Biomass Week - April 10, 2015

EPA to finalize 2014, 2015 and 2016 RFS rules by November The U.S. EPA has posted a notice to its website announcing that the volume requirements for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 renewable fuel standard (RFS), along with the 2017 volume requirement for biomass-based diesel, will be finalized by Nov. 30. READ MORE SHARE
Portucel breaks ground on pellet plant in South Carolina Portucel Sporcel Group has broke ground on its Colombo Energy pellet plant in Greenwood County, South Carolina. This estimated $110 million global investment represents an important development in the company's expanding bioenergy business. READ MORE SHARE
	New York opens $160 RFP for large-scale clean energy projects New York has announced plans to make a $160 million investment under the state's Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to aid in the growth of clean energy projects. The funding is being made available to support public-private sector partnerships. READ MORE SHARE
EPA opens comment period on cellulosic waiver credit rules The U.S. EPA has published its direct final rule and parallel proposed rule on cellulosic waiver credits in the Federal Register, officially opening a 30-day comment period. The agency released prepublication versions of the rules in March. READ MORE SHARE
Ceres reports favorable sorghum growth in Brazil in Q2 results On April 9, Ceres Inc. released financial results for the second quarter of 2015, reporting growing conditions in Brazil have been generally favorable for its sweet-sorghum collaboration with Raizen across most multi-hybrid field evaluation sites. READ MORE SHARE
BCSE: FY 2016 climate funding aids U.S. clean energy companies The Business Council for Sustainable Energy has sent letters to members of Congress on behalf of its membership expressing support for the U.S. contribution to two climate funds in the administration’s fiscal year (FY) 2016 federal budget request. READ MORE SHARE
U.S. Forest Service highlights accomplishments of CFLRP The U.S. Forest Service has published a five-year report on its Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, noting the program has made 2.1 million green tons of biomass available for energy production. READ MORE SHARE
FutureMetrics: Convert to pellets before upgrading insulation FutureMetrics LLC recently published a white paper on why homeowners should switch from heating oil boilers to wood pellet boilers before upgrading the insulation in their home. READ MORE SHARE
Landfill Methane Outreach Program updates data, announces awards Last month, U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program released updated data, and recognized LMOP partners for landfill-gas-to-energy (LFGTE) achievements. As of March, 645 unique projects were reported, and 440 candidate landfills were identified. READ MORE SHARE
EIA updates bioenergy forecasts in short-term outlook The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the April edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, reporting total renewables used for electricity and heat generation are expected to grow by 3.4 percent this year. READ MORE SHARE
DRT announces commissioning of biomass power station in France DRT has announced the biomass cogeneration plant at its site in Vielle-Saint-Girons, France, has become reality. After a four-month testing phase, the power plant was officially put in service in the beginning of 2015. READ MORE SHARE
USDA awards funds to expand, accelerate wood energy markets On April 9, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of over $9 million to expand and accelerate wood energy and other wood product markets. The federal funds will leverage $22 million in investments from partners. READ MORE SHARE
Deal forged on Minnesota bioeconomy legislation Biobased industry, agriculture, and environmental interests recently reached agreement on legislation in Minnesota that would create production-based incentives for renewable chemicals, advanced biofuels and biomass thermal energy. READ MORE SHARE
Renewable Heat NY projects support growth of biomass industry The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and Vincent's Heating and Fuel Service have announced the kickoff of 15 commercial and residential high-efficiency, low-emission wood pellet-fired heating projects. READ MORE SHARE
SBP accepts SCS Global Services as applicant certification body SCS Global Services, a leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, announced that it has been accepted as an applicant certification body for the Sustainable Biomass Partnership. READ MORE SHARE
California biomass gasification project awarded CEC grant A biomass gasification project under development by North Fork Community Power LLC, a joint venture of Phoenix Energy and the North Fork Community Development Council, was recently awarded a $4.9 million grant from the California Energy Commission. READ MORE SHARE
Virginia Tech researchers convert corn stover to hydrogen A team of Virginia Tech researchers discovered a way to create hydrogen fuel using a biological method that greatly reduces the time and money it takes to produce the zero-emissions fuel. This method uses abundantly available corn stover. READ MORE SHARE
PHA plant planned in Spain Bio-on S.p.A. and Pizzoli S.p.A have announced plans to collaborate to build Italy's first PHAs bioplastic production plant using waste product from the potato agro-industrial process. READ MORE SHARE
Iowa leadership to lead trade missions to South Korea, Brazil Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds announced that they will lead trade missions to South Korea and Brazil respectively. Both trips are aimed at expanding trade and investment opportunities. READ MORE SHARE
Griffin Filters to exhibit at 2015 IBCE in Minneapolis Griffin Filters, a subsidiary of Cemtrex Inc., has announced that it will be exhibiting at the 2015 International Biomass Conference & Expo from April 20-22. The conference is the largest gathering of biomass industry professionals in North America. READ MORE SHARE
Algenol to participate in business development mission to China Algenol is joining U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker on a business development mission to China. GE, Southern Co., Honeywell, Praxair, Alcoa, and Lockheed Martin also traveling with the group. READ MORE SHARE
Rice University: Algae from wastewater solves 2 problems Rice University scientists have found they can easily grow high-value strains of oil-rich algae using municipal wastewater, while simultaneously removing more than 90 percent of nitrates and more than 50 percent of phosphorous from the wastewater. READ MORE SHARE