April 2016 News and Matters of Interest

Remember to check our Highlights for new postings on other areas of Teru Talk.

NIB Funds Novozymes' Biomass Conversion and Enzymatic Research

Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) and Danish biotech company Novozymes A/S have signed a ten-year loan agreement that is the equivalent of EUR 70 million in DKK to finance research in bio-innovation technology during 2016–2018. Novozymes’ research and development program for that period is intended to expand the company’s existing product portfolio of enzyme and microbe solutions and to tap into new business areas in bio-agriculture, biomass conversion technology, and animal health and nutrition. Researchers in the bio-agriculture program are looking to replace chemical fertilizers and pesticides with more sustainable solutions. The biomass conversion R&D program focuses on the application of enzymes for biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol, while the animal health and nutrition program uses enzyme technology for more environmentally efficient animal feed products. 04/27/2016

EC Funds LEILAC to Demonstrate Calix Carbon Capture Technology

The LEILAC (Low Emissions Intensity Lime And Cement) consortium has successfully secured €12 million in funding over five years from the European Commission (EC) Horizon 2020 Grant program. The consortium, led by technology provider Calix, and comprising Heidelberg Cement, Cemex, Tarmac, Lhoist, Amec Foster Wheeler, ECN, Imperial College, PSE, Quantis and the Carbon Trust, aims to demonstrate a technology that will enable Europe’s cement and lime industries to reduce their carbon footprint significantly. The consortium will also contribute a further €9 million towards the project. Calix’s Direct Separation process provides a common platform for carbon capture in both the lime and cement industries. During the first three years, the project will focus on finalizing the design of the demonstration plant that will be constructed at the HeidelbergCement plant in Lixhe, Belgium once the necessary permits have been secured. The high temperature Direct Separation Calciner pilot unit will then undergo two years of extensive testing in a standard operational environment, at a feed rate capacity of 240 tonnes per day of cement raw meal and 200 tonnes ground limestone respectively, over a continuous basis for several weeks. 04/27/2016

CalRecycle Schedules Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Workshop

The California Department of Resources and Recycling (CalRecycle) will host a public workshop on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 between 1:30 and 4:00pm in Sacramento to discuss the proposed criteria for the new Food Waste Prevention Grant Program (FY16-17). The workshop is to directly solicit feedback from stakeholders regarding the proposed criteria and guidelines specifically aimed at food waste prevention and rescue efforts. The funds for the Food Waste Prevention Grant Program are proposed and subject to the passing of the Governor’s FY2016-17 budget.  Webinar capabilities will be available for those that will not be able to attend in person. The agenda and details will be posted at the Public Notice page below. If you have questions, please email <>. 04/26/2016

CTi's Bio-Diesel Nano Reactor System Sells to South American Refinery

Cavitation Technologies, Inc (CTi) has announced that Desmet Ballestra Group, CTi's strategic partner since 2010, has entered into a new sales agreement with a bio-diesel refinery in South America. This sales contract becomes fully effective after Desmet Ballestra and the refinery fulfill certain technical specifications. This particular refinery processes approximately 100MGPY of Bio-Diesel and the company anticipates system installation in the first quarter of CTi's fiscal year 2017. This bio-diesel order marks CTi's first bio-diesel system sale in South America, a region that provides enormous business opportunity for the company's line of products and allowing bio-diesel producers to have greater efficiency and productivity. CTi's patented NanoReactor™ is designed to allow refiners to reduce both processing costs and environmental impact, while also increasing yield. 04/26/2016

Renewable Energy Group Holds Ribbon Cutting for Wisconsin Biorefinery

Renewable Energy Group, Inc (REG) celebrated the formal opening of the newest addition to its fleet of biorefineries Tuesday with a ribbon cutting at REG Madison in DeForest, Wisconsin, and also announced upgrades to the plant. The ceremony recognized the transition to REG’s ownership of the 20-million gallon per year nameplate capacity biodiesel refinery formerly owned by Sanimax Energy. The event also served as a groundbreaking for approximately $7 million of additional improvements to the biorefinery. The upgrades include process improvements, a dedicated entrance for the plant, additional biodiesel storage, and locker rooms for the team. REG now has 11 active North American biomass-based diesel refineries in seven states with a combined nameplate production capacity of 452 million gallons. 04/26/2016 

Tarkett Partners with Veolia to Accelerate Its Transition to Circular Economy

The Tarkett Group, a global flooring and sports surface solutions company, has chosen Veolia to help accelerate the deployment of its ReStart® program for the collection and reuse of its products. Veolia will collect and sort flexible flooring off-cuts from Tarkett’s customers in the building industry for recycling in Tarkett’s production sites. By 2020, European regulations will require the building industry to recycle 70% of its waste. Remco Teulings, President Tarkett EMEA: "For several years, Tarkett has been committed to a transition to a circular economy by applying Cradle to Cradle® principles across all its activities. The ReStart® collection and recycling program is one of the cornerstones of our commitment to closing the material loop." As part of Tarkett's ReStart® program, Veolia will collect flexible flooring offcuts from building sites, using equipment suited to building industry professionals and making use of its extensive infrastructure in France. The offcuts will then be sorted to ensure the purity of the different materials before being reintegrated into the process of manufacturing new flooring in Tarkett’s factories. 04/22/2016

ZooShare Celebrates Groundbreaking for Biogas Plant at Toronto Zoo

On April 19th 2016, Zooshare, the Toronto Zoo, Bullfrog Power, and TREC Education gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the ZooShare biogas plant. Speakers included the Minister of Energy, Bob Chiarelli, the Chair of the Toronto Zoo board, Councilor Raymond Cho, and the CEO of Bullfrog Power, Ron Seftel. Media at the event included Global News, CityNews, The National Post, The Scarborough Mirror and more! The event was held at the ZooShare site, on the east side of Meadowvale Road, across from the Toronto Zoo. The ZooShare biogas plant will recycle manure from the Toronto Zoo and local food waste into renewable power for the Ontario grid. This process will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and return valuable nutrients to the soil. Last year, Zooshare sold out of $2 million worth of bonds that will be used to build the plant this Spring. 04/21/2016

Praxair Signs Long-Term Agreement to Source Waste Carbon Dioxide in US

Praxair, Inc has signed a long-term agreement to purchase by-product carbon dioxide from US Nitrogen LLC, a subsidiary of Austin Powder Company. Praxair will build, own, and operate a carbon dioxide purification and liquefaction facility at US Nitrogen’s recently constructed ammonia plant in Tennessee, which is part of a larger vertical integration project. Praxair’s facility will purify by-product carbon dioxide and produce beverage-quality liquid carbon dioxide for distribution and use by customers throughout the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Expected to start up in late 2017, the facility further expands Praxair’s carbon dioxide sources. The company expects to start up a previously announced carbon dioxide purification plant in late 2016 at a refinery in Delaware. In the Eastern region of the United States, Praxair operates additional carbon dioxide purification and liquefaction facilities in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. 04/21/2016 

Valmet Supplies Wood Pellet Heating Plant to Helsinki Power Facility

Finland based Valmet Corporation will supply a wood pellet heating plant to Helen Oy's Salmisaari power plant. The wood pellet plant will enable Helen to increase the use of biofuels in district heat production in Helsinki. Valmet's delivery includes fuel conveyors from the existing storage silos, wood pellet grinding and the wood dust equipment, hot water boiler, and flue gas cleaning by way of a bag hose filter. In addition, Valmet will supply the plant construction, electrification and a Valmet DNA automation system. The start-up of the heating plant is expected to take place at the beginning of 2018 with a district heating capacity of 92 megawatts (MW). 04/20/2016

Ecova Schedules Webinar on Starving the Landfills: Food Waste 201

Washington state based Ecova, Inc has announced the second webinar in its food waste series, Starving the Landfills: Food Waste 201, on how Chelsea Market found food waste success by leveraging waste characterization studies to provide the data driving long term diversion strategies. A live Q&A session will immediately follow the presentation. Through rising landfill costs, new regulations, and public demand for sustainability, food waste is getting more national attention than ever, but finding the right solutions for your business seem complicated. Register online for the webinar, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 11:00am PDT. The first session, Feeding the Bottom Line: Food Waste 101, covered the impactors driving the rising cost of food disposal and the top questions that arise when evaluating your food waste strategy. 04/20/2016

Clariant Concludes Extensive and Successful Tests On Sugarcane Residue

Clariant has conducted comprehensive tests on over 40 containers of sugarcane bagasse and tops and leaves from Brazil at its pilot and pre-commercial facilities in Straubing, Germany to validate its sunliquid® technology. With the tests, Clariant confirmed once more that the total cost per liter of cellulosic ethanol including feedstock, conversion, and depreciation using the sunliquid technology can achieve price competitiveness with sugarcane ethanol pricing in Brazil. A yield of up to 300 Liters of ethanol per ton of dry bagasse was achieved and validated during extended performance runs. These tests constitute an important milestone for the realization of a commercial-scale project with sugarcane residues. Besides excellent yields on both C5 and C6 sugar conversion to cellulosic ethanol, Clariant was able to demonstrate its superior fermentation performance and stability. The Clariant pre-commercial plant has also demonstrated cellulosic ethanol production on agricultural residues such as corn stover and cereal straw for the North American and European markets. 04/20/2016 

Comet Biorefining Signs Supply Agreement with BioAmber

Canadian company Comet Biorefining Inc has signed an off-take agreement with bio-succinic acid producer BioAmber for high-purity dextrose from Comet’s planned commercial plant in Sarnia, Ontario. The dextrose will be produced from agricultural residues using Comet’s innovative technology. Comet’s technology enables sugars to be produced competitively from biomass versus corn or cane-derived sugars.  The off-take agreement includes provisions for Comet to supply dextrose to future BioAmber manufacturing facilities and provides BioAmber with certain exclusive rights in the fields of succinic acid, 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and tetrahydrofuran (THF).  BioAmber provided an equity investment in Comet in 2015 and its CEO Jean-Francois Huc is now joining Comet’s board of directors. The off-take agreement is the culmination of development work performed by Comet and BioAmber as part of BioIndustrial Innovation Canada’s recently completed cellulosic sugar study. 04/19/2016

UPM Biofuels Gains ISCC PLUS Certification for Bio-Based Applications

UPM Biofuels has received extended sustainability certification to cover all of its output streams from the Lappeenranta Biorefinery in Finland under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Scheme ISCC PLUS. UPM Biofuels produces wood-based renewable diesel UPM BioVerno as the main product at the biorefinery. However, the process also generates a smaller share of renewable naphtha, which can be used as a biocomponent for petrol. With the new ISCC PLUS certificate, the wood-based fuels can now also be utilized as certified feedstock in bioplastics production as an example. Other output streams from the Lappeenranta Biorefinery are renewable turpentine, pitch, and sodium bisulphite, which are formed as residues of biofuel production. The Lappeenranta Biorefinery was awarded the Commercial Scale Plant of the year in the Bio business 2015 competition. 04/19/2016

Due 05/31/2016: Abstracts for Biochar 2016 Conference at OSU

Abstracts are now being accepted for the Biochar 2016: The Synergy of Science and Industry: Biochar's Connection to Ecology, Soil, Food and Energy conference scheduled for August 22-25, 2016 at Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis, Oregon. The US Biochar Initiative and Sustainable Obtainable Solutions aim to bring together stakeholders in the applied biochar research community and the private sector to further biochar market development. Your abstract must be submitted by May 31, 2016 for consideration of being a speaker at the conference. 04/19/2016 

CalRecycle Posts Recycling and Disposal Reporting Workshop Agenda

The California Department of Resources and Recycling (CalRecycle) has posted the agenda and presentation for the first Stakeholder Workshop on new recycling and disposal reporting requirements per Assembly Bill (AB) 901, previously announced in March. The sessions will address new reporting requirements for Recyclers, Composters and Solid Waste Facilities. This is the first of a series of workshops seeking stakeholder feedback on AB 901 regulations. CalRecycle staff will provide an overview of the law, topics for which regulations are needed, and some preliminary draft language for consideration and comment. The first workshop will be held in Sacramento on April 19, 2016, with a second workshop in Southern California on April 26th. CalRecycle asks that comments be filed in person during the workshops, or by email to <>. 04/16/2016

California Agencies Will Co-Host Workshop on Agricultural Sector Emissions

California's Department of Food and Agriculture, Natural Resources Agency, and Air Resources Board are jointly hosting a public workshop on the agriculture sector on April 27, 2016 from 10:00am to 1:00pm. The workshop will be held at the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) office in Fresno, California. Much of the Scoping Plan process addresses emissions associated with waste and biomass residuals management. This workshop will support the process to update the AB 32 Scoping Plan to reflect California’s goal to reduce statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, as directed in Executive Order B-30-15. The session builds upon the Natural and Working Lands public workshop held in Sacramento on March 23, 2016. An agenda and other supportive materials will be posted the day prior to the workshop on the Air Resources Board's AB 32 Scoping Plan webpage. The workshop will also be webcast and information will be posted on the SJVAPCD's website prior to the workshop. 04/16/2016

DOE Announces FOA for Bioenergy, Bioproducts Facilities Development Plans

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE)Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Bioenergy Technologies Office, a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Project Definition for Pilot and Demonstration Scale Manufacturing of Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biopower (PD2B3)”. This FOA supports technology development plans for the manufacture of drop-in hydrocarbon biofuels, bioproducts, or biopower in a pilot- or demonstration-scale integrated biorefinery. Scale-up and validation of these process technologies are essential to enable the industry to build future pioneer- and commercial-scale manufacturing facilities. Plans for facilities that use cellulosic biomass, algal biomass, or biosolids feedstocks will be considered under this funding opportunity. The FOA is expected to be posted on the EERE Exchange on or about May 2, 2016. 04/15/2016

AGH Announces 2016 Pellet Stove Design Challenge Winners

The Alliance for Green Heat (AGH) has announced the winners of the 2016 Pellet Stove Design Challenge. This was the third Stove Design Challenge promoting innovation in wood and pellet heating to help consumers reduce fossil heating fuels with appliances that burn far cleaner and more efficiently than average stoves. A German designed Wittus stove that is distributed by a New York company, and a stove made by Seraph Industries, the smallest US pellet stove manufacture, won first and second place in the Challenge. The Pellet Stove Design Challenge is a partnership between various organizations and agencies that are interested in exploring the potential of technology to meet a growing demand for renewable energy. 04/15/2016  

Acme-Hardesty Is New Distributor for Green Biologics' Renewable Products

Acme-Hardesty and Green Biologics, Inc have signed a two year distribution agreement to market and sell renewable n-butanol and acetone to the US market. Green Biologics' GB nC4-OLTM, a 100% renewable n-butanol, and GB C3-ONE™, a renewable acetone, are both produced through fermentation of agriculturally derived sugars by Green Biologics’ proprietary Clostridium microbial biocatalysts. Earlier this month, Green Biologics announced a US distribution agreement with Texas based Nexeo Solutions. Green Biologics is currently constructing its first commercial production facility for renewable n-butanol and acetone in Little Falls, Minnesota, and plans to start up the plant in late 2016 with shipments to customers by the 4th quarter. 04/14/2016

WELTEC BIOPOWER Builds 2 New Agricultural Biogas Plants in UK

WELTEC BIOPOWER UK Ltd. has reported orders for two new agricultural biogas plant projects in England and Northern Ireland. A 500-kW plant is currently under construction for Stephen Carson's agricultural enterprise near Strabane, Northern Ireland. The plant's two stainless-steel digesters (3,573 m³ and 4,903 m³) will be fed with 24,500 t of cattle manure, whole plant silage, dry chicken dung, grass silage, sugar beets, and small quantities of maize. The project is progressing smoothly, and the plant is set to go live and feed in power as early as summer 2016. Low Farm in Sherburn, England, also decided to have its 500-kW biogas project built with WELTEC technology. The plant has been online since September 2015, producing power and heat from pig manure, dry chicken dung, beets, and some maize silage. In both plants, the upstream MULTIMix input system ensures optimum pre-treatment of the substrates. 04/14/2016

PROBIO Energy Exports Scottish Refuse Derived Fuel to Scandinavia

Hartlepool based PROBIO Energy Limited has entered into a three-year contract  with recovered materials recycling company Newport Paper Ltd to export 100,000 tonnes of baled Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)  to Scandinavia. The RDF is being produced by Avondale Environmental and exported via Grangemouth, Scotland. The Avondale waste management plant has undergone a £3m facelift in preparation for the contract start, which saw the first shipment of RDF transported to Scandinavia last week. There is currently a ‘zero-waste’ policy in Scotland, requiring waste producers to sort, reduce, recycle, and process waste as Scotland moves away from landfilling. The waste-to-fuel deal will see thousands of RDF bales produced at the high-tech Avondale plant before being exported by PROBIO Energy to Scandinavia where it will be used for energy production and heating homes. 04/13/2016

Xergi Delivers 3rd Biogas Plant to Danish Client, Introduces X-chopper to UK

Food waste and livestock manure are being transformed into biogas and green fertilizer at the biogas plant NGF Nature Energy Midtfyn, which was inaugurated on April 8, 2016. This means that Xergi has now supplied three modern biogas plants to Danish NGF Nature Energy in less than one year. The new biogas plants will supply 11 million cubic meters of biomethane every year, which corresponds to the heat consumption of 7,000 Danish households. Xergi has also just introduced its  efficient pre-treatment technology for difficult biomasses, X-chopper®, to the British market. X-chopper® is designed to separate biomass such as that characterized by long and strong fibers, making them difficult to utilize in a biogas reactor. The separation also helps to avoid fiber clogs in pipes and pumps. The X-chopper® will, among other things, pre-treat grass silage and vegetable waste products to be used in the new biogas plant at Beeswax Farming near Boston. The construction of the biogas plant at Beeswax Farming is now complete and the plant is being commissioned. The plant is designed to treat maize silage, grass silage, vegetable waste products and other agricultural products. 04/13/2016  

RSB Webinar on New Developments in Aviation Biofuel Production and Regs

The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) has scheduled a webinar on April 28, 2016 at 7:00am PDT covering New Developments in Aviation Biofuel Production and Regulation. Presentations will address recent and upcoming developments in aviation biofuels production and regulation worldwide and get your questions answered by the experts from RSB, International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Amyris In this 45 minute free webinar, you will learn about: The latest on a market based mechanism (MBM) from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); expected timetable for ASTM approval of new types of aviation biofuel; the Amyris route to a new aviation biofuel; and aviation biofuel availability in the US and Europe. Space is limited, so RSB recommends that you register online by April 22. 04/12/2016

CARB Schedules Workshop on Draft Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Strategy

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has released its Proposed Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy (SLCP Proposed Strategy) and the Draft Environmental Analysis (EA) for public review. Key elements of the SLCP strategy include reduction of methane and black carbon (soot) emissions and multi-agency support for improvements in urban, agricultural, and forestry waste and residual management practices. CARB will host a public workshop on April 26, 2016 at 10:00am, and will then formally consider the SLCP Proposed Strategy during its public Board Meeting on May 19, 2016 at 9:00am. CARB invites comments on the SLCP Proposed Strategy and Draft EA during the 45-day public comment period  that ends on May 26, 2016 at 5:00pm. Pertinent documents can be found on CARB's SLCP webpage. Further inquiries regarding this item should be directed to Dave Mehl, Air Resources Supervisor, at 916-323-1491 or Marcelle Surovik, Staff Air Pollution Specialist, at 916-327-2951. 04/12/2016

CO2 Recovery Plant Starts Operation at Neste's Singapore Refinery

Finland based Neste Corporation has announced that the carbon dioxide (CO2) recovery and liquefaction plant built at Neste's renewable products refinery in Singapore has started commercial operation. Since the completion of its construction at the end of 2015 and start-up at the end of March 2016, the plant has been recovering the CO2-containing crude gas that is released as a by-product of Neste's renewable fuel refining process. The recovery of CO2 is expected to cut Neste's Singapore refinery's CO2 emissions significantly at an annual level, while simultaneously increasing the refinery's resource efficiency and decreasing the carbon footprint of the renewable products that Neste produces in Singapore. The plant is expected to reach full production capacity during fall 2016. Neste estimates to supply the plant approximately 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide-containing crude gas annually. The plant was constructed and it is operated by Neste's Singaporean partner Leeden National Oxygen Ltd (LNOX), a subsidiary of Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation from Japan. 04/12/2016 

Fetzer Vineyards to Use Worms and Microbes to Treat Winery Wastewater

California based Fetzer Vineyards, in a move to change the way US wineries conserve water, has announced that it will install the BioFiltro BIDA® System at its Mendocino winery. In doing so, Fetzer Vineyards will become the first American winery to use the innovative, closed-loop biological wastewater treatment system to process 100% of its winery wastewater. The BIDA® System will begin processing Fetzer Vineyards' wastewater during the 2016 harvest season, accruing energy savings up to 85% over current wastewater treatment technologies and optimizing water conservation measures. BioFiltro's patented BIDA® System is a passive aerobic bioreactor that catalyzes the digestive power of microbes and selected species of red earthworms to naturally remove up to 99% of contaminants from Fetzer Vineyards' wastewater, in as little as four hours. The chemical-free system consumes significantly less electricity than traditional wastewater treatment technologies, and generates compost-enhancing castings from worm digestion, returning nutrients to the soil. 04/10/2016

CalRecycle to Consider Organics Grant Program Criteria at Monthly Meeting

At its next public meeting on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) will consider proposed eligibility, scoring, and evaluation process criteria for the Organics Grant Program 2016-2017 as announced last month. The Organics Grant Program is an element of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for Fiscal Year 2016-17. The Request for Approval and Scoring Criteria documents as well as the agenda will be posted to the Public Meeting Notice web page closer to the meeting date. The meeting will be webcast for those that are not able to attend in person. 04/08/2016

J.R. Simplot Will Distribute Cool Planet's Biocarbon Agricultural Product in US

Cool Planet has announced that the J.R. Simplot Company will serve as a distributor for Cool Terra throughout the Western United States and portions of the Midwest in agriculture, turf, nursery, and landscape markets. Cool Terra is an engineered biocarbon product (biochar) that delivers structure and efficiency to the soil by retaining water and nutrients at the root zone. This same structure nurtures microbial life in the soil, helping to establish lasting, naturally organic support systems for plants. Cool Terra sequesters carbon from the atmosphere by taking CO2 captured by plants and storing it in the soil where it contributes to increased soil health. Cool Planet is in the process of expanding its distributor network, and this Simplot agreement extends Cool Terra’s reach to growers through Simplot’s network of over 90 retail locations. Cool Planet already has distributors across the Mid-Atlantic region and southeastern United States. 04/08/2016

Due 04/22/2016: Comments to CARB on Draft Emissions Calculator, Methods

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has published a Draft Quantification Methodology (QM) and Draft GHG Emissions Reduction Calculator for assessing FY 2015-16 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) applications.  In addition to these documents, CARB has posted a supplemental workbook with additional information on how the emission reduction factors used in the draft calculator were developed.  All documents are available on the CARB’s Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Quantification Materials web page; scroll down to the Natural Resources and Waste Diversion section, and see the CalRecycle notices for the Waste Diversion Grant and Loan Program. CARB is accepting public comments on the draft QM, draft calculator and supplemental workbook until April 22, 2016 via <>. The final QM, final calculator, and final supplemental workbook will be posted approximately two weeks after the public comment period closes. The final versions will be available at the same CARB website. The draft QM and accompanying draft calculator will be used by applicants until CARB approves its final QM, at which time GHG emission reduction calculations will be modified by CalRecycle in consultation with CARB, if necessary. 04/08/2016  

New Waste-to-Energy Plant in Tennessee Will Use CETI Power Technology

California based Clean Energy Technologies, Inc (CETI) has announced a waste-to-energy system under construction in Tennessee that will provide renewable electricity from waste material to a municipal waste water treatment plant. The facility is scheduled for completion later this year and will mark CETI's second commercial collaboration with Nashville company PHG Energy (PHGE) utilizing the Clean Cycle Generator™. PHGE designed and is now building the facility in Lebanon that will initially convert some 32 tons per day of wood waste, scrap tires, and sewer sludge into a fuel gas through a patented downdraft gasification process. The synthetic gas created will fuel a thermal oxidizer and that heat energy will be transferred to three (3) 140- kilowatt Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) generators provided by CETI. CETI's equipment will generate over a million kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity over the 20-year life of the project by converting 8,000 tons of waste material diverted from landfills each year. 04/07/2016

DOE Schedules Webinar on How Feedstock Type Affects Biofuels Conversion

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has scheduled a webinar in honor of Earth Week about its Bioenergy Technology Office's (BETO) Field-to-Fleet project and its outcomes to date on Wednesday, April 20, 1–2 p.m. Eastern Time. Field-to-Fleet is part of BETO’s larger Thermochemical Feedstock Interface Project and is a joint project with Idaho National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that is designed to determine how feedstock type affects various thermochemical biofuels conversion processes. The multi-year project has quantified the impacts that feedstock type has on hydrotreating of pyrolysis oil, and is now ready to apply the methodology to other thermochemical conversion pathways. You will learn about Field-to-Fleet outcomes, impacts, and opportunities for partnership, and hear from laboratory project leads and BETO's Conversion Team. You may register online for the Field-To-Fleet Webinar: How Does Feedstock Type Affect Biofuels Conversion. 04/07/2016

Green Biologics Selects Nexeo Solutions as its US Distribution Partner

Green Biologics, Inc, the US subsidiary of United Kingdom (UK) based Green Biologics Ltd, has announced a distribution agreement with Nexeo Solutions, a Texas (U.S.) based distribution company. Nexeo Solutions will become Green Biologics’ national distributor of renewable n-butanol and acetone to US customers in a number of key markets including CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers), HI&I (household, industrial & institutional cleaners), PCI (personal care intermediates) and energy chemicals. Green Biologics' Clostridium fermentation platform converts the complex cellulose and hemi-cellulose carbohydrates contained in lignocellulosic biomass into C5 and C6 sugars which can then be digested for further processing. Green Biologics is currently constructing its first commercial production facility for renewable n-butanol and acetone in Little Falls, Minnesota, and aims to start up the plant in late 2016 with shipments to customers by Q4. 04/07/2016

Orineo Voted 'Bio-Based Material of the Year 2016' By Industry Peers

Belgium company Orineo was awarded the prestigious Bio-based Material of the Year 2016 for its bio-based Touch of Nature® materials at the 9th International Conference on Bio-based Materials in Cologne, Germany. Selected by over 200 industry experts, Touch of Nature® was recognized for its innovative character and functional validity. The material has already been used successfully in a range of design projects where environmental credentials were valued, for example as a bio-based countertop at the OR Coffee shop in Ghent, Belgium. Orineo produces Touch of Nature®, a plant-based material, from a combination of a bio-based resin and natural residues like coffee grounds, cork stoppers, or fruit residues. Touch of Nature® can be used for seamless floors, tabletops, and countertops. 04/07/2016 

Therma-Flite Provides Biosolids Drying System to Wisconsin Cities

Texas based Therma-Flite has been awarded a contract to provide a biosolids drying system for a Wisconsin sewerage commission representing a joint effort by two cities to upgrade from Class B, to Class A biosolids of exceptional quality (EQ). Two main goals of the upgrade include helping alleviate a phosphorus-based pollution issue in their water streams and solving the problematic restrictions and diminishing acreage available for land application of Class B biosolids. A compelling fact influencing the final decision was that Class A biosolids can be applied anywhere and is a very effective fertilizer for golf courses and landscaping due to its 4-5% nitrogen which is released slowly over time. 04/06/2016

Covanta ES Acquires Material Processing Facility in Augusta, Georgia

Covanta has announced that its subsidiary, Covanta Environmental Solutions (Covanta ES), has acquired a material processing facility in Augusta, Georgia from US Ecology, Inc. The facility provides non-hazardous waste solidification, shredding, water treatment, and transportation services to commercial and industrial customers. Waste streams include waste oil, petroleum contaminated water, latex wastewater, process wastes, and tank rinse waters. The acquisition will expand Covanta's existing network in the Southeast, complementing Covanta-operated Energy-from-Waste facilities in Florida and Alabama, as well as the company's material processing facilities in North Carolina.  04/06/2016

Air Canada Joins CBSCI to Introduce Sustainable Aviation Biofuel to Airport

Air Canada has announced that it will participate in Canada's Biojet Supply Chain Initiative (CBSCI) and introduce 400,000 litres of sustainable aviation biofuel (biojet) into a shared fuel system at a Canadian airport. CBSCI is a three-year collaborative project with 14 stakeholder organizations, and is coordinated through BioFuelNet Canada's Aviation Task Force. Previous Air Canada biofuel flights used biojet that was segregated and loaded separately into an aircraft via tanker truck. The biojet used in this project will be sourced from commercially available, certifiably sustainable Canadian oleochemical feedstocks using the Hydroprocessed Esters and a Fatty Acids (HEFA) conversion process. The biojet will be blended with petroleum jet fuel to meet all technical quality specifications before being introduced into a shared fuel tank at a Canadian airport. CBSCI's objective is to start developing a more efficient operational framework that will introduce biojet into a multi-user, co-mingled airport fuel supply system. 04/06/2016

Air Products Will Exit Energy-from-Waste Business and Tees Valley Projects

Air Products (NYSE: APD) has announced that the Company will exit its Energy-from-Waste (EfW) business and focus on its core Industrial Gas business. Air Products’ management has previously communicated the challenges with the Tees Valley projects in the United Kingdom. Testing and analysis completed during the Company’s fiscal second quarter indicated that additional design and operational challenges would require significant time and cost to rectify. As a result, the Board of Directors has decided that it is no longer in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders to continue the Tees Valley projects. 04/05/2016

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