Biomass Week - September 16, 2016

Boardman Power Station to perform 24-hour biomass test Boardman Power Station’s decade-long investigation of whether torrefied biomass is a suitable replacement for coal is taking a major step forward with a planned 24-hour test burn, which is scheduled to take place sometime in November. READ MORE SHARE
California governor signs bill benefiting biomass power California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. has signed a bill that will support biomass plants within the state by calling on electricity retailers to enter into five-year contracts for 125 MW of biomass capacity with facilities using certain feedstocks. READ MORE SHARE
	Website now available for wood-to-energy checkoff program The wood-to-energy checkoff initiative that’s been in the works for the past few years recently launched a website to provide updated information about the program as well as a way to ask questions about the initiative. READ MORE SHARE
Renmatix secures $14 million investment from Bill Gates and Total Renmatix recently announced a $14 million investment, led by Bill Gates, to support the commercialization of its Plantrose process. The investment will help drive towards the first wave of Renmatix licensees building Plantrose-enabled biorefineries. READ MORE SHARE
EPA grants Pacific Ethanol pathway approval for Edeniq technology Edeniq Inc. has announced the U.S. EPA has approved a cellulosic fuel pathway for Pacific Ethanol Inc.’s Stockton, California, plant using Edeniq’s Pathway Technology, allowing the facility to generate D3 cellulosic renewable identification numbers. READ MORE SHARE
Several bioenergy projects receive SBIR funding The USDA recently announced $7.4 million in grants will be awarded to 76 small businesses through the Small Business Innovation Research program. The USDA also indicated the SBIR program is currently accepting Phase I grant applications. READ MORE SHARE
Report details biomass heat, power production in Japan The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service recently released a Global Agricultural Information Network report on Japan’s renewable fuel industry, which reviews the country’s renewable fuel mandates/policy and progress toward meeting them. READ MORE SHARE
UK ECCC releases 2020 heat, transport targets report The Energy and Climate Change Select Committee released its 2020 renewable heat and transport targets report, calling for changes to the proposed RHI reforms, as the report concluded tariffs for biomethane and biomass boilers were too low. READ MORE SHARE
Report details the economic, employment impact of Drax conversion Oxford Economics recently released a report that details the total impact of Drax Group on the U.K. economy, reporting that Drax contributed approximately GBP 1.2 billion ($1.58 billion) to the U.K.’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015. READ MORE SHARE
Gatwick Airport to heat terminal with waste-derived fuel U.K.-based Gatwick Airport has announced it is partnering with DNL to dispose of category 1 waste onsite, converting it into renewable energy used to heat the north terminal of the airport. READ MORE SHARE
API calls for RFS repeal rather than point of obligation change The American Petroleum Institute recently spoke out against efforts to move the point of obligation under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). Rather that changes to the point of obligation, the API is calling for repeal or major reform of the RFS. READ MORE SHARE
RSB reaccredited weeks after EU court slams certification system The European Commission recently reaccredited RSB's EU Renewable Energy Directive sustainability program. The re-recognition came just weeks after the EU Court of Auditors said the EU certification system for sustainability is not fully reliable. READ MORE SHARE
NIB provides loan to biomass CHP plant in Stockholm The Nordic Investment Bank has signed a 10-year loan of SEK 600 million ($70.31 million) with Fortum Varme Holding to finance the recently inaugurated biomass combined-heat-and-power (CHP) plant in Vartan, Stockholm of Sweden. READ MORE SHARE
Clarkson University researcher to study energy from waste Stefan J. Grimberg, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Clarkson University, has been selected as a Scholar-in-Residence at McGill University where he will collaborate on a project to divert organic waste from landfills. READ MORE SHARE
UPM wood-based biofuel successfully tested in marine applications Boskalis and GoodFuels Marine recently performed successful tests using UPM BioVerno, a sustainable wood-based drop-in biofuel. The tests were conducted on a vessel working on the Dutch Marker Wadden nature restoration project on Markermeer lake. READ MORE SHARE
Valmet to supply biomass boiler to project in Sweden Valmet will supply a biofuel-fired power plant and related flue gas cleaning and condensing systems to Boras Energi och Miljo's new energy and environmental center in Sobacken, Boras, Sweden. Heat production is scheduled to start in 2019. READ MORE SHARE
Strategic consortium to commercialize Virent’s Bioforming process Virent recently announced that it has established a strategic consortium with Tesoro, Toray, Johnson Matthey and The Coca-Cola Co. focused on completing the development and scale-up of Virent’s BioForming technology. READ MORE SHARE
LanzaTech produces jet fuel from waste gases for Virgin Atlantic LanzaTech has announced it has produced 1,500 gallons of renewable jet fuel through its partnership with Virgin Atlantic. Since 2011, the partnership has been committed to producing jet fuel derived waste industrial gases via a fermentation process. READ MORE SHARE
Advanced Biofuels USA wins grant for beet-to-jet fuel project The USDA has provided $16,893 to Advanced Biofuels USA, a nonprofit educational organization, for a feasibility study of producing bio-jet fuel from energy beets grown on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. READ MORE SHARE
Finnvera to provide financing for MGT Teesside biomass plant Finnvera is contributing GBP 100 million ($132.37 million), or roughly EUR 120 million, in financing for MGT Teesside's 299 MW biomass power plant under development in the U.K. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2020. READ MORE SHARE
DOE’s BETO hosts alternative aviation fuel workshop The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office is hosting a 2-day workshop gathering lead experts in the field of aviation biofuels on Sept. 14–15. More than 100 stakeholders are expected to attend the event. READ MORE SHARE
CBD delivers pneumatic fuel conveying system to Lynemouth plant Clyde Bergemann has been chosen to deliver the pneumatic conveying systems for the U.K.-based Lynemouth biomass conversion. The 420 MW power plant burnt its last coal in December 2015 and will reopen burning wood pellets early in 2018. READ MORE SHARE
RSB EU RED re-recognized by the European Commission The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials is pleased to announce its re-recognition by the European Commission. The decision was published by the commission on Aug. 9 in the Official Journal of the European Union and is valid for five years. READ MORE SHARE