Biomass Week - May 3, 2017

Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue confirmed as US ag secretary In an 87-11 vote, on April 24, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sonny Perdue as the 31st U.S. secretary of agriculture. Perdue brings to the USDA a farming background and lengthy career of public service. READ MORE SHARE
UK operates coal-free for a day The United Kingdom went without coal power for 24 hours on April 21, reported National Grid, the system operator for the country’s electric grid. READ MORE SHARE
	Drax completes acquisition of Louisiana pellet plant Drax Group plc announced it has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Louisiana Pellets, at a price of $35.4 million. READ MORE SHARE
Toshiba fires up 50-MW biomass power plant in Japan Toshiba Corp. started commercial operation of its first ever biomass power plant on April 27, a 50-MW facility that will supply enough electricity for 80,000 households and reduce CO2 emissions to about 300,000 tons a year. READ MORE SHARE
New study shows economic value of RNG in California A new jobs study reveals that deploying trucks fueled by renewable natural gas could create up to 130,000 new jobs and add $14 billion to California’s economy. READ MORE SHARE
DONG Energy Herning biomass CHP plant scores deal, plans upgrade After two years of negotiations, DONG Energy has reached a deal to continue delivering district heating to three Danish energy companies via its Herning, Central Jutland, Denmark, biomass-fired combined-heat-and-power plant. READ MORE SHARE
US industrial sector has lowest CO2 profile of energy consumers The relatively low carbon intensity of energy use in the industrial sector is the result of several factors, one being that the pulp and paper industry is a large consumer of biogenic material. READ MORE SHARE
SBP releases final draft regional risk assessment for Denmark The Sustainable Biomass Partnership has published the final draft Regional Risk Assessment for Denmark. Interested parties are invited to provide written comments on the draft. READ MORE SHARE
Omnibus bill policy rider deems forest bioenergy carbon neutral The $1 trillion Omnibus spending bill up for consideration by the House and Senate this week includes a policy rider that calls for federal recognition of forest bioenergy carbon neutrality. READ MORE SHARE
California Senate leader unveils 100 percent clean energy bill California Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles, on May 2 introduced Senate Bill 100, the California Clean Energy Act of 2017, which puts the state on the path to 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2045. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers find more efficient way to make oil from dead trees A University of Washington team has made new headway on a solution to remove beetle-killed trees from the forest and use them to make renewable transportation fuels or high-value chemicals. READ MORE SHARE
Construction of England waste gasification plant begins Work has started to build an innovative waste gasification plant in England's West Midlands, creating around 100 construction jobs and 25 new permanent jobs once operational. READ MORE SHARE
New community wood handbook published The Biomass Thermal Energy Council has announced the publication of the 4th volume of the Community Biomass Handbook, a companion to the three previously published volumes. READ MORE SHARE
Five bioenergy projects score funds via DOE pilot program The U.S. DOE has awarded funding to 38 projects for which small businesses will team up with national lab researchers through the DOE’s Small Business Vouchers pilot program. READ MORE SHARE
Research focuses on soil quality, stover removal for biofuel Cynthia Bartel, a doctoral candidate at Iowa State University, is working to determine a method for proper removal of maize stover for biofuel production. READ MORE SHARE
Senators propose 100 percent renewable energy in US by 2050 Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, along with Sens. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts, and Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, introduced climate legislation that would transition the U.S. to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. READ MORE SHARE
PG&E makes call for renewable energy project proposals Pacific Gas and Electric Company has announced a call for proposals for renewable energy developers to build new projects for a clean energy program available to PG&E customers. READ MORE SHARE