February 2014 News and Matters of Interest

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

Fleet Tests of UPM’s Wood-Based BioDiesel Show Great Results at VTT

Finland based UPM Corporation has announced that the first fleet tests of UPM’s renewable diesel proved that UPM BioVerno works in cars just as well as regular diesel. This biofuel is produced from residues of the forest industry, with no food materials being used. The fleet tests were conducted by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The tests began in May last year and ran until early 2014. The UPM BioVerno diesel fleet tests focused on investigating UPM’s renewable diesel in terms of fuel functionality in engine and fuel consumption. The tests were conducted with a fuel blend including 20 per cent UPM BioVerno and 80 per cent fossil diesel. With this blend, fuel consumption matched the consumption of fossil diesel. Petri Kukkonen, Vice President, UPM Biofuels: "The fleet tests showed the same as the previous engine and vehicle tests – renewable diesel UPM BioVerno is working exactly like any regular diesel. The results were according to our expectations, because our renewable diesel echoes fossil diesel also in its chemical structure, unlike first generation biodiesels." Fleet testing of UPM BioVerno diesel will continue, together with VTT, using busses in the Helsinki metropolitan area in late 2014. 02/28/2014

Valmet to Deliver Wood-Chip Heating Plant for District Heating in Finland

Finland based Valmet Corporation has announced that it will supply a EUR 27 million wood-chip-fired heating plant to Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy, located in the Hervanta area of Tampere, Finland. The new 49.5 megawatts (MW) plant is part of Tampereen Sähkölaitos Group's investment program and will increase the share of renewable fuel sources in its energy production. The new plant, fired by wood chips and peat, will reduce the need to use heavy-fuel-oil-fired heating plants, thus lowering the carbon-dioxide emissions generated in district heat production. The plant will serve as a base-load power plant annexed to Tampere's district heating grid and it will primarily serve the Hervanta area. The new wood-chip plant is scheduled to begin producing heat in May 2015. The plant is based on Valmet's HYBEX bubbling fluidized bed combustion technology with special attention paid to reducing noise and emissions through noise suppression technology, machinery choices, a triple-field electrostatic precipitator and a flue-gas scrubber. The plant will be operated remotely from a control room in Lielahti using a Metso automation system. 02/28/2014 

Cool Planet Starts Construction on First Commercial Biofuels Facility

Colorado based Cool Planet Energy Systems has announced that it has broken ground on the company’s first commercial facility in Alexandria, Louisiana, dubbed Project Genesis. The facility is designed to produce 10 million gallons per year of high-octane, renewable gasoline blendstocks and biochar from sustainable wood residues. Permits have been received to begin earthwork and grading, with construction to immediately follow. The facility is located at the Port of Alexandria, on the Red River Waterway in Central Louisiana. The site was chosen because of its excellent wood biomass availability, interstate and rail access, and direct barge access to more than nine refineries. Cool Planet’s technology turns biomass into green fuels and biochar and has the capability to be carbon negative. The company’s green fuels are able to be blended directly into the current fuel supply to reduce greenhouse gases from the air without sacrificing performance or increasing prices at the pump. The biochar product sequesters carbon and delivers transformative benefits to industries as diverse as agriculture, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. 02/27/2014

Green Investment Bank and SBEF to Finance Energy Improvement Projects

The United Kingdom's (UK) Green Investment Bank (GIB) has announced that it has joined forces with Societe Generale Equipment Finance (SGEF) to provide £50m of financing for energy efficiency projects. Funding from the alliance will allow organizations to put in place energy efficiency measures without having to fund the finance upfront. Projects could include combined heat and power plants, boilers, building retrofits, and lighting and energy reduction technologies for production processes, among others. The first project to benefit from the GIB-SGEF partnership is at Rampton Hospital, managed by Nottinghamshire Healthcare. The £5m investment will finance the installation of a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, dual fuel boilers, biomass boilers, and an effluent treatment plant. Shaun Kingsbury, chief executive, UK Green Investment Bank: " The project at Rampton Hospital is a great example of how an institution can lower its energy costs, produce on-site heat and power, manage waste and cut its carbon emissions." 02/27/2014

Teams Shortlisted for the Surrey Organics Biofuel Processing Facility

The City of Surrey in British Columbia, Canada has announced the three qualified teams shortlisted to participate in the next stage of the competitive selection process to deliver the Surrey Biofuel Processing Facility project. Of the 11 teams that responded to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ), three teams have been invited to move forward to the Request for Proposals (RFP) stage: Iris Solutions, Plenary Harvest Surrey, and Urbaser S.A. Following the RFP process, the City expects to select a preferred proponent team by the fall and finalize an agreement by late 2014. Construction is expected to get underway in early 2015 and the facility will be operational by late 2016. Once the facility is operational, Surrey will be home to the first closed-loop fully-integrated organics waste management system in North America. The facility will convert residential kitchen and yard waste into renewable fuel that will be used to power the city’s natural gas waste trucks. This project is part of Surrey’s Rethink Waste program that was launched in October 2012, which includes curbside organics collection and an entire fleet of compressed natural gas waste collection trucks. 02/27/2014

FCC Environment Begins Operating Micro-Turbine at Lancashire Landfill

United Kingdom (UK) based FCC Recycling (UK) Ltd dba FCC Environment has announced that it has begun operating a micro-turbine at its Deerplay landfill site on the outskirts of Burnley Lancashire, UK. The micro-turbine, a Turbec T100 which can be combined heat and power (CHP) enabled, has been supplied and installed by the Cheshire-based company Newenco. Micro-turbines can operate at 80 per cent efficiency and require significantly less maintenance compared to a standard gas engine. FCC Environment’s Senior Environment Manager Shaun Trigg: "The move to using a micro-turbine provides viable power production long after conventional power generation has ceased, delivering considerable energy efficiencies and reduced emissions compared to a gas engine, and its modular design makes it suitable for most applications." FCC Environment is the largest landfill operator in the UK, owning some 120 operational and former landfill sites. 02/27/2014 

New Report: High Potential for Waste Sourced Advanced Biofuels in Europe

Finland based UPM Corporation has announced a newly released report entitled “Wasted: Europe’s Untapped Resource.” an assessment of advanced biofuels from wastes and residues. The report is the result of a project convened by the European Climate Foundation and supported by a coalition of technology innovators and green non-governmental organizations. The study found that if all sustainable waste from farms, forests, households and industry were used for transport fuels, there could be sufficient fuel to displace about 37 million tonnes of oil annually by 2030. The research in this project was conducted by the International Council on Clean Transportation and the NNFCC, and it was reviewed by the Institute for European Environmental Policy. The project was supported by Biochemtex, Birdlife Europe, British Airways, European Climate Foundation, the European Environmental Bureau, European Waste to Advanced Biofuels Association, Institute for European Environmental Policy, LanzaTech, Novozymes, Petrotec, Transport & Environment, UPM, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and WWF. 02/26/2014

US DOE BETO Releases New Bioenergy KDF Legislative Library

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has announced the release of a new Bioenergy Knowledge Discovery Framework (Bioenergy KDF) resource: the Legislative Library. Site visitors can use this database to track federal legislation relevant to the production and use of biofuels in the United States. By choosing from a variety of search filter options, including congressional session, political party, state, chamber, and status, users can learn about the work being carried out by specific members and committees to advance the US biofuels industry. The Legislative Library also provides links to full-text versions of the bills and other relevant websites so users can access more in-depth information about the legislators and policies that interest them. 02/26/2014 

Waste2Tricity Moves to Accelerate Waste-to-Energy Projects in Thailand

Waste2Tricity International (Thailand) Ltd has just announced that it signed a new co-operation agreement in Bangkok with AFC Energy plc and Alter NRG Corp to accelerate the adoption of the AFC Energy fuel cell systems for energy-from-waste (EfW) projects in Thailand. The agreement builds on the commercialization deal announced in October 2013, granting exclusive rights to Waste2Tricity to use AFC Energy’s low-cost fuel cell systems to generate power from hydrogen gasified from municipal solid waste and on the later announcement in December 2013 that Waste2Tricity had acquired exclusive rights for the Westinghouse Plasma Corporation technology from Alter NRG. PK Thummukgool, Director of Waste2Tricity Ltd and Project Director for the Thailand project: "This agreement clearly demonstrates Waste2Tricity’s intentions to shorten the time-to-market for our energy-to-waste systems incorporating AFC’s low cost fuel cell systems." 02/25/2014

New PICS Report Says Biochar Is Fuel Substitute for Coal And Natural Gas

The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) has announced a new policy paper that identifies biochar as a renewable fuel substitute for all coal and some natural gas burned in British Columbia (BC), that would result in a 22% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The report, Industrial and Market Development of Biochar in BC, is the latest white paper from PICS, a collaboration of BC’s research-intensive universities led by the University of Victoria. Lead author Dr. Geoff de Ruiter, University of Northern British Columbia: "BC has enough excess forest residue and wood waste to create five million tonnes of biochar per year, which would account for 270 per cent of the province’s internal coal usage. While biochar cannot currently compete with fossil fuels on cost, this could change if BC gives biochar carbon offset status, or if BC’s revenue-neutral carbon tax is increased." The report contains six recommendations on biochar policy and planning, economics, environmental regulations and research, especially related to the use of biochar in agriculture and potential high-value products. 02/24/2014

Iona Capital Finances 1st Gas-to-Grid Anaerobic Digestion Plant in Scotland

Iona Capital, Ltd in conjunction with Scotia Gas Networks, has announced the successful completion of an investment in Keithick Biogas Ltd., a joint venture company with Keithick Farms Ltd. in Coupar Angus, Perthshire, Scotland. Iona has been heavily involved in the development of anaerobic digestion (AD) infrastructure in the United Kingdom (UK) having financed nine AD plants in England, Scotland, and Wales. This project is expected to commence operations later this year and will be the first gas-to-grid AD project operating in Scotland. Keithick Biogas will work closely with Scotia Gas Networks who have undertaken to provide the gas upgrading plant and oversee the connection of the plant to the local gas grid. The AD plant is being supplied by MT-Energie, a German producer of turnkey biogas plants and will process over 36,000 metric tons per annum of whole crop rye, maize, sugar beet off-cuts, raw silage, and chicken litter from local businesses. MT-Energie also manufactures and supplies the biogas cleaning and upgrading systems to convert raw biomethane to pipeline quality. 02/24/2014

UMD Selects Heyl & Patterson Rotary Calciner for Biocoal Research

Pennsylvania company Heyl & Patterson Inc (H&P) has announced the sale of an indirect-fired rotary calciner to the University of Minnesota (UMD), Duluth, Natural Resources Research Institute (NNRI). The unit will be installed at NRRI’s Coleraine, Minnesota, facility and will be used to transform wood biomass into torrefied wood (biocoal). NRRI will deploy the H&P torrefaction unit, M-E-C Company drying technology, and other components as the key parts of an integrated system of technologies, to facilitate the efficient generation of carbon-neutral electricity on a distributed basis. The project will focus on the cost and thermal effectiveness of the value-added conversion of wood biomass into biocoal. The biocoal will have an energy content of over 10,000 BTUs per pound and have other properties similar to those of coal. The calciner will produce approximately 28,800 pounds of biocoal per day. The biocoal will be used to support the University’s research on modern steam-based electricity generation and the categorization of viable fuel options from various biomass sources, including biomass wastes, crop residues, and various forest resources. 02/24/2014 

Swindon RDF/SRF Waste Plant Officially Opens with Machinex Technology

The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) Minister George Eustice has cut the ribbon at the official opening of the Swindon Commercial Services (SCS) municipal solid waste (MSW) plant in the United Kingdom (UK). Canadian equipment manufacturer Machinex successfully bid to supply the custom made technology in May of last year following planning permission in February, and the Swindon Borough Council’s decision to offer an eight-year loan to SCS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the council, to develop the plant. The contract is estimated to allow savings of £16 million over its eight year lifespan, with the possibility of an extension.  The facility, which will treat 48,000 tonnes of Swindon’s household, commercial, and industrial waste per annum, will separate materials and produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and solid recovered fuel (SRF). RDF and SRF are produced by shredding and dehydrating municipal solid waste with waste converter technology. The final product will be exported to Germany until RDF/SRF users become available in the UK. 02/21/2014

CARB Will Host Two Low Carbon Fuel Standard Workshops in March

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will conduct two public workshops on March 11, 2014. The morning workshop will provide an overview of the program's progress to date and address proposed implementation scheduling for the 2014 Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) rulemaking. The afternoon workshop will consider updates to the indirect land use change (iLUC) metrics. Both meetings will be webcast; staff are requesting public comment during and following the workshops. Staff presentations, the agenda, and additional meeting information can be found at www.arb.ca.gov. 02/21/2014 

Harvest Power Unveils Central Florida Energy Garden Biogas Facility

Massachusetts based Harvest Power, Inc has announced that the Central Florida Energy Garden organics management and renewable energy facility is now open to convert food waste into renewable biogas and natural fertilizers. The anaerobic digester combines a unique set of proven technologies and will divert hundreds of thousands of tons of organic waste from Central Florida landfills. Located within the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), the Energy Garden uses anaerobic digestion, a biological process that relies on trillions of naturally occurring bacteria – to produce renewable biogas. When operating at full capacity, the facility will process more than 120,000 tons of organic materials annually while producing 5.4 megawatts of combined heat and power. Restaurants, hotels and food processors throughout the region are now able to send food scraps to the Energy Garden. Walt Disney World Resort, which is located within RCID, is the facility’s first customer with additional businesses in surrounding communities signing up every day. 02/20/2014

Zero Waste Scotland and Scottish Enterprise Launch £3.8MM Recycling Fund

Zero Waste Scotland has announced that a £3.8 million fund to help businesses develop green infrastructure proposals is now open. The Scottish Recycling Fund (SRF) is a limited fund (£3.8M over 3 years) that has been established by Zero Waste Scotland and Scottish Enterprise to develop or expand materials reprocessing capacity and remanufacturing facilities in Scotland. Eligible waste materials include plastics, tires, textiles, glass, industrial food and drink processing waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment, and plasterboard. The materials/sectors included within the loan fund have been selected based on environmental impact, potential job/GVA opportunities, and activities supporting a more circular economy. The fund is able to offer loans, repayable over a 3-5 year period on commercial terms, to organizations that are interested in developing the relevant infrastructure in Scotland. 02/20/2014

Alstom Signs Second UK Biomass Steam Turbine Contract

France based Alstom has announced a contract with Danish power plant specialist Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S (BWSC) to design and supply a 45 MW Geared Reaction steam turbine (GRT) for the Brigg renewable energy plant in the United Kingdom (UK). The Brigg power station, which is expected to be operational from early 2016, will be commissioned primarily fuelled using locally sourced straw but will also burn wood. It is expected to produce enough energy to supply around 70,000 homes with power and will result in the displacement of around 300,000 tonnes of CO2 every year. This is the second contract signed between the two companies for a UK GRT in a biomass power station, following an agreement last year on the 15.8 MW wood-fuelled Lisahally scheme in Northern Ireland. 02/20/2014

BioConversion Solutions Secures AD Contracts in Australia and South Korea

BioConversion Solutions, LLC (BCS) has announced contracts to install its biomass to biogas system at facilities in Australia and South Korea. BCS' Advanced Fluidized Co-Digestion and Co-Generation (AFC2) anaerobic process provides up to 90 percent conversion of organic waste feedstock solids with no residual sludge. The AFC2 produces renewable energy and other value-added products including saleable fertilizer and clean water for reuse in agricultural or industrial applications. The $43 million system to be installed at Bindaree Beef’s new Bio-digester and Rendering Plant in Inverell, New South Wales, will generate electricity, steam, and clean water. Bindaree Beef received a $23 million Australian Federal Government grant for the full-scale beef abattoir biogas project. BCS is also contracted to install an alternative energy system at a municipal plant in Daejeon, South Korea; the 4th largest City in South Korea. The system will eliminate over 300 million pounds of sludge per year. 02/20/2014

Due 03/04/2014: Comments to CEC on Draft 2014 IEPR

The California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Integrated Energy Policy Report Lead Commissioner Janea Scott is requesting comments on the proposed scope and general schedule for the 2014 Integrated Energy Policy Report Update (2014 IEPR Update). Senate Bill 1389 (Bowen and Sher, Chapter 568, Statutes of 2002) requires the CEC to “conduct assessments and forecasts of all aspects of energy industry supply, production, transportation, delivery and distribution, demand, and prices.” The Lead Commissioner is proposing to focus the scope of the document on: (1) Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP), (2) Renewable projects in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, (3) Energy Efficiency Program for Existing Buildings, and (4) Electricity Update. ARFVTP is arguably the most progressive and important state funding mechanism for support of waste conversion to fuels. All written comments will be considered before the final 2014 IEPR Update Scoping Order is released. Written comments are due by close of business March 4, 2014. 02/20/2014 

Zilkha Biomass and Valmet Partner on Torrefied Pellet Commercialization

Finnish company Valmet and Texas based Zilkha Biomass Energy LLC have announced signing a five-year collaboration agreement for global commercialization of steam exploded black pellets. These pellets are principally used for replacing fossil coal as the energy source in heat and power generation. The parties will work together to develop a joint global offering. Steam exploded black pellets provide a number of benefits compared to traditional wood pellets. These include improved durability, water-resistance, higher energy content, lower shipping costs, and reduced dust problems compared to other types of bio-based pellets. Due to their properties, these black pellets can be handled in similar manner to fossil coal. This significantly reduces, or even removes, the need for expensive investments in logistics and plant rebuilds. Jack Holmes, CEO of Zilkha Biomass Energy: "Valmet is a highly regarded technology provider in the pulp, paper and energy industry. Their network will provide a great channel for introducing manufacturers to the advantages of the Zilkha Black® Pellet. Through this five-year collaboration, we are partnering with a well-established technology and equipment supplier to offer advanced solutions for the growing biomass market." 02/19/2014

CSM Becomes Exclusive SRS™ Distributor for Applied CleanTech in Canada

Israeli based Applied CleanTech (ACT) has announced a 13.5 million USD distribution alliance with Canadian Sewage Mining Corporation (CSM), making CSM the exclusive Sewage Recycling System (SRS™) distributor in Canada. SRS™ extracts rather than digests the fibrous biomass fraction from sewage influx, reducing the load on digesters while producing a dry "Recycllose" product. Dr. Refael Aharon, ACT CEO and Founder: "The SRS™ will transform the existing wastewater treatment process, from sewage treatment to Sewage Mining. The SRS™ traps the cellulose component inherent in wastewater, and returns it to the industrial cycle as raw material. Sludge formation is reduced by up to 50%, WWTP dramatically reduces expenses, and the raw material - Recyllose™, is used as a resource for Paper, Plastic, Energy, Construction and other industries." 02/19/2014 

SITA Atlas Starts Work on 20-Year Recycling and WtE Contract in Morocco

France based Suez Environnement has announced that its subsidiary SITA Atlas has been awarded a 20-year, €90 million recycling, waste-to-energy (WtE), and disposal contract with Meknes, Morocco. The Meknes municipal authority has commissioned SITA Atlas to rehabilitate its household waste landfill site starting last month, and to design, build, and operate a waste elimination and recycling facility. The Meknes landfill site is located 5 km from the city center and has been used in an uncontrolled way since 2002. Spread over nearly 25 ha, it receives 185,000 metric tons a year of waste produced by 650,000 inhabitants. SITA Atlas will landscape the access roads and the actual landfill site, add a vegetative cover, and drainage, leachate, and rainwater collection systems. It will also perform drilling work to equip the site with biogas capture wells. The new recycling facility will include a sorting center consisting of a 3,000 m2 sorting hangar and a 3,000 m2 logistics dock to recycle materials. The remaining waste and sorted refuse will be eliminated in accordance with environmental standards. A 3,000 m2 biological recovery plant will produce compost from green waste mixed with certain types of organic waste to be used as a soil amendment. Biogas will be captured from the landfill to be turned into energy for the heat treatment of leachate concentrates. A complementary use for biogas is being studied as a fuel for electricity production or to fire the ovens of neighboring brickworks. SITA Atlas specializes in the creation and rehabilitation of Elimination and Recycling Facilities. 02/17/2014 

Wärtsilä Biogas Plant Converts Food Waste to Biofuel for Buses in Norway

Wärtsilä Corporation has announced that its biogas liquefaction plant delivered to the Norway based Cambi AS was inaugurated on February 12, 2014. The plant, operated by Cambi AS on behalf of the Waste-to-Energy Agency (EGE) and the City of Oslo, will produce biomethane from household food waste to be used as biofuel for up to 135 buses in Oslo. The Wärtsilä liquefaction technology is based on more than 50 years of experience in the marine, and oil and gas markets. The new facility’s liquefaction plant design uses conventional components in a mixed refrigeration process. The technology is scalable upwards to a capacity of at least 60 tons per day. The plant is located in Nes, Romerike, an agricultural region close to Oslo. When fully operable it will treat 50,000 tons of food waste a year to produce around 14,000 Nm3 (normal cubic meters) per day of biomethane. The liquefied biogas (LBG) can be efficiently transported for use as fuel. The City of Oslo contracted with Cambi in March 2012 to design, construct, and operate the plant. 02/14/2014

DECC Opens 'Offtaker of Last Resort' Consultation for Renewable Electricity

The United Kingdom (UK) Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has opened a public consultation on its Offtaker of Last Resort proposal, which would provide eligible renewable electricity producers with a guaranteed backstop route-to-market at a discount to market prices. The proposal is essentially designed to help independent renewable generators gain access to the energy market. The Government’s Electricity Market Reform (EMR) programm provides an ambitious package of measures to incentivize the investment needed to replace the UK’s aging electricity infrastructure with a more diverse and low-carbon energy mix. Up to £110 billion of capital investment is needed from now until the end of the decade. the consultation closes at 11:45pm on March 24, 2014. 02/14/2014

NYSERDA Awards $3MM for HE Low Emission Wood-Fired Heating Projects

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that $3 million has been awarded to 18 research institutions, technology developers, and biomass-fuel businesses to encourage the growth of high-efficiency (HE), low-emission wood-fired heating equipment. The funding is awarded through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Biomass Heating R&D Program, which encourages the entry of high-efficiency biomass technologies into the marketplace. Projects will also evaluate real-world conditions of biomass-fired heating systems, expand the bulk wood pellet delivery market and assess the health risks of wood smoke in rural valley communities. John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA: "The projects awarded today will support the continued development of biomass heating technologies that achieve greater levels of efficiency and large reductions in emissions of particulate matter and carbon monoxide." 02/14/2014

University of Hawaii, Pacific Biodiesel Partner to Reclaim Grease Trap Water

The University of Hawaii (UH) at Manoa has announced that its researchers at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute are collaborating with Maui based Pacific Biodiesel Technologies LLC to reclaim water from restaurant grease traps while creating energy. Wastewater from dishwashing and cleaning kitchens would clog sewer lines because of the oils it contains. Restaurants are required to have grease traps to capture the oily water before it reaches the sewer system and pay companies like Pacific Biodiesel to remove and transport it to sewer plants. Pacific Biodiesel wants to recycle the grease trap water, which would be better for the environment, increase the company’s profit margin, and reduce grease trap service fees for restaurants. UH researchers developed a High Rate Anaerobic Digestion system (HRAD) that uses biochar to treat the wastewater while creating methane. After successful lab experiments, a test scale system was built and installed at Pacific Biodiesel’s Oʻahu facility. In this partnership, UH researchers and the people who will actually use the technology work together, solving problems as they come up. Bob King, founder and owner of Pacific Biodiesel Technologies: "UH has brought the technology to apply to this problem that we have that has a real world economic model that’s waiting for it to be invented." 02/13/2014

EWI Tire Recycling Technology Significantly Reduces Carbon Emissions

Ontario, Canada based Environmental Waste International Inc (EWI) has announced that its Reverse Polymerization™ process and proprietary microwave delivery system significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to the two most commonly used waste tire recycling options. According to the Rubber Manufacturers Association, approximately 45% of waste tires in the United States are incinerated and approximately 29% are converted to crumb rubber. Based on the results, EWI's technology emits significantly lower amounts of carbon dioxide compared to the actual and avoided emissions associated with each alternative. The disposal of one million scrap tires via the EWI process emits 12,166 tonnes fewer carbon dioxide equivalents compared to incineration, and 3,136 tonnes fewer carbon dioxide equivalents compared to the production of crumb rubber. The analysis was conducted by Pinchin Environmental Ltd, and a copy of their report is available upon request. EWI completed a continuous four day run of its TR-900 tire recycling facility in Sault Ste Marie last November. 02/13/2014

Due 03/13/2014: Responses to City of Lancaster RFI for MRF and CT Project

The City of Lancaster, California, has issued a Request for Information (RFI) in order to evaluate the feasibility of developing a material recovery facility (MRF) and conversion technology (CT) project as an alternative to landfilling municipal solid waste (MSW) at the Lancaster Landfill. MRF/CT companies responding to this RFI are requested to provide information that enables the City to review and evaluate the capabilities of the proposed technology and the experience and qualifications of the project team. The City currently disposes approximately 118,000 tons per year (tpy) of MSW. If feasible and desirable for the City, a project will be developed to divert MSW from landfill disposal. Such a project would implement recycling efforts and convert the non-recycled material into beneficial products such as energy, fuels, or other marketable products. Addendum No. One was issued today to clarify dates and respond to early questions. The deadline to submit questions is March 4, 2014. Responses to the RFI should be submitted electronically to the City of Lancaster by 11:00 AM, Pacific Standard Time on March 13, 2014 to Heather Swan, Lancaster Power Authority, at <>. 02/13/2014 

CPIA Releases Trial Results of Marine Plastic Litter Conversion to Fuel

The Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) has announced results of Yukon based trials using a Blest pyrolysis retort to convert plastic litter collected from the shorelines of Northern Vancouver Island in 2013, and comparing that to conversion of land based plastic wastes. It is difficult to recycle marine plastics due to contamination from debris such as sand, plant and algae material, barnacles, and salt, but the pyrolyser was able to convert 99% of the collected plastics. According to the report, the results from the testing were essentially the same as those reported for land based plastics collected from the Whitehorse area. The CPIA helped fund the trial, and is now supporting UpGyres to do a feasibility study for collection for conversion to fuel in remote communities all along the West Coast of Canada, as part of the CPIA’s continued efforts in Canada to reduce marine litter. 02/12/2014

NSERC Trials of Solarvest's Algal Conversion of CO2 to H2 Successful

Solarvest BioEnergy Inc has announced third party confirmation of its bio-hydrogen expression system following the successful completion of a six month NSERC Engage project (previously announced) with Dr. Hallenbeck at the Université de Montréal. Solarvest uses a proprietary strain of genetically engineered microalgae in photobioreactors to sequester industrial CO2 and release hydrogen. The study indicated that the Solarvest strain of microalgae produced six times more hydrogen per cell as compared to the industry standard wild-type strain. In addition, the algal strain demonstrated continuous hydrogen production; producing hydrogen ten times longer when compared to the industry standard wild-type microalgae, even though the laboratory growth conditions were less than optimal. The promising trial results have encouraged Solarvest and Université de Montréal to pursue another collaborative agreement to continue their work to move the program toward industrial production. 02/12/2014 

Empyro Starts Construction on 25 MWth Biomass to Oil Pyrolysis Facility

Empyro BV has announced that construction of its 25 MWth pyrolysis oil production plant has begun at the AkzoNobel site in Hengelo (The Netherlands). Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. The Empyro plant will convert 5 tonne of biomass per hour into 3.5 tonne of pyrolysis oil. The plant will also produce enough electricity for its own use and steam will be supplied to the salt production of AkzoNobel located next to Empyro. Once operational, production capacity will be gradually increased to its maximum of over 20 million litres of pyrolysis oil per year. This amount of renewable oil will replace 12 million cubic meters of natural gas, the equivalent annual consumption of 8,000 Dutch households, which saves up to 20,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Empyro BV is jointly owned by BTG BioLiquids (supplier of the technology), Tree Power (investor in renewables), the province of Overijssel, and a private investor. The company was founded to demonstrate the technology at a commercial scale. The Empyro project is financially supported by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission (Grant number 239357). BTG CEO René Venendaal: "This investment is an important step towards a biobased economy, in which bio-energy, biofuels and biomaterials will go hand in hand." 02/10/2014

Swedish Research Finds Biogas Potential in Pulp and Paper Mill Wastewater

The Linköping University in Sweden has announced that its Water and Environmental Studies (WES) researchers have found that wastewater from pulp and paper mills contain large volumes of organic material that can be converted into biogas. The findings are the result of a two-year pilot study conducted in collaboration with Pöyry Sweden AB and seven pulp and paper industrial mills. The researchers took samples from 70 wastewater streams at seven mills, and calculated that the potential to extract biogas from the material is at least 70 million normal cubic metres of methane per year. The encouraging tests have resulted in additional SEK 14.8 million in funding from the Swedish Energy Agency for the next two years of research. Bo Svensson, professor at WES:  "We hope to achieve 100 million Nm3, which we probably will when we have fine-tuned the processes. This volume would mean an increased biogas production of roughly 65 per cent, compared to Sweden’s total production for 2012." 02/10/2014

Due 03/05/2014: Qualifications for Waste Conversion Technology Services

The City of San Jose Environmental Services Department has released Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No. 22014 - Conversion Technology Services for consulting services to assist with strategic planning and acquisition of funding to expand the development and implementation of conversion technology projects supporting the City's Green Vision 2012. The City is committed to diversion of waste from landfills through efficient and best use principles, including reuse and recycling. Materials that are harder to recycle require converting organic waste to energy through technology. Conversion technologies will reduce the volume of hard-to-process materials, such as food waste, and capture energy in the process. The successful RFQ submittal shall demonstrate that the consultant/firm has the appropriate professional and technical background as well as access to adequate resources to fulfill the stated scope of services. Interested parties must register with the BidSync online service to access and respond to the RFQ. Questions may be submitted until February 27, 2014 to Andrew Hitchcock, (408) 975-2572, <>. Statements of Qualifications are due March 5, 2014. 02/10/2014

Due 05/05/2014: Comments to EPA's Draft Standards for New Wood Heaters

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published Standards of Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters, New Residential Hydronic Heaters and Forced-Air Furnaces, and New Residential Masonry Heaters. The Alliance for Green Heat has provided a review of the proposed rule. Comments are due May 5, 2014 using EPA’s submission web page for Rulemaking, identified as Docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0734FRL-9904-05-OAR. Questions may be addressed to Gil Wood, (919) 541-5272 () or David Cole, (919) 541-5565 (). The EPA expects to issue a formal Final Rule in November 2014. 02/10/2014 

CARB to Release Proposed 1st Update to AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced that it will release the Proposed First Update to the Climate Change Scoping Plan (Proposed First Update) on Monday, February 10th at 5:00 pm (PST).  This Proposed First Update is a key step in the implementation of Assembly Bill (AB 32), the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The Scoping Plan identified numerous sectors of the California economy where improved efficiencies can result in lower climate-related impacts. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) and the CARB continue to collaborate on ways that changes to the Waste Management sector can reduce the release of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the air. In October 2013, the CARB released a discussion draft for stakeholder review and comment. For waste management, the draft recommended: “Develop a comprehensive and sustainable waste management system for California that maximizes reducing, recycling, and composting material (diversion); supports the development of appropriate infrastructure and markets for reused waste; and reduces the volume of waste generated.” The agencies sought and received substantial public comment (including our own), that based agency assessment will be reflected in this First Update. The First Update is scheduled to be discussed at the CARB meeting on February 20, 2014. Written comments on the Proposed First Update may be submitted to CARB’s Scoping Plan website. The Final Proposed Scoping Plan Update will then be presented for Board consideration for approval at a late-Spring Board Hearing. 02/09/2014 

CEC Awards $5MM to Crimson for Bakersfield Biodiesel Plant Expansion

Colorado based Crimson Renewable Energy LP (Crimson) has announced that the California Energy Commission (CEC) has awarded a $5 million grant to support expansion of the company's biorefinery in Bakersfield, California. The proposed award under the CEC's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP).was initially announced by the CEC in November 2013, and was subsequently approved and contracts executed. The Crimson Bakersfield Biodiesel and Glycerin Production Plant currently uses waste animal fats and used cooking oils to produce an ultra-low carbon biodiesel. Crimson has already completed certain portions of its engineering and design work, and has begun the process for obtaining all necessary permits and procuring equipment. Crimson expects to begin construction of the first portions of the expansion project in the spring, and realize initial production increases in the second half of 2014. The expansion project will also allow Crimson to increase the use of ultra-low carbon materials such as corn–oil byproduct from ethanol plants, and utilize a broader range of raw materials, including newly emerging sustainable materials, such as algae oil. 02/07/2014

Constellation Will Develop 27 MW Biogas Co-Gen Plant for Los Angeles WWTP

Constellation, a subsidiary of Chicago based Exelon Corporation, has announced that it has signed an agreement with the City of Los Angeles (L.A.) to design, build, and operate a 27-megawatt (MW) renewable energy power plant at the L.A. Bureau of Sanitation's Hyperion Treatment Plant. According to a 2012 Engineering News Record report, Hyperion is among the 10 largest wastewater treatment facilities in the world with 20 anaerobic digesters. The new $130 million power plant will use the digester gas (biogas) as its primary fuel source. The power plant will be designed to produce steam and electricity through co-generation (co-gen) to operate the Hyperion WWTP. Constellation and its subcontractors will develop, construct and operate the co-generation facility for 10 years, with an option to extend the agreement for five additional years. Commercial operation of the Hyperion co-generation facility is expected by the end of 2016. Traci Minamide, L.A. Sanitation’s chief operating officer: "This state-of-the-art facility will reduce emissions at the Hyperion plant and secure for our city a new energy source that is reliable, efficient and sustainable." 02/07/2014

Due 02/14/2014: Comments to CalRecycle on $30MM Grant and Loan Program

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is requesting comments to a proposed $30MM grant and loan program to increase California’s processing infrastructure for organics diversion from landfill disposal, increased recycled materials manufacturing, and overall greenhouse gas reductions. CalRecycle staff conducted a well-attended workshop yesterday, with around 75 on-site and 250 webinar participants. Staff presentations and the website indicate that funding is contingent upon approval by the legislature of Governor Brown’s January 9, 2014 draft budget. The CalRecycle staff are coordinating the effort with the Air Resources Board (CARB), linked to on-going revisions of the AB 32 Scoping Plan. The source of the proposed funding will be California’s Cap and Trade Program; the presentation emphasized that this first implementation would be crucial to establishing the use of Cap and Trade for future grant and loan support for greenhouse gas reduction programs through improved waste management. Staff have asked that comments be submitted by February 14, 2014 to <>. Questions about the program should be directed to Brian Larimore, <>. Staff intends to present a final proposal to the agency’s administration during the March 18, 2014 monthly meeting to be held  in Oxnard, California. 02/07/2014 

Commissioning Begins at Viridor's Runcorn Energy from Waste CHP Plant

United Kingdom (UK) based Viridor has announced that commissioning of the first phase of its energy from waste (EfW) facility in Runcorn near Manchester has begun after a two week delay. Construction of the facility began in 2010 and is being delivered in two phases. The facility received its environmental permit for operation in May 2011. Construction of phase one is nearing completion, with this phase due to start operating in early 2014. Phase two will be complete by early 2015 and start operating later that same year. Once fully operational, the facility will be able to process up to 850,000 tonnes of pre-treated waste (Refuse Derived Fuel or RDF) each year. It will be capable of generating up to 70MW of electricity and up to 51 MW of heat, all of which will be used by neighboring chemicals manufacturer INEOS ChlorVinyls. The facility will supply INEOS with up to 20% of its total energy needs, significantly cutting the Company’s annual energy bill at its Runcorn site and improving energy security by reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. Phase one of the facility is being developed by a joint venture of INEOS, Viridor, and Viridor Laing. It will be operated by Viridor. 02/06/2014

New Biodiesel Distillation Unit at Aemetis' India Plant is Now Operational

California based Aemetis, Inc has announced that its 50 million gallon per year capacity biodiesel and refined glycerin production facility in Kakinada, India has been upgraded to produce high-quality distilled biodiesel. Sanjeev Gupta, Managing Director of Aemetis’ subsidiary in India, Universal Biofuels Private Ltd: "The new distillation production unit is fully commissioned and the India facility now produces biodiesel meeting or exceeding the highest standards for biodiesel quality worldwide." The Aemetis plant is the only distilled biodiesel producer in India and is one of the only plants in Asia capable of producing large supplies of biodiesel that meet the rigorous European Union (ISCC) standards. The Aemetis plant was built in 2008 using advanced technology to produce biodiesel and refined glycerin using large volumes of lower-cost, non-food by-products from the edible oil industry as feedstock to supply the biofuel, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets. 02/06/2014

NSERC Awards Grant to Explore New Applications for Lystek Technology

Ontario, Canada based Lystek International, Inc has announced that, together with the University of Waterloo, it has been awarded a research grant by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The purpose of the grant is to explore how Lystek technology can be further developed to improve anaerobic digestion for energy recovery in a variety of settings. The funding will support lab-based research around a specific step of the patented Lystek process. With this grant support, Dr. H.S. Lee from the University and Dr. Singh will combine their academic and industrial research backgrounds to explore new applications for the Lystek technology in a novel three-stage anaerobic digester for enhanced hydrogen and methane production. Dr. Ajay Singh, Technical Director for Lystek: "We are thrilled to be partnering once again with the University of Waterloo. The original Lystek biosolid technology was incubated at Waterloo and we have relied on scientists from the university at every stage of our commercial development." NSERC grants are awarded to help academic and industrial researchers collaborate and bring new technologies to market." 02/06/2014 

UC Davis Researchers Make Biogasoline from Plant Waste

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis), has announced that researchers in its chemistry department have invented a new process to make gasoline-like fuels from cellulosic plant materials such as farm and forestry waste. The process could open up new markets for plant-based fuels, beyond existing diesel substitutes. Biodiesel, refined from plant-based oils, is already commercially available to run modified diesel engines. A plant-based gasoline replacement would open up a much bigger market for renewable fuels. The feedstock for the new process is levulinic acid, which can be produced by chemical processing of materials such as straw, corn stalks, or even municipal green waste. It's a cheap and practical starting point that can be produced from raw biomass with high yield. Mark Mascal, professor of chemistry at UC Davis and lead author on the paper published January 29th in the journal Angewandte Chemie: "What's exciting is that there are lots of processes to make linear hydrocarbons, but until now nobody has been able to make branched hydrocarbons with volatility in the gasoline range." UC Davis has filed provisional patents on the process. Coauthors on the paper are postdoctoral researchers Saikat Dutta and Inaki Gandarias. 02/04/2014

Neste Oil Converted More Waste than Vegetable Oil to Biofuels in 2013

Finland based Neste Oil Corporation has announced that it used more waste and residues than vegetable oil to produce renewable fuel for the first time in 2013. Waste and residues accounted for 52% of the 2.3 million tons of renewable feedstocks used last year, while vegetable oil, mainly crude palm oil, accounted for the remaining 48%. Neste Oil increased its use of waste animal fat and palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), a residue generated during palm oil production, in particular, and also began using three new waste- and residue-based inputs: tall oil pitch, technical corn oil, and spent bleaching oil. Neste Oil's usage of waste and residues in renewable fuel production increased by 64%, to more than 1.2 million tonnes last year. This compares to 740,000 tonnes in 2012 and 330,000 tonnes in 2011. Matti Lehmus, Neste Oil's Executive Vice President, Oil Products and Renewables: "We have quadrupled our use of waste and residues in just two years and developed a broad and flexible renewable feedstock base, in line with our strategy. We now have 12 different renewable inputs in our feedstock base." 02/04/2014

Wales Centre of Excellence Secures £889,000 for Advanced AD Research

The Wales Centre of Excellence for Anaerobic Digestion (AD Centre) has announced that it has been awarded £889,000 by the Welsh Government’s A4B project to deliver a Knowledge Transfer Centre in Advanced Anaerobic Processes and Biogas Systems. The AD Centre is part of the Sustainable Environment Research Centre based at the University of South Wales. The grant includes provision for £640,000 of new state-of-art analytical equipment and laboratory based digestion systems to add to existing facilities. This will greatly increase the Centre’s capacity to collaborate with industries in the development and deployment of novel and efficient waste management and renewable energy projects based around the production and utilization of biogas and digestates. Dr Sandra Esteves, Director of the Wales Centre of Excellence for Anaerobic Digestion: "This latest award is the result of a real team effort. For several years we have been working hard to interact with and support the emerging AD industry." 02/04/2014

Solazyme Announces Commercial Production of Algal Oils at Iowa Facilities

California based Solazyme, Inc has announced that commercial operations have commenced at both Archer Daniels Midland Company’s (ADM) Clinton, Iowa facility, and the downstream companion facility operated by American Natural Products  (ANP) in Galva, Iowa. ADM and ANP have successfully manufactured three distinct and unique TailoredTM oil products at the facilities, and products are currently being sold and distributed in both the U.S. and Brazil. Solazyme's proprietary microalgae are heterotrophic, meaning they grow in the dark (in fermenters) by consuming sugars derived from plant material such as cellulosic biomass and waste streams that have already harnessed the sun's energy. By using standard industrial fermentation equipment, Solazyme can efficiently scale and accelerate microalgae's natural oil production time to just a few days and at commercial levels. 02/03/2014

BDI Completes Upgrades to Greek Biodiesel Plant for Multi-Feedstocks

Austria based BDI-BioEnergy International AG (BDI) has announced that the biodiesel plant remodeled by BDI in Volos, Greece has been officially opened at a ceremony attended by representatives of the local political and business communities. The goal of the RetroFit optimization project was to increase both raw material flexibility and the quality of the final biodiesel product. The remodeled plant can now process not only vegetable oils but also raw materials of lower quality, such as used cooking oil and animal fats, into high-quality biodiesel with a capacity of about 33,000 tonnes/year. The quality of the distilled biodiesel satisfies the stricter quality requirements that will have to be met in future (new European Union biodiesel standard, CEN 14214/2013). The project has now been handed over to the satisfied Greek customer Elin Biofuels S.A officially on time and on budget. Dr Edgar Ahn, BDI CSO: "Our RetroFit team successfully completed the difficult assignment of integrating the BDI system in a biodiesel technology which is not state-of-the-art from a different manufacturer, without any adverse effects on ongoing biodiesel production." 02/03/2014

AVA Biochem's Swiss Plant Starts 1st Commercial Production of 5-HMF

AVA Biochem BSL AG (AVA Biochem) has announced that commercial-scale production of the high-purity renewable platform chemical, 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) has begun at AVA Biochem's Biochem-1 facility. Biochem-1 is located on Clariant's Infrapark in Muttenz, Switzerland where AVA Biochem is headquartered. The 5-HMF is made from various types of waste biomass that do not compete with food production and Biochem-1 will, in a first phase, produce up to 20 tonnes 5-HMF per year. AVA Biochem applies a modified version of the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process developed by the Karlsruher Institute for Technology for the Industrial production of platform chemicals. AVA Biochem's CEO Jan Vyskocil: "AVA Biochem's breakthrough HTC technology is opening new markets for renewable 5-HMF. I am convinced that this will push us to the forefront of the bio-based chemical industry." 02/03/2014 

CARB Schedules Workshop on Proposed Alternative Diesel Fuels Regulation

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced a public meeting to discuss revisions to the proposed regulation on the Commercialization of New Alternative Diesel Fuels. The meeting is scheduled for February 13, 2014 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Cal/EPA Building in Sacramento and can be attended in person, or via teleconference or webinar. Staff will present modifications to the conceptual approach released last spring regarding specifications and quality controls on biodiesel and renewable diesel, review last September's draft regulations along with more recent Guidance Documents by the CARB and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Staff will post meeting materials prior to the meeting on the program home page. General information about the Alternative Diesel Fuels regulation, as well as biodiesel and renewable diesel, can be found on the program homepage as well. 02/01/2014

CalRecycle Hosts Waste Management Infrastructure Expansion Workshop

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) will be hosting a public workshop to discuss development of proposed new grant and loan programs for greenhouse gas reductions from organics and manufacturing with recyclable materials (fibers, plastic, and glass). The workshop will be held on February 6, 2014 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Cal/EPA Building in Sacramento and can be attended in person or via webinar. The Governor’s 2014/15 Draft Budget includes $30 million for CalRecycle to provide financial incentives for capital investments that expand the waste management infrastructure in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a priority in disadvantaged communities. CalRecycle will be administering grants and loans to promote infrastructure development for facilities in California that accomplish this goal. Grants and loans will be targeted to build or expand organics infrastructure, such as composting and anaerobic digestion, or reduce food waste in California. Other targeted activities include new or expanded infrastructure for manufacturing products with recycled content fiber, resin or glass. Questions and comments may be submitted before, during, and after the workshop to <>. 02/01/2014