Biomass Week - February 6, 2015

EPA finalizes NSPS for residential wood heaters The U.S. EPA has published a final rule establishing new source performance standards (NSPS) for residential wood heaters. The rules limit the amount of pollution that wood heaters manufactured and sold in the future can emit. READ MORE SHARE
Oregon bills aim to remove sunset date from Clean Fuels Program Efforts are underway in Oregon to repeal the Dec. 31 sunset date under the state's Clean Fuels Program. Several bills pending in the Oregon legislature aim to remove the sunset date, allowing the program to be implemented past the end of this year. READ MORE SHARE
	FERC: U.S. added 254 MW of biomass capacity in 2014 The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Energy Projects has released the December edition of its Energy Infrastructure Update, reporting the U.S. added 254 MW of biomass energy capacity last year. READ MORE SHARE
PHI Group partners with AG Materials on Florida pellet plant PHI Group Inc., a company focused on energy and natural resources, announced in late January it has signed an agreement with AG Materials LLC to jointly establish a 200,000 metric-ton wood pellet plant in Live Oak, Florida. READ MORE SHARE
Enviva acquires Green Circle, orders equipment for N.C. plants Enviva is moving forward with its expansion plans. The company has closed on its acquisition of Green Circle Energy Inc., and the Andritz Group has announced an order from Enviva to supply equipment and services for two proposed pellet plants. READ MORE SHARE
E3 releases report on decarbonizing pipeline gas in California Energy and Environmental Economics Inc. has released a study that investigates the potential role decarbonized pipeline gas and existing gas pipeline infrastructure can have in California to help meet the state's 2050 greenhouse gas reduction goals. READ MORE SHARE
Resolute Forest Products highlights pellet plant in 2014 results Resolute Forest Products Inc. has released 2014 financial results and reported that the company's Thunder Bay pellet plant, which began operations late last year, has already generated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. READ MORE SHARE
RSB solicits public comments on its principles and criteria The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials has opened a 60-day comment period on a revision of the RSB Principles & Criteria. Comments gathered will inform discussions among RSB members over the forthcoming Version 3.0 of the P&Cs. READ MORE SHARE
Understanding air pollution from biomass burners used for heating Researchers studying fine particulate emissions from a biomass burner found that emissions varied as the fuel went through different stages of combustion. The findings could help industry design better wood burning units. READ MORE SHARE
House bills aim to alter, eliminate the RFS On Feb. 4, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., announced the introduction of two bills that aim to alter the renewable fuel standard (RFS), including the RFS Elimination Act, H.R. 703, and the RFS Reform Act, H.R. 704. READ MORE SHARE
Margam Green Energy Plant to be operational in early 2017 Eco2 Ltd. recently announced the sale of a proposed 40 MW biomass power project to Glennmont Partners. The project, known as the Margam Green Energy Plant, is expected to be complete by the second quarter of 20147. Engineering is currently underway. READ MORE SHARE
Cyanobacterium found in algae collection holds biotech promise Cyanobacteria, bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis, are of considerable interest as biofactories. Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have identified a fast growing strain that may hold potential for biorefining. READ MORE SHARE
Toward the next biofuel: Secrets of Fistulifera solaris Researchers have identified a microalga that is a species of diatom called Fistulifera solaris, which is emerging as a promising candidate for next-generation biofuel technology. It grows quickly and produces high levels of oil at the same time. READ MORE SHARE
Energycane varieties look promising for north Louisiana Louisiana State University AgCenter researchers continue to evaluate energycane varieties planted in north Louisiana as a possible new crop for producers to grow as a biofuel feedstock. Energycane is a cross between sugarcane and its wild relatives. READ MORE SHARE
Landfill gas-to-energy project planned in Maine Aria Energy recently announced that it will partner with Casella Waste Systems to develop, construct, own and operate a 4.8 MW landfill gas-to-energy project located at the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town, Maine. READ MORE SHARE
Global Bioenergies hits first milestone in BioMA+ project Global Bioenergies announced it has reached the first milestone of the BioMA+ project, which aims to develop a renewable value chain for methacrylic acid. The company has developed a process to convert renewable resources into isobutene. READ MORE SHARE
Enerpellets announces plans to develop pellet plant in Florida Enerpellets Group took the decision to internationalize its biomass pellets production activity by building a state-of-the-art unit in Florida with a real production output capacity of 250,000 tons per year. READ MORE SHARE
IU biologists use bacterium, nitrogen gas to produce ethanol Indiana University biologists believe they have found a faster, cheaper and cleaner way to increase bioethanol production by using nitrogen gas, the most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere, in place of more costly industrial fertilizers. READ MORE SHARE
Clarkson University, SUNY Canton research wood heating systems Clarkson University and State University of New York Canton researchers are evaluating a new generation of wood pellet boilers that were developed in Austria and now are being manufactured in New York State. READ MORE SHARE