Biomass Week - October 28, 2016

USDA awards $327 million in REAP funding The USDA is investing more than $300 million to help hundreds of small businesses adopt renewable energy sources or implement more efficient energy options. The investment includes $327 million in Rural Energy for America Program funding. READ MORE SHARE
First biomass test burn begins at Salt River Project’s CGS Salt River Project is beginning a three-week test burn of more than 3,900 tons of forest debris biomass at its Coronado Generating Station. The first scheduled test at CGS Unit 1 in St. Johns will be a one-day, two-load burn on Oct. 26. READ MORE SHARE
	Covanta provides plant project updates Covanta’s waste-to-energy plant under construction in Dublin, Ireland, is on track to undergo first fire by the end of Q1, CEO and President Stephen Jones said during the company’s Q3 financial earnings call. READ MORE SHARE
EPA: 1.67 billion RINs generated in September The U.S. EPA has released renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for September, announcing 1.67 billion RINs were generated during the month, including 17.14 million D3 cellulosic biofuel RINs and 99,563 D7 cellulosic diesel RINs. READ MORE SHARE
NEB report illustrates Canadian renewable power landscape In mid-October, the National Energy Board released a report, noting Canada generates almost two-thirds of its electricity from renewable resources. Hydro is the dominant source of renewable power in the country, followed by wind, biomass and solar. READ MORE SHARE
European Biomass Association releases 2016 bioenergy outlook AEBIOM releases its annual statistical report, providing an in-depth look at the European bioenergy sector. Recent editions have included analysis of support schemes for biomass heating, electricity and transport, and market forecasts. READ MORE SHARE
Stobart aims to supply 2 million metric tons of biomass annually Stobart Group Ltd. has released interim results for the six months ended Aug. 31, reporting strong growth in its biomass business is expected over the next two years. The company aims to deliver 2 million metric tons of biomass annually by 2018. READ MORE SHARE
Biomass research and development committee to meet in November The U.S. Department of Energy has announced an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee has been scheduled to be held Nov. 17-18 in Washington, D.C. READ MORE SHARE
White Dog Labs advances in $20 million Carbon Xprize contest New technology developer White Dog Labs has been selected as a semifinalist in the $20 million Carbon Xprize, announced shortly after its peer-reviewed research paper was published in the journal Nature Communications. READ MORE SHARE
ANL analysis shows GHG reduction potential of algae fractionation A new analysis from Argonne National Laboratory shows the potential of an algae fractionation process to produce renewable diesel fuel with 63–68 percent lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than conventional diesel. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers reproduce evolutionary path with designer lignin A study led by the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center has shown poplar trees and many other plants have evolved to naturally produce zip-lignin, which readily breaks down under simple chemical conditions. READ MORE SHARE
SEAT, Aqualia develop alternative fuel from waste water SEAT and Aqualia have joined forces to develop the innovative SMART Green Gas project, which aims to obtain 100 percent Spanish origin, renewable biofuel from waste water to be used in compressed natural gas (CNG) powered vehicles. READ MORE SHARE
CSPC announces equity raise, corn stover field trial Cellulosic Sugar Producers Cooperative has initiated an equity campaign to develop a corn stover and wheat straw to dextrose supply chain in southwestern Ontario. CSPC will engage with growers in the region to supply feedstock to Comet Biorefining. READ MORE SHARE
Bruel & Kjaer Vibro wins monitoring order for Tilbury plant The Danish engineering and contracting company Aalborg Energie Technik has selected a Bruel & Kjaer Vibro online condition monitoring solution for machine condition monitoring of the 40 MW Tilbury Green Power biomass power plant in the London area. READ MORE SHARE
State partnerships can promote increased bioenergy production Researchers at the University of Missouri have identified the most effective ways for various Midwest states to partner and share resources in order to increase the amount of renewable energy they produce through burning woody biomass. READ MORE SHARE
Fortum and Taaleri invest in Chempolis Fortum and Taaleri Kiertotalous Ky recently signed an agreement with Chempolis Oy to invest in the company. The deal is part of a restructuring of Chempolis Oy’s ownership and financing, in order to strengthen the balance sheet and operations. READ MORE SHARE
EPFL: Turning biofuel waste into wealth in a single step Lignin is a bulky chain of molecules found in wood and is usually discarded during biofuel production. But in a new method by EPFL chemists, the simple addition of formaldehyde could turn it into the main focus. READ MORE SHARE
New Hampshire officials open new wood biomass heating plant New Hampshire state officials recently celebrated National Bioenergy Day by holding an open house to recognize the completion of a new wood biomass boiler that will heat a major state building in Concord. READ MORE SHARE
Alliance launched to support the growth of the UK bioeconomy On Oct. 19, five established R&D centers across the U.K. announced a new alliance, BioPilotsUK. This alliance will seek to position Britain as a global leader in biorefining technology development and biobased product manufacture. READ MORE SHARE