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Teru Talk News

Teru Talk Newsletter

Volume II, Issue 13, March 26, 2012 
Teru Talk by Michael Theroux (pronounced "Terú")  

Teru's Trash Talk

Well, the USDA admin signed off on the completely re-done Forest Planning Rule last week, and soon this will start the process of re-writing each national forest plan. The Collaborative approach, involving everyone who would put up a hand in the general region of a particular National Forest, has effectively broken the "log jam" hobbling proper forest restoration and resource utilization since the early 1980's. It’s not such a difficult concept: herd everyone in a room, hand 'em a pad, a pen, and a club, and kick the door shut … the outcome? Adaptive Management Plans responsive to the communities of humans that have to live with them, affecting literally millions of acres at a time, Plans that allow cost-effective and environmentally sensitive stewardship at "Landscape Scale".

 

As with all aspects of Waste Conversion, the utilization of the biomass to be removed during these Forest Landscape Restoration efforts is a secondary concern. Just like the supply chains involving food-first, ag residuals second, it’s what happens to the left-overs that concerns you and me. Integrating common sense into land management planning and getting community stewardship buy-in, seems to have prevailed in the US in a big way with this new Rule. Now: what about taking that same approach to each and every resource utilization quandary we've been stuck on for decades?

 

If a broad collaboration of communities, private landowners, state agencies, non-profits and the Feds themselves can come together (albeit painfully) and hammer out what to do and how to do it for forests and woodlands, chances are the people engaged in those stewardship collaboratives will be able to use the methods they've learned to re-draw other regional planning mechanisms. If the Collaborative over time, sees that indeed Sustainable Biomass can be pulled out of those overgrown woods in the course of organized land management and put to good use without environmental rape and pillage, chances are good they'll appreciate other applications of good resource recovery planning. If that community is already engaged in turning locally sourced sustainably extracted biomass into electricity, heat, fuels, and other commodities … turning other wastes and residuals to good use may just seem like the natural thing to do.

Hey Rube!

Speaking of examples of Common Sense waste conversion, the Denver Zoo has put together a demo unit to show off their poop and trash gasification system. They have mounted the little module on a golf-cart size Tuk Tuk (read: rickshaw); the syngas fuels the engine and powers the buggy. Staff is currently touring accredited zoos and aquariums, getting people acquainted with the idea of running vehicles on poop-sourced-fuel. When they get done they plan to build the scaled-up version at the Denver Zoo to convert animal wastes (guests and residents) for combined heating, cooling, fuel and waste management. Be sure to watch for the grand "Tour de Tuk Tuk", coming soon to zoos and aquariums in your neighborhood!

The Week's Extra Reading

Comments were due last Friday to the California Energy Commission on their possible suspension of RPS eligibility of biomethane. The public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, 2012. Teru has submitted his comments and will be at the hearing.

The Week's News

USDA Announces Publication of New Forest Planning Rule

Undersecretary of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has signed the new Forest Planning Rule with only minor modifications for language clarity in the Preferred Alternative defining that Rule. 03/23/2012

 

PTG Adds Mobile Wastewater to Energy Unit for Demo and Field Tests

California based Pasteurization Technology Group (PTG) has announced addition of the PTG XM-5 mobile unit to its capabilities, allowing on-site testing and systems demonstration. 03/23/2012

 

Agrivert Selected for Central Wales Food Waste AD to Energy Contract

The United Kingdom's organic waste conversion specialist Agrivert has announced its selection as preferred bidder for anaerobic digestion (AD) of food waste to biogas by the Central Wales Waste Partnership (CWWP). 03/23/2012

 

Air Products Buys Xebec Biogas Upgrading IP and Labs

Based in Quebec, Canada, Xebec Adsorption Inc has now unveiled that negotiations to sell its intellectual property (IP) for upgrading of biogas have been completed with the transfer of its patents to Air Products' Global General Gases division. 03/23/2012

 

Winners Announced for 2012 Sustainable Biofuels Awards

GreenPower Conferences has announced the 2012 Sustainable Biofuels Award winners, presented last week at the World Biofuels Market conference in Rotterdam, Netherlands. 03/21/2012

 

Cyclone Power Closes First Round of Secured Promissory Note Funding

The Florida-based engine developer Cyclone Power Technologies has announced closure of its first round of Secured Promissory Note funding to support its technology development and operational expenses. 03/21/2012

 

LanzaTech, Emefcy Win Bloomberg New Energy Awards for Waste to Energy

This year's New Energy Pioneers awards have been announced at the fifth annual Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit under way from March 19-21, 2012 in New York. 03/21/2012

 

Burns & McDonnell Receives ACEC Chapter's Highest Award - Twice

Missouri based engineering, architecture, construction, environmental, and consulting firm Burns & McDonnell has announced receipt of two Grand Conceptor awards, the highest honor from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Missouri Chapter. 03/20/2012

 

Denver Zoo's Poop and Trash Gasification Rickshaw Goes on Tour de Tuk Tuk

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) first Green Award winner, the Denver Zoo, has announced that it will showcase its groundbreaking working gasification prototype on a road tour. 03/20/2012

 

USDA "Match-Up Day" to Link Ag Feedstock Producers, Biorefinery Developers

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it is hosting a "match making day" on March 30, 2012 in Washington DC to bring major agricultural feedstock producers together with biorefinery developers. 03/20/2012

 

German Energy Efficiency and Renewable Heating Gets Big Boost 
The Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) announced that Germany has already reached its 20 percent renewable electricity goal, and is now targeting renewable heating with the commitment to achieve 14% by 2020. 03/19/2012

 

Tembec Announces $310 MM Two-Phase Pulp Mill Waste-to-Energy Expansion

Quebec's pulp and paper mill Tembec has announced initiation of the Phase 1  expansion of its Temiscaming specialty cellulose plant. 03/19/2012

The Week's Action Items

Due 04/20/2012: Applications from NY Farmers for NRCS AD Funding

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced availability of up to $1 million in support funding to New York farmers for development of anaerobic digestion (AD) systems as part of on-farm manure management. 03/21/2012

 

Due 04/24/2012: Pre-Applications for Biomass R&D Initiative Funding

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that the Obama administration has unveiled a fund of up to $35 million to available over three years through the Biomass Research and Develop Initiative (BRDI), a joint DOE/US Department of Agriculture (USDA) program. 03/23/2012

 

Due 05/07/2012: Proposals to Minnesota Commerce Dept for Energy CARD Grants  The Division of Energy Resources, Minnesota Department of Commerce, has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) today, "seeking proposals from organizations or individuals interested in applied research and development projects that serve to accelerate the development and adoption of new energy efficient technologies and strategies in Minnesota." 03/19/2012

 

Due 05/15/2012: Qualifications to County of Maui for Waste Conversion Project

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM), County of Maui, Hawaii, has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a Waste Conversion Project at the Central Maui Landfill (CML) in Pu'unene. 03/25/2012

 

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Teru Talk is an online publication of JDMT, Inc with the goal of opening the dialogue and providing current news and commentary on issues and successes associated with waste conversion to renewable energy, biofuels and other bio-based products for resource recovery.

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