Biomass Week - February 19, 2016

Enviva reports strong operational performance in 2015 Despite challenging market conditions in the broader energy sector, Enviva LP completed 2015 with continued strong operating performance, said Chairman and CEO John Keppler during the company’s Q4 2015 and year-end financial earnings call. READ MORE SHARE
PFI hosts webinar on standards program tailored toward retailers On Feb. 18, Pellet Fuels Institute hosted a webinar on its standards program, with information tailored to pellet retailers in order to familiarize participants with the program and why it matters to customers. READ MORE SHARE
	McCarthy addresses RFS, role of biomass in CPP during hearing On Feb. 11, the House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing on U.S. EPA policies that impact the rural economy. The renewable fuel standard (RFS) and Clean Power Plan were among the programs discussed during the nearly three-hour event. READ MORE SHARE
Covanta provides operational update during investor call Covanta Energy executives discussed progress on ongoing projects, new prospects and upgrades of existing facilities during its Q4 2015 and full-year results conference call on Feb. 17. READ MORE SHARE
EPA biogenic emissions panel posts updated draft report The U.S. EPA’s Science Advisory Board is continuing its work to complete a biogenic carbon emissions framework. On Feb. 8, the SAB’s Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel posted an updated draft report to the EPA’s website. READ MORE SHARE
EPA deems C&D wood, railroad ties, paper waste as nonwaste fuels The U.S. EPA has finalized an amendment to its nonhazardous secondary materials (NHSM) rule that will add three sources of fuel to its list of categorical nonwaste fuels, potentially making it easier for biomass energy facilities to make use of them. READ MORE SHARE
Rhode Island bill aims to extend RES program Legislation recently introduced in Rhode Island aims to extend the state’s renewable energy standard (RES) through 2035. The program, originally established in 2014, currently ramps up renewable energy use through 2020. READ MORE SHARE
Tasmania considers biomass to increase energy diversity The government of Tasmania, Australia, has announced it is actively considering the use of biomass as a renewable energy source. Specifically, the government is considering the use of residues from value-added forest operations. READ MORE SHARE
Biofuel, oil groups continue to challenge RFS rule in court Legal challenges against the renewable fuel standard (RFS) continue to be filed by both stakeholders in the biofuels industry and representatives of the oil industry. READ MORE SHARE
Geodynamics broadens involvement in Australian biogas sector Geodynamics has set its sights on becoming a diversified clean technology company. The first step in this process was the acquisition of Quantum Power, a biogas company focused on the growing Australian agribusiness and municipal waste sectors. READ MORE SHARE
DECC publishes new reports evaluating RHI renewable heat programs U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change recently published reports demonstrating over 80 percent of applicants to the renewable heat incentive are satisfied with their new systems, such as biomass boilers, to promote renewable heat generation. READ MORE SHARE
Renewable fuels from algae boosted by NREL refinery process A new biorefinery process developed by scientists at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has proven to be significantly more effective at producing ethanol from algae than previous research. READ MORE SHARE
ART announces investment in biomass CHP project Alpha Real Trust Ltd. announces it has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire a the long leasehold interest in a site in Scotland for the installation of a wood-fired combined-heat-and-power (CHP) plant. READ MORE SHARE
University of Kentucky algal research hitting the ground in China The Algae and Biofuels Laboratory at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research is partnering with Lianhenghui Investment Company to construct a 5-acre algae production facility in Zhengzhou, China. READ MORE SHARE
ORNL: Titan probes depths of biofuel’s biggest barrier To better understand exactly how lignin persists, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory created one of the largest biomolecular simulations to date, a 23.7-million atom system representing pretreated biomass in the presence of enzymes. READ MORE SHARE
Alliance BioEnergy: CTS pilot plant producing cellulosic sugar Alliance BioEnergy Plus Inc. has announced the CTS pilot plant, located at the its subsidiary Ek Laboratories, is now running the complete conversion process from raw feedstock through fermentation of cellulosic sugars. READ MORE SHARE
UK housing association to install biomass heating system Forrest has been appointed to deliver a GBP 7 million ($10.03 million) energy efficient biomass heating system across five tower blocks in Knowsley for Villages Housing Association. The project includes the installation of two biomass units. READ MORE SHARE
Kaidi announces plans to build biorefinery in Finland Kaidi plans to build a EUR 1 billion ($1.11 billion) biofuel refinery in Kemi, Finland The planned refinery will produce 200,000 tons of biofuels per year, of which 75 percent will be biobased diesel and 25 percent biobased gasoline. READ MORE SHARE
Clariant: Cellulosic ethanol now used in cleaning agents Clariant, in cooperation with Werner & Mertz, has launched a project which expands the possible applications of its sunliquid cellulosic ethanol to detergents, cleansers and cleaning agents, including Frosch Bio-Spirit Multisurface-Cleaner. READ MORE SHARE
Method for bio-designing yeast could improve biofuel production An assistant research specialist at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center has designed a new strain of yeast that could improve the efficiency of making fuel from cellulosic biomass such as switchgrass. READ MORE SHARE
Forest Fuels acquires Lakes Biomass U.K.-based Forest Fuels has broadened its network of high-quality local wood-fuel-distribution depots by purchasing established Cumbrian operator Lakes Biomass, which delivers kiln-dried logs, kindling, woodchip, and pellets to customers. READ MORE SHARE
PPG signs MOU with Green Biofuels Plutus PowerGen plc has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with U.K.-based Green Biofuels Ltd. for the supply of its proprietary renewable fuel Green D+ for use across the company's power generation projects. READ MORE SHARE
Comet Biorefining to build biomass sugar plant in Ontario Comet Biorefining Inc. has announced the location of its commercial-scale biomass-derived sugar facility in the TransAlta Energy Park in Sarnia, Ontario. The 60 million pounds per year plant will come online in 2018. READ MORE SHARE
Saxlund announces another bioenergy order from Babcock & Wilcox Saxlund has won another large order from Babcock & Wilcox Volund A/S, Denmark for the delivery of its first-class management of bioenergy projects in Teesside, near Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire. READ MORE SHARE
Clean Energy doubles sales of Redeem RNG Clean Energy Fuels Corp. recently announced that sales of Redeem, its renewable natural gas (RNG) vehicle fuel offering, more than doubled in 2015 to 50 million gasoline gallon equivalents (GGEs) from 20 million GGEs in 2014. READ MORE SHARE
Mitsui makes additional investment in BioAmber facility BioAmber Inc. has annoucned that Mitsui & Co. Ltd., its partner in the Sarnia, Ontario, biobased succinic acid plant, is investing an additional CDN$25 million (USD$18.07 million) in the joint venture for for 10 percent of the equity, READ MORE SHARE
Chempolis, NRL cellulosic ethanol project in India moves forward A joint venture of Chempolis Ltd. and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd. that aims to build a biorefinery utilizing Chempolis’ formicobio technology is moving forward after getting approval from NRL’s board. READ MORE SHARE