Biomass Week - April 4, 2018

BioPower Sustainable Energy acquires Atikokan pellet plant BioPower Sustainable Energy Corp., a subsidiary of True North Timber, has acquired the assets of the former Rentech pellet plant in Atikokan, Ontario. The company plans to sell both commercial pellets and residential heating pellets. READ MORE SHARE
EPA opens public comment period on isobutanol fuel registration The U.S. EPA is seeking public comment on any aspect of the use of isobutanol in gasoline in response to a fuel registration application filed by Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC. The public comment period ends April 30. READ MORE SHARE
	Massachusetts announces funding for woodstove rebate program The Massachusetts government has announced $450,000 in funding for the 2018 Commonwealth Woodstove Change-out Program, which provides rebates to homeowners two replace older, inefficient woodstoves with cleaner, EPA-certified wood and pellet stoves. READ MORE SHARE
Gevo discusses financial status, market development activities Gevo Inc. released 2017 financial results on March 28, providing an overview of its financial status, production and sales, and market development activities. The company's Minnesota biorefinery is expected to focus on ethanol production in 2018. READ MORE SHARE
Voltalia to construct 5.1 MW biomass plant in French Guiana France-based renewable power producer Voltalia has begun construction of a 5.1 MW biomass plant in Cacao, French Guiana. Voltalia designed the facility and will be in charge of its construction, operation and maintenance. READ MORE SHARE
Duke Energy uses RNG from North Carolina hog farms A Duke Energy power plant is using renewable natural gas from North Carolina-based hog farms to produce electricity—the first application of the technology from in-state farms. The project is expected to yield 11,000 megawatt-hours of electricity. READ MORE SHARE
GRP selects Veolia to operate, maintain 3 bioenergy facilities Veolia Energy Operating Services LLC, a division of Veolia North America, announced April 3 it was selected by Georgia Renewable Power to operate and maintain three biomass-to-energy facilities. READ MORE SHARE
Gevo: ASTM subcommittee approves additional route to ATJ fuel Gevo Inc. announced April 2 that an ASTM International subcommittee has voted in favor of revising specification D7566 to include ethanol in addition to isobutanol and to increase the approved blend levels from 30 percent to 50 percent. READ MORE SHARE
Green Biologics, Kingsford Charcoal launch EcoLight lighter fluid Green Biologics Inc. announced that it has agreed to supply its patented GreenFlame biobased charcoal lighter fluid formulation exclusively to Kingsford Charcoal, to be marketed under a new brand: EcoLight. READ MORE SHARE
NREL discovers enzyme domains that improve performance By studying and comparing the workhorse cellulose-degrading enzymes of two fungi, researchers from NREL have pinpointed regions on these enzymes that can be targeted via genetic engineering to help break down cellulose faster. READ MORE SHARE
Nippon celebrates opening of biomass power facility Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. held a completion ceremony March 16 for the biomass mixed combustion power generation facility at Ishinomaki Hibarino Power Plant, operated by Nippon Paper Ishinomaki Energy Center Ltd. READ MORE SHARE
New York counties partner to build biosolid waste facility Albany and Saratoga County leaders announced an inter-municipal partnership on March 28 that allows for the establishment of a regional biosolid waste facility. The facility will recycle biosolids, sewer sludge and food waste into methane gas. READ MORE SHARE
Anellotech achieves key process technology operating milestone Anellotech has announced a key operating milestone, achieving two weeks of continuous operation of its seven-story tall TCat-8 pilot plant, producing aromatics, primarily benzene, toluene, and xylenes, from loblolly pine feedstock. READ MORE SHARE
Protacon purchases interest in Inray Technology company Protacon has purchased a substantial part of Inray Ltd, a Finnish company supplying X-ray technology based measurement systems to power and thermal plants, including those fueled by biomass. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers use light to turn yeast into biochemical factories Researchers at Princeton University are using light to control genetically modified yeast and increase its output of commercially valuable chemicals. The results offer scientists a powerful new tool to probe and understand the inner working of cells. READ MORE SHARE