85 percent petroleum jet fuel in the left engine. READ MORE SHARE
Bioasphalt made with lignin under development in the Netherlands Bioasphalt for roads in Zeeland, a Dutch province, is being developed by Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research, the Asfalt Kennis Centrum (Asphalt Knowledge Centre, AKC) and the company H4A from Sluiskil (NL). READ MORE SHARE