Biomass Week - March 25, 2016

Duke Energy to buy biogas from developing N.C. plant Colorado-based Carbon Cycle Energy plans to build a swine- and poultry-based biogas plant in southeast North Carolina, and Duke Energy has signed an agreement with the company to purchase gas produced at the facility. READ MORE SHARE
EPA: 14.42 million cellulosic RINs generated in February The U.S. EPA has released renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for February, reporting 1.18 billion RINs were generated during the month, including nearly 14.42 million cellulosic RINs. READ MORE SHARE
	2016 FEW announces technical sessions agenda The 2016 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, the ethanol industry's largest conference, has released its highly anticipated agenda featuring more than 140 speakers and four comprehensive tracks. READ MORE SHARE
Senators advocate for robust 2017 RFS rule On March 23, a group of 19 senators sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, asking the agency to set high renewable volume obligations (RVOs) in its 2017 renewable fuel standard (RFS) rulemaking. READ MORE SHARE
California Energy Commission invests $3 million in biogas project The California Energy Commission approved $4.3 million in grants for projects to increase the efficiency of natural gas technology. Amongst the projects, $3 million will go toward a biogas-to-fuel project in the city of Petaluma. READ MORE SHARE
ETI seeks partners for UK biomass logistics project The U.K.-based Energy Technologies Institute has announced it is seeking partners for a new six-month bioenergy project that aims to improve the understanding of the future of biomass logistics in the U.K. READ MORE SHARE
Iowa bill would create renewable chemical production tax credit Legislation pending in Iowa aims to create a five-year, 5-cent-per-pound, renewable chemical production tax credit program. The Biotechnology Innovation Organization has spoken out in support of the measure, noting it would help drive innovation. READ MORE SHARE
ElectraTherm ORC to generate clean energy from biogas in Germany ElectraTherm has shipped the Power+ Generator 4200 to a biogas facility in Germany, its third application in the country to utilize biogas to generate emission-free electricity. The project is expected to be commissioned this spring. READ MORE SHARE
AST increases scale of Wisconsin research facility American Science and Technology has completed the scale-up of its biorefinery in Wausau, Wisconsin. The company increased the processing capacity of its facility from 100 kilograms to 2 tons of cellulosic biomass per day. READ MORE SHARE
Penn State announces first harvest of shrub willow The first harvest of 34 acres of fast-growing shrub willow from a Penn State demonstration field this winter is a milestone in developing a sustainable biomass supply for renewable energy and biobased economic development, according to researchers. READ MORE SHARE
Feeding biogas reactors at longer intervals produces more biogas A team of international scientists has discovered that biogas production can be controlled by altering the frequency at which the reactors are fed. If the intervals are longer, more biogas is produced. READ MORE SHARE
Massachusetts invests $700,000 in woodstove rebate program Massachusetts is investing $700,000 in the Commonwealth Woodstove Change-Out Program, which provides rebates to homeowners who replace their older, inefficient woodstoves with cleaner, U.S. EPA-certified woodstove and pellet stove models. READ MORE SHARE
Amec Foster Wheeler supplies biomass dust combustion plant Amec Foster Wheeler recently announced that it has been awarded a contract to supply a biomass dust combustion plant for Finnish utility company Seinajoen Energia Oy. READ MORE SHARE
ETI calls for more emphasis on CCS, bioenergy The U.K.-based Energy Technologies Institute has called for greater emphasis on progressing carbon capture and storage and building a U.K. bioenergy sector in the next 15 years if the U.K. is to meet its targets for decarbonizing its energy system. READ MORE SHARE
UT center continues quest for low-cost, high-quality bioenergy Scientists with the University of Tennessee Center for Renewable Carbon are continuing efforts to develop renewable and cost-competitive biofuels and biobased products that can be useful for society and to advance rural economies. READ MORE SHARE
Wärtsilä to deliver biogas plant to provide fuel for buses Wartsila has been awarded the order to supply a biogas liquefaction plant that will produce fuel for public transport vehicles, mainly in Norway. The supply contract was signed in December, and is with Purac Puregas AB, based in Kalmar, Sweden. READ MORE SHARE
Financial assistance available for installing wood pellet boilers Northern Forest Center is expanding a program that helps Vermonters switch to high-efficiency wood pellet boilers to provide heat for homes, businesses and other properties in the Northeast Kingdom. READ MORE SHARE