Biomass Week - May 6, 2016

North American wood pellet exports reached record high in 2015 North America exports of wood pellets reached record-highs in 2015, with the U.S. Gulf States increasing shipments by 70 percent from 2Q/15 to 4Q/15, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review. READ MORE SHARE
University of California mulls sawmill, CHP facility purchase The University of California is on the verge of purchasing the Sierra Pacific Industries Loyalton, California, mill and associated property, including a 20-MW, combined-heat-and-power (CHP) biomass unit. READ MORE SHARE
	BioAmber reports steady progress at Sarnia plant BioAmber Inc. has released first quarter financial results, reporting steady process in ramping up its Sarnia, Ontario, biosuccinic acid plant. Sales reached $1.5 million during the quarter, up 297 percent when compared to the same quarter of 2015. READ MORE SHARE
New cogen system triples energy output from biogas at Oregon WWTP On May 4, Clean Water Services, Energy Trust of Oregon and the Oregon Department of Energy formally announced the implementation of a new cogeneration system that converts wastewater and grease into renewable energy. READ MORE SHARE
Velocys reports progress on Envia GTL project in Oklahoma U.K.-based Velocys plc recently released 2015 financial results, reporting good progress on Envia Energy’s gas-to-liquids (GTL) project in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which will convert landfill gas into fuels and chemicals. READ MORE SHARE
REG: Geismar RHD plant resumed operations in March Renewable Energy Group Inc. recently released first quarter financial results, reporting its 75 MMgy Geismar renewable diesel plant in Louisiana restarted operations in March. The plant was acquired by REG in 2014. READ MORE SHARE
USDA: FSFL program now includes microloan option The USDA has updated its Farm Storage Facility Loan Program, which provides low-interest financing so agricultural producers can build or upgrade permanent facilities to store commodities. Renewable biomass is among the eligible commodities. READ MORE SHARE
UK REA responds to consultation on RHI reforms The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change’s consultation on the reform of the Renewable Heat Incentive closed April 27. The U.K. Renewable Energy Association weighed in on how the reforms could impact the biomass and biogas industries. READ MORE SHARE
ARENA supporting Australia’s largest bioenergy project A bioenergy project in Queensland could become a reality thanks to early stage funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. The project would produce ethanol, lignin for power production and fuel pellets. READ MORE SHARE
Aemetis to acquire Edeniq and its cellulosic technology Aemetis Inc. and Edeniq have entered into a definitive agreement under which Aemetis will acquire all of Edeniq’s outstanding shares in a stock plus cash merger transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers find biofuel potential in Australian algae A native freshwater algae grown in northern Australia can be used to create a high-quality, renewable jet fuel, an international research team has found. The team has developed a proof-of-concept process using the macroalgae Oedogonium. READ MORE SHARE
QUT research aims to eliminate fossil fuel use in sugar industry Queensland University of Technology researchers are leading the way in developing and testing new technologies as part of a $5.7 million three-year project with the potential to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in the sugar industry. READ MORE SHARE
DECC releases first quarter 2016 RHI program deployment data U.K. DECC published monthly statistics and summary of quarter one deployment data for RHI program. During the quarter, there was a large number of biogas applications for the nondomestic scheme and fewer biomass applications in the domestic scheme. READ MORE SHARE
Duke Energy accelerates renewable energy growth goal by 33% Continuing its dramatic growth in renewable energy, Duke Energy has raised its 2020 renewable energy goal by 33 percent. The company expects to own or purchase 8,000 MW of wind, solar and biomass capacity by 2020. READ MORE SHARE
Nippon Paper to install torrefied pellet demonstration plant Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. signed a joint research and development agreement with Phoenix Pulp and Paper Public Co. Ltd. to install demonstration facilities in Thailand for the production of torrefied pellets. READ MORE SHARE
Poet reports Project Liberty in ‘ramp-up’ phase Project Liberty in Emmetsburg, Iowa, has produced and shipped several tank cars of cellulosic ethanol even as the plant is ramping up to its full 20 million gallon-per-year capacity. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers developing biobased resins for use in railway systems Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research is working on the development of biobased resins for elastic rail fastening systems. The project aims to develop new resins from biomass which cure into an elastic rubber-like compound within a limited time. READ MORE SHARE