Biomass Week - July 10, 2018

Pruitt resigns, Wheeler to become acting administrator of the EPA On July 5, President Trump announced the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the administrator of the U.S. EPA. Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler is set to assume the role of acting administrator of the EPA on July 9. READ MORE SHARE
ISO committee advances development of standards for solid biofuel Development of international standards for solid biofuels advanced at a recent meeting of the ISO committee responsible for that work, according to the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. READ MORE SHARE
	ITA seeks nominations for renewable energy advisory committee The ITA has renewed its Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee and is soliciting nominations for membership. Renewable fuels, including liquid biofuels and biomass pellets, are among the goods addressed by the committee. READ MORE SHARE
EIA updates short-term bioenergy capacity, generation estimates The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the July edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, predicting that nonhydropower renewables will provide more than 10 percent of electricity generation this year, up from slightly from 2017. READ MORE SHARE
CalRecycle funds anaerobic digestion projects The California Department of Recycling and Recovery has awarded more than $25 million to 10 projects to bolster organics recycling and rescue edible food for those in need. Three of the awards support anaerobic digestion projects. READ MORE SHARE
UK renewable energy generation sets new record The U.K. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has released first quarter 2018 energy statistics, reporting that the renewables’ share of electricity generation increased to a record high of 30.1 percent during the quarter. READ MORE SHARE
US, Canadian pellet feedstock price indices up in early 2018 The U.S. and Canadian pellet feedstock price indices increased in early 2018, driven mainly by higher demand for pellets in Europe and Asia, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review. READ MORE SHARE
Foresight acquires 5 operational AD plants in Germany Foresight Group has acquired 100 percent of the shares in a portfolio of five operational anaerobic digestion (AD) plants in Germany from Lindhorst Gruppe. Foresight now owns 20 AD plants in the U.K. and Germany with a combined 154 MW of capacity. READ MORE SHARE
DOE publishes report on performance-advantaged biobased chemicals The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office has published the summary report for its workshop on Moving Beyond Drop-In Replacements: Performance-Advantaged Biobased Chemicals, that took place on June 1, 2017, in Denver, Colorado. READ MORE SHARE
Skangas fuels the tanker Fure Vinga with liquefied biogas Skangas has supplied the Swedish shipping company Furetank with liquefied biogas (LBG). The Swedish LBG was delivered to Furetank’s M/T Fure Vinga from Skangas’ parent company Gasum’s biogas facility in Lidköping. READ MORE SHARE
RNG produced by CR&R flows into SoCalGas pipelines Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and waste management company CR&R Environmental announced July 2 they are now injecting renewable natural gas produced at CR&R's anaerobic digestion facility in Perris, California, into SoCalGas pipelines. READ MORE SHARE
WSU researchers creating catalyst to improve biojet production Efforts to create an environmentally friendly catalyst that will lower the cost and increase the efficiency in producing bio-based jet fuels has netted Washington State University researchers a $500,000 grant from the USDA and NIFA. READ MORE SHARE
Pöyry awarded EPC contract for 25 MW biomass plant North Negros Biopower Inc. (NNBP) has awarded Pöyry with the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) assignment for its 25 MW biomass power plant located in Northern Negros, Philippines. The facility be be fueled with sugarcane residues. READ MORE SHARE
DOE: Study identifies biocrude production potential A team of researchers from PNNL and NREL recently performed a detailed analysis of a variety of waste products and their potential for biofuel production on a site-specific basis across the conterminous United States. READ MORE SHARE
NCDA&CS grant supports research of biochar combined with AD A team of professors at Appalachian State University have received a grant to study the effects of biochar combined with anaerobic digestion (BCAD) on crop growth at Heritage Homestead Farm in Crumpler. READ MORE SHARE
Drax rebrands train wagons used to deliver biomass Since it upgraded half of the power station near Selby in North Yorkshire to use sustainable biomass instead of coal, Drax has transformed its business to become Europe’s biggest decarbonization project. READ MORE SHARE
Loughborough researchers help develop revolutionary biogas system Researchers at Loughborough University have been collaborating with colleagues in Thailand to develop a small scale biogas system that converts food waste to methane and can be monitored via the internet. READ MORE SHARE
New enzyme boost could hasten biofuel production Scientists at Imperial College London have enhanced the process of using biology to make products such as fuels, plastics, medicines, and cosmetics. This could lead to cheaper and more environmentally friendly biofuel production. READ MORE SHARE