July 2012 News and Matters of Interest

All Power Labs Announces Global Authorized Representative Program

Berkeley's open-development All Power Labs (APL) has announced the launch of its Authorized Representative (AR) Program, a key step in commercialization of its wood gasification technology and support system. APL's goal for the program is to "localize" pilot plant centers on a global basis, building business relationships that can offer hands-on demonstration, and sales and commissioning of wood gasification project with the full support of the Berkeley developmental labs. APL has been building 10 kilowatt to 100 kilowatt (kWe) wood gasification "power pallet" modules for quite some time, and just recently delivered a fully containerized, plug and play 100 kWe "PowerTainer" module to the University of Minnesota for fully commercial demonstration and educational testing. APL's "open lab" format trains individuals not only to use its gasifiers, but encourages hands-on development and systems modification using its Gasifier Experimenters Kit (GEK) through regularly scheduled technically supported training workshops. APL notes that hundreds of requests to represent the company and distributed the technology have been received in the recent past, and that finally APL has a fully developed program to address those requests. Although APL is open to developing AR relationships anywhere in the world, seven regions are currently highlighted: Italy, Indonesia, Eastern Europe, Australia, South Africa, India and Canada. Considerable information on APL systems is available on their website. 07/31/2012

Due 09/11/2012: Comments to DTSC on Proposed Green Chemistry Regulations

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has announced release of proposed regulations for Safer Consumer Product Awareness with the start of a 45-day public comment period from August 27, 2012 to September 11, 2012. In 2007, the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) launched California's Green Chemistry Initiative within the DTSC. The California Green Chemistry Initiative Final Report was released in 2008 with six key policy recommendations. Assembly Bill 1879 and Senate Bill 509 became law in 2008, directing the DTSC to put two of the report's recommendations into practice. A two-year development and stakeholder involvement period was conducted by the DTSC and the California Environmental Policy Center. The proposed Safer Consumer Product Awareness Regulations (DTSC Ref. # R-2011-02) are intended to implement Recommendation #5: Accelerate the Quest for Safer Products, creating a systematic, science-based process to evaluate chemicals of concern and identify safer alternatives to ensure product safety. Three key steps are outlined: (1) Establish a process to identify and prioritize those chemicals or chemical ingredients in consumer products that may be considered as being a chemical of concern; (2) Establish a process for evaluating chemicals of concern in consumer products, and their potential alternatives, to determine how best to limit exposure or to reduce the level of hazard posed by chemicals of concern; and (3) Specify the range of regulatory responses that the DTSC may take following the completion of the alternatives analysis. The DTSC will hold a Public Hearing on the proposed regulations on September 10, 2012, in the CalEPA Building, downtown Sacramento. Interested parties can present oral or written comments during the Hearing, with speaker registration encouraged. Written comments may be submitted by mail, email, or fax, and must be received by the DTSC by 5:00pm on September 11, 2012. If you have any questions or comments, please email the DTSC at  . 07/30/2012

Inerjys Partners with Hydro-Québec’s Research Institute IREQ

The Montreal, Canada based clean tech growth-equity fund Inerjys has announced a strategic partnership with the regional Canadian utility Hydro-Québec’s research institute, IREQ. The Canadian government is the sole shareholder in Hydro-Quebec, which generates, transmits and distributes electricity, mainly using renewable energy sources, in particular hydroelectricity. It is one of the biggest electric utilities in North America and its unique IREC research center operates with an average annual budget of about $100 million. Founded in Montreal in 2011, Inerjys is a $1billion initiative to "reinvent the clean technology and renewable energy sector" by investing vertically across the value chain. Inerjys Ventures invests growth equity in leading technology firms while Inerjys Renewables simultaneously is building utility-scale clean technology projects worldwide. Inergys notes that it is particularly interested in investing in solar, wind, and waste-to-energy biomass energy in developed and emerging markets, and in the integration of renewable energy generation systems in remote applications to displace traditional diesel fueled power generation. The new partnership is designed to overcome the barriers to utility-scale renewable energy development by combining IREQ’s research and development activities with Inerjys’ vertically integrated investment model. "This partnership opens the way to foster more innovation into clean energy technologies for the benefits of Québec’s companies and the clients of Hydro-Québec," said Denis Faubert, General Manager of IREQ. 07/28/2012

Ontario's Atikokan Generating Station Converts from Coal to Biomass

The Ontario, Canada government has announced an agreement to convert the coal-fired Atikokan Generating Station to a 200 megawatt biomass fueled power generation facility. Ontario Power Generation's facility is the largest employer of the town of Atikokan, which lies about 50 miles north of the international border with Minnesota. The project is the first of its kind in the region; the agreement requires that all biomass feedstock be sourced from and processed in Ontario. The procurement will provide a new market for waste fiber and act as a catalyst for a larger biomass industry in Ontario. Wood pellets will be made primarily from unused and underutilized species, non-marketable wood, forest residue, and sawmill residue, a plan that is expected to create or support an additional 200 jobs. Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from biomass are about 90 per cent less than coal. The project is a key element of the McGuinty Government's plan to eliminate coal-fired plants by 2014. Minister of Energy Chris Bentley commented: "Our plan to transform our electricity system and ensure a sustainable clean energy program is working. Together we are building a clean energy system in Ontario that is spurring new investment, creating jobs and providing Ontarians with cleaner air, healthier communities and a brighter future." Since 2003, Ontario has brought more than 10,000 megawatts of new and refurbished clean energy online - enough to power both Ottawa and Toronto. 07/28/2012

JBI Receives NYSDEC Approval to Double Plastic2Oil Processing Rate

Canadian-based JBI, Inc. has announced that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has approved a modification to the company's Solid Waste Management Permit for operating its Plastic2Oil®, or "P2O" technology. The change allows the P2O processors at the Company’s Niagara Falls, New York (NY) facility to operate at a rate of up to 4,000 pounds of plastic feedstock per machine per hour, which is double the rate from the previously permitted level of 2,000 lbs. The facilities permit modification follows an expanded air permit received earlier this year. JBI's thermal waste conversion systems extract about one liter of diesel-equivalent fuel oil for every kilogram of waste plastic; the company has proven that continuous feeding of plastic at the higher rate optimizes the production output. The P2O process has undergone rigorous emissions testing and systems optimization over the past two years, successfully completing NY's stack tests late last year. The company has since secured an investment of $2.8 million in January, followed by an additional $10 million investment in May 2012. “I’m grateful to the NYSDEC for their continued support of the P2O technology,” stated Company Founder and Chief of Technology John Bordynuik. “This is a significant step in the evolution of the P2O technology and can support future permitting processes with our commercial deployment.” 07/28/2012

Due 08/15/2012: Proposals to WAPA for REC Sale and Transfer

The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking to purchase renewable energy credits (REC), on behalf of a number of federal agencies. WAPA is an electric power marketing administration within the US Department of Energy; WAPA's Sierra Nevada Region (SNR) is the contracting office for this RFP. Certain constraints regarding federal acquisition regulations do not apply to this RFP, and WAPA encourages small and minority-owned businesses and Native American Tribes to apply. Eligible Renewable Energy (RE) generation would be from solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, ocean (including tidal, wave, current, and thermal), geothermal, or municipal solid waste. New hydroelectric generation capacity achieved from increased efficiency or additions of new capacity at an existing hydroelectric project that is power physically delivered into the electric grid is also eligible. Qualifying RE facilities are further defined by Section 203 of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, Executive Order (EO) 13423 and the “Renewable Energy Requirement." Certain "Green-E" requirements may also apply. Western is requesting firm, fixed, per-MWh unit price offers for each FY for the transfer of RECs on behalf of any or all of the REC Requestors listed in the RFP for terms of each FY beginning FY 2012 through FY 2016. A "frequently asked question" (FAQ) page has been established; additional questions regarding the RFP should be emailed to SNR's Sandee Peebles, the REC Project Manager, at    by August 10, 2012. Offers for sale of RECs may be hard-copy mailed by August 15, 2012 at 4:30 PM PDT to WAPA's SNR office, 114 Parkshore Drive, Folsom, California 95630, or delivered by facsimile (faxed) to 916-985-1931, attention Sandee Peebles. Electronic submission (email, etc.) will NOT be accepted. 07/28/2012

KiOR's Blendstock 5 Receives EPA Renewable Gasoline Part 79 Registration

Texas based biofuel company KiOR has announced that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved federal registration of the company's Blendstock 5 Renewable Gasoline product under Title 40 of the Code of Federal regulations, Part 79 (40 CFR Part 79). The Part 79 registration is required before any producer of fuel or fuel additive can sell their product in the US. Gasoline, diesel fuel, and fuel additives must be registered prior to sale for use in highway motor vehicles. Fuel intended for use exclusively in off-road vehicles, engines, or equipment is not required to be registered. Under the registration program, manufacturers are required to analyze the combustion and evaporative emissions generated by their fuel and fuel additive products, survey existing scientific information for each product and, where adequate information is not available, conduct tests to screen for potential adverse health effects of these emissions. KiOR utilizes a multi-step technology platform of fast pyrolysis and catalysis called "Biomass Fluid Catalytic Cracking" that converts a wide variety of low-value biomass first into "renewable crude" bio-oil and synthetic gas (syngas), then separates and recovers the products while regenerating the catalyst. KiOR's completion and registration therefore signifies the successful completion of all testing and characterization of Blendstock 5, its drop-in "green gas" product generated by hydrotreating the bio-crude. Fred Cannon, KiOR's President and Chief Executive Officer: "With this registration, KiOR's breakthrough cellulosic gasoline will be fueling cars of American consumers this year, providing a truly renewable fuel option that uses only sustainable non-food feedstock, reduces greenhouse gases, creates American jobs, and reduces our dependence on imported oil." 07/27/2012

US DOE Webinars Scheduled on Biomass and Biofuels Development

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a series of free webinars, two of which address biomass and biofuels development. On August 8, 2012, a live webcast entitled Accelerating Innovation: Biomass will be held from 2 to 3 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) to highlight several biomass-focused National Laboratory technologies (see EERE's Energy Innovation Portal), with a question-and-answer session at the end of the presentation. The DOE is presenting the workshop in partnership with the Battelle Commercialization Council of Labs (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Brookhaven National Laboratory). On August 15, 2012 from 3 to 4 pm EDT, the DOE will present a live webcast titled Assessing Impacts of Regional Water Resource Use and Availability on Bioenergy Production. This webinar will provide an overview of water resources requirements and other environmental impacts attributable to wastewater from biofuels production, with case studies to highlight the water footprint of biofuels. It is intended for local, county and state water managers, working farmers and biofuel leaders, students and professionals in the fuel and energy sectors, and policymakers. Register on-line for the August 8th webinar on Accelerating Innovation: Biofuels and for the August 15th webinar on Assessing Impacts of Regional Water Resource Use and Availability on Bioenergy Production. 07/26/2012

Idaho National Lab Orders Two Algae Harvester Systems from OriginOil

Los Angeles Based OriginOil has announced receipt of two purchase orders from the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The orders are issued under the INL's Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with OriginOil for two test-scale units; the INL will purchase an Algae Appliance™ Model 4, which can continuously concentrate up to four liters of algae production per minute; and a Solids Out of Solution™ (SOS) Model 2K, which is capable of handling first-stage cleanup of up to 2,000 gallons of frac flowback water per day. Model 2K is the precursor to OriginOil's Model 60K, which processes 60,000 gallons of frac flowback water per day. A 300K model is now under development. INL's proposed testing program could lead to the integration of both systems into one Process Demonstration Unit for reference by industry and researchers. Earlier this month, OriginOil shipped the first production unit of its Algae Appliance™ Model 4 harvester to its joint venture Ennesys in Paris, France, for a test of urban energy generation using algae in the La Défense complex. Deborah T. Newby, molecular biologist at INL’s Biofuels and Renewable Energy Department: “We are anxious to test OriginOil’s new equipment in our algal dewatering research. The system appears to have the potential to significantly reduce the algal dewatering barrier, allowing us to dewater large quantities of algae for use in applications, including the production of formulated feedstocks blended from algal and terrestrial biomass. We also are interested in testing OriginOil’s system for processing frac flowback water. The boom in hydraulic fracturing is urgently forcing new practices in water conservation, and OriginOil’s system may be a key part of the answer.” 07/26/2012

300kW Liquid Waste to MagneGas Refinery To Be Installed in Mexico

Florida based MagneGas has announced that Clear Sky Energy S.A. de C.V. (CES) has agreed to purchase a 300 kilowatt (kW) liquid waste to fuel gas refinery system for installation in its facilities in Monterrey, Mexico at a cost of $2.7 million. CSE will have exclusive distribution rights for the MagneGas^TM fuel it produces within Mexico, and non-exclusive rights throughout the rest of Latin America. The initial contract calls for $865,000 on or before November 1, 2012, with an initial deposit of $100,000 to be paid on or before July 27, 2012 of which $20,000 has already been received. CSE, formed in 2010, focuses on the development and distribution of sustainable, green energy technologies in Mexico. MagneGas' patented Plasma Flow Arc^TM technology processes liquid wastes such as sewage effluent into a clean-burning, hydrogen-rich fuel gas primarily used for metal cutting operations; the fuel gas is a direct substitute for natural gas. MagneGas has been expanding its distribution consistently for the past two years, and is currently under assessment by GE for metal cutting operations. CSE, formed in 2010, focuses on the development and distribution of sustainable, green energy technologies in Mexico, helping the energy industry in Mexico better manage waste. "We are excited to work with MagneGas and look forward to distributing the company's superior metal cutting fuel throughout Mexico and Latin America," stated Manuel Juan Marcos Gonzalez, President of CSE. "We are impressed with the fuel's ability to cut metal effectively, quickly and in an environmentally-friendly way and look forward to working with the company to expand its international customer base." 07/26/2012

Viridor Signs Contract for Glasgow Recycling and Renewable Energy Centre

The United Kingdom's waste management giant Viridor announced signing a 25 year residual waste contract with the city council of Glasgow, Scotland. Viridor became the preferred bidder last month after a lengthy assessment period. The Glasgow City Residual Waste Treatment Services Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract will create a new Glasgow Recycling and Renewable Energy Centre at the Council’s own site in the south of the city. The new Centre will process 175,000 to 200,000 tonnes per annum of waste and be designed to achieve around 90% landfill diversion through recycling, anaerobic digestion and energy recovery by gasification, making a major contribution on behalf of the City of Glasgow towards Scotland’s ambitious Zero Waste Plan Viridor will apply for planning permits this summer and hopes to receive clearance to start development early in 2013. The project requires capital investment of approximately £160 million by Viridor and the plant will be built by Interserve as the EPC Contractor. Colin Drummond, Chief Executive of Viridor: “The Glasgow Renewable Energy and Recycling Centre will make a major contribution to Scotland’s ambitious Zero Waste Plan. It is a further important step in the roll out of Viridor’s service contract pipeline and represents a key part of Viridor’s growth strategy in Scotland. The new plants will have a combined gross electrical power generation capacity of 15MW and Viridor will work with its partner, Glasgow City Council, to maximize heat recovery opportunities. The plants are due to come on stream in early 2016. At that time, taking account of existing plants and those under construction plus the Glasgow Centre, Viridor expects to have around 1.8m tonnes of thermal treatment capacity and over 250MW of renewable energy capacity.” 07/26/2012

SynGest and MATHESON Partner for BioAmmonia and BioUrea Plants

MATHESON and SynGest Inc have announced that the two companies intend to enter into a strategic agreement in which MATHESON will exclusively supply 100% of the oxygen and nitrogen for SynGest’s worldwide BioAmmonia and BioUrea projects. SynGest's technology platform core is the HarvestGas™ pressurized oxygen-blown biomass gasifier, which converts biomass into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and optimized to minimize the formation of methane. The cleaned gas stream undergoes a water shift reaction to maximize hydrogen that is then purified and catalytically reacted with nitrogen to make anhydrous ammonia and a number of other fuel and chemical products. Waste heat is recovered to minimize external energy supplies. MATHESON provides industrial, medical, specialty, and electronic gases, gas handling equipment, high performance purification systems, engineering and gas management services, and on-site gas generation with a mission to deliver innovative solutions for global customer requirements. MATHESON is the largest subsidiary of the Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation Group, which is the largest Japanese supplier of industrial gases and one of the five largest suppliers of industrial, specialty, and electronics gases in the world. “The global mutual cooperation agreement between MATHESON and SynGest will accelerate the worldwide expansion of SynGest’s nitrogen fertilizer production capacity,” said Jack Oswald, CEO of SynGest Inc. “MATHESON’s decision to invest in and support our vision is a strong vote of confidence.” 07/25/2012

BioAmber and Evonik Partner for Sustainable Chemicals from Bio-Succinic Acid

Minnesota based bio-sourced chemical company BioAmber, Inc has announced a long-term partnership with the German firm Evonik Industries for the cooperative development and manufacture of catalysts. The catalysts will be used for making the bio-sourced foundation chemical 1,4 butanediol (BDO) and derivatives tetrahydrofuran (THF) and gamma butyrolactone (GBL). Used in large quantities world-wide, the industrial chemicals are the basis for manufacture of polymers, paints, adhesives, and solvents, and are typically produced from petroleum instead of biomass. BioAmber licensed the core hydrogenation catalytic technology from DuPont in 2010 specifically for production of BDO from a variety of renewable agricultural feedstocks. BioAmber operates a bio-succinic acid production facility in Pomacle, France with a 350,000 liter commercial scale fermenter. The company, together with Mitsui & Co., has broken ground in Sarnia, Canada on a 17,000 metric ton bio-succinic acid plant that will be operational in late 2013, with plans to expand capacity to 34,000 metric tons of succinic acid, and a 23,000 metric tons BDO plant in late 2014. BioAmber has plans to build additional succinic acid and BDO plants with Mitsui & Co. BioAmber is leveraging its capabilities and its succinic acid platform to develop a new product platform around C6 building blocks. The C6 platform offers potential routes to adipic acid, caprolactam and HMDA. Jean-Francois Huc, BioAmber CEO: “Through our collaboration with Evonik, we have secured the expertise and capabilities we need to rapidly bring competitive BDO and THF technology to market. We are fortunate to have a partner of Evonik’s caliber who can both optimize and manufacture our immediate catalyst needs and also develop with us a new generation of catalysts.” 07/25/2012

Nexterra Biomass Gasification Plant at ORNL Starts Full Commercial Operation

Canadian gasification firm Nexterra has announced that its biomass gasification system at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been tested and declared ready for full commercial operation. The fixed-bed updraft gasifier was selected by Johnson Controls for inclusion in its successful proposal responding to the DOE's Transformational Energy Action Management (TEAM) Initiative. The Nexterra system is a cornerstone of a $94 million Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) for Johnson Controls to undertake a wide range of building management and energy conservation measures at ORNL. The TEAM initiative aims to reduce energy waste and greenhouse gases at DOE facilities nationwide by 30 per cent and have those facilities acquire at least 7.5 per cent of all energy from renewable sources by 2015. The grand opening and dedication of the gasification plant follows extensive testing and third-party emissions assessment. Nexterra supplied the complete energy-from-renewable-waste system from fuel handling and storage through to the exhaust stack. The system converts low-cost waste biomass into a clean burning syngas to produce 60,000 lbs/hr of saturated steam, reducing fossil fuel consumption by 80 per cent. The system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 20,000 tonnes per year. "This project demonstrates that public institutions and private companies can partner to supply innovative clean-energy technologies on a large scale," said ORNL Site Office Manager Johnny Moore. "The biomass plant will also provide an opportunity for researchers to gather important data from a large-scale biomass process." 07/25/2012

Due 08/17/2012: Comments to CEC on Electric Program Investment Charge

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has posted notices of two two-day staff workshops to seek input from experts, stakeholders, and the general public on the first triennial investment plan for the Electric Program Investment Charge (Docket #12-EPIC-01). The workshops are scheduled for August 2nd and 3rd in Sacramento, and August 9th and 10th in Los Angeles. Remote attendance by WebEx is also available. The Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) designated the CEC and California's three investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) as administrators of various elements of the fund; the IOUs have been invited to present their preliminary plans during the workshops. The portion of the EPIC Program administered by the CEC will provide funding for applied research and development, technology demonstration and deployment, and market facilitation for clean energy technologies and approaches for the benefit of IOU ratepayers. The CPUC will open a formal Proceeding to consider plans developed by the four administrators, which should be submitted in September 2012. CEC staff will develop the First Triennial Investment Plan for Funds Administered by the California Energy Commission for the Electric Program Investment Charge Program from all comments, Commissioner guidance and staff research. The CEC seeks oral comment on funding priorities and initiatives during the workshops. Written comment may be submitted during the workshops, or to the Docket Unit by August 10, 2012 for the Sacramento workshop and August 17, 2012 for the Los Angeles workshop. 07/25/2012

DataONE Launches Database Portal for Earth Science Data Exploration

Data Observation for Network Earth (DataONE), has announced the launch of its database portal with release of the inaugural environmental data search engine interface ONEMercury. ONEMercury is a data query technology "capable of providing researchers access to globally distributed networked data from a single point of discovery." The increasing use of Life Cycle Analysis in the assessment of waste and biomass conversion pathways often emphasizes comparative data analysis, yet accessing such data without knowing source dataset locations presents a significant barrier. International data centers collect and organize an increasingly vast array of internet-accessible earth science and environmental data crucial to comparative research. The publicly accessible DataOne toolset provides a single universal portal through which many of the world's most important data centers may be accessed. Users can discover where key data sets reside, select data from multiple sources in cross-compatible formats and preserve the resulting work. The community-driven DataOne organization hosts User's Groups and training sessions by which all levels of stakeholders can both learn to use and to contribute to the overall knowledge base. DataOne is supported by a $20 million DataNet program (Grant #OCI-0830944) from the National Science Foundation. The Earth Data Analysis Center (EDAC) at the University of New Mexico is the cooperative partner with NSF under which DataOne was initially formed, leads the effort as one of the member organization and is “an enthusiastic contributing member of the growing DataONE network” says Karl Benedict, Center Director. “For nearly 50 years EDAC has focused delivering Earth science and other geospatial data and information to diverse end user communities. Participation in the DataONE network provides us with a great opportunity to extend the impact of our data holdings.” 07/24/2012

City of Palo Alto Seeks Interest in Proposed Organic Waste Conversion Facility

The City of Palo Alto, California (City) has released a survey requesting information from waste conversion companies for development of an Energy / Compost facility to utilize food waste, green waste and / or biosolids. The survey will be used by the City to develop a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) that is scheduled for release in February 2013. The RFP will seek firm technical and price proposals from interested companies to design, build and operate a plant either in the City or to export materials to a facility outside of the City. The City recently completed a comprehensive feasibility study comparing options to manage source separated organics (food scraps, yard trimmings and biosolids). The study found that constructing a facility in the City or exporting materials to an out of City facility can be equally competitive. On November 8, 2011, Palo Alto voters approved Measure "E, which undedicated 10 acres of Byxbee Park adjacent to the Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP) for a ten year period while an Energy/Compost Facility is considered for the site. For questions regarding the survey, please contact Alternative Resources, Inc (ARI): Jim Binder at  , Gretchen Karlson at  , or at (978) 371-2054. ARI is an independent consultant retained by the City to assist in the RFP process. The City asks that interested parties respond to the survey no later than Friday, August 17th, 2012. 07/24/2012

ARB Schedules Cap-and-Trade Technical Workshop on Emissions Leakage

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has released Notice of a technical workshop scheduled for July 30, 2012 to address emissions leakage research and a proposal to monitor for emissions leakage related to the Cap-and-Trade Program. The ARB passed Resolution 11-32 at its October 2011 Board Meeting, approving the "Adaptive Management Plan for the Cap-and-Trade Regulation" and directing staff to continue working with stakeholders on various elements of the program. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), which authorized the use of a market-based compliance mechanism such as a cap-and-trade program, required the ARB to minimize emissions leakage to the extent feasible. "Leakage" is defined as a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases within the State that is offset by an increase in emissions of greenhouse gases outside the State. At this workshop, staff and researchers will discuss planned ARB-sponsored research efforts to establish baselines from which to measure leakage, along with models upon which to simulate potential leakage. This process is complicated by recent passage of Senate Bill 1018, a "trailer bill" attached to California's budget package and signed by Governor Brown. Section 22 of the bill amends Title 2 of the Government Code to define "Greenhouse Gas Market-Based Compliance Mechanisms and Linkages to the State" which authorizes ARB's "linkage" with other states and countries, including the newly formed Western Climate Initiative, Inc (WCI), to implement the Health and Safety Code provisions of AB 32. Under this newly approved "linkage," the ARB has taken the position of a "voting member" of the WCI, but the law exempts this international corporation and its activities from Sections 11120 through 11132 of the Government Code, the long-standing Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act that ensures transparency and accountability in governmental affairs. It is difficult to understand how this promulgated language will help ensure the "transparency" of the Cap-and-Trade Program. Perhaps ARB staff can answer this conundrum at the up-coming workshop. 07/24/2012

Imtech Receives EUR 620MM Contract for Warsaw Sustainable Adventure Park

Netherlands based Imtech NV has signed a EUR 620 million contract for development of a sustainable theme park in Warsaw, Poland. The contract with LasPalms, for full development of the resort firm's Adventure World Warsaw, and includes complete project management, all technical solutions, and the entire civil construction, including management of subcontractors involved. Imtech was already involved in the first phase of the park realizing the technical infrastructure in several buildings and being responsible for several sustainability projects with a contract sum of EURO 60 million. The total contract amounts to 680 million euro, the largest Imtech order ever. Imtech is responsible for providing all technology solutions in all buildings, restaurants and shops: energy generation, energy distribution, electrical solutions, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, (fire) safety, security, ICT solutions, sanitary systems, and water and purification solutions. Imtech is also responsible for full system integration of the more than 25 attractions. Imtech is already working on the generation of heat using biogas originating from an adjacent water purification company, solar collectors, water-savings, and use of waste water ('grey' water) for the toilets In addition, the park's energy requirements will be generated almost entirely from a sustainable waste-to-energy power plant with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes a year; the waste from the park will be incinerated and transformed into sustainable energy. Official groundbreaking is to be celebrated this weekend, July 21, 2012. 07/20/2012

Clariant Opens Germany's Largest Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Straubing

Swiss chemicals company Clariant announced the inauguration today of its EUR 28 million cellulosic biomass to biofuel plant at the Bavarian BioCampus in Straubing. The facility will pilot usage and test the commercial feasibility of Clariant's patented sunliquid® technique, converting 4,500 tonnes of wheat straw into about 1,000 tonnes of ethanol annually. Clariant notes that Germany generates an estimated 22 million tonnes of wheat straw annually; the Sunliquid process could turn this residue into green gasoline to satisfy roughly 25% of Germany's gasoline requirements. The Straubing development broke ground a year ago to pilot the new integrated biofuels production pathway. The Sunliquid® process developed by Sud-Chemie (a Clariant Group member) integrates biomass pretreatment with "highly optimized raw material-specific biocatalysts" for enzymatic hydrolysis and regeneration. Hydrolysis is followed by precision fermentation; the pilot plant is also designed to showcase Sud-Chemie's purification stage allowing the plant's process energy to be derived almost entirely from the lignin extracted from the agricultural residuals. Bavarian economics minister Martin Zeil: “Here at Bavaria’s competence center for renewable raw materials, we don’t just have the raw material straw but above all also the necessary scientific backup in the form of both university and non-university research facilities. If we can make the breakthrough here using the sunliquid technology, it will create a raft of new options in terms of jobs and earnings potential in what is essentially a rural area. And from a global perspective, there’s no ‘food or fuel’ issue when plant waste is recycled.” 07/20/2012

Due 09/28/2012: Applications to Connecticut Clean Energy Fund for CHP Projects

The Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) announced release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking to assist in development of combined heat and power (CHP) projects. CHP technologies are eligible for either a grant, loan, or power purchase incentive under the RFP, Program Opportunity # CEFIA-CHP-001. This RFP is a financial support program for new renewable energy generating equipment at commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in Connecticut. Successful applicants will receive financial support to help fund the cost of CHP equipment for energy generating projects in the development phase that are not yet ready for construction. The level of support for individual awards is not a fixed amount based on size or cost; it will vary based on the specific technology, efficiency, and economics of the installation. The intent of the financial support is to enable project owners to achieve a reasonable “payback” during the life of the project, with a fair and reasonable return on investment, compared with purchasing the equivalent amount of power from the utility. The CEFIA was established in 2000 by Connecticut legislative mandate with the charge to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy supporting renewable energy sources and developments, and to stimulate the demand for renewable energy. The RFP is an element of CEFIA's Comprehensive Plan FY 2013-2015. Applications will be accepted until September 28, 2012, by 5:00 p.m. EST; questions regarding the RFP and the Authority's program should be addressed to Rick Ross, CEFIA Senior Manager Clean Energy Deployment, 860-563-0015 or e-mail:  . 07/20/2012

US Navy and California Celebrate Clean Energy for the Great Green Fleet

The California Energy Commission (CEC) joined state business leaders and the US Navy to celebrate Sacramento Navy Week today on the steps of the Capitol. The event showcased California's current clean energy projects at Naval installations that utilize biofuels, solar power, energy efficiency, and waste-to-energy advancements to meet the Navy's energy goals. Exhibits presented a number of California-based clean tech projects, including waste to advanced fuels. Companies included Biodiesel Industries' multi-technologic conversion of various wastes and residuals to power and advanced biofuels at the company's facilities within the Navy's National Environmental Technology Demonstration Site, Port Hueneme, Ventura County. The progressive effort received $1.8 million from the CEC last month. Sierra Energy also provided an explanation of its FastOx Pathfinder technology used in the SacPort project, also a recent CEC grantee. The event was in conjunction with the loading this week of 900,000 gallons of 50/50% mix of biodiesel and standard diesel to the USS Nimitz and another 250,000 gallons of the blend taken on by the USS Chaffee in preparation for the Navy's Great Green Fleet demonstration. The renewable fuels being tested included biodiesel produced by California-based Solazyme from renewable oils. The testing is part of the on-going Rim of the Pacific program, or RIMPAC 2012, touted as the world's largest international maritime exercise. “The Navy is once again prepared to lead the nation and the world in transforming how we power the Fleet,” said Rear Admiral Dixon R. Smith, commander, Navy Region Southwest. “It was the Navy that went from wind to coal in the 1800s and transformed again to oil in the early 1900s. And in the 1950s, the Navy pioneered nuclear power. Today, we are committed to reduce energy consumption – cutting our consumption in half by 2020 – utilizing alternative energy sources, and working with California companies to develop renewable energy sources.” For more information on Sacramento Navy Week, visit www.navyweek.org. 07/19/2012

California Starts Reallocation on Qualified Energy Conservation Bond Funding

The California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC) begins reallocation of Qualified Energy Conservation Bond (QECB) funding this week, where allocations have not been utilized. California was allocated $381 million, and according to the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) who acts as a qualified applicant to the CDLAC for QECBs, more than $22 million will be available for reallocation this year. Rural renewable energy projects, agricultural residual conversion, and waste heat recovery for provision of combined heating, cooling, and power (CCHP) are among the eligible project categories. The US internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued guidance this month on QECBs (§ 54D of the Internal Revenue Code), clarifying measurement of the required 20% energy reductions of energy consumption in publicly-owned, and “green community programs.” The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) increased the national bond volume cap from $800 million to $3.2 billion and amended the “green community programs” provisions, among other changes. Eligible 20% reductions in energy consumption would include capital projects for one or more publicly owned building, improving efficiency of heating, cooling and power (CCHP), ventilation, lighting and building envelope. Eligible "green community programs" broadly promote one or more of the purposes of energy conservation, energy efficiency, or environmental conservation initiatives relating to energy consumption. For general questions regarding QECBs contact the CDLAC at (916) 653-3255; for questions regarding the CAEATFA’s role as a qualified applicant or issuer of QECBs contact Heather Williams at (916) 651-5101. 07/19/2012

University of Wisconsin Researchers Receive Biofuels Patent

The University of Wisconsin (UW), Stevens Point campus has announced that researchers at the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST) have been granted a patent using an aqueous solvent to separate biomass into pure fractions of lignin and cellulose. The process makes biofuels and other products from cellulosic plant material, including agricultural residues such as corn stover or plants grown specifically for fuel production. The process is also a key step in making other high-value bioproducts. From the patent for "Lignin-solvent fuel and method and apparatus for making same" (USPTO US 8,211,189 B2): "The method of manufacturing bio-products comprising the steps of: a) extracting lignin from fibrous plant material using a lignin solvent; b) combining a mixture of the lignin solvent and lignin to provide a first bio-product in the form of a fuel; and c) combining the lignin solvent and lignin with a biodiesel to provide a biodiesel fuel with improved energy density and gelling temperatures." Eric Singsaas, an associate professor of biology at UW-Stevens Point is co-inventor of the process with Don Guay, associate professor of paper science and engineering: “This gives us an economically viable way to use grass, trees or wood waste to make renewable fuels and chemicals. We designed this specifically so you could do this by minimally modifying paper mill infrastructure. We’ve done this process in the lab. We’ve done it at a small pilot scale. The next step is to seek partners to develop this into a demonstration-scale plant." WIST is working with the UW’s WiSys Technology Foundation to license the intellectual property; WiSys has helped the UW campus create ten start-up businesses in the last five years. 07/19/2012

MVV Energie AG Secures EUR 200 Million for UK Energy from Waste Plant

Germany based MVV Energie AG has announced that the KfW IPEX-Bank and the Swedish Svenska Handelsbanken will provide financing of approximately EUR 200 million for construction of an energy-from-waste (EfW) facility in Plymouth, Southeast England, United Kingdom. The project is a public-private partnership between MVV Energie's subsidiary MVV Umwelt GmbH and the South West Devon Waste Partnership (SWDWP), which brings together three regional waste management authorities specifically for this effort. MVV Umwelt's operating contract to plan, construct, and operate the facility is for a term of 25 years. Subsystems for the facility include energy and building technologies from the firm Imtech, Baumgarte Boilers, Stuttgarter LAB flue gas cleaning systems and SAR electronics for process controls. The facility has the technical nominal capacity to convert 265,000 tonnes of waste into energy per year; MVV Umwelt will supply the generated electricity and heat primarily to a British naval base located in Plymouth. Funding comes from a consortium of financial interests including the Swedish bank Svenska Handelsbanken, and the German establishment KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH structured as a purpose-tied and unsecured corporate loan to MVV Energie AG. The European Investment Bank (EIB) also plans to provide MVV Energie AG with a long-term investment loan for the project. "In order for the United Kingdom to achieve the long-term EU environmental goals, it is vital to make more investments in the waste management and recycling sector - a market with great potential for specialised German firms, which we support as a bank through our international business. For MVV Energie AG and the SME suppliers the project serves as an important reference point for further activities," said Markus Scheer, member of the Management Board of KfW IPEX-Bank. 07/18/2012

DOE Launches Energy Technology Cost and Performance Database

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the addition of a new public database providing cost and performance estimates for electric generation, advanced vehicles and renewable fuel technologies. The Transparent Cost Database (TCDB) provides technology cost estimates for companies, utilities, policy makers, consumers, and academics, and can be used to benchmark company costs, model energy scenarios, and inform research and development decisions. The many-layered tool is the latest program of datasets and research findings in the DOE's Open Energy Information (Open EI) platform; a DOE presentation released in March 2012 helps users become acquainted with the overall resource. The engineering-based metrics and estimates in the TCDB have been developed by the DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as part of an on-going technology road-mapping process. Cost data are sourced from published studies and DOE budget and planning documents, and is intended soon to begin incorporation of detail from outside experts. "The Transparent Cost Database collects program cost and performance estimates for EERE technologies in a public forum where they can be viewed and compared to other published estimates. The database includes literature on technology cost and performance estimates (both current and future projections) for vehicles, biofuels, and electricity generation. All data are downloadable for full transparency." Registration and engagement are encouraged; comments should be mailed to  . 07/18/2012

Dyadic Demonstrates Performance of New Biofuels Enzyme

Florida-based Dyadic International has unveiled its latest biofuels enzyme advancement, AlternaFuel® CMAX3™. This next generation product enables the production of cellulosic biofuels and bio-based chemicals from a wide range of renewable non-food feedstocks under broad operating conditions. Dyadic is focused on the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of enzyme and protein products and solutions for the bioenergy, industrial enzyme and biopharmaceutical industries. AlternaFuel® CMAX3™ is the latest generation of a cellulase and hemicellulase complex based on Dyadic’s C1 platform technology which enables efficient conversion of multiple forms of non-food biomass into fermentable sugars at broad pH and temperature ranges that can be used to produce biofuels, bio-based chemicals, biogas and other bio-based products. Dyadic’s President and CEO, Mark Emalfarb, stated “The data supporting this product clearly demonstrates Dyadic’s scientific capabilities to leverage our C1 technology platform to create enzyme mixtures whose performance rivals the leading biofuels enzyme product on the market. This is largely due to the inherent robustness and versatility of the C1 genome and expression system, both of which have considerable untapped potential. The results obtained with AlternaFuel® CMAX3™ are not only relevant for the production of biofuels but also for bio-based chemicals and biogas. Dyadic and its licensees are continuing to develop better performing enzymes to further reduce the total cost of producing advanced biofuels and other bio-based products.” 07/18/2012

European Commission Launches Bio-Based Industries Consultation

The European Commission initiated a new public consultation last week called, "Bio-based industries: Towards a Public-Private Partnership under Horizon 2020." The new program is intended to provide opportunities for input from all stakeholders in the European bio-based industry value chain, including representatives of public authorities, farmers and foresters, businesses and associations, academics and technical experts, civil society organizations and individual citizens, in particular with regard to aspects related to research and innovation. Questionnaires are accessible on-line, tailored to citizens, organizations and public authorities. Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe's global competitiveness. Running from 2014 to 2020 with a proposed €80 billion budget, the European Union’s new program for research and innovation is part of the drive to create new growth and jobs in Europe. An introductory paper is also available; stakeholders are encouraged to read the material prior to responding in the questionnaires. The paper addresses both new and established bio-based industries. New bio-based industries are those that transform bio-based resources (including residues from agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and the utilization of bio-waste) in biorefineries into new types of industrial products other than foods (including e.g. biofuels, bio-based plastics, chemical building blocks, high-value ingredients for pharma or cosmetics). Established bio-based industries are industries with a long tradition of processing bio-based resources such as for example the pulp and paper industry, the starch and the food industry. Comments may be addressed to the European Commission, Directorate General for Research & Innovation, Unit E2 (Biotechnologies), at  . 07/18/2012

ESA Releases Best Management Practices for Landfill Gas Capture and Use

The Environmental Services Association (ESA), trade association for the United Kingdom's (UK) waste and secondary resources management services, has announced a new code of practice designed to increase renewable electricity production from landfill gas at landfills. The Landfill Gas: Industry Code of Practice (ICOP) is the result of a broadly collaborative effort between the UK government's Environmental Agency, the waste management industry, and various experts. The ICOP provides best practice advice and standards for operators and regulators involved in the collection and use of landfill gas. The announcement notes that in 2010, landfill gas comprised around 20 per cent of all the green electricity produced in the UK that year, an increase over prior years despite the decline in landfilling of waste, largely due to improved techniques for the capture and efficient use of landfill gas. The ESA’s Director of Policy, Matthew Farrow: “The ICOP will enable continued effective management of landfill gas, with associated environmental benefits. It is a result of effective joint working, and we particularly welcomed the involvement of the UK’s environmental regulators in its development. Publishing this ICOP is one example of how we are demonstrating our commitments in the Waste and Resource Sector Responsibility Deal: to maximize recovery of landfill gas, and to adopt practices that reduce nuisance and impact on local communities.” 07/17/2012

General Motors Tests MagneGas Waste-Sourced Metal-Working Fuel

Florida-based MagneGas has announced that General Motors (GM) is testing the company's metal-working fuel at GM's Grand Blanc Weld & Tool Center in Flint, Michigan. MagneGas will ship its fuel cylinders from its production facility in Michigan. The Company's patented Plasma Arc Flow™ process gasifies liquid waste, creating a clean burning hydrogen based fuel that is essentially interchangeable with natural gas. MagneGas™ can be used for metal working, cooking, heating, powering flex fuel automobiles, and more. MagneGas exhaust has been certified by an automotive laboratory accredited with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to surpass all EPA requirements without a catalytic converter, and is the only fuel that produces oxygen when it burns, making it dramatically cleaner than gasoline, diesel, and natural gas. MagneGas is composed of hydrogen (55-65%), carbon monoxide (30-35%), carbon dioxide (1-2%), water vapor (2%), and trace gases (0.5-1%). GM tested MagneGas fuel, assessing its environmental, health, and safety impacts. It found it cut cleaner, faster, and is more cost-effective than acetylene. "We are always in pursuit of technologies that enhance quality and efficiency while also performing well on a holistic business case," said John Bradburn, manager of waste-reduction efforts at GM. "In its current state, this technology does just that. We're working closely with MagneGas to discuss possible future applications with potential to reduce our environmental impact." 07/17/2012

Codexis Restarts Enzyme Biocatalyst Negotiations with Royal Shell

Codexis now announced entering a 45 day Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with Royal Dutch Shell that could grant Codexis world-wide licensing and sales rights in the biofuels field. At present, Codexis is constrained in its commercialization of cellulosic enzyme biocatalysts under terms of a prior Collaborative Research Agreement that require all sales to be through Shell and its affiliates. Codexis now seeks rights to sell its cellulase enzymes to third parties on a worldwide basis, except Brazil. In June 2011, Shell transferred 5.6 million of its common stock shares in Codexis to Raizen, its Brazilian joint venture with Cosan. Codexis has retained exclusive rights to commercialize its cellulase enzyme technology in all other fields. The new agreement would also change other aspects of the existing Collaborative Agreement, allowing Shell to reduce its dedicated employment resources with only a one-day notice, rather than the prior 90-day notice requirement. The Redwood City, California based Codexis develops cost-effective processes to benefit biofuels and biochemicals production, including its CodeXyme cellulase enzyme product line of inexpensive biocatalysts for producing sugars from biomass, and its CodeXol™ bio-sourced Detergent Alcohol platform, resulting from its collaboration with Chemtex last year. “Currently, Codexis’ cellulase enzyme technology can only be commercialized in the advanced biofuels field through Shell and its affiliates. If we finalize a new agreement with Shell as we currently anticipate, the rest of the world’s second generation biofuels producers will now also be available as target customers for our cost effective cellulase enzyme technology,” said John Nicols, Codexis’ President and Chief Executive Officer. 07/17/2012

USFS Forest Products Lab Opens NanoCellulose Pilot Plant

The US Forest Service's (USFS) Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison, Wisconsin is celebrating the Grand Opening of its $1.7 million NanoCellulose Pilot Plant on July 25, 2012. The facility for production of renewable, forest-sourced nanomaterials will support an emerging market for wood-derived renewable materials that will create jobs and contribute an estimated $600 billion to the economy by 2020. Commercialization of wood-derived nanomaterials has attracted the attention of both industry and the military due to unique characteristics of high strength and low weight, opening potential uses in defense development of lightweight armor and ballistic glass and industrial composites for automotive, aerospace, consumer products and medical devices. The FPL’s new facility will aid in the commercialization of these materials by providing researchers and early adopters of the technology with working quantities of forest-based nanomaterials. FPL Materials Research Engineer Robert Moon has been engaged in a joint research effort with Purdue University addressing cellulose nanoparticles and the composites that can be made from them; the team published a critical assessment in July of last year in the journal, Chemical Society Reviews. 07/17/2012

Protabit Awarded NSF SBIR Phase I for Cellulase Enzyme Development

 Protabit LLC, a Pasadena spin-off from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), has announced its selection by the National Science Foundation (NSF)  for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant of about $150,000. The funds will help Protabit continue its Computational Protein Design (CDP) efforts toward engineering a more thermally stabile cellulase enzyme for pre-treating non-food lignocellulosic feedstock prior to fermentation. The work currently focuses on use of corn stover, to be extended by Protabit in collaboration with Caltech to breakdown of switchgrass and other biomass feedstocks. Protabit is developing an advanced CDP platform and coupling this with high-throughput rate enzyme screening to rapidly identify and select for more cost effective lignocellulosic enzymes. Protabit is the developer of Triad, a computational protein design software platform that is used to generate new enzymes for experimental evaluation. Triad is the product of research by thought leaders in the field including Professor Stephen Mayo, chair of the Division of Biology at Caltech and a co-founder of the company. Dr. Barry Olafson, CEO and Co-Founder said, “We are pleased to receive this grant from the NSF, which will enable Protabit to accelerate its development of novel cellulases for second generation biofuels. Triad’s computational capabilities will provide a rich source of high-performance enzyme sequences for evaluation and testing. Our research seeks to help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil without impacting the global food supply.” 07/16/2012

Soma Selects GE Waukesha Engines for Cambodian Rice Hull to Energy Project

GE has announced that the Cambodian industrial leader Soma Group Co, Ltd has selected GE's Waukesha VHP Series gas engine systems for a new biomass to energy project using rice hulls as feedstock. Located in the country’s rural rice milling region of Kamphong Cham, the SOMA Group’s Hak Se mill biomass gasification project is the first to be implemented after GE and the Cambodian government signed a 2011 alternative energy development agreement. The project creates a model for similar agricultural biomass waste-to-energy development opportunities in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, where abundance of biomass resources and focus on rural electrification present an estimated 1 gigawatt “biogas segment.” Supplies of the biomass feedstock are expected to remain strong: the Cambodian government has established a goal to export 1 million tons of rice in 2013 that will create about 400,000 tons of concentrated rice husks. The project is Cambodia’s first integrated biomass gasification-gas engine solution designed to supply renewable electricity to the local grid in support of the country’s rural electrification goals. “Our new facility is expected to serve as an important model for the region’s rice-milling industry and other agricultural sectors by showing how they can recycle more of their biomass, generate renewable electricity and make their mills more competitive by reducing their on-site energy and waste disposal expenses,” said Sok Puthyvut, SOMA Group CEO. 07/16/2012

CalRecycle Schedules Workshop on SWF Permit 5-Year Review Process

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has announced that staff will conduct a half-day workshop on the five year review process for solid waste facility (SWF) permits on July 24, 2012. Assembly Bill (AB) 341 significantly altered the process that has been in place since 1989 with the passage of the Integrated Waste Management Act. Teru Talk's detailed AB 341 Legislative Analysis considers each change with accompanying potential impacts. In particular, the new law shifts the scheduling for each jurisdiction's Non-Disposal Facility Element (NDFE) within the Source Reduction and Recycling Element, now requiring updates to CalRecycle within 30 days of any proposed facility changes. Updates are in addition to inclusion data within the 5-year review, but the jurisdiction does not need state or task force approval for certification as each update is submitted, nor are the updates subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Without altering the intent or mandate of solid waste management of the IWMA, the new law increases data management provisions and requires that a jurisdiction's SRRE of its Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP) be continually updated with respect to "existing, existing, expanded, and proposed" NDFs as the information regarding those facilities becomes available to the jurisdiction. The July 24, 2012 workshop will be conducted between 9:00 a.m. and noon in Cal/EPA Headquarters, 1001 I St., Sacramento, Room 550, also available by webinar. Contact Susan Markie,   for more information. 07/15/2012. Update: The Workshop Agenda has now been posted; the focus will not be on AB 341's changes to the reporting process: "The goal of this focused workshop is to address issues of concern raised by LEAs relating to the Five-Year Permit Review Report (PRR) process. This workshop will present an overview of the PRR process with a discussion of issues and options. Participants will receive direction regarding the current PRR process with the Department's interpretation and an interactive discussion of issues."  07/17/2012

CARB Posts Low Carbon Fuel Standard Guidance for Mixed Feedstock Biodiesel

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has posted a new Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) guidance document as an Internal Fuels Pathway for producers of mixed feedstock biodiesel. Producers and regulated parties may use the guidance found in "Mixed-Feedstock Biodiesel Guidance, Low Carbon Fuel Standard, July 13, 2012" to determine and report the carbon intensities of mixed-feedstock biodiesel. The new guidance has been developed as part of the 2012 Question and Answer language that will replace the existing June 2011 LCFS Q&A language. The new guidance has been developed in response to the industry's increasing use of multiple types of feedstock oil as a hedge against fluctuations in marketplace availability of any one type. At present, nine pathways are described for single-type feedstock, both used and virgin; the mixed-feedstock pathway policy document provides guidance only where a producer can maintain the relationship between a specific feedstock type and the volume of biodiesel generated, normally requiring a batch production system; continuous production systems unable to associate specific feedstock to a volume of biofuel may not use the methods described. The LCFS, a regulation to reduce the carbon intensity of fuels sold in California ten percent by 2020, is one of the measures adopted by the CARB, pursuant to Health and Safety Code Sections 38500 38599 (AB 32) to reduce greenhouse gases in California.  It is designed to help clean the air, protect the environment, and drive the development of clean, low-carbon fuels to improve California's energy security and energy independence. For questions, contact Wes Ingram, Manager, Fuels Evaluation Section,  , or at (916) 322-3984. 07/15/2012

ETW Dry PSA Biogas Treatment Trials Successful in Upgrade Integration

The German biogas treatment specialists ETW Energietechnik GmbH have announced a successful six-month testing period for the upgrade installation at the existing Laupheim, Germany biogas plant, first commissioned in 2008. The announcement points to selection of ETW in recognition of its leadership in combined heat and power (CHP) systems integration where upgrades are needed to improve efficiency on existing plants to meet increasing demand. ETW's raw biogas processing utilizes desulfurization followed by pressure swing adsorption (PSA), with dewatering as part of the PSA. The resulting processed biogas is maintained at a 98% purity level ready for injection into the national gas grid, compensating for variability in methane content of the ray biogas entering ETW's processing system. The remaining 2% methane passes through an afterburner, with heat returned to the digestion reactor. Compression heat is also recovered, for a total heat return of 140 kilowatts thermal (kW) at 80º Celsius, slightly more than the nominal 130 kW system demand load. ETW's alternating-PSA dry biogas process can provide a cost-effective short-cycle, small footprint module as an alternative source of on-site energy, offering high purity to-specification biogas with less than 0.5% carbon dioxide and no methane emissions. ETW's references include biogas, landfill gas and mine gas purification installations from 10 kW to over 2 megawatts of CHP. 07/15/2012

OriginOil Ships First Algae Harvester to Ennesys for French Urban Algae Trials

Los Angeles based OriginOil has announced shipment of its first modular algal harvesting system, its basic Model 4, to its development partner Ennesys for urban algae production trials in France. In 2010, OriginOil partnered with United Kingdom based technology incubator company PJC to launch the joint venture Ennesys in the French urban algal marketplace. The new company was developed to test the suitability of algae production for helping large commercial buildings achieve a positive energy balance and natural water management as envisioned by France’s RT 2020 sustainable energy framework. Buildings are Europe’s greatest source of energy demand, consuming 40 percent of all electricity throughout the continent. France has taken the ambitious step of mandating that by 2020, all new buildings must qualify as Positive Energy Buildings (BEPOS), requiring them to cleanly generate more energy than they consume, and to purify their wastewater. Ennesys and its partners see this as a major market opportunity for algae. In addition to being a source of clean energy and water management, algae absorbs large amounts of CO2, creating a carbon-neutral fuel that can eliminate equivalent amounts of emissions from fossil fuels. “We’ve seen internal test results that indicate this harvester can remove up to 99.9 percent of water in a single pass,” said Pierre Tauzinat, CEO of Ennesys. “That is a disruptive technology that we can’t wait to put to work into our urban algae demonstrator.” 07/14/2012

Gevo and Beta Renewables Sign Cellulosic Isobutanol Development Agreement

Colorado based Gevo Inc. has announced an agreement with Beta Renewables to integrate the company's two technology platforms for production of cellulosic isobutanol. Beta Renewables is a $350 million (€250M) joint venture formed from the Chemtex division of Gruppo Mossi & Ghisolfi and TPG. Beta Renewables has invested over $200 million (€140M) in the development of the PROESA™ process, an integrated pre-processing of biomass using hydrothermal treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis to produce sugar now proven in M&G Grupo's Rivalta, Italy research and development facility. Through its proprietary GIFT® catalysis technologies that facilitate fermentation of all sugars including mixed sugars from cellulose, Gevo can turn Beta Renewable's sugars into butanol, with integrated production of animal feed and other side products. Gevo's biobutanol that can be blended directly into gasoline without the need to modify standard engines and be used to make renewable hydrocarbons ("green gasoline"), diesel, and jet fuel, chemical intermediates and biobased plastics. Gevo has reached startup production of isobutanol at its Luverne, Minnesota facility and expects to remain in testing mode for the rest of 2012. Beta Renewables is currently building the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Crescentino, Italy, expected to start operations by the end of 2012. 07/14/2012

Swedish Anaerobic Digestion Plant Ships First Tankers of Liquefied BioGas

Göteborg Energi has announced shipment of its first tankers of liquefied biogas to Gothenburg to be distributed in one of Fordonsgas Sweden AB's filling stations for fueling heavy vehicles. The Lidköping facility converts food industry residues to biomethane and fertilizer; Air Liquide's biogas liquefaction technology then cleans and compresses the biogas to a liquid fuel for heavy duty vehicles, busses and cars. Lidköping Biogas AB, a cooperative venture between several parties, is the company that runs the biogas liquefaction plant and is owned by Göteborg Energi AB and the Municipality of Lidköping. Swedish Biogas International Lidköping AB owns and operates the biogas production plant. ”Thanks to Air Liquide’s biogas liquefaction technology, we have proved it possible to transform waste to a very clean and eco-adapted fuel for heavy vehicles”, says project leader Claes Sommansson at Göteborg Energi. Just last month, Göteborg Energi provided an update on the construction of the GoBiGas biomass gasification project in Gothenburg. The utility is the fourth largest energy company in Sweden and leads the field in western Sweden, providing district heating, Ready Heat, energy services, gas, cooling, data and telecommunications and electricity supply network. Göteborg Energi is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Göteborgs Kommunala Förvaltnings AB. 07/14/2012

BDI BioEnergy to Build Largest Waste to Biodiesel Plant in France

The Austrian firm BDI BioEnergy International AG has received a EUR 16.4 million contract for construction of a multi-feedstock biodiesel facility in the port of Le Havre, France. Feedstock is to be exclusively waste-sourced, using locally collected used cooking oil and animal fats that are not approved for human consumption; most biodiesel in France has been produced from virgin rapeseed. Once fully operational, the multi-feedstock plant will be the largest biodiesel production facility in France with a production capacity of 75,000 tonnes of biofuel annually. Sarnia Industries' subsidiary EcoMotion, partnered with the French grocery chain Intermarché will source feedstock regionally and market the biodiesel product through the grocery's network of filling stations. BDI has built biodiesel and biogas plants for Saria Group's EcoMotion Germany company in Lünen and Malchin, and the French office of BDI has developed anaerobic digestion plants for production of biomethane. EcoMotion France can enjoy an additional benefit with this commission, because biodiesel made from waste materials counts double for French renewable energy targets.  “We are delighted to have succeeded in convincing our longstanding customer Saria about our know-how and skills again in this project. Our new commission demonstrates that there continues to be potential for new plants in the biodiesel sector. We do, however, think that there is a definite emphasis on plants that are able to process waste materials and thus help to promote environmental protection on a sustained basis. As the market and technology leader for multi-feedstock biodiesel plants, BDI is excellently equipped to satisfy these requirements”, says Edgar Ahn, Chief Sales Officer at BDI. 07/13/2012

Welsh Government Releases Waste and Resource Management Plan

The Welsh Government has announced development and publication of a country-wide plan for Collections, Infrastructure and Markets Sector (CIMS) to improve the recycled materials supply chain provision of recyclates to reprocessors and high-quality waste-sourced raw materials to manufactures that use recycled materials. The CIMS Plan covers the collection and management of all waste material in Wales. The plan makes recommendations and offers advice to local authorities on delivering the most effective, efficient and sustainable collection systems for recycling. The governmental effort is in close collaboration with efforts of the United Kingdom's Resource Association (RA) to extend its industrial representation and best management practices into Wales. Last month, RA launched a controversial kingdom-wide effort to improve the transparency of the recycling industry by encouraging voluntary disclosure of end-of-path reprocessing destinations. Welsh Environmental Minister John Griffiths: “The vision of the Resource Association is one that the Welsh Government shares. We too want a resource-efficient material economy that realises value, recognises quality and seeks to maintain the integrity of the secondary materials that are too commonly treated as waste. The Association shows forward thinking with its vision and mission statement, which are closely aligned with the aims and objectives of Towards Zero Waste strategy.” 07/13/2012

French Company Global Bioenergies Opens First US Branch in Ames, Iowa

French biochemicals and biofuels company Global Bioenergies has announced the opening of a branch office in Ames Iowa, expanding its commercialization from Europe to North America. The company received a crucial influx of funds in June of last year: a successful if small initial public offering (IPO) was followed closely by receipt of €475K funding from the French innovation agency OSEO to start the industrialization of the company’s biomass fermentation, volatilization and gas-phase recovery process to convert renewable resources into isobutene. Gaseous isobutene can then be converted into fuels (gasoline, jet-fuel, Diesel) as well as into various polymers (tires, organic glass, various plastics). In July 2011, the company partnered with Polish rubber manufacturer Synthos S.A for research, development and commercialization of renewable sourced butadiene. The new operation will focus on Global Bioenergies’ program for bioconversion of renewable resources into isobutene and other light olefins, such as propylene, ethylene, linear butylenes, butadiene.. Dr. David Gogerty, a specialist in industrial biology, will head the new US branch. David Gogerty says: “I am excited that a publicly traded global company has recognized the value of the Iowa Corn Belt in its drive to produce biofuels and other valuable hydrocarbons from renewable resources.” 07/12/2012

SCS Adds Landfills, Livestock, Ozone Depleting to GHG Offset Verifications

California based Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) has announced an expansion of its carbon offset verification program to include landfills, livestock, and ozone-depleting substances. SCS has provided third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for over 25 years. SCS recently became the first US company to be approved for certification sustainability under the terms of the European program developed and managed by the ISCC Systems GmbH organization. ISCC certification qualifies biofuels sold into the European Union for recognition under the Renewable Energy Directive (EU RED), which sets targets and minimum sustainability requirements for biofuel use throughout the EU. The additional verification services are in response to increased demand created by the launch of California's Cap and Trade program. Any type of biomass-based fuel is eligible for ISCC certification. An ISCC chain-of-custody certification provides biofuel depots, traders, and retailers with a recognized system for documenting the handling of responsible biomass and biofuel production from the field to the end consumer.  ISCC recognizes all EU RED-approved biofuel certifications, which provides increased flexibility for biofuel blenders and traders who source from multiple suppliers. To earn certification, a biofuel must have a reduced carbon footprint as compared to the conventional fossil fuel it replaces. Biomass and biofuel production must also meet minimum social, environmental and traceability criteria. The ISCC standard prohibits the harvest of biomass from highly biodiverse or carbon-rich areas and requires adherence to international fair labor practices. "We are excited to begin certifying biofuel producers, processors and suppliers under the rapidly growing ISCC system," said Stan Rhodes, President of SCS. 07/12/2012

Xergi Begins Quality Assurance Testing on New French Biogas CHP Plant

The Danish anaerobic digestion specialist Xergi has begun quality assurance testing as part of commissioning of its two-stage biogas plant installed for French fertilizer company META-BIO Energies in Bel-Air de Combrée in western France. META-BIO Energies selected Xergi's French office in June 2011 to furnish the new anaerobic digestion facility, which is designed to convert multiple types of waste biomass and provide combined heat and power (CHP) and sterilized fibrous residue. Xergi will supply multi-feedstock receiving stations, NiX® nitrogen extraction / ammonia sequestration, homogenization, and pasteurization pre-treatment systems, anaerobic digesters, and biomethane to heat and power generation. The facility will convert food waste including animal fats, along with both solid and liquid biomass from agricultural and municipal wastes. The plant will be designed for an annual process capacity of 23,000 tons of biomass to produce about 1 megawatt of electricity. To ensure optimal startup efficiency, Xergi is developing a feedstock supply program at the company's Foulum, Denmark research facility. Start-up should occur later this month, with full CHP operations in August. Guillaume Loir from Xergi's French subsidiary: "Although the META-BIO Energies plant is not yet in operation, it has given us the opportunity to show the French market that our approach to building biogas plants is very professional. We have shown that we are able to complete an efficient construction process with our French partners and that our plant is in perfect compliance with French legislation." 07/12/2012

Aemetis Acquires Cilion, Inc and Its California Ethanol Plant

California based Aemetis Inc, has announced acquisition of Cilion, Inc. and its ethanol plant in Keyes, California, culminating a long and successful working relationship. In December 2009, AE Biofuels, now Aemetis, entered into a Project and Lease Agreement with Cilion, owner of an ethanol plant located in Keyes with an annual nameplate capacity of 55 million gallons per year (the “Keyes Plant”). AE Biofuels agreed to complete a repair and retrofit program, and operate the Keyes plant for up to three years. In April 2011, AE Biofuels received $1.88 million for the retrofit from the California Energy Commission and restarted the plant the following month. In July 2011, acquired Zymetis, Inc together with control of the firm's patented "Z-Microbe" for production of cellulose hydrolyzing enzymes. The company changed its name from AE Biofuels, Inc to Aemetis, Inc  in November 2011. The company is working toward low-cost high volume cellulosic ethanol production, based on its patent pending ambient temperature starch hydrolysis (ATSH) enzymatic process. In conjunction with the acquisition, Third Eye Capital, Aemetis’ existing senior lender, provided a $15 million term loan and an $18 million working capital financing facility to assist Aemetis in the acquisition and to provide ongoing working capital. “The acquisition of the Keyes plant accelerates our plan to expand this world-class ethanol production facility into a next-generation biorefinery capable of producing advanced renewable fuels and biochemicals,” said Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis. 07/11/2012

USCHPA Offers Free Webinar on New Ohio Alternative Fuels and CHP Law

Ohio Governor John Kasich signed Senate Bill 315 into law on June 11, 2012, establishing new support programs and development opportunities for waste energy recovery (WER), cogeneration (combined heat and power, or CHP), and advanced biofuels. The new law creates the Office of Energy Services, energy efficiency mandates, and an alternative fuel transportation fund. The United States Clean Heat and Power Association (USCHPA) has released a brief review of the new law's support for WER technologies that can qualify as a renewable resource under the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). The review notes that both CHP and WER will soon be able to qualify as an efficiency measure under the state's Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS). The USCHPA has scheduled a webinar for July 18, 2012 to provide an overview of what policy changes were ultimately enacted in the legislation, what to expect in terms of implementation of the changes and how other states have approached implementing similar policies. Trish Demeter, Director of the Clean Energy Campaigns of the Ohio Environmental Council will lead off with an overview; Jon Williams of American Electric Power of Ohio will address the incorporation of CHP and WER into utility efficiency programs.  Dwayne Breger, Director, Renewable and Alternative Energy Development & John Ballam, P.E. Mechanical, Manager of Engineering and CHP Program, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) will follow with the Massachusetts model for calculating energy savings when implementing CHP and WER. The hour and a half webinar will close with a Q&A session. The USCHPA’s mission is to increase deployment of combined heat and power systems in the US in the industrial, commercial/institutional and residential sectors. 07/11/2012

AliphaJet Ready to Commercialize, Joins Advanced Biofuels Association

San Francisco based AliphaJet, Inc, a joint venture between SynGest Inc and Unitel Technologies, Inc, is ready to commercialize, and has joined the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA). “The ABFA is the premier industry advocacy organization for companies ready to commercialize the next generation of advanced biofuels”, said Jack Oswald, CEO of AliphaJet. “As we begin the commercial scale-up phase we chose to join the most effective organization representing our industry’s interests and working to make sure we have a sound national energy policy that includes advanced biofuels”.  The company is seeking $4 to $5 million to build and operate a demonstration scale facility with capacity of 500,000 gallons per year, and is scheduled to be completed and operational during the next twelve months. The demonstration facility will produce renewable jet fuel, diesel, or high octane gasoline from renewable oils. Following this phase, AliphaJet plans to begin construction of a full commercial scale production facility. The decision to scale up follows on AliphaJet's premier announcement last fall of successful completion of third party testing of its bio-sourced jet fuel by the Southwest Research Institute. The catalytically-produced advanced biofuel met or exceeded D-1655 requirements including net heat of combustion, freezing point, smoke point and sulfur levels. The heart of the AliphaJet technology is its BoxCar™ Oxygen De-coupling Process also known as Decarboxylation. Crude fat feedstock is first converted into fatty acids and glycerol. The fatty acids are then put through catalytic decarboxylation (CDC). The AliphaJet process can also produce renewable drop-in diesel fuel, gasoline and other hydrocarbon molecules usually derived from fossil fuel oil. 07/09/2012

Urbaser, Eco-Solution, and IRD Plan Energy from Waste for Romainville, France

Urbaser Environnement has announced meeting with the French Institute of Research for Development (IRD), and the local microbial process specialist Eco-Solution to jointly develop waste management, resource recovery, and energy generation for the City of Romainville, France. This meeting follows a first meeting last month organized by the Mayor of Romainville. Urbaser is part of the ACS Group; their global projects focus on maximum material and energy recovery from each of its waste treatment plants, and utilize mechanical biological treatment (MBT), aerobic composting, and anaerobic digestion for biogas production. The company notes that energy from waste (EfW) plants are becoming an increasingly important part of its business. Eco-Solution and IRD respectively presented their work on the development of innovative biological processes including use of micro-algae and the progress of their research in the digestion of organic substrates. Urbaser has been instrumental in the Isseane advanced waste treatment project for the Syctom, the metropolitan agency responsible for the collection, treatment, and valorization of municipal solid waste for 5.5 million people in 85 communities that are part of the greater Paris region. The Directorate General of Technical Services of Syctom attended the Romainville meetings to vouch for Urbaser's capability. Plans to manage wastes from Romainville and the adjacent city of Bobigny will be presented to Syctom in early October. "We are delighted with this collaboration," said Claude Saint-Joly, Director General of Urbaser, "It is intelligent because it seeks to optimize the current project and recognizes the relevance and is useful since our goal is to directly apply the results of this program of studies and experiments on the future treatment center, it is effective since it will involve a research and development Romainville and other internationally renowned [projects]." 07/08/2012

DuPont Awards Contract to KBR to Engineer Iowa Cellulosic Ethanol Plant

Texas based KBR, Inc has announced award of a contract by DuPont to provide preliminary and final engineering, and procurement services to DuPont Industrial Biosciences Group for this first-of-a-kind cellulosic ethanol plant to be constructed in Nevada, Iowa. The ethanol facility is designed to process 1,300 tons per day of corn stover and produce 27.5 million gallons of ethanol per year. Starting with its demonstration facility in Vonore, Tennessee in 2008, the company has been developing DuPont^TM Genencor® Science as an integrated technology platform for the commercial scale production of second generation ethanol from cellulosic biomass. DuPont's nearly $300 million project selection of the Nevada, Iowa hinged in part on commitments from the Iowa Power Fund board, which approved a $9 million grant for the project in February 2011. The City of Nevada has offered nearly $8.7 million in tax abatement over 10 years, while the Iowa Power Fund also agreed to provide $586,000 in job training assistance and $4.6 million in tax credits. KBR is executing the project from its Wilmington, Delaware Operations Center. Ground breaking is scheduled for the second half of 2012 with a 12-18 month construction period. "KBR and DuPont have a long-standing partnership and a history of successful project execution," said David Zelinski, President, Downstream. "This award further affirms and solidifies KBR’s 20-plus year partnership with DuPont in the safe and efficient development and execution of capital projects, and reinforces KBR's position as an EPC leader in bio fuels projects." 07/08/2012

Due 11/07/2012: Renewable Energy Project Proposals to LA World Airports

The Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Department of the City of Los Angeles has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), ID 14042, for renewable energy project development on 890 acres adjacent to US Air Force Plant 42 near the City of Palmdale. The renewable energy land use RFP follows the LAWA's on-going Sustainable Airport Planning, Design and Construction Guidelines (LSAG), with the most recent Sustainability Report amended and released in June 2010. This parcel is Part 1, covered by this first RFP; a second Part 2 parcel of 10,000 acres will be addressed by a separate RFP expected to be released during the third quarter of 2012. The terms of the Part 1 lease make the property available for up to 30 years or until any part of the land is needed for airport expansion. The successful project proponent will develop, finance, own, and operate the proposed project, and will enter into a Concession Agreement with the LAWA. The original Part 1 RFP was released through the Los Angeles Business Assistance Virtual Network (LABAVN), followed by Addendum 1 on July 5, 2012. The LABAVN is a free service but requires registration to access the documents. A Pre-Proposal Conference is scheduled for Monday, July 23, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT to explain the needs and requirements of the RFP. All questions and requests for clarification must be submitted in writing to    no later than 3:00 PM PDT on August 1, 2012. Proposals are due October 10, 2012 by 3:00 PM PDT. 07/08/2012. Update: Seven addendums have been released to date, one of which changed the proposal due date to November 7, 2012. 10/02/2012

Global Solid Waste Partnership Launched to Reduce Pollutants from MSW

The launch of a multi-national public-private Solid Waste Partnership was announced during the United Nations (UN) Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) held last month in Brazil. Initial signatories to the Partnership include the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the Clinton Climate Initiative / C-40, the World Bank, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Global Methane Initiative. The formation of the Solid Waste Partnership is based on a mutual goal to reduce methane and black carbon pollutants from municipal solid waste. At the CCAC's first meeting in Stockholm in April of this year, the CCAC identified "Mitigating Short Lived Carbon Pollutants (SLCPs) from the Municipal Solid Waste Sector" as one of five key initiatives. Municipal solid waste landfills are the third largest source of global methane emissions, while the practice of open garbage burning emits black carbon and other toxic compounds as well as greenhouse gases. The Partnership will address emissions from municipal solid waste sector by working with cities and national governments, and seeking best practice policies and strategies for waste management. In a more recent announcement, the CCAC is now inviting applications for Head of the Secretariat, a Paris-headquartered position to oversee development of the Coalition's workplan and budget. To learn more about the CCAC, review the web materials and contact:. 07/07/2012

Quasar and Forest City Inaugurate Collinwood BioEnergy AD Plant

Formerly Schmack Bioenergy, Ohio based quasar energy group has partnered with real estate company Forest City Enterprises, Inc to develop and now inaugurate a 1.3 megawatt facility on a brownfield site in Cleveland, Ohio. The new Collinwood BioEnergy Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facility is located at the former General Motors Fisher Body plant, a grand opening is scheduled for the morning of Monday July 9, 2012 with numerous local and regional agency and industry leaders attending. The quasar ecoCity technology platform utilizes a three vessel high solids anaerobic digestion (HSAD) design and can accept both liquid and solid organics. Liquids may be discharged directly into a 500,000 gallon biomass equalization tank; solids undergo an initial pass through grinders. The equalization tank holds up to six days surge and delivers the buffered organic slurry to the 1,250,000 gallon main digester. Heated digestate and biogas flow to the third tank, equipped with a flexible membrane roof, following full digestion the residual is pasteurized for full federal-standard pathogen kill. The AD plant will convert local organic wastes and by-products into biogas for renewable power generation with electricity to be sold on contract to Cleveland Public Power. Residuals from the digestion will be used for fertilizer and soils amendment. During the grand opening ceremonies, the anaerobic digestion system will receive a load of materials from Pierre's Ice Cream Company for a live demonstration. 07/06/2012

Construction Complete on Waste to Energy CHO-Power Plant in France

French energy from waste company Europlasma has announced completion of construction for its CHO-Power plasma-enhanced gasification plant in Morcenx, France. Development of CHO Morenx, a special projects venture (SPV) with the primary investor, is within the budget of more than €40 million. Europlasma's subsidiary CHO-Power's 25% share in the plant can increase to 45% once specific milestones are met. Start-up is scheduled for later this month or early next, followed by commercial power sale to the local EDF utility at 1/2 capacity this fall as part of the one-year ramp-up to the full 12 megawatt capacity. This French facility is the first fully commercial installation; the Europlasma Group and its investors already have a pipeline of additional projects lined up, including four plants planned for development in the United Kingdom. The plant will be fueled with industrial waste from the region (37,000 tonnes/year) and wood chips (15,000 tonnes/year). Additional production of 18MW of hot water from the heat generated by the process will fuel a vegetable greenhouse and a wood fire drier. The CHO-Power platform first shreds and separates feedstock then gasifies the material, passing the raw producer gas to the company's proprietary Turboplasma reactor for high-temperature tar cracking and synthetic gas (syngas) polishing. Heat is recovered from the syngas, the cooled syngas is further cleaned and used to fuel gas engines and/or steam turbines for power generation. The project team will celebrate construction completion with a ceremony scheduled for July 9, 2012 before being closed to the public during the commissioning and start-up phase. 07/06/2012

Veolia Officially Opens Energy Recovery from Waste Facility in Newhaven

Following open days and site tours for local residents, the Newhaven Energy Recovery Facility in North Quay officially opened on July 4, 2012. The fully operational facility was handed over to Veolia Environmental Services in April of this year after a prolonged and contentious approval and commissioning process. In 2003, East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council awarded Veolia Environmental Services a 30 year contract for the delivery of an integrated waste management service. The £160 million capital investment, 210,000 tonne per year plant is fueled on wastes left after all composting, recycling and reuse efforts are completed, then generating 16.5 megawatts of electricity plus thermal energy for district heating to the surrounding community. The facility has been specifically developed with a capacity much lower than the total amount of household waste generated. This is to ensure that recycling initiatives are not compromised by the facility and to encourage even higher recycling levels. High-efficiency water usage and cleaning systems serves the facility and grounds to reclaim and recycle as much water as possible. The plant is expected to save taxpayers around £2.5 million in waste disposal costs per year. County Council Leader Peter Jones said: “I am very pleased to be opening the energy recovery facility, which reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill, produces electricity, and will save taxpayers £2.5 million in waste disposal costs in this year alone. Virtually nothing leaves the ERF as a waste. Ferrous metals are extracted by magnets and sold on as scrap metal and the incinerator bottom ash is used in road construction. We have nearly doubled our recycling rates since joining the integrated waste contract with Veolia and Brighton & Hove and we are fulfilling our pledge that there will be no new landfill or land raise in East Sussex for municipal waste. The coming years will therefore see a further transformation in how we deal with waste as we work towards our goal of ever more sustainable waste resource management.” 07/06/2012

Tetronics Wins UK Award for Recycling Electronic Equipment using Plasma

The United Kingdom's (UK) market leader in plasma energy-from-waste (EfW) facilities, Tetronics Ltd, has announced winning the national Electrical and Electronic Equipment Recycler of the Year 2012 award. The award was presented in recognition of the development of Tetronics' patented plasma treatment of electrical wastes, noting that the UN Environment Programme estimates the total global waste generated from electronics at about 50 million tonnes per year. Tetronics' technology platform uses fluidized bed gasification followed by direct current (DC) plasma arc in a process that separates both precious and base metals for recovery, converts volatile materials such as plastics to energy and vitrifies inert fractions in a glassy slag. The company operates a comprehensive testing facility to provide customers with trials data in advance of commercial applications. Stephen Davies, CEO for Tetronics: “We are delighted to be recognised by the National Recycling Awards, which rewards innovation and excellence in recycling. We are pleased that the compelling benefits of our plasma solution for electrical waste processing clearly stands out – with its ability to generate the highest levels of precious metal recovery from e-waste, while also destroying any hazardous organic material that may be present. Our technology is one of the tools allowing sustainable urban mining to become a reality.” 07/05/2012

Portland General Electric Requests Comments on Draft Renewable Energy RFP

The Oregon utility Portland General Electric (PGE) has announced release of a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) expected to open for bids later this year, and has scheduled a public workshop for July 16, 2012 to gather stakeholder comment. PGE is seeking to acquire about 101 megawatts of mid-to-long-term renewable energy supply, bundled with their associated renewable energy credits (RECs), to be available beginning in the 2013–2017 timeframe. Projects must be utility-scale, commercially viable renewable energy resources, including but not limited to Biomass, Wind, Geothermal and Solar and must meet the requirements of Oregon’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) The RPS notes that "Biomass is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States, with wood being the primary resource. Other sources of biomass include agricultural and forestry residues, dedicated energy crops, native grasses and woody plants, certain municipal or industrial wastes, and gas from anaerobic digesters or landfills." For biomass projects, bidder must demonstrate physical and commercial access to fuel supplies and fuel transportation for the term of the contract proposed in its bid. PGE expects to submit its final RFP to the Oregon Public Utilities Commission on July 25, 2012, who will then open the final draft to formal stakeholder comment. With the agency's approval, PGE plans to issue the final RFP on September 25, 2012. PGE intends to submit a self-build proposal (Benchmark resources) for the renewable RFP. On-line free registration is required with the state-appointed third party Accion Group to view draft documents and receive updates. . 07/05/2012

Due 08/13/2012: Proposals to USAF for Advanced Drop-In BioFuels

The US Air Force (USAF) has announced the release of a Funding Opportunity Notice (FOA-12-15-PKM) "to solicit production technology project proposals for the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Program. The program is managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and executed by the DoD Executive Agent Program Office, a component of the Manufacturing Technology Division (AFRL/RXM) of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory www.dpatitle3.com. Up to five 50% cost-share awards are anticipated for this $30 million Phase I grant round; additional funds will be allocated to a Phase II round to be selected from Phase I winners. The goal of this project is to establish one or more complete domestic value chains capable of producing drop-in replacement biofuels. This includes feedstock production and logistics, conversion facilities (Integrated Biorefineries), and fuel blending, transportation, and logistics. The Government intends to form an Integrated Biofuels Production Enterprise (IBPE) comprised of partnerships that establish the complete value chain. Primary Point of Contact: Laura J. Ortiz, Agreements Negotiator at  , (937) 656-9883, Fax: (937) 255-5302. Proposals are due August 13, 2012, and prior on-line Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is required; early submissions are encouraged. Note that the CCR system is scheduled to be migrated to the System for Award Management in July 2012.  Go to the CCR website for more information on how this affects what you must do to be registered.07/05/2012

Due 08/24/2012: Comments to Oregon Draft Materials [Waste] Management Plan

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has announced release of its Draft 2050 Vision and Framework for Action and is seeking stakeholder review and comment. DEQ is developing a long-term Vision for Sustainable Materials Management in Oregon. The resulting 2050 Vision and Framework for Action also is an update to the state's Solid Waste Management Plan (1995-2005). Oregon's "Materials Management" approach combines the full life cycle of materials and products as they move through the economy - from raw material extraction to product design and manufacture, transport, consumptive use and reuse, and end-of-life management with recycling and recovery, and to a small degree, disposal. The department convened a cross-section of stakeholders to inform the development of DEQ’s statewide Vision and contribute to the development of an action plan to move forward. The group met for five work sessions between October 2011 and May 2012; member lists and background materials are available on-line. One program element addresses conversion of waste to useful commodities, a topic DEQ explored in January of this year. The department has scheduled a webinar for July 19 2012, and provides call-in details on the program webpage. Comments to the draft plan should be submitted by August 24, 2012 via email to  . 07/05/2012

BDI & OMV Open BioCRACK Wood to Biodiesel Pilot Plant at Austrian Refinery

Austrian biofuels company BDI BioEnergy International AG (BDI) and OMV Aktiengesellschaft (OMV) have announced opening a novel pilot biofuels facility within the battery of the OMV petroleum refinery in Schwechat, Austria. BDI already utilizes a multi-technologic platform to convert multiple virgin and waste feedstock types to biodiesel via transesterification, biogas via anaerobic digestion, and refined products via distillation and wastewater polishing. OMV is an integrated, international oil and gas company headquartered in Vienna, Austria. BDI and OMV and have been jointly developing the BioCRACK pilot plant project since 2009, with support from the BMVIT and the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. For this approach, woody biomass is heated to around 400º C in heavy mineral oil to produce bio-oil as a 20% fraction of the raw material then sent on to OMV's standard refining. Resultant diesel is demonstrably "greener" with this biogenic share, while abundant biomass significantly contributes to OMV's ability to meet the rising regional demand for diesel. Doris Bures, Austrian Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, participated in the pilot plant's opening and said: “There are high expectations worldwide for second-generation biofuels. This new technology and the pilot plant therefore represent true pioneering work by domestic companies and researchers. They also reflect the success of our technology policy as we have consistently channeled research funding into environmental and energy technology, which involves the careful handling of resources, energy efficiency and climate protection.” 07/03/2012

UK's CentreForum Releases "Hit the Gas" Report on Speeding AD Development

In the United Kingdom (UK), the think-tank consultancy CentreForum has announced release of its detailed report entitled "Hit the Gas: How to Get the Anaerobic Digestion Sector Moving," available for download. The assessment was completed in response to the European Union's approaching Renewable Energy Directive deadline for 15% by 2020. "Hit the Gas" outlines how a dramatic increase in utilization of anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic wastes and purpose-grown crops can help reach these goals, and describes in detail the pathway for an 800% expansion in AD capacity. Barriers are described and explored; the report then proposes a " systematic framework of incentives, education and government regulation to harness this potential." Co-authors Quentin Maxwell-Jackson and Thomas Brooks state: "AD has the potential to generate over 11 TWh of energy by 2020, powering more than 2,500,000 UK homes - an increase of more than 800% over current levels. AD can make a significant contribution to the UK’s renewable energy commitments, but only if barriers are removed." The industry's Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA) commend the work; Lord Redesdale, Liberal Democrat peer and chairman of ADBA, said: "This is an important report which lays out clear recommendations for how government can better support the anaerobic digestion sector and realise the benefits it could bring to economic growth, waste management, renewable energy and climate change. CentreForum have shown that anaerobic digestion already represents a significant part of the UK's renewable energy mix - generating four times more electricity than solar PV - and are pushing for government to support an 800 per cent increase in that generating capacity by 2020." 07/03/2012

CARB's Low Carbon Fuel Standard Posts CI Value of Minus 15 for Biomethane

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has posted a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) value for one proposed pathway for production of biomethane when used as a low carbon transport fuel. The new CARB-created "internal" pathway is specific to use of high-solids anaerobic digestion (HSAD) of organic wastes (as a mix of food and green waste), where the biomethane is to be used to transport fuel. The CARB Staff Report provides the detail tracing the entire biofuel production pathway, comparing HSAD to other renewable and non-renewable energy generation methods. A Staff Summary is provided as part of the Report Package, providing the recommendation: "Staff recommends that this LCFS pathway for the production of biomethane from the high solids anaerobic digestion of organic (food and green) wastes be approved with a CI of -15.29 g CO2e / MJ, for the use of production facilities meeting the operating conditions enumerated above." Following the 2010 guidance of Regulatory Advisory 10-04: upon posting on the LCFS website, this pathway and its associated carbon intensity value may be used for reporting and credit generation purposes prior to adoption and incorporation into the LCFS regulation. A public hearing on this action has not yet been scheduled. Further questions: contact Wes Ingram, Manager, Fuels Evaluation Section, at (916) 322-3984 or  . 07/02/2012

Due 07/06/2012: Comments to CEC on Revisions to RPS Guidebooks

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has released a Notice of Meeting for its July 11, 2012 Business Meeting, focused in part on consideration of revisions to the Renewables Portfolio Standard Eligibility Guidebook and the Overall Program Guidebook for the Renewable Energy Program. The revisions are limited to clarifications of changes that the CEC adopted on May 9, 2012, and address public comments received at that time identified guidebook changes that required further clarification. The RPS Eligibility Guidebook describes the eligibility requirements and process for certifying renewable resources as eligible for California’s RPS and describes how the CEC verifies compliance; the Overall Program Guidebook describes how the CEC’s Renewable Energy Program is administered and includes information and requirements that apply overall to the program elements. The CEC will accept oral comment during the July 11th meeting, and asks that written comments be submitted in advance to   by 4:00 pm on July 6, 2012. 07/02/2012

Due 09/06/2012: Applications to USDA for 2013 SBIR Phase 1 Funding

The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has released a notice regarding the Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2013 Small Business Innovation Research (2013 SBIR). Phase 1 funding of up to $100,000 and Phase 2 Funding to $450,000 is available on a competitive basis, with up to $19 million dedicated to the program. This solicitation is only for Phase 1, and the anticipated award date is May 15, 2013. The focus across all areas encourages projects dealing with agriculturally related manufacturing and alternative and renewable energy technologies. Small businesses and small proprietorships that are in business for profit are eligible to submit applications to this program. Instructions and all application materials are available from the Grants.gov web portal, for Funding Opportunity number USDA-NIFA-SBIR-003848. The USDA will grant funds to firms with strong scientific research capabilities within the topics of Forests and Related Resources, Plant Production and Protection – Biology, Animal Production and Protection, Air, Water and Soils, Food Science and Nutrition, Rural and Community Development, Aquaculture, Biofuels and Bio-based Products, Small and Mid-Size Farms, Plant Production, and Protection – Engineering. Registration with Grants.gov is required for submission and can take several weeks if you have not previously registered. Applications are due September 6,2012 and must be submitted online. 07/02/2012