Biomass Week - August 8, 2018

Pinnacle discusses plans for future capacity increases Pinnacle Renewable Holdings Inc. recently released second quarter financial results, reporting progress with the development of new two pellet plants and discussing future plans to expand the company’s production capacity. READ MORE SHARE
EIA: 630,000 tons of densified biomass fuel produced in April The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released data showing that U.S. manufacturers produced approximately 630,000 tons of densified biomass fuel in April, with sales reaching 600,000 tons. READ MORE SHARE
	Wheeler: EPA to create public ‘dashboard’ on RFS waivers Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler discussed the Renewable Fuel Standard, small refinery hardship waivers, Reid vapor pressure (RVP) relief for E15, and issues related to agency transparency during a Senate hearing Aug. 1. READ MORE SHARE
OMB reviews rule to amend 2015 residential wood heater regulation The White House OMB is reviewing a proposal that aims to amend a 2015 rule that set performance standards for new residential wood heaters, hydronic heaters and forced-air furnaces that would allow retailers additional time to sell older appliances. READ MORE SHARE
DOE seeks input on needs related to biomass catalyst scale-up The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office has opened a request for information (RFI) that aims to help it understand current needs related to catalyst development for the conversion of biomass and waste streams. READ MORE SHARE
EIA: Bioenergy capacity, generation to increase next year The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the August edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, predicting that nonhydropower renewables will provide more than 10 percent of electricity generation in 2018. READ MORE SHARE
BioAmber seeks court approval to liquidate assets BioAmber Inc. has announced it is seeking court approval to pursue liquidation of its assets, as well as alternative offers, after the company failed to receive any acceptable sales or investment bids before a July 27 deadline. READ MORE SHARE
USDA designates new categories under BioPreferred Program The USDA’s Office of Procurement and Property Management recently published a final rule amending guidelines for designating biobased products for federal procurement under the BioPreferred Program. READ MORE SHARE
Toronto to develop RNG facility in partnership with Enbridge The city of Toronto has announced plans to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) at its Dufferin Solid Waste Management Facility. The project will be developed in partnership with Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. READ MORE SHARE
Foresight acquires AD plants, supports biomass CHP project U.K.-based Foresight Group recently acquired several anaerobic digestion (AD) projects, including those in Germany and the U.K., and announced support for a biomass-fired combined-heat-and-power (CHP) project in Italy. READ MORE SHARE
Velocys: Environmental milestone reached for Mississippi project Velocys plc announced Aug. 7 that the USDA has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the environmental assessment report for Velocys’ planned Bayou Fuels biorefinery in Natchez, Mississippi. READ MORE SHARE
Bipartisan bill promotes biogas, CCUS technology Rep. Scott Peter, D-Calif., and David Young, R-Iowa, recently introduced the bipartisan Carbon Utilization Act of 2018, which promotes biogas and carbon capture utilization and sequestration (CCUS) technologies. READ MORE SHARE
DOE, SoCalGas fund project using microbes to convert CO2 into RNG Lawrence Livermore National Labs and Stanford School of Engineering's Spormann Laboratory will study new technology with potential to significantly reduce the cost of producing renewable natural gas and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. READ MORE SHARE
Pöyry awarded EPC contract for biogas plant expansion in Finland Gasum Ltd has awarded Pöyry with the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services assignment for Topinoja biogas plant expansion project in Turku, Finland. The work will be complete by June 2019. READ MORE SHARE
New membrane technology may aid biofuel production Named for the mythical god with two faces, Janus membranes—double-sided membranes that serve as gatekeepers between two substances—have emerged as a material with potential industrial uses, including uses in the biofuel industry. READ MORE SHARE