Biomass Week - March 16, 2022

US wood pellet exports at 655,657 tons in January The U.S. exported 655,656.5 metric tons of wood pellets in January, down from 774,410.2 metric tons exported the previous month, but up when compared to the 599,624.2 metric tons exported in January 2021, according to data released by the USDA. READ MORE SHARE
USDA extends deadlines for climate-smart commodities funding The USDA on March 11 announced it is extending the deadlines to apply for its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding opportunity. The agency opened the $1 billion funding opportunity in February. READ MORE SHARE
	2022 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo agenda released Ethanol Producer Magazine has announced the preliminary agenda for the 2022 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW) and co-located events taking place June 13-15, 2022, at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. READ MORE SHARE
Opal Fuels begins commercial operations at Ohio RNG facility Opal Fuels LLC has commenced commercial operation of a new facility to extract and capture waste methane from Rumpke Waste & Recycling’s Noble Road Landfill and transform it into renewable natural gas (RNG). READ MORE SHARE
Senate bill bans Russian oil, increases access to US biofuels Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., on March 9 introduced the Home Front Energy Independence Act, a bill that aims to put into a law a ban on Russian oil and includes provisions to increase the use of renewable fuels. READ MORE SHARE
Placer County takes another look at possible bioenergy project The Placer County Board of Supervisors on March 8 authorized staff to restart the feasibility evaluation for a biomass to energy facility in North Lake Tahoe. A plan for the project was initially approved in 2013 before being shelved by the county. READ MORE SHARE
DOE grant supports work to engineer recyclable bioplastic The DOE has granted $2 million over three years to Braskem America, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Princeton University to develop plastic that can be recycled perpetually, reducing waste and pollution from single-use plastics. READ MORE SHARE
EPA to disclose CBI related to SRE petitions to GAO The U.S. EPA on March 10 issued a notice to all obligated parties under the RFS that the agency will disclose certain confidential business information (CBI) related to SRE petitions to the U.S. Government Accountability Office on March 28. READ MORE SHARE
Clean Fuels: Biomass-based diesel can replace Russian oil Clean Fuels Alliance America sent a letter to President Biden pledging readiness to maintain homegrown fuel supplies, mitigate consumers’ economic pain, and speed the nation’s clean energy future in support of the administration’s ban on Russian oil. READ MORE SHARE
US Gain wins bid to supply RNG to LA County sanitation districts U.S. Gain recently entered into a supply agreement with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. U.S. Gain will provide renewable natural gas (RNG) to fuel LACSD-owned fleet vehicles at two maintenance yards. READ MORE SHARE
Aemetis begins commissioning of biogas-to-RNG upgrading facility Aemetis Inc. has announced the commencement of commissioning of the $12 million biogas-RNG upgrading facility connected to the PG&E gas pipeline interconnection unit located at the Keyes ethanol plant site. READ MORE SHARE
USDA WASDE lowers forecast for soybean oil use in biofuel The USDA decreased its forecast for soybean oil use in biofuel production in its latest World Agricultural Demand and Supply Estimates report, released March 9. The agency is also predicting higher soybean prices, lower production and higher exports. READ MORE SHARE