Biomass Week - July 12, 2017

EPA schedules hearing on RFS proposal for Aug. 1 The U.S. EPA has announced plans to hold a public hearing Aug. 1 in Washington, D.C., for its recently released rule to set 2018 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard, along with the 2019 RVO for biomass-based diesel. READ MORE SHARE
Alliance Bio-Products gains USDA approval to buy Ineos Bio plant Alliance Bio-Products Inc. has received approval from the USDA to purchase an existing cellulosic ethanol plant in Vero Beach, Florida. The purchase includes the 8 MMgy plant, about 143 acres, equipment and vehicles. READ MORE SHARE
	IEA Bioenergy Task 40 updates report on pellet industry, trade IEA Bioenergy Task 40, an initiative established by the International Energy Agency in 2003 to focus on international bioenergy technology, recently published a new report on the global wood pellet industry and trade. READ MORE SHARE
Grants help maple syrup makers install pellet, wood chip systems In Vermont, The Clean Energy Development Fund at the state’s Public Service Department is offering grant funding of up to $20,000 to help sugar makers install evaporators fueled with wood pellets or wood chips. READ MORE SHARE
Oh resigns from REG, Howard appointed interim president, CEO Longtime leader of Renewable Energy Group Inc., Daniel J. Oh, resigned from his position as president and CEO July 3. Biodiesel Magazine spoke with newly appointed interim president and CEO Randy Howard on Oh's departure and REG's new leadership. READ MORE SHARE
Enviva Partners extends contracts at Port Panama City Enviva has announced that it is extending its contracts with the Panama City Port Authority, the Bay Line Railroad LLC and SSA Gulf Inc. through 2023. This commitment supports operations at the company’s Cottondale facility. READ MORE SHARE
Vermont report on clean energy addresses bioenergy employment In June, the Vermont Department of Public Service released its 2017 Clean Energy Industry Report, revealing the number of Vermonters engaged in the clean energy industry has grown 29 percent since 2013. READ MORE SHARE
Velocys to focus on biofuels, announces progress at Envia plant Veloycs plc has announced the production of the first finished saleable products from Envia Energy’s gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Oklahoma City. The company also recently stated it plans to focus on the conversion of woody biomass to fuels. READ MORE SHARE
Zeolite catalysts pave the road to decentralized biorefining Researchers at the Technical University of Munich have managed to significantly reduce the temperature and energy requirements of a key step in the chemical process to convert organic waste into fuel using zeolite crystals. READ MORE SHARE
Valmet to supply biomass plant, automation system to DONG Energy Valmet Corp. will supply a biomass power plant to DONG Energy's Asnaes Power Station located in Kalundborg, Denmark. The delivery consists of a 140 MWth biomass-fired HYBEX power boiler plant featuring bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) technology. READ MORE SHARE
Rice aids in the study of biofuel feedstocks Rice is a model for studies of candidate bioenergy grasses such as sorghum, switchgrass, and miscanthus. To optimize crops for biofuel production, scientists are seeking to identify genes that control key traits, including yield. READ MORE SHARE
DOE awards $8 million to support algae-based biofuel development The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced the selection of three projects to receive up to $8 million, aimed at reducing the costs of producing algal biofuels and bioproducts. READ MORE SHARE
Research progressing on how to spur wide use of aviation biofuels Slowed as much by extremely low oil prices as supply-chain and technological challenges, the effort to integrate biofuels into the nation's aviation fuel supply is nonetheless progressing, according to a researcher at Penn State. READ MORE SHARE
Solving a sweet problem for renewable biofuels and chemicals Arizona State University scientists are harnessing the trial-and-error power of evolution to coax nature into revealing how to convert biomass into biobased products by test-tube evolving bacteria to ferment biomass sugars. READ MORE SHARE
Sustainable Biomass Program responds to NRDC paper Carsten Huljus, CEO of the Sustainable Biomass Partnership, has issued a response to s recent issue paper by the Dogwood Alliance and Natural Resources Defense Council that criticizes the SBP's certification system. READ MORE SHARE
SynTech Bioenergy opens Hawaii office SynTech Bioenergy, a Denver-based renewable energy technology company, has opened its first Hawaii office for sales and field service in Honolulu. The office will support local installations of SynTech Bioenergy’s technology. READ MORE SHARE
Evoqua acquires ADI Systems Evoqua recently announced it has acquired ADI Systems, Lange Containment and Geomembrane Technologies from ADI Group Inc. The three businesses are leaders in wastewater solutions for industrial and manufacturing applications. READ MORE SHARE