Biomass Week - May 29, 2015

EPA releases proposed 2014, 2015, 2016 RFS volume requirements The U.S. EPA has released a proposed rule containing 2014, 2015 and 2016 renewable volume requirements (RVOs) under the renewable fuel standard (RFS), along with a proposed 2017 RVO for biomass-based diesel ahead of its June 1 judicial deadline. READ MORE SHARE
DOE previews 2016 Billion-Ton Update in webinar A recent U.S. Department of Energy webinar included preview of the 2016 U.S. Billion-Ton Study update, which is currently scheduled for release in June 2016. The event was presented by DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office. READ MORE SHARE
	Viridis Energy reports continued revenue growth in Q1 results On May 27, Viridis Energy Inc. released its first quarter 2015 results, reporting a revenue increase of 55 percent to $8.8 million from 2014 quarter one. The increase represents the fifth quarter of sequential growth, up 5 percent from last quarter. READ MORE SHARE
ElectraTherm commissions whole-log woody biomass power plant ElectraTherm partnered with Air Burners to develop the first whole-log wood waste burner utilizing ElectraTherm's organic rankine cycle (ORC) power generating technology. The PGFireBox eliminates large amounts of wood waste without any preprocessing. READ MORE SHARE
UMF breaks ground on biomass heating plant The University of Maine at Farmington broke ground on a new 5,885-square-foot biomass central heating plant on May 26. The plant is expected to replace 390,000 gallons of heating oil now used to heat the buildings through individual systems. READ MORE SHARE
Report highlights Mexico’s renewable growth potential Mexico has the potential to quadruple its use of renewable energy over the next 15 years, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency. Biomass shows potential for use in the electricity, heat and transportation sectors. READ MORE SHARE
DOE hosts webinar on biofuel affordability The U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office has announced it will host a webinar on biofuel affordability on May 27. The event, titled "A Changing Market for Biofuels and Bioproducts," will address research related to biomass supply. READ MORE SHARE
Pew report tracks bioenergy investments in emerging markets The Pew Charitable Trusts has released a report, titled "Power Shifts: Emerging Clean Energy Markets," that shows clean energy investment in developing countries has grown in real and relative terms. READ MORE SHARE
Renewables share of U.S. energy consumption highest since 1930s Renewable energy accounted for 9.8 percent of total domestic energy consumption in 2014. This marks the highest renewable energy share since the 1930s, when wood was a much larger contributor to domestic energy supply. READ MORE SHARE
Coalition announces Biomass101 campaign A leading coalition of forest owners, wood suppliers and manufacturers of pulp and paper goods have announced the creation of Biomass101.org, a clearinghouse for scientifically sound information on carbon-neutral bioenergy. READ MORE SHARE
USDA announces investment to boost renewable fuel infrastructure Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the USDA will invest up to $100 million in a Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership to support the infrastructure needed to make more renewable fuel options available to American consumers. READ MORE SHARE
Drax’s Haven Power signs deal with Thames Water Haven Power, the specialist electricity supplier to U.K. businesses and part of Drax Group plc, has signed a deal with Thames Water to supply their electricity requirements in a deal worth more than GBP 500 million ($769.31 million) over five years. READ MORE SHARE
ACT biomass boilers receive critical certification Advanced Climate Technologies, a New York-based manufacturer of fully automatic wood chip and wood pellet boilers used for heating commercial buildings, announced it has received the Intertek/ETL listing. READ MORE SHARE
Viaspace conducting engineering plan for 2 MW biogas plant Viaspace Inc. announced that it has been engaged by Clean Energy Solutions Pacific to provide engineering and design work for a 2 MW biogas power plant fueled by Giant King Grass. CES is an independent power producer focused on emerging markets. READ MORE SHARE