Biomass Week - February 27, 2015

Amyris: 2014 was a transformative year Amyris Inc. has released financial results for 2014. During an investor call, John Melo, president and CEO of the company, called 2014 a transformative year for Amyris, noting the company manufactured two breakthrough molecules at industrial scale. READ MORE SHARE
Drax's 2014 results show decarbonization project on time, budget The Drax Group Plc announced 2014 full-year financial results, with Chief Executive Dorothy Thompson reporting that Drax's biomass transformation project was the company's main priority over the past year. READ MORE SHARE
	EPA: More than 4 million cellulosic RINs generated in January The U.S. EPA has published renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for January, reporting that nearly 1.38 billion RINs were generated during the month, including more than 4.07 million D3 cellulosic biofuel RINs. READ MORE SHARE
Rentech's New England Wood Pellet acquires Allegheny Pellet Rentech Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, New England Wood Pellet, has acquired the assets of Allegheny Pellet Corp. The acquisition expands NEWP's market position as the largest producer of wood pellets for the U.S. heating market. READ MORE SHARE
Lignetics, Bear Mountain Forest Products announce merger Lignetics Inc. and Bear Mountain Forest Products Inc. have merged. The combined company now has five pellet plants located on the east and west coasts, with a combined production capacity of approximately 450,000 tons of wood pellets per year. READ MORE SHARE
U.K. AD industry doubles in three years The U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has released its third and final annual report on the 2011 anaerobic digestion strategy and action plan, which highlights progress made by the U.K. government and industry. READ MORE SHARE
U.K. awards CfDs to 2 energy-from-waste projects The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change has announced the results of its first green energy auction for Contracts for Difference. Among the 27 projects selected for contracts are two energy-from-waste projects with combined-heat-and-power. READ MORE SHARE
DOE announces biomass advisory committee meeting The U.S. Department of Energy has announced an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee will be held March 5-6 in Washington, D.C. Members of the public are welcome to observe the business of the committee. READ MORE SHARE
Abengoa reports top year for biofuel business Abengoa's biofuels segment experienced the best year in its history in 2014 due, in part, to high margins and increased ethanol production and sales, company CEO Manuel Sanchez Ortega reported during the company's 2014 fiscal year financial results. READ MORE SHARE
Biofuel industry criticizes Toomey, Feinstein RFS bill On Feb. 26, Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced the Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015. The bill, which is cosponsored by Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., aims to alter the renewable fuel standard (RFS). READ MORE SHARE
Conn., Mass., R.I. launch multistate clean energy initiative Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has announced that Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island have initiated a coordinated process that will lead to a three-state request for proposals (RFP) for clean energy resources. READ MORE SHARE
EEA: Renewables successfully reducing European GHG emissions A report recently published by the European Environment Agency stresses that the deployment of renewable technologies in Europe has been an important force driving the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. READ MORE SHARE
Infinis Energy announces landfill gas financial results, exports Infinis Energy plc generates renewable power in the United Kingdom, operating a portfolio of landfill gas, onshore wind and hydro power plants. The company recently published its quarter three trading statement. READ MORE SHARE
Report provides overview of European biobased economy A report published by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Global Information Network provides an overview of the EU biobased economy and estimated biomass requirements for the production of biofuels, bioplastics, biochemicals and other products. READ MORE SHARE
EU committee votes to cap first-generation biofuels On Feb. 24, the Environment Committee of the European Parliament approved a draft law to cap the production of traditional biofuels and accelerate the shift to alternative feedstocks, such as seaweed and waste. READ MORE SHARE
Oberon DME earns approval in California Oberon Fuels Inc. has announced that dimethyl ether (DME) is now approved for use as vehicle fuel in the state of California following approval by the Division of Measurement Standards at the California Department of Food and Agriculture. READ MORE SHARE
Novel pretreatment could cut biofuel costs by 30 percent or more Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have invented a novel pretreatment technology that could cut the cost of biofuels production by about 30 percent or more by dramatically reducing the amount of enzymes needed. READ MORE SHARE
Merrick designs, commissions pilot algae project Merrick & Co. was engaged by Genifuel Corp. to provide the design and commissioning of a hydrothermal processing pilot system for Reliance Industries Ltd. Merrick was responsible for the design of the facility. READ MORE SHARE
Byogy Renewables, Gen 2 Energy enter partnership agreement Byogy Renewables, a biofuels producer based in San Jose, California, has executed a strategic partnership agreement with Gen 2 Energy, an alternative energy company from Ames, Iowa, to develop a more cost-effective biofuel production process. READ MORE SHARE
Australia funds pilot-scale biomass pyrolysis project The Australian Renewable Energy Agency recently announced $5.2 million funding for Renergi to design and construct an innovative pilot scale biofuel production facility Perth. READ MORE SHARE
Maverick Synfuels announces Maverick Oasis product line Maverick Synfuels has announced the availability of the Maverick Oasis BG Gas-to-Liquid methanol plant product line. These plants convert biogas from sources such as anaerobic digesters and landfills into higher value methanol. READ MORE SHARE
New catalyst to create chemical building blocks from biomass University of Tokyo researchers have developed a novel selective catalyst that allows the creation of several basic chemicals from biomass instead of petroleum. This discovery may lead to the use of biomass as a feedstock for the chemical industry. READ MORE SHARE
Comet Biorefining secures funding led by Sofinnova Partners Comet Biorefining Inc. announces the closing of a funding round led by Sofinnova Partners. Comet will use the proceeds to complete the design of its commercial facility, expand the team and continue to develop commercial partnerships. READ MORE SHARE
Deinove strengthens its position in the United States Deinove recently announced it has has been granted a U.S. patent. The patent covers the biofuel production process from cellulosic or hemicellulosic material by a consolidated bioprocess of degradation and fermentation based on Deinococcus bacteria. READ MORE SHARE
Greenbelt Resources offers commercial-scale feedstock testing Greenbelt Resources Corp. has launched an innovative program offering use of its operating commercial-scale facility to third parties for feedstock feasibility testing services. The services are available confidentially. READ MORE SHARE
DOE awards $10 million to develop innovative bioenergy processes The Energy Department's Bioenergy Technologies Office announces the selection of seven projects across the country to receive up to $10 million to support innovative technologies and solutions to help advance bioenergy development. READ MORE SHARE