Biomass Week - October 14, 2020

California bill expands definition of RNG California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Sept. 30 that significantly expands the definition of renewable natural gas (RNG) to include energy that comes from additional forms of organic waste, including vegetation removed for wildfire mitigation. READ MORE SHARE
Oral arguments held in challenge to EPA’s ACE rule Oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging U.S. EPA’s Affordable Clean Energy Program were held before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Oct. 8. One portion of the arguments focused on the program’s treatment of biomass co-firing. READ MORE SHARE
	Drax, Velocys help launch Coalition for Negative Emissions U.K.-based companies Drax Group and Velocys are among 11 organizations that have launched the Coalition for Negative Emissions, which aims to achieve a sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID-19 by developing carbon-negative technologies. READ MORE SHARE
US pellet exports top 585,883 metric tons in August The U.S. exported 585,883.3 metric tons of wood pellets in August, down from 643,727.5 metric tons in July and 738,303.23 metric tons in August 2019, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on Oct. 6. READ MORE SHARE
Senators urge EPA to promulgate rule on biogenic carbon emissions A group of 14 senators sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Oct. 12 urging the agency to promulgate a rulemaking that recognizes the de minimis character of biogenic carbon emissions from agricultural feedstocks. READ MORE SHARE
Ductor to develop 200 biogas projects in the EU and North America Ductor, a Finnish-Swiss biotechnology company, will develop up to 200 new biogas and sustainable fertilizer projects in Europe and North America in the next three years. The company received a significant investment from BW Group. READ MORE SHARE
	Ontario welcomes construction of large RNG project Ontario will soon be home to a new RNG facility, the Niagara Falls Renewable Natural Gas. The Ontario Energy Board has also approved an application from Enbridge to implement a pilot voluntary RNG Pprogram in Ontario starting in 2021. READ MORE SHARE
Greenlane signs contact for Brightmark RNG project in Florida Greenlane Renewables Inc. has signed a contract for a new RNG project developed by San Francisco, California-based Brightmark LLC. The multiple-site dairy farm project in Florida will utilize Greenlane’s PSA biogas upgrading systems. READ MORE SHARE
Chevron, Brightmark partner on dairy biomethane fuel projects Brightmark LLC and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. have announced the formation of a joint venture, Brightmark RNG Holdings LLC, to own projects across the United States to produce and market dairy biomethane, a renewable natural gas (RNG). READ MORE SHARE
USIPA welcomes resolution of European Forest Strategy The U.S. Industrial Pellet Association has welcomed the European Parliament’s resolution on the "European Forest Strategy—the Way Forward," which recognizes that the forest value chain is fundamental to the circular bioeconomy. READ MORE SHARE