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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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