Biomass Week - June 12, 2015

Hawaii law to require 100 percent renewables by 2045 Hawaii has become the first state in the U.S. to require 100 percent renewable energy. A bill signed by Hawaii Gov. David Ige on June 8 will require the state's utilities to achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. READ MORE SHARE
EPA opens public comment period on RFS rulemaking On June 10, the U.S. EPA published its proposed rule to set 2014, 2015 and 2016 renewable volume requirements (RVOs) under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) in the Federal Register, officially opening the public comment period on the proposal. READ MORE SHARE
	EIA to collect, publish data on densified biomass The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced plans to conduct regular surveys of U.S. pellet producers. Data gathered through the surveys will be published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. READ MORE SHARE
SAB Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel schedules 3 teleconferences The U.S. EPA's Science Advisory Board has announced the SAB Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel will hold three teleconferences over the next several months to review the EPA's biogenic carbon emissions framework. READ MORE SHARE
California bill to incentivize biomass fuel passes Assembly Last Week, California Assembly Bill 590 passed the Assembly Committee on Appropriations unanimously with bipartisan support and is on its way to the Senate. The bill will add incentives for biomass utilization of agricultural waste and forest waste. READ MORE SHARE
Fuels America holds call to discuss new EPA memo on RIN prices On June 11, Fuels America hosted a conference call to discuss a memo from the U.S. EPA that demonstrates the renewable fuel standard (RFS) does not increase retail gas prices. Rather, it can decrease them. READ MORE SHARE
FutureMetrics publishes strategy to cofire wood pellets with coal In light of upcoming federal policy, like the U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan, William Strauss, founder and president of FutureMetrics, published a paper describing a strategy for a gradual transition to a less carbon-intensive power generation sector. READ MORE SHARE
Vermont CEDF releases RFP for wood heat systems Vermont's Clean Energy Development Fund has released a request for proposals (RFP) to select recipients of grants that will help cover the cost of installing new advanced wood heating systems in public schools and low-income housing developments. READ MORE SHARE
REA reports increased bioenergy employment in the U.K. The U.K.-based Renewable Energy Association recently announced employment in the country’s renewable energy sector grew by 9 percent in 2013-'14, reaching 112,026 workers. Biomass heating was the highest performing renewable energy sector. READ MORE SHARE
EIA updates bioenergy forecasts in short-term outlook The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the June edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, predicting renewables used in the electric power sector will increase by 2.6 percent this year. READ MORE SHARE
Drax provides update of biomass operations Drax Group plc has issued a trading update, reporting progress with its U.S. pellet plants and providing an update of the company's biomass conversion projects. The trading update also addresses operational performance and contracted power sales. READ MORE SHARE
GE’s AD technology selected for Idaho project GE recently announced the city of Rexburg, Idaho, has selected the company's Monsal advanced anaerobic digestion and Monsal 70 technologies to treat biosolids (sewage waste) at the city's wastewater treatment facility. READ MORE SHARE
E4tech to lead ETI project focused on biomass processing options The Energy Technologies Institute has selected E4tech to lead a consortium that will deliver the latest project in its bioenergy program, a techno-economic assessment of biomass pre-processing. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers edit plant DNA using mechanism evolved in bacteria Researchers at the University of Georgia have used a gene editing tool known as CRISPR/Cas to modify the genome of a tree species for the first time. Their research opens the door to more rapid and reliable gene editing of plants. READ MORE SHARE
UPM’s ValChem project receives EU funding UPM’s ValChem project, which is focused on value-added chemicals from wood lignin, has received EUR 13.1 million ($33.89 million) funding from the EU. Sekab, METabolic EXplorer and Technische Universitäat Darmstadt are cooperating on the project. READ MORE SHARE
Unlocking the biofuel energy stored in plant cell walls Penn State plant scientist Daniel Cosgrove has devoted decades to studying the cell walls that make plant matter resistant to chemical conversion. His research aims to overcome that challenge and enable greater energy production. READ MORE SHARE
DNC Energy to build biomass plant in Ukraine DNC Energy recently announced that it plans to construct a waste wood and crop residue fired biomass electric generation plant in Ukraine's Kyiv region. The 25 MW facility is the 13th biomass plant to be built in the Ukraine. READ MORE SHARE
Mayo Renewable Power closes financing for Ireland biomass plant Mayo Renewable Power Ltd. recently announced it has closed on the finance for its 42.5 MW electricity generating station and biomass fuel processing facility to be built in Killala in County Mayo, Ireland. READ MORE SHARE
Peel Environmental's proposed biomass plant given the green light Plans by Peel Environmental to develop a renewable energy center at the site of the former Houghton Main Colliery in Barnsley, England, have been approved by the local government. The bioenergy project is expected to have a capacity of 20 MW. READ MORE SHARE
Synbio startups average 7.4 years to launch first product Synthetic biology start-ups developing technologies to convert biomass and other non-petroleum feedstocks into chemicals and materials need, on average, 7.4 years to launch a product, according to a Lux Research analysis. READ MORE SHARE
U.S. wood pellets can help EU meet renewable energy goals Wood pellets from the southeastern U.S. could assist the EU to meet its 2020 policy goals for increased renewable energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions without decreasing U.S. forest inventories or diminishing their carbon storage capacity. READ MORE SHARE
Verdezyne signs distribution agreement with Will & Co. Verdezyne Inc. has reached an agreement with Will & Co .for distribution of Verdezyne’s first commercial product. The exclusive agreement is for sales and distribution of BIOLON DDDA (biobased dodecanedioic acid or DC12) in Europe. READ MORE SHARE
John Cleveland College gets fired up over wood chips A college in Leicestershire is saving money thanks to a new woodchip boiler supplied and installed by biomass heating specialist Rural Energy. The landmark project has been financed through a unique community-funded cooperative investment. READ MORE SHARE
Bill would help New York community convert to biomass The New York state Senate recently approved legislation that would help the town of Chester finance the cost of a new wood pellet heating system by extending the length of time it may bond for the project from 10 to 15 years. READ MORE SHARE
Ensyn, Youngstown Thermal sign RFO biofuel supply agreement Ensyn Fuels Inc. has signed a contract with Youngstown Thermal LLC for the supply of RFO, Ensyn's advanced cellulosic biofuel. Ensyn Fuels is to provide Youngstown Thermal up to 2.5 million gallons of RFO per year. READ MORE SHARE