biomass

Washington, November 12, 2009 - The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy today announced projects selected for more than $24 million in grants to research and develop technologies to produce biofuels, bioenergy and high-value biobased products. Of the $24.4 million announced today, DOE plans to invest up to $4.9 million with USDA contributing up to $19.5 million. Advanced biofuels produced through this funding are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared to today's biofuels.    » read more »

Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today congratulated two Ohio companies that received more than $4.4 million in federal funding to research and develop technologies to produce biofuels, bioenergy and high-value biobased products.

“With agriculture and food processing as two of Ohio’s largest industries, we have tremendous potential for creating energy out of natural, renewable resources. And growing Ohio’s advanced and renewable energy industry is a cornerstone of our plan to create new Ohio jobs,” Strickland said. “We appreciate Secretaries Vilsack and Chu for helping to boost our growth industries with these resources.”    » read more »

November 12, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen announced today that Itaconix of Hampton Falls as been awarded $1,861,488 by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy to research and develop technologies to produce clean, renewable energy. Itaconix will use the funding to develop a chemical compound derived from biomass wood pellets that will replace the petroleum-based chemicals used in products such as detergents and diapers.    » read more »

ATLANTA, Nov. 10 -- Southern Power, the Southern Company subsidiary that acquires, builds, manages and owns wholesale generation assets, today took a major step in building one of the nation's largest biomass-fueled projects with a groundbreaking ceremony in Sacul, Texas.

"Southern Company continues to develop and deploy smarter and cleaner energy technologies, including increased energy efficiency, nuclear power, clean coal and renewables," said David Ratcliffe, Southern Company chairman, president and CEO. "This project represents another step in developing a diverse portfolio to meet the nation's growing energy demands."    » read more »

Scientists identify enzyme that could help grow biofuel crops in harsh environments

October 19, 2009 -- by J. Bryan Lowder -- UPTON, NY — Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have identified a novel enzyme responsible for the formation of suberin — the woody, waxy, cell-wall substance found in cork.

While effective at keeping wine inside a bottle, suberin’s most important function in plants is to control water and nutrient transportation and keep pathogens out. Adjusting the permeability of plant tissues by genetically manipulating the expression of this enzyme could lead to easier agricultural production of crops used for biofuels.    » read more »

LONDON - 15 October, 2009 - Europe's transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure is more than 50 years old and in urgent need of an upgrade, especially with the increasing share of electricity generation from renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass. Further, these transmission networks were built without considering the impact of generation from renewable sources, and there is mounting pressure to build new lines as well as upgrade old ones.    » read more »

ATLANTA, Oct. 9 -- Southern Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company that acquires, builds, manages and owns wholesale generation assets, today announced that it is acquiring Nacogdoches Power, LLC from American Renewables, LLC and will move ahead with construction of the planned biomass power plant in Sacul, Texas.

Groundbreaking is expected in the fall of 2009 and commercial operation is projected for the summer of 2012. When completed, the project will be one of the largest biomass-fueled electric generating facilities in the U.S., capable of generating approximately 100 megawatts.

The plant's output is committed through a 20-year power purchase agreement with Austin Energy, the municipal utility owned by and serving Austin, Texas.    » read more »

August 31, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC— U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that up to $21 million will be made available for the selection of five projects that will develop supply systems to handle and deliver high tonnage biomass feedstocks for cellulosic biofuels production. The awards announced today are part of the department’s ongoing efforts to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, spur the creation of the domestic bio-industry and provide new jobs in many rural areas of the country.

“Biofuels will play an important role in America’s clean energy portfolio,” Secretary Chu said. “These projects will allow us to decrease our dependence on foreign oil, support the growth of the biofuels industry and create jobs here at home.”    » read more »

FSA and Show Me Energy Pay Producers for Biomass Materials

CENTERVIEW, Mo., Aug. 31, 2009 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) made the first matching payment under the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). Show Me Energy Cooperative of Missouri was the first biomass conversion facility that became qualified under BCAP, a 2008 Farm Bill Program, and less than a month later, was paying producers for biomass materials that FSA matched with BCAP collection, harvest, storage and transportation (CHST) program funds.    » read more »

Fuels derived from sustainable biomass sources meet aviation requirements

LE BOURGET, France, June 17 -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) and a team from across the aviation industry today released high-level elements of a study that shows that sustainable biofuels analyzed in a series of pioneering test flights performed favorably in comparison to petroleum-based fuel.

According to the study, Evaluation of Bio-Derived Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (Bio-SPK), a series of laboratory, ground and flight tests conducted between 2006 and 2009 indicated the test fuels performed as well as or better than typical petroleum-based Jet A. The testing included several commercial airplane engine types using blends of up to 50 percent petroleum-based Jet A/Jet A-1 fuel and 50 percent sustainable biofuels.    » read more »

June 4, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today successfully strengthened energy legislation with an amendment that would boost New Hampshire's biomass industry, increase biomass efficiency and help create jobs. Shaheen's amendment unanimously passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and will be part of the 2009 Energy Bill, scheduled to come before the full Senate later this year.    » read more »

Working Group to Explore Incentives for Renewable Energy Source

May 27, 2009 -- Montpelier, VT – Vermont Governor Jim Douglas today signed into law H. 152, An Act Relating to Encouraging Biomass Energy Production. The Biomass bill creates a “biomass energy development working group” to investigate and recommend fiscal and regulatory incentives for biomass energy, as well as guidelines and standards for maintaining forest health, procurement standards and other policy considerations for biomass development in Vermont.    » read more »

May 20, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- Liquid fuels from biomass and coal have the potential to reduce petroleum fuel use and CO2 emissions in the U.S. transportation sector over the next 25 years, says a new report from the National Research Council. Even with abundant resources in biomass and coal, however, substantial investments in research, development, and commercial demonstration projects will be needed to produce these alternative liquid fuels in an environmentally conscious way, and at a level that could impact U.S. dependence on imported oil.    » read more »