The US Department of Agriculture’s Biomass Crop
Assistance Program on December 21, 2010, posted a matrix of biomass materials that may be eligible for BCAP matching funds, and biomass that
definitely is not eligible during 2011 funding cycle. Posted even more recently, on December 28th, is
a table with one entry: the first newly-qualified biomass conversion facility for the 2011 season, POET’s Emmetsburg, Iowa
biorefinery. BCAP matches dollar for dollar the cost of planting and harvesting biocrop materials like
Miscanthus, and/or separation of such harvested materials from other high-value crops, as with nut hulls.
All forms and contact information necessary for application are posted on USDA’s BCAP website. 12/29/2010
JustReleased: Principles for Responsible Biotech Tree Use
Growing and harvesting short rotation woody crops shows good promise for
providing long-term biomass fuel, especially critical when trying to finance a biopower and/or cellulosic
biorefinery. Use of “biotech” trees, genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) designed for fast growth and
other properties, is on the near horizon, but carries the worries attendant to other GMO agriculture. The
Institute for Forest Biotechnology has completed two and a half years of development, and this month
announced the release of their Responsible Use: Biotech Tree Principles (Principles). The Principles were developed to
help protect forests wherever biotech trees are used, to establish a high level of performance for managing
biotech trees, to create a simple and effective set of practices so users along the biotech tree value chain
know how to use the trees responsibly, and to increase societal benefits when biotech trees are used by
promoting interaction and education between foresters, biotechnologists, and other stakeholders. The
voluntary program has provisions for asserting that biotech agri-forestry has been performed in accordance with the Principles. 12/29/2010
NewEnzyme Blend Skips a
Step in Biofuel Process
Virginia Tech researchers have announced that their new enzyme
mixture consisting of 12 purified enzymes and coenzymes is effective in acid hydrolysis “soup”, a first
key step in one form of biomass-to-fuel conversion. Usually, the acid hydrolysate is toxic to enzymes; the
resilient strain makes a detoxification step is unnecessary, reducing the cost and increasing biofuel
yields. The research paper, "Analysis of biofuels production from sugar based on three criteria:
thermodynamics, bioenergetics, and product separation," is summarized on-line; the entire article is available (for a fee, or through library
services) in the December 16, 2010 edition of the Royal Chemistry Society’s advanced online journal Energy
& Environmental Science. The research will be published in the January 2011 issue of the journal
Chemistry & Biology. 12/29/2010
MSULab Finds
Fungus-Producing Eucalyptol: New Source of Biofuel
A Montana State University Department of Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology professor and his graduate student have
collected, identified and sent off to the US Department of Energy (DOE), fungal samples that produce
highly-scented oil previously only found in Eucalyptus-tree bark. The discovery was made from plant samples
collected in the jungles of the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa. Eucalyptol can be added directly in
a 1:8 ratio to gasoline; the discovery may allow quantities of fuel grade oil to be produced from the
fungus. the DOE awarded $300,000 to continue the research; the agency’s labs are collaborating to map the
genome and test the produced oil in various engines. The research has been published in this month’s
Journal of Microbial Ecology. Email questions to Dr. Strobel and Angela Tomsheck, at
uplgs@montana.edu. 12/29/2010
PNNL Researches Catalysis Without Precious Metals
Conversion of raw syngas and biomethane to liquid fuels requires
that the gas be passed over metal catalysts such as platinum, cobalt, rhodium, palladium and other rare
and precious metals. Rare metals are getting scarcer however, and are very expensive to mine even if you
can. China and Japan have stopped export of used electronics; US federal agencies are now under White
House orders to stop throwing used electronics away, as this is the other major source for rare and
precious metals. Reliance on these precious commodities is both a commercial and security risk. Now
researchers at the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, have
announced findings this month of a different approach: catalysis without precious metals,
relying instead on advanced methods of using iron, copper and other more readily available metals to effect
the change. The 306-page hardbound book, Catalysis Without Precious Metals, is available from book retailers. 12/27/2010
AB 118 Localized Health Impact Reports
Available On-line
The California Energy Commission has now posted four reports summarizing
their analyses of the Localized Health Impacts (LHI) associated with selected projects proposed for funding in
each of the past four Assembly Bill 118 grant funding cycles. The most recent LHI Report is a review of the 12 projects submitted under the Biofuels Production Plants grant solicitation (PON-09-604). For all projects, the report
includes project descriptions, criteria emissions data, demographic data, and a brief analysis of the air
quality impacts, while two of the twelve projects were fully analyzed for local health impacts in their
local communities. 12/27/2010
ARB’s LCFS Regulatory Advisory 10-04
Released
Guidelines for 2011 implementation of the California Air Resources
Board’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) have been released. LCFS Guidelines 10-04 are built upon lessons learned in past implementation activities,
including the development of the LCFS Reporting Tool. They also develop the proposed path forward on
addressing land use change after receiving recommendations from the Expert Workgroup subgroups, and the
development of a screening tool for high-carbon-intensity crude oils and several others. The Guidelines
establish the compliance obligation for regulated parties in 2011 to meet the carbon intensity standard for
gasoline and diesel, and discuss discretionary enforcement of the LCFS during the initial implementation
year of 2011, including the 0.25% carbon-intensity (CI) reduction requirement. 12/27/2010
EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool is Now
On-Line
On December 17, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) went live
on-line with their Electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting tool (e-GGRT). The web tool supports facility registration under EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting
Program, and lets users start the minimum 10-day process of application for a Certificate of Representation
(COR), which is due to the EPA by January 30, 2011. Each e-GRRT user will need to print, sign and mail an
Electronic Signature Agreement to complete the process. 12/27/2010
ISCC Year One Review Released
The International Sustainability & Carbon Certification
organization (ISCC) has been operating for one year. During that time, 235 companies registered for
certification, including registrations from the USA, Latin America and Southeast Asia; so far, 104
certificates were issued. ISCC has staged eight training sessions and trained 250 auditors on the
implementation of the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive. The English version of the ISCC flyer is now available, providing information about ISCC, sustainability and the
certification procedure. The next ISCC trainings for the year 2011 are being planned for Germany, USA, Latin
America and Eastern Europe. Details will be published on the ISCC website. 12/27/2010
Producer Responsibility White Paper Available
If we shift the responsibility for recycling and recovery back to
the companies that sell the goods in the first place, those same companies, and not their competitors, can
make further use of the resources we’d otherwise throw away. Onsite implementation of Conversion for
Recovery fits right in, with Producer-Based Recycling. A new (free) white paper on Product Stewardship & Extended Producer Responsibility released by Natural Logic, Inc.
explores the potential for this paradigm shift to dramatically and positively impact the economics of
marketing, recycling and overall resource management. 12/21/2010
DOE Regional CHP Application
Center Presentations Now Available
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) multi-campus
Pacific Regional CHP Application Center (RAC) has held two workshops
on “What’s New in Clean & Efficient Combined Heat & Power (CHP) in California?” Presentations from the meeting are now available. Each RAC’s mission
is to “lead deployment and market transformation of CHP.” The Irvine RAC is focused on education and
outreach; the UC Berkeley RAC covers Case Studies, Baseline Assessments, and Policy Analysis. The San Diego
State University Industrial Application Center provides Project Feasibility Screenings. Presentations are
also available from DOE’s kick-off RAC conference, September 29-30, 2010 in Illinois, presenting
“Waste Heat Recovery for Power and Heat”.
12/20/2010
BCAP Funding Survives
Budget Cut – For Now
USSenate Democrats pulled their massive $1.2 trillion dollar spending bill from consideration on
December 17, 2010 after losing Republican support. The bill included language that would have removed
funding for the USDA’s Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). See our 10/27/2010 News. BCAP, strongly promoted by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, provides payments to farmers who
supply crop residue, grasses or wood to biofuel or power plants. The BCAP website had just posted the
materials necessary for project description, application forms and submission guidelines for support on
December 15, 2010. 12/20/2010
California Cap & Trade Regulatory
Package Adopted
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has adopted a regulatory package
for AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The package includes a Cap & Trade program that will begin in 2012, designed to use a
market-based approach to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020. A new
mandatory reporting rule for entities emitting over 10,000 metric tons of CO2e has been approved; businesses
with emissions over 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent must participate in the cap & trade market by
purchasing “allowances” to emit GHGs. During the January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014 initial compliance
period, 90 percent of the company’s allowances are free, while cost of the other 10 percent will be dictated
by the allowance market. Investment in pre-approved environmental and
agricultural offset projects can replace up to 8% of a company’s offset liability.
12/20/2010
US Senate Passes Extension of Treasury Cash
Grants for Clean Tech
The US Senate passed a one year extension of the Department of Treasury Section 1603 tax grant program (TGP in their tax bill compromise on
December 15, 2010. The 1603 grant provision which was originally passed during the Bush Administration has
met opposition from Republicans who don't want to support anything associated with the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA). One day before the vote, the US Partnership For Renewable Energy Finance (US PREF,
an element of the American Council on Renewable Energy) introduced a white paper analysis to Congress that claimed the bill would rescue at least $25 billion
of renewable energy projects. A 2009 amendment to the earlier TGP provides RE project owners a cash grant en lieu of tax
reduction from earlier production and investment tax credits (PTC/ITC). Address TGP questions to
1603Questions@do.treas.gov. 12/17/2010
RSB Releases Summary of Changes to Version 2
P&Cs
The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels Steering Board approved
Version 2 of RSB Principles & Criteria and supporting Guidance document on November 5,
2010. The full Roundtable is now scheduled to certify Version 2 early in 2011. RBS has released
a Summary of changes from Version 1 to Version 2, and Synopsis of the September to October
2010 public consultation on Version 1.1. The tables provide easy comparison of the version, with rationale
for the changes that were made. At the November meeting the Steering Board requested formation of an Expert
Group to address outstanding issues related to biocrops, or “genetically modified organisms” (GMOs). The
GMO Expert Group will recommend enhancements to RSB guidelines for risk mitigation
regarding GMOs to minimize potential liabilities. 12/17/2010
GreenHunter Set to Repower Mesquite Lake
Bioenergy Facility
Lack of sufficient high voltage transmission lines for exporting
power from California's Imperial Valley has long been an impediment to renewable energy development
in that area of the state. In November 2010, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) received a
Notice to Proceed from the Public Utilities Commission and has started construction of the $1.8bn,
117-mile Sunrise Powerlink transmission line, a new 500kV transmission line to
transport power from renewable energy resources within the Imperial Valley to San Diego. GreenHunter’s
idle Mesquite Lake bioenergy facility in the Imperial Valley has long been slated for repowering and
possible expansion. Last month, GreenHunter closed on approximately $30 million in tax-exempt Recovery Zone Facility Bonds
issued through the California Enterprise Development Authority (CEDA). The bond will provide for the
construction, refurbishment and expansion of their Mesquite Lake bioenergy facility located near El Centro,
California. 12/17/2010
UK’s University of Warwick Converts Waste
Plastic for Recovery
University of Warwick (UOW) researchers have successfully
designed and tested pyrolytic conversion of a wide range of waste plastic, including sheeting and
polystyrene, by disassembling the molecular structure into waxes, monomers, acids, acrylates and activated
carbon. The lab scale tests finished in mid-December 2010 have produced distilled liquids and solids for
processing into new products. Research modeling indicates that annual conversion of 10,000 tons of mixed
plastics would produce $7.7 million dollars worth of recycled chemicals and about $770,000 a year in
avoided United Kingdom (UK) landfill taxes. For further information, email Kevin Marks, Warwick Ventures,
k.t.marks@warwick.ac.uk. 12/17/2010
Spain’s
Citrotecno to Produce Ethanol from Citrus Waste
Valencia,
Spain is known as the home of Valencia juice oranges. The substantial orange juice industry results in a
great deal of citrus waste. After two years of research and development, the Spanish firm Citrotecno will now use that waste to produce new products, including ethanol, at its first plant in Silla, Valencia. Citrotecno
expects to process between 132,000 and 165,000 tons of citrus waste from both orange juice producers and
citrus fruit farms in Valencia and Murcia to produce 21,000 tons of livestock feed pellets, about 100,000 US
gallons of D-limonene essential oils, 1.32 million US gallons per year of ethanol and 18 million gallons of
purified water for both irrigation and drinking. The essential oil by-product will also be used as a solvent
for resins, pigments, inks and paints, and to manufacture adhesives or as an additive in fragrances.
12/15/2010
New DOE Biomass Program Webinar
Presentations Available
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Biomass Program launched a Webinar
series relevant to the development of renewable fuels, power, and products from biomass resources in
September 2010. The slide presentations from their November 18, 2010 webinar on "Advanced Biofuels Research Pathways" are now available, along with the session's audio
recording. This second Webinar discussed ongoing advanced biofuels research, including research on
biochemical and thermochemical conversions. It also reviewed the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium’s progress in research, development, and
demonstration of process technology strategies to convert biomass feedstock into a form that can be used in
a petroleum refinery. A continuing series of presentations will be announced on the program's website. 12/09/2010
ARB Schedules Workshop on 2011-2012 AQIP Funding
Plan
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has scheduled a public workshop for January 11, 2011 to discuss their AB 118 Air Quality Improvement
Program (AQIP) Funding Plan for Fiscal Year 2011-12. AB 118 provides up to $50 million annually
through 2015 for the AQIP to fund air quality incentive projects, including low-emission vehicles and
equipment projects, air quality research, and advanced energy technology workforce training. The FY 2010-11
AQIP Funding Plan has been focused on supporting five deployment projects and four demonstration projects.
ARB staff will seek public input to evaluate the project categories funded in 2010-11 and evaluate potential
funding of new categories. Contact Johanna Levine at (916) 324-6971 or jlevine@arb.ca.gov with questions.
12/07/2010
IREC Proposes Community Renewable Program
Rules
Most Conversion Technology development requires a scale above
"residential" to be cost-effective. While California’s community-scale solar initiative is now
facilitation of installation of entire distributed grid sub-divisions, other forms of renewable energy at
this scale still meet significant resistance. The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) together with the Vote Solar Initiative has analyzed the benefits and challenges of
community-scale renewable development and policy, particularly in Massachusetts, Colorado, California,
Washington, and Utah. In November 2010, IREC published their proposed Community Renewable Program Rules to provide basic guidance. The Rules consider renewable
system size, interconnection, eligibility for participation, allocation of the benefits flowing from
participation, net metering of system production, and other essential features to provide a program that can
be tailored to local circumstances. For questions, contact the Jeff Weidman at jwiedman@keyesandfox.com.
12/6/2010
CEC Hears Proposed Changes to Eligibility and
RPS Guidebooks
On Wednesday December 15, 2010, the California Energy Commission (CEC)
will decide whether to approve changes to the Fourth Edition of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
Eligibility Guidebook and to the Overall Guidebook, Third Edition. The hearing was originally scheduled for the November business meeting but was postponed due
to last month’s heavy AB 118 awards agenda. The Guidebooks implement the CEC's responsibilities under the
RPS, including certification of RPS-eligible facilities and verifying procurement for RPS compliance.
Teru Talk discussed the proposed changes in September 2010; the CEC website provides the detailed staff documents and public comments.
12/6/2010
EPA Finalizes 2011 RFS2 Percentage
Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on November 30, 2010 posted
their finalized percentage standards for the four categories of fuel under the agency’s
renewable fuel standard program, known as RFS2. EPA re-calculates percentage-based standards for the
following year; based on the standards, each producer and importer of gasoline and diesel determines the
minimum volume of renewable fuel that it must ensure is used in its transportation fuel. The Final Rule (EPA420-F-10-056
) was signed November 23, 2010 and submitted for publication in the Federal
Register; questions or comments should be directed to EPA’s RFS1 & RFS2 Compliance Help program. 12/6/2010
Greenpeace and CEP Promote Boreal Forest
Jobs
The environmental organization Greenpeace on November 19, 2010 held
a joint news conference with the Communications, Energy and Paper-workers Union of Canada (CEP) to
announce recommendations for stimulating Northern Ontario's forest industry and creating green forestry
jobs while preserving the ecological value of Canada's boreal forest. Greenpeace’s report, Building a Green Economy in the Boreal Forest, lays out a vision where forestry workers in
northern communities can stay on the job without compromising the natural environment the development of the
Boreal Forest. The policy recommendations in the report were submitted to Canadian Premier Dalton McGuinty
and Northern Development, Mines and Forestry Minister Michael Gravelle in October, aimed at the development
of a national Canadian forest management strategy. 12/6/2010
ABO Releases Draft Standardized Algal Industry
Descriptive Language
Controlled growth and harvesting of algae can provide a self-funding
tool for remediation of liquid and gaseous emissions, including reduction of greenhouse gases from other
waste conversion processes. Integrating algal photo-bioreactors (PBRs), whether enclosed or as open ponds,
requires an understanding of the specialized jargon that comes with the algal industry. Achieving that
understanding just became easier: the Algal Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the
algae industry, has just released “Algal Industry Minimum Descriptive Language”, establishing a common
language for the algae industry. ABO’s press release says the document is intended to help facilitate life cycle analysis, unify
research and spur the deployment of algae demonstration facilities. The ABO is accepting comments to the
document through March 31, 2011. Submit your comments to technicalstandards@algalbiomass.org.
12/3/2010
BIO Asks Congress to Extend PTCs to Biobased
Products
The Biotechnology Industry Association (BIO) has
joined with 32 industrial companies and associations to petition Congress for expansion of Production Tax
Credits (PTCs) to include biobased products. PTCs are currently being considered in the “Domestic
Manufacturing and Energy Jobs Act of 2010” by the House Ways and Means Committee, and in the “Clean Energy
Technology Leadership Act of 2010” (S. 3738) by the Senate Finance Committee. BIO delivered their white
paper Biobased Chemicals and Products: A New Driver of U.S. Economic Development and Green
Jobs to Congress on December 1, 2010. The signatories project that growth in the biobased chemicals
and plastics industry can create thousands more jobs. 12/2/2010
