Biomass Week - December 4, 2015

EPA sets 2014, 2015 and 2016 RFS RVOs The U.S. EPA has released its long-anticipated final rule setting the 2014, 2015 and 2016 renewable volume requirements (RVOs) under the renewable fuel standard (RFS), along with the 2017 RVO for biomass-based diesel. READ MORE SHARE
Renewable fuel associations express mixed reactions to final rule Positive aspects were found in the U.S. EPA's final rule establishing the renewable volume obligations for compliance with the renewable fuel standard, but the overall tone from associations responding immediately after the announcement was negative. READ MORE SHARE
	Abengoa reportedly lays off staff at Hugoton, other US locations Abengoa has reportedly laid off staff at its Hugoton, Kansas, cellulosic ethanol plant and other facilities and offices worldwide. A former Abengoa employee said that the company cited financial difficulties as the reason for its actions. READ MORE SHARE
BBI International announces Global Pellet Market Outlook Summit BBI International has announced the Global Pellet Market Outlook Summit as a pre-conference seminar for the 2016 International Biomass Conference & Expo. The event will take place April 11 in Charlotte, North Carolina. READ MORE SHARE
European Commission approves state aid for Lynemouth conversion The European Commission has announced that U.K. support for the conversion of the Lynemouth power station from coal to biomass complies with EU state aid rules. The U.K. informed the EC of plans to support the conversion project in Dec. 2014. READ MORE SHARE
Agreement to address climate change under negotiation in Paris This week, President Obama traveled to Paris to join nearly 200 nations for the COP21 global conference on climate change. Coinciding with the conference, was the announcement that Obama and 19 other world leaders launched "Mission Innovation." READ MORE SHARE
	House votes to block Clean Power Plan In a vote of 242-180, the U.S. House has voted to repeal the U.S. EPA’s Clean Power Plan, and through another vote of 235-188, to block EPA rules governing emissions from new power plants. President Obama has stated he plans to veto the measures. READ MORE SHARE
European Commission adopts Circular Economy Package The European Commission has announced the adoption of a new Circular Economy Package that aims to stimulate Europe's transition towards a circular economy. The effort has been criticized for its lack of mandatory food collection. READ MORE SHARE
Ontario passes bill banning coal-fired electricity generation In the days leading up to the United Nations' Conference of the Parties, Ontario passed legislation to permanently ban coal-fired electricity generation in the province. Ontario is the first to do so in North America. READ MORE SHARE
Abengoa to file for preliminary creditor protection Abengoa recently announced that it is filing for preliminary creditor protection. The company, however, said it "currently intends to continue to operate its ethanol plants in a normal course of business," including the cellulosic plant in Kansas. READ MORE SHARE
EPA challenge aims to recycle nutrients from manure The U.S. EPA has opened a competition for technologies to recycle nutrients from livestock manure on Challenge.gov. The competition is being held in partnership with the USDA. The American Biogas Council is among the project’s partners. READ MORE SHARE
Bioenergy projects receive DOE ARPA-E grants U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz has announced that the U.S. DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has awarded $125 million to 41 energy technology projects, four of which involve bioenergy or biomass. READ MORE SHARE
DOE to host bioenergy webinar for educators The U.S. Department of Energy has announced it will hold a live webinar titled "Integrating Bioenergy into the 9th-12th Grade Classroom," on Dec. 10. According to the DOE, the webinar is part of the BioenergizeME Office Hours webinar series. READ MORE SHARE
Green Biologics starts construction of renewable chemical plant Green Biologics Ltd. is moving forward with the construction of its 100 percent renewable, biobased n-butanol and acetone manufacturing facility in Little Falls, Minnesota. Commercial operations are scheduled to begin next year. READ MORE SHARE
Boeing, Canadian organizations launch aviation biofuel project Boeing, the University of British Columbia and SkyNRG, with support from Canada's aviation industry and other stakeholders, are collaborating to turn leftover branches, sawdust and other forest-industry waste into sustainable aviation biofuel. READ MORE SHARE
Solvay Epicerol earns RSB certification Solvay subsidiary Advanced Biochemical Thailand Co. Ltd. has received certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials for the production of Epicerol, a biobased building block for renewable chemicals and resins. READ MORE SHARE
BTEC summit: Encouraging signs for the biomass thermal industry A large group of representatives from industry, non-profit organizations and educational institutions gathered on Nov. 18 in Washington, D.C. as part of the Biomass Thermal Energy Councils' Biomass Thermal DC Summit. READ MORE SHARE
SaraRasa signs wood pellet off-take agreement Dovre Group Plc’s associate SaraRasa Bioindo has signed an off-take agreement with CellMark Energy. According to the agreement, Cellmark Energy will purchase a majority portion of the wood pellets produced by SaraRasa. READ MORE SHARE
Invista, LanzaTech sign agreement for biobased butadiene Invista and LanzaTech have signed a joint development agreement to collaborate on projects to develop one-step and two-step technologies to convert industrial waste gas carbon monoxide into butadiene. Initial commercialization is expected in 2016. READ MORE SHARE
DOE announces expanded GREET model Argonne National Laboratory recently released a new version of the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model, funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office. READ MORE SHARE
Roadside gumweed could be used as jet fuel for the military Glenn Miller is leading the effort in a project at the University of Nevada, Reno to convert grindelia squarosa, known as curly top gumweed, into biofuel, which could help contribute to fuel supplies for the military. READ MORE SHARE