July 2015 News and Matters of
Interest
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Teru Talk.
DECC Releases 2014 Digest of United Kingdom Energy
Statistics
The United Kingdom Department for Energy & Climate Change (DECC) has released their annual Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES). The report notes a
21% overall increase in renewable energy generation between 2013 and 2014, now accounting for a 19% share of all
generation, to reach 64.7 terrawatt hours (TWh). Capacity grew by 24 per cent (to 24.6 GW) over the same period.
Generation from bioenergy sources was 25 per cent higher in 2014 compared to 2013, mainly due to the conversion
of a second unit at Drax power station to dedicated biomass. Fossil fuels remain the dominant source of energy
supply, accounting for 84.5 per cent, though this is a record low level. The United Kingdom Statistics Authority
has designated the annual DUKES reports as the official National Statistics.
07/31/2015
SSE, Wheelabrator's Commercial Ferrybridge Multifuel Power Plant Starts
Up
The Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 (FM1) project, a 50:50 joint venture project between SSE and Wheelabrator Technologies Inc., has successfully completed its commissioning phase and has now entered full commercial
operation. FM1 takes waste derived fuels from various sources of municipal solid waste, commercial and
industrial waste and is now capable of contributing around 70MW of electricity to the National Grid, enough to
power around 160,000 homes. The new power station, which is located on land next to Ferrybridge ‘C’ Power
Station, has been under construction for over three years by Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), the prime contractor. Commercial operation marks the culmination
of months of commissioning activities to prove the new power station's capabilities. HZI have now handed over
full responsibility to the 46-member Multifuel Energy operational team who will now run the FM1 facility. The
final milestone in the commissioning works was reached on 31 July when HZI completed a series of operability
tests. 07/31/2015
Global Bioenergies' Bio-Isobutene Process Hits 70% of Commercial
Yield
French company Global Bioenergies has announced that its Bio-Isobutene process has reached 70% of the
commercial yield at R&D scale. The targeted commercial yield is 3.84 tons of low-cost, industrial-grade
sugar for 1 ton of high-purity high-value bio-isobutene. Romain Chayot, head of the metabolic engineering
department: "This is a huge milestone. Yield was our priority, and we have been working hard to reach these
performances on time. Now, while keeping on increasing this yield, we will intensify our efforts aiming at
accelerating the process flux, using first and second generation sugars." Global announced in March that it has produced its first “second generation”
isobutene using non-edible waste biomass. Global expects to reach commercial performance at demo plant scale by
mid-2017, which will trigger the milestone for construction of the company's first bio-isobutene commercial
plant. 07/30/2015
UPS Announces 3 New Renewable Fuels Agreements for Up to 46M
Gallons
United Parcel Service of America, Inc (UPS) has announced agreements for up to 46 million gallons of renewable fuels
over the next three years, constituting a 15-fold increase over prior contracts and making UPS one of the
largest users of renewable diesel in the world. The agreements with three leading suppliers of renewable fuels
secure access to an advanced renewable diesel fuel in order to meet the company’s objectives for alternative
fuel utilization. Neste, Renewable Energy Group (REG), and Solazyme will supply renewable diesel to UPS to help facilitate the
company’s shift to move more than 12% of its purchased ground fuel from conventional diesel and gasoline fuel to
alternative fuels by the end of 2017. UPS has previously announced a goal of driving one billion miles with its alternative fuel and
advanced technology vehicles by the end of 2017. 07/30/2015
Bank of America Announces $125 Billion Environmental Business
Initiative
Bank of America has pledged to increase the company’s current environmental business
initiative from $50 billion to $125 billion in low-carbon business by 2025 through lending, investing, capital
raising, advisory services, and developing financing solutions for clients around the world. The announcement
was highlighted at the White House’s American Business Act on Climate Pledge event on July 27, which
recognized corporations for their support of action to address climate change. The event brought together 13
executives from various industries including Alcoa, Apple, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Cargill,
Coca-Cola, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, PepsiCo, UPS, and Walmart, as they pledged their
support of an agreement in advance of the climate change talks in Paris scheduled for later this year. Bank of
America has provided more than $39 billion in financing for low-carbon activities since 2007, including $12
billion in 2014 alone, of which forty percent went to renewable energies including solar, wind, hydro,
geothermal, advanced biofuels, or mixed portfolios. All inquiries on Bank of America’s new Environmental
Business Initiative should be emailed to <> where a team is standing ready to route
to the appropriate internal divisions. 07/30/2015
Greenleaf Finalizes Acquisition of Plainfield's Power Plant in
Connecticut
California based Greenleaf Power announced that it has finalized the purchase of the Plainfield Renewable Energy Plant
located in Plainfield, Connecticut from Leidos, Inc, which has owned and operated the plant since it became
operational. The Plainfield Renewable Energy Plant has a net electricity generation capacity of approximately
37.5 megawatts. It is capable of providing baseload renewable energy for as many as 280,000 homes. The plant
uses wood available from construction and demolition debris, recycled wood pallets, and land clearing materials
to produce energy, and sells its electrical output to Connecticut Light and Power under a long-term offtake
agreement. Greenleaf Power is focused on investing in and developing projects that gather biomass that would
otherwise be openly burned or landfilled and converting it to renewable energy. Greenleaf Power’s facilities
prior to this transaction are located in California and Quebec, Canada.
0729/2015
DOE to Issue Funding Opportunity for Clean Energy Projects on Indian
lands
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (Office of Indian
Energy) has announced that it intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement
entitled “Deployment of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects on Indian Lands”. In support of the offices’
objectives, the Office of Indian Energy intends to solicit applications from Indian Tribes to install clean
energy and energy efficiency retrofit projects for tribal buildings ( Area of Interest 1); and to deploy clean
energy systems on a community-scale (Area of Interest 2). The purpose of this Notice is to provide potential
applicants advance notice that the Office of Indian Energy, on behalf of the DOE, intends to issue a FOA titled,
"DE-FOA-0001390 - Deployment of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects on Indian Lands". DOE plans to issue
the FOA in or around the last calendar quarter in 2015. 07/29/2015
Due 08/14/2015: Comments on CEC RFP for Advanced Energy
Communities
The California Energy Commission (CEC) is developing a competitive grant solicitation for the development and
deployment of Advanced Energy Communities. The CEC plans to offer grants totaling $47 million to encourage
creation of communities where electricity demand is met through efficiency, renewable energy, and storage. The
draft solicitation requires that the communities be located in the service territories of California’s three
major investor owned utilities, and serve disadvantaged communities or involve infill or Greenfield development.
The funds will come from California’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC). The CEC is seeking input from interested stakeholders on aspects of the draft
solicitation. Please submit comments by August 14, 2015 to Marija Krapcevich at <>.
07/29/2015
New Holland Partners with State University of New York on Biomass
Research
New Holland Agriculture has announced plans to assist State University of New York (SUNY)
researchers in a project that seeks to develop ways to reduce the cost of delivering biomass for refinement. The
United States Department of Energy (DOE) awarded SUNY up to $3.5 million last December to fund the research
project to lower the delivered cost of short rotation woody crops. New Holland Agriculture will provide SUNY
with an FR9080 self-propelled forage harvester with 130FB coppice header for use in the DOE research project.
The forage harvester and header are used to harvest willow and other short rotation woody crops for biomass
applications. The New Holland 130FB coppice header is the culmination of the efforts of Posselius, his team of
Innovation Engineers, and the Belgium design team. The header made its world premiere at SIMA in Paris, France
in 2009, followed by public demos in Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
07/27/2015
Xebec's First Chinese Landfill Gas Upgrading Project Has Begun
Deliveries
Montreal based Xebec Adsorption Inc has announced that it has commenced operation of its first commercial
landfill gas to CNG upgrading system with deliveries to taxi fleets in Anshan, North Eastern China. This
landfill gas upgrading system is based on Xebec's fast cycle pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology, assembled and integrated at Xebec's Shanghai facility
according to Chinese code and certification requirements. The upgrading system is operating within a variable
pressure envelope of 90 to 120 psig and dynamic feed flow parameters between 500 and 1300 m3/h. In addition,
Xebec is deploying a kinetic adsorption process to continuously remove varying amounts of nitrogen (N2) and
oxygen (O2), while maintaining corresponding recovery rates of 83 to 91%, and product gas purity levels of 94 to
98.6% methane (CH4). The high quality product gas will be used to power natural gas taxis that operate in the
City of Anshan. 07/27/2015
Brazilian Cellulosic Ethanol Facility Officially Opens with Iogen
Technology
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff launched Raizen's new cellulosic ethanol facility adjacent to its
Costa Pinto sugar cane mill in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil on July 22, 2015. The advanced biofuels facility is the first large-scale commercial
implementation of Iogen Energy`s (a joint venture between Raízen and Iogen Corporation) cellulosic ethanol technology, which the company
developed and has extensively proven in its Ottawa, Canada demonstration facility. President Rousseff: "The
production of second generation ethanol from sugarcane bagasse is the realization of a dream for the country.
The collaboration between the State and Raízen is part of the government's commitment to ethanol production as a
strategic measure for economic development." Iogen and Raízen broke ground in November 2013 on the $US105 million advanced biofuel
facility, and completed construction on time and on budget in December 2014. The facility converts biomass such
as sugar cane bagasse and straw into advanced, second generation cellulosic biofuel. Raízen had previously
announced that, given a success at Costa Pinto, it intends to deploy Iogen Energy's technology in seven more
Raízen sugar cane mills. 07/24/2015
MagneGas Forms Joint Venture for Expansion into Louisiana and
Texas
MagneGas Corporation has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Green Gas Supply,
LLC to expand into Louisiana and Texas with sale of a $550,000 Plasma-Arc Gasification system. The MOU includes
future royalty payments, profit sharing rights, and an initial 300 cylinder gas order to seed the territory. A
new joint venture company (JV) will be established in Louisiana to own and operate MagneGas® gasification systems to produce and sell MagneGas2® into the
metal cutting market. MagneGas
will own 50% of the JV and will receive minimum royalty payments of 5% of gross revenue plus equal profit
sharing rights. The MOU calls for the sale of additional equipment to expand into Texas and other states under
the same royalty payment and profit sharing rights. As part of the MOU, Green Gas has paid a deposit and
definitive agreements with full payment are expected to be signed within 90 days. 07/24/2015
IEEP Report - Delivering Low Carbon Transport Fuels for Europe Post
2020
The Institute for European Environmental Policy’s (IEEP) Summer newsletter introduces a report released earlier this month
entitled Low Carbon Transport Fuel Policy for Europe Post 2020. The report
analyses a range of policy tools and mechanisms that could be employed to deliver greenhouse gas (GHG) emission
reductions. The report was funded by Transport & Environment and drafted in collaboration with the
International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and Transport & Environment Policy Research (TEPR). It
takes as its starting point an analysis of the need to decarbonize transport fuels and promote low carbon
alternatives. One need identified is that Europe must differentiate between biofuels based on the risk. Biofuels
risk is predominantly linked to the feedstock material used to produce the fuel, and the metrics of associated
land use and indirect land use change consequences. The analysis argues for an increase in investment and
governmental support for biofuels made from wastes and residues. 07/24/2015
LA County Blasts CalRecycle for Lack of Transparency in 250% Fee
Increase
The Los Angeles County (LA County) Solid Waste Management Committee / Integrated Waste Management
Task Force (Task Force) has submitted comment to California Governor Brown and the Senate Chair of the State’s Environmental
Quality Committee voicing strong opposition to proposed Assembly Bill 1063 (AB 1063) as amended July 15, 2015.
The bill would raise per-ton fees over 250% for disposal facility operators while additionally imposing a
new tax on residential and commercial waste generators to fund the Department of Resources Recycling and
Recovery’s (CalRecycle) annual operation cost and the agency’s discretionary waste management programs. The Task
Force deplores the lack of transparency and stakeholder engagement, claiming, "The July 15, 2015, amendments
were developed with little engagement of the select-stakeholders and appear to have solely been developed by
CalRecycle staff and a chosen few…" and that despite the agency’s understanding of "structural problems" in the
bill’s language, "… they are proposing to penalize jurisdictions for their success in reducing their disposal
tonnages via AB 1063 as amended on July 15, 2015." The Task Force has made nine carefully developed
recommendations, noting that they welcome "…a transparent process for this proposal and would appreciate
inclusion thereof." Questions regarding AB 1063 and the LA County Task Force’s position should be directed to
Mr. Mike Mohajer of the Task Force at <> or at (909) 592-1147.
07/23/2015
Reverdia Is New Partner in ADMIT SuccInnovate Consortium
The Netherlands based Reverdia has joined the consortium ADMIT BioSuccInnovate, an innovative Climate-KIC initiative funded by
the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), along with
the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth
University and other European partners. The Consortium will explore with CIMV, a biorefining company, the use of
locally-available lignocellulosic feedstock, such as wheat straw or miscanthus to produce bio-based,
biodegradable plastic packaging for consumer markets in association with United Kingdom retailer Waitrose and
food tray producer Sharpak. The project is in line with Waitrose’s sustainable packaging
strategy. Reverdia contributes its Biosuccinium™ sustainable bio-succinic acid technology to help build a truly
sustainable packaging value chain. The company's Biosuccinium™ received US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approval as a
Certified Biobased Product last year. Reverdia is a joint venture between Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences
and Materials Sciences Company and Roquette Frères, the global starch and starch-derivatives Company.
07/22/2015
GlucanBio Wins Sofinnova Partners Renewable Chemistry Start-Up
Award
Paris based renewable chemistry venture capital firm Sofinnova Partners has announced that Glucan Biorenewables LLC (GlucanBio) is the winner of the
prestigious Renewable Chemistry Start-Up Award. Following a public vote with almost 8,000 votes cast, the Top-5
companies were shortlisted. These companies then presented to a jury of industry experts at the BIO World
Congress in Montreal. Missouri based Glucan Biorenewables produces furan derivatives from biomass, and the
furfural platform will be used to launch other value-added co-products: 5-hydroxyl-methyl furfural (HMF) and
downstream derivatives. The other four shortlisted start-up companies: Eggplant converts wastewater to bioplastics; GFBiochemicals produces levulinic acid directly from biomass, Leaf Resources Ltd's pre-treatment process converts plant biomass into cellulose products;
and Syngulon is developing genetic technologies to improve the efficiency
of microorganisms involved in industrial bio production. This award was supported by Sustainability Consult, the bioeconomy communications and public
relations agency committed to building the biobased industries. 07/21/2015
Red Rock Biofuels Contracts with FedEx to Provide Renewable Jet
Fuel
Colorado based Red Rock Biofuels LLC has announced that it has contracted to produce approximately three million
gallons of low-carbon, renewable jet fuel per year for FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. The agreement
runs through 2024, with first delivery scheduled for 2017. FedEx joins Southwest Airlines in purchasing Red
Rock’s jet fuel, which together amounts to its total capacity. Red Rock’s first refinery, funded in part by a
$70 million Title III DPA grant from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Energy and Navy, is scheduled to break
ground this fall in Lakeview, Oregon. Red Rock announced a strategic partnership with Flagship Ventures in March, leading toward
construction of the facility. The refinery will convert approximately 140,000 dry tons of woody biomass into 15
million gallons per year of renewable jet, diesel and naphtha fuels. In addition to reducing lifecycle carbon
emissions, Red Rock’s production process will reduce the risk of forest fires in the western United States by
decreasing the amount of waste woody biomass in surrounding forests. 07/21/2015
DEINOVE Unveils Bio-Based Muconic Acid Production Program
Paris company DEINOVE has announced that it has completed conclusive proof of concept for the
production of muconic acid by a Deinococcus bacterium and has decided to launch a new research and development
(R&D) platform in this field. Using its proprietary metabolic
engineering tools, DEINOVE R&D has successfully designed a Deinococcus bacterium capable of producing renewable muconic acid, a
particularly sought-after chemical intermediate, from a variety of biomass feedstocks. Proof of concept has been
reached and will be followed by engineering phases aimed at increasing the strain’s performance under conditions
closer to industrialization. Spread over a few years, and benefiting from the pioneering foundation work of the
DEINOL platform, DEINOVE expects to develop this program at a competitive pace. In parallel, the company has
engaged in discussions with several interested industrial contacts that would bring significant and synergistic
upsides to this new DEINOVE program. 07/21/2015
GFBiochemicals Starts Producing Levulinic Acid from Cellulosic
Biomass
Bio-based chemical company GFBiochemicals has begun commercial production at its 10,000 MT/a capacity levulinic acid
plant in Caserta, Italy. GFBiochemicals is the first company to produce levulinic acid at commercial scale
directly from biomass. the company's proprietary technology platform is based on the chemical conversion of cellulosic
biomass. The company made the announcement at the BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, Montreal.
Levulinic acid is a versatile platform molecule that is recognized by the US Department of Energy as one of the
top ten bio-based Chemicals of the Future. Among its end products can be fuel or fuel additives. Founded in
2008, GFBiochemicals retrofitted and adapted an existing plant in Caserta to meet its needs.
07/202015
Genomatica and Cargill Collaborate to Bring Renewable Chemicals to
Market
Genomatica and Cargill have announced entering into a collaboration agreement to accelerate the
production of renewable chemicals for industrial applications. The collaboration will give chemical producers,
distributors, and users access to a reliable, cost-effective source of carbohydrate feedstocks, co-location
support services, and production partnerships, based on GENO™ process technologies. Combining Genomatica’s technologies with
Cargill’s global strength in carbohydrate feedstock, risk management, operational expertise, and readiness to
build, own, and operate plants worldwide for select customers, has the potential to help the bioeconomy expand
more rapidly. The GENO™ process can produce chemicals from a range of alternative feedstocks including
conventional sugars, sugars from cellulosic biomass, or waste. The companies will co-market Cargill’s feedstock
and production services to current and prospective Genomatica licensees, and chemical users and distributors. To
further strengthen the companies’ collaboration, Cargill made an equity investment in Genomatica and secured
rights to make additional investments. 07/20/2015
Kroger Releases 2014 Sustainability Report and Sets 70% Diversion
Goal
Ohio based Kroger Corporation has released its Sustainability Report for 2014 and set steep waste management and
energy goals for the future. In 2014, 27 of 32 plants were designated as “zero waste” facilities. In 2014,
Kroger manufacturing plants reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill by 1.3 million pounds (13.84% waste
reduction from 2013) and recycled more than 307 million pounds of material. In 2015, the company expanded its
diversion goals to 70% enterprise-wide. Kroger’s Anaerobic Digester continues to convert food waste into heat and power
for its Southern California Distribution Center. Kroger is the fifth largest retailer in the world, spanning 34
states with store formats that include grocery and multi-department stores, convenience stores and jewelry
stores. Kroger employs nearly 400,000 associates who serve customers in 2,626 supermarkets and multi-department
stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City
Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Harris Teeter, Jay C, King Soopers, QFC, Ralph's, and Smith's.
07/20/2015
DuPont Signs Deal to Bring Cellulosic Ethanol Technology to
China
DuPont and Jilin Province New Tianlong Industry Co., Ltd., (NTL) have announced a licensing agreement to begin the development of China’s
largest cellulosic ethanol manufacturing plant, located in Siping City, Jilin Province, China. The agreement
allows NTL to license DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol technology and use DuPont™ Accellerase® enzymes to produce renewable biofuel from the leftover
biomass on Jilin Province’s corn farms. NTL is working to secure the necessary government approvals and support
to implement the agreement. Officials from DuPont, NTL, Siping City, and Lishu County in Jilin Province praised
the announcement as a milestone in the global renewable fuel marketplace. Combining NTL’s ethanol production
expertise with processing technology, technical support, and world-class enzymes supplied by DuPont, NTL will be
able to produce cellulosic renewable fuel for the rapidly growing Chinese liquid biofuel market, which is
projected to exceed 1.7 billion gallons per year by 2020. 07/17/2015
HZI to Furnish Swiss Technology to Russia for Energy from Waste
Project
Zurich, Switzerland based Hitachi Zozen Inova AG (HZI) has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Government of the
Moscow region of Russia and the Russian State Corporation Rostec for Energy from Waste (EfW) development. The
pact will provide for development of an integrated system for energy recovery from the waste utilization in the
Moscow region. The subsidiary of the State Corporation – LLC RT-Invest will be the entity implementing the
project. Within the project implementation 15 modern facilities for municipal solid waste (MSW) thermal
treatment will be built, which will be used to generate electricity and heat. HZI, together with RT-Invest
subsidiary of the Rostec Corporation, will be providing the engineering and will act as turnkey supplier of the
thermal MSW treatment technology. The main objective of the project is to achieve zero landfilling volume by
2025 but also to keep the most of the investments inside of Russia through the businesses programs aimed at the
manufacturing. The implementation of the project will depend upon the adoption of the decision on the green
tariff by the Russian government. 07/17/2015
Due 08/17/2015: SBIR/STTR Applications to DOE for Residential CHP
Systems
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released Funding Opportunity Notice DE-FOA-0001380 for the second round
solicitation for 'Generators for Small Electrical and Thermals Systems (GENSETS) -SBIR/STTR.' This Small
Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) program is
administered by DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The GENSETS
solicitation is intended to fund development of potentially disruptive generator technologies that will enable
widespread deployment of residential Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems. It is restricted to
generators/engines with 1 kW of electrical output (kWe) that have high efficiency (40% fuel to electricity),
long life (10 years), low cost ($3,000 per system), and low emissions. Heat engines and generators capable of
achieving these targets may include internal and external combustion engines, turbines, and solid state devices
such as thermophotovoltaics, thermionic emitters, and thermoelectrics. The full application lists many of the
targeted systems; the targets are feedstock neutral and could include solid, liquid or gaseous fuel production
and conversion to residential CHP. Submission deadline for applications is August 17, 2015 at 5:00 PM ET.
07/17/2015
WELTEC Builds Biogas Plant on French Farm with Heat Benefit for
Hospital
German manufacturer WELTEC BIOPOWER has announced that it will building a 255-kW biogas combined heat and
power (CHP) plant in Mirecourt, Lorraine/France, together with its partner Domaix Energie. The "Méthavigne"
project is a heat alliance between the agricultural biogas plant and a psychiatric hospital, significant because
society and the environment also benefit from this union of a public institution and a private company. The
cultivated area of 375 hectares and 850 cattle allow the Jacquot family farm to produce all the raw materials
they need for energy generation. Starting in autumn, the 2,226-m³ stainless-steel digester will be fed with a
feedstock mix of cattle manure, maize silage, crop dust, straw, grass, fruit pomace, flotation grease, and food
leftovers in the amount of 28 t/day. The medical center (Centre hospitalier Ravenel) of the Département Vosges
will benefit from the exhaust heat from the plant, and will be able to cover its entire hot water needs. The
medical center is about one kilometre from the biogas CHP plant, and the exhaust heat will be conveyed through a
pipeline to be constructed as part of the heat transfer project. 07/16/2015
California Awards Cap-and-Trade Funds for 5 Dairy Digesters in Central
Valley
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has selected five projects for approximately $11.1 million in grants to implement
digester technology on California dairy operations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from dairy manure.
Financial assistance for the installation of dairy digesters comes from the state’s cap-and-trade program for
combating climate change. Through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, CDFA and other state agencies are investing
cap-and-trade auction proceeds in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing a variety of
additional benefits to California communities. Recipients of the CDFA grants will provide an estimated $18.9
million in matching funds for the development of the digester facilities. Dairy digesters collect manure in
tanks or lagoons for decomposition in an oxygen-free environment and then capture the methane (biogas) produced
so none escapes into the atmosphere. That methane can then be used as a biofuel to power generators that produce
electricity or fuel natural gas vehicles. 07/16/2015
Praxair Signs Long-Term Supply Agreement for Refinery’s Carbon
Dioxide
Connecticut based Praxair, Inc has signed a long-term agreement with Delaware City Refining Company to purchase crude carbon dioxide from
the refinery. Praxair will build, own, and operate a 450-ton-per-day carbon dioxide purification and
liquefaction plant at the refinery, producing beverage-quality liquid carbon dioxide for distribution into the
Northeastern US merchant market. Praxair already supplies Delaware City Refining with nitrogen for its
operational needs. This new carbon dioxide source will begin serving customers in 2016. Praxair previously
started up a 450-ton-per-day carbon dioxide purification facility in Hopewell, Virginia, and also operates
carbon dioxide facilities in Southeastern Canada. 07/16/2015
UK Railway Stations and Bio-Bean Convert Coffee Waste to
Biofuels
United Kingdom company Network Rail has signed an agreement with bio-bean for a new recycling project that is turning coffee waste into
fuel and helping cut the cost of running the railway. Following a successful trial at London’s Victoria and
Waterloo stations, six of the largest railway stations in Britain will now all be committing their coffee waste
to the project. Between them, Network Rail’s six biggest stations (Euston, King’s Cross, Liverpool Street,
Paddington, Victoria and Waterloo) generate nearly 700 tonnes of coffee waste each year. Rather than sending it
to landfill, this waste will now go to the bio-bean factory to be converted into over 650 tonnes of
carbon-neutral biofuels for heating homes, offices and factories, saving more than 5,000 tonnes of carbon
dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year. Each tonne of waste coffee grounds creates over 5,700 kilowatt
hours of energy, with the 700 tonnes enough to power 1000 homes for a year.
07/16/2015
Due 09/10/2015: Response to New York City RFI on Renewable Power
Supply
New York City has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking responses from all
entities involved in and supporting the renewable energy sector. This RFI is designed to identify new generation
capacity rather than existing sources of renewable energy. The RFI document may be downloaded online. The City will conduct an informational session via the
Internet to address its renewable energy goals and how it expects to meet those goals at 11:00 am EST on July
30, 2015. Further information on the informational session will be provided to the prospective respondents and
the public in the City Record newspaper and via the City Record Online. All responses shall be submitted electronically to
Susan Cohen, the RFI Contact, at <> by 5:00 pm EST on September 10, 2015. In
addition, two original paper copies shall be submitted to the RFI Contact no later than September 15, 2015.
07/16/2015
Newlight Signs 20-Year Contract with Vinmar for 19B Lbs of AirCarbon
PHA
California based Newlight Technologies, LLC has signed a master off-take agreement with Texas company Vinmar International Ltd for the sale of 100% of AirCarbon PHA from
Newlight’s planned 50 million pound per year production facility for 20 years. AirCarbon is a PHA-based
thermoplastic made from greenhouse gas that is used and being developed for use in a wide range of products,
including films, caps, and closures, furniture, electronics accessories, bottles, and other applications.
Newlight produces AirCarbon by combining a breakthrough high-yield biocatalyst with air and captured
methane-based greenhouse gas emissions to produce a bio-based AirCarbon thermoplastic material that is cost
competitive with petroleum-derived thermoplastics. Under the terms of the off-take agreement, Vinmar will
initially purchase 1 billion pounds of AirCarbon PHA from Newlight. The contract will also cover 100% of the
output from a 300 million pound per year AirCarbon production facility and a 600 million pound per year
AirCarbon production facility for a total of up to 19 billion pounds over 20 years.
07/15/2015
AnaeCo Completes Biological Ramp-up Phase at WMRC Project in
Australia
AnaeCo Limited has announced completion of the Biological Ramp-up phase of commissioning
at the Western Metropolitan Regional Council (WMRC) Project in Western Australia, now that the biogas scrubber has
been commissioned. The 21st and final batch of municipal solid waste (MSW) contributing to Biological Ramp-up
was loaded into a bioconversion vessel in the week beginning June 29. The plant is now undergoing a short
maintenance shutdown in preparation for performance trials, the final phase of commissioning under the Design
& Construct Contract. This concludes what has been a protracted Ramp-up phase lasting 12 months compared to
the originally planned 18 week period. All DiCOM™ bioconversion phases (aerobic/transition/anaerobic) were
completed as intended during Ramp-up, producing biogas and an organic bi-product. 484 tonnes of biogas were
produced, meeting commissioning expectations. AnaeCo secured a $4.6 million bridge loan in February of this year to fund
completion of the WMRC Project. 07/15/2015
Pacific Biodiesel Technologies and Big Island Biodiesel
Unite
Members of Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, LLC (PBT) and Big Island Biodiesel,
LLC (BIB), unanimously voted to combine the Companies, making BIB a wholly owned
subsidiary of PBT as of July 1, 2015. The move unites all members in the Company’s effort to expand biodiesel
production in Hawaii and to continue to decrease the state’s dependency on imported fossil fuel. Big Island
Biodiesel, which began production in July 2012, is the most recent of 13 facilities designed by Pacific
Biodiesel and features fuel distillation and zero-waste processing. Located on Hawaii Island, the facility has a current
production capacity of 5.5 million gallons per year. 07/15/2015
EPA Honors 20th Annual Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
Awardees
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing landmark green chemistry technologies developed by industrial pioneers and
leading scientists that turn climate risk and other environmental problems into business opportunities. An
independent panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute formally judged the 2015 submissions
from among scores of nominated technologies and made recommendations to EPA for the 2015 winners. Among
the winners is Florida based Algenol, which being recognized for developing a blue-green algae to
produce ethanol and other fuels. The algae uses CO2 from air or industrial emitters with sunlight and saltwater
to create fuel while dramatically reducing the carbon footprint, costs and water usage, and with no reliance on
food crops as feedstocks. LanzaTech in Illinois is being honored for the development of a
process that uses waste gas to produce fuels and chemicals, reducing companies’ carbon footprint. Pennsylvania
company Renmatix is being recognized for developing a process using
supercritical water to more cost effectively break down plant material into sugars used as building blocks for
renewable chemicals and fuels. The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award winners be honored at a ceremony
in Washington, DC. 07/13/2015
ArcelorMittal, LanzaTech, Primetals Partner to Construct €87m Biofuel
Facility
ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel and mining
company, LanzaTech, the carbon recycling company, and Primetals Technologies, a leading technology and service provider to
the iron and steel industry have announced entering into a letter of intent to construct Europe’s
first-ever commercial scale production facility to create bioethanol from waste gases produced during the
steelmaking process. The bioethanol will predominantly be used in gasoline blending, but it can also be further
processed into other products such as drop-in jet fuel. The 47,000 ton ethanol/annum project will demonstrate
the added value of recycling waste streams, not only by reducing emissions at source, but by keeping fossil
fuels in the ground through the production of commodity chemicals and fuels that would otherwise be made from
oil. Approximately 50 per cent of the carbon used in the chemistry of steelmaking leaves the process as carbon
monoxide. Now, this waste gas stream is either flared or used to heat and power the steel mill.
07/13/2015
DEINOVE Reaches 3rd Milestone of DEINOL Program Using Waste
Biomass
France based DEINOVE has announced that it has reached the third of four milestones of its
DEINOL project, which is supported by Bpifrance, and validating the work of DEINOVE's proprietary platform.
Achievement of this milestone triggers €1.2m in funding from Bpifrance in the form of an innovation grant.
DEINOVE's platform uses Deinococcus bacteria as host strains for the production of biofuels and bio-based
chemicals. The DEINOL program, initiated in 2010, aims to develop and market a consolidated, second-generation
(2G) bioethanol production process using non-food biomass (agricultural residues, organic waste, etc.) as raw
material and to promote the exceptional properties of Deinococcus bacteria. These advances have also
materialized in a strong intellectual property: DEINOVE currently has a diverse portfolio of 18 patent families
consisting of more than 180 patent applications internationally, particularly in Europe, the USA and China.
07/13/2015
Industry Groups Fund Study to Improve Efficiencies in Recycling
Facilities
Five US trade associations representing a wide range of packaging types joined together to
commission a study to find ways to optimize the recycling of their
packaging after it goes into the bin or cart. The associations include the American Chemistry Council (ACC),
Association of Postconsumer Plastics Recyclers (APR), Carton Council of North America (CCNA), Foodservice
Packaging Institute (FPI), and the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). The study
specifically evaluated where packages end up in a sorting facility, why packages flow in certain ways, and what
potential changes to the sorting processes could improve recovery. The 'MRF Material Flow Study' uniquely looks at how numerous materials flow
through several different types of materials recovery facilities (MRFs) with the goal of better understanding
how to get more recyclables actually recycled. Five U.S. MRFs were selected for the study, representing a range
of operations, including those of different sizes and processing, and different recycling streams (single- and
dual-stream). Key findings from the study include 1) Size, shape, and material influence flow; 2) Maintaining
equipment to ensure efficient sorting is critical; and 3) Optical sorters can help identify material types.
07/11/2015
Due 08/07/2015: Applications for Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Funding
The Minnesota Department of Commerce (MnDOC) is soliciting proposals from local government agencies in Minnesota that
are seeking low-cost, long-term capital to finance community energy efficiency and renewable energy system
projects. The new Rev It Up program allows local governments to compete for funding for
community energy efficiency systems and renewable energy production for reductions in energy consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions. The Minnesota Legislature provided Commerce with authority to issue up to $100 million
in revenue bonds: $20 million for community energy efficiency and renewable energy projects taking place in
small businesses and public buildings, and $60 million to provide loans or other aids to industrial or
commercial businesses and healthcare facilities for cost-effective energy efficiency projects or to install
renewable energy systems. This solicitation is only for local government agencies. The MnDOC has also launched
the complementary Public Entity Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Feasibility Study Loan Program as a revolving loan fund to help public entities pay for the cost of an energy audit or a renewable
energy feasibility study. 07/11/2015
IEA Releases Bioenergy Task 34 Newsletter on Fast Pyrolysis
Aston University's European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI) has announced the publication of International Energy Agency (IEA)
Bioenergy Task 34 biennial newsletter. Task 34 is focused on Pyrolysis (program referred
to as PyNe) and has continued collaborative research since 1996 on the fast pyrolysis of biomass to bio-oil. The
newsletter features articles on the latest global developments in fast pyrolysis. The overall objective of Task
34 is to improve the rate of implementation and success of fast pyrolysis for fuels and chemicals by
contributing to the resolution of critical technical areas and disseminating relevant information particularly
to industry and policy makers. Aston University maintains the program website as a global information source on behalf of Task 34 of
the IEA Bioenergy, as part of IEA's Energy Technology Network. 07/10/2015
Energy from Waste Plant in China will Use Hitachi Zosen Inova’s
Technology
Hitachi Zosen Cooperation has been awarded a contract by Human Junxin Environmental Protection Group
for Changsha City’s first Energy from Waste (EfW) plant based on technology of Zurich based Hitachi Zosen Inova.
Solid waste in Changsha City is now being treated by landfill disposal, so the first EfW plant in the city is
expected to play a significant role not only in hygienic aspects but also as a power source of generating
517,500 megawatt-hours electricity each year. This will also make a major contribution to energy supply in the
Human province capital with a population of 7.1 million. Hitachi Zosen's contract is for engineering and
supplying main equipment for six grate type incinerators with a processing capacity of 5,100 tons per day and a
power output of 100 MW. The Changsha City EfW plant would be the 11th installation by Hitachi Zosen with the
licensed technology of Hitachi Zosen Inova. 07/10/2015
New Energy Capital Invests in Natural Systems Utilities for Value from
Waste
The New Energy Capital Cleantech Infrastructure Fund has announced its investment in Natural Systems Utilities (NSU) to expand opportunities to build, own,
and operate wastewater treatment, water reuse, organics reclamation. and energy recovery systems in North
America. Previous investors XPV Capital Corporation and ARB, a private investment firm, joined the round. Scott
Brown, CEO of New Energy Capital Partners: "Natural Systems Utilities has been at the forefront of designing,
building and operating distributed water management and energy systems that derive value from waste."
07/10/2015
Pennsylvania Funds Biomass Heating System for School
Buildings
Pennsylvania's Governor Wolf has announced that the Commonwealth Financing Authority approved funding to support a new
Alternative and Clean Energy (ACE) project with an investment of $500,000 in Clearfield County. West Branch Area
School District will receive the $500,000 grant for installation of a biomass boiler system in Morris Township
that will be used to heat both the elementary and secondary school buildings. With the current boiler system,
West Branch Area School District uses oil for 100 percent of its heating demands. With the installation of the
new biomass boiler system, the usage of oil will decrease to 20 percent of the heating requirements for the
school, saving approximately 53,832 gallons of oil per year. The biomass system will burn approximately 738 tons
of locally grown wood fuel per year and provide annual savings of $137,214 for the school district.
07/10/2015
Due 10/01/2015: USDA Loan Apps for Biorefineries/Bio-Product
Manufacturing
The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative Service is requesting applications for funds that are available under the
Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (Program), formerly the
Biorefinery Assistance Program. The funding
will provide guaranteed loans to fund the development, construction, and Retrofitting of Commercial Scale
biorefineries using Eligible Technology and of Biobased Product Manufacturing facilities that use
Technologically New Commercial Scale processing and manufacturing equipment to convert Renewable Chemicals and
other biobased outputs of biorefineries into end-user products, on a Commercial Scale. Two separate application
cycles have been announced with deadlines of October 1, 2015, and April 1, 2016.
07/10/2015
Showa Denko Completes Waste Plastic Gasification Facility
Expansion
Japanese company Showa Denko (SDK) has announced completion of the expansion of its used-plastic gasification
facility at the Kawasaki Plant for production of ammonia from waste plastic. SDK processes used plastic to
obtain the part of hydrogen necessary for the synthesis of ammonia. As an industrial material, ammonia is used
in the production of synthetic fibers and metal surface treatment for automotive and construction machinery
parts. The demand for ammonia used for removing nitrogen oxides contained in exhaust gas from thermal electric
power plants and other facilities has been increasing in recent years. Furthermore, SDK’s liquefied ammonia
(trade name: EcoannTM) has been approved and rated high as “eco-friendly goods for
procurement” by major electric power companies because the product is partly based on used plastic. The method
to produce hydrogen from used plastic results in a significantly lower environmental burden compared to the
conventional methods to produce hydrogen from petroleum-derived raw materials.
07/08/2015
2015 BCAP Webinar Scheduled for Biomass Project Material
Owners
The University of California (UC) Berkeley Wood Resources Group in collaboration with the US
Forest Service Region 5, the California State Farm Services Agency Office, and California office of the Bureau
of Land Management will host a webinar overview of the USDA Biomass Crop Assistance
Program (BCAP). The webinar is designed for owners and potential owners of forest biomass from hazardous fuels
reduction and insect/disease projects on BLM- or Forest Service-managed lands, and orchard clearings. This
webinar will not focus on that part of the 2015 BCAP related to growing energy crops or upcoming sessions to
provide input to potential changes in the 2016 program. BCAP was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The webinar will be broadcast live at July 20, 2015 at
10:00 AM PST with opportunity for questions from attendees, and will be recorded for later viewing. Registration
for the webinar is available online. 07/08/2015
ElectraTherm Commissions First 'Radiator with
a Payback'
Nevada based ElectraTherm has partnered with the US Department of Defense (DoD) to
commission the first fully-integrated stationary engine and waste heat
to power generator. ElectraTherm’s Power+ Generator™ was integrated with a Cummins KTA-50 1.1 megawatt engine to
increase fuel efficiency in addition to entirely replacing the engine’s radiator. The Power+ Generator displaces
the radiator’s capital cost and parasitic load, generating additional power and marking the first
“radiator with a payback.” ElectraTherm utilizes Organic Rankine Cycle
(ORC) and proprietary technologies to generate power from low temperature heat ranging from 170-252°F. With the
typical engine running at about 35% efficiency, there is considerable waste heat between the jacket water and
the exhaust. By acting as the radiator for the engine, ORC technology benefits include additional power
generation, increased efficiency and reduced cooling loads. The elimination of radiator capital costs offsets up
to 20% of the entire ORC project costs, delivering a payback of three years or less for diesel or heavy fuel
oil-fired gensets. 07/08/2015
UK Environment Agency Releases Report on Growth of Refuse Derived
Fuels
The United Kingdom (UK) has released a new report that discusses the factors behind the sudden
emergence and growth of exports of refuse derived fuel (RDF) from England. The market went from zero in June
2010 to just over 215,000 tonnes in January 2015. The majority of these exports were to the Netherlands with
Germany and Sweden starting to increase in importance from mid to late 2013. RDF is defined as material that is
produced from waste, has undergone some sort of treatment process, and is intended for use as a fuel. The market
began in June 2010 after a regulatory decision by the Environment Agency based on the UK Plan for Shipments of
Waste, which allowed the export of RDF. The market grew rapidly because of material being shifted from landfill
by the landfill tax and landfill diversion targets, and the lower cost of some continental European EfW
facilities. The landfill tax has therefore been a key driver in diverting waste from landfill and consequently
for the RDF export market. The full report is available online.
07/07/2015
IRENA Launches INSPIRE Platform to Support Renewable Energy
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has announced the launch of the International Standards and Patents in
Renewable Energy (INSPIRE), a new online platform to help users access 400 international standards and more than
2 million patents for renewable energy technologies. The INSPIRE platform is a result of collaboration between
IRENA, the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and has
multiple functionalities. The standards section enables users to search through a database of more than 400
internationally used standards and generate reports as needed. The patents section contains information on over
two million patent documents relating to carbon mitigation technologies from the EPO’s PATSTAT database, which
contains nearly two million patent documents. The combination of resources on INSPIRE will help users analyze
various aspects of renewable energy policy and innovation. Users can also perform metadata analysis of
technology trends, comparing development within, or between, different technologies.
07/07/2015
NYC Mayor Proposes Organics Recycling for Large-Scale Food
Establishments
New York City's (NYC) de Blasio administration has announced a proposal to require large-scale commercial food
establishments to separate organic waste. Food scraps and other organic material makes up one-third of all
commercial waste, and diverting this material from landfills is considered to be a critical opportunity for New
York City. The separated waste organics can be used as a soil amendment through composting or as feedstock for
clean, renewable energy through anaerobic digestion. The City laid out an ambitious plan to send zero waste to landfills and reduce waste
disposal by 90 percent relative to 2005 levels, by 2030 in "One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City," the
administration’s comprehensive plan for a sustainable and resilient city. The proposed rules will be subject to
a public hearing and comment period and would take effect six months after they are adopted. From that point,
there will be a six-month grace period before any fines can be imposed.
07/03/2015
Canada Fibers Announces Bold Solid Waste Recycling
Initiatives
Canada Fibers Ltd has announced that it has taken steps towards the creation of superior
value from municipal and commercial solid waste through solid waste recycling
initiatives. Canada Fibers has
created an affiliate named Urban Resource Group Inc, which will focus on production of high quality sustainable
products from solid waste. Canada Fibers' solid waste recovery operations include four state-of-the-art
Municipal Recovery Facilities in the Province of Ontario, as well as two large-scale commercial recovery
facilities. Urban Resource Group has entered into agreements to acquire three companies, which will expand the
portfolio of products and services available to Canada Fibers' growing customer base. Urban Resource Group
recently entered into agreements to purchase the shares of Ecowood Ltd and the shares of All Waste Removal
Inc. Both of these acquisitions are
expected to close during July 2015. The third acquisition involves the assets of a manufacturer of wooden fuel
pellets, which was completed earlier this year. 07/03/2015
Food and Drink Waste Could Boost Scottish Economy by Up to
£800M
Scotland's Food Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced that waste from the food and drink industry – specifically
from the beer, whisky, and fish and shellfish sectors – could help the Scottish economy tap into an estimated
£500 million to £803 million each year. A Circular Economy Sector Study published by Zero Waste Scotland found that by better
utilizing the waste and by-products produced by the industry, Scotland’s economy could stand to grow massively
year-on-year. Research indicates that the bio-waste and by-products can be used for a number of other things
including aquaculture and animal feeds, fertilizer and protein food supplements. The circular economy report
identifies the level of bio-based waste and by-products within the three sectors identified. Each year the beer
sector produces around 54,000 tonnes of bio-based waste and by-products; the whisky sector more than four
million tonnes and the fish & shellfish sector an estimated 190,000 tonnes.
07/02/2015
Ellen MacArthur Foundation Launches Circular Economy Toolkit
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has launched the results of its latest research which provides, for the
first time, an actionable toolkit for policymakers who wish to embark on a circular economy transition.
The toolkit complements the recently published report Growth Within: A
circular economy vision for a competitive Europe by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Stiftungsfonds für
Umweltökonomie und Nachhaltigkeit (SUN) and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment, by offering an
actionable ‘how-to’ guide for policymakers inspired by the vision of how the circular economy could look, as
explored in the Growth Within report. The report underlines that circular business opportunities are mainly
hindered by non-financial barriers and suggests that a sector by sector approach would be the most appropriate
to identify the most relevant opportunities, barriers and policy options. Furthermore, system-wide measures,
such as broader changes to the fiscal system, could support the transition towards the circular economy.
07/02/2015
ANDRITZ Supplies Power Boiler for South Korean Waste-to-Energy
Plant
ANDRITZ has received an order from POSCO E&C to supply key equipment for a
50-megawatt bubbling fluidized bed boiler fired with refuse-derived fuel for the greenfield waste-to-energy
plant in Pohang, South Korea. The scope of supply also includes basic engineering as well as supervisory
services for erection and commissioning. The plant will utilize 100,000 tons of pre-treated waste per year and
generate power for 20,000 homes in South Korea, and saving 85,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year. Start-up is
scheduled for spring 2018. 07/02/2015
ADBA Releases UK Anaerobic Digestion Market Report
The Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA) has released its July 2015 Anaerobic Digestion Market Report on the occasion of Biogen's
commissioning of the 400th ad plant in the United Kingdom (UK). The Market Report provides a comprehensive
analysis of the development and potential of the anaerobic digestion (AD) industry in the UK. As well as details
of the 400 operational plants, it shows: 60-100 new plants are likely to be commissioned in 2015; 1.6 million
tonnes of food waste are now being recycled through AD compared to 0.3-0.4 million tonnes in 2010, but waste
policy in England is holding up investment compared to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; the surge in
biomethane to grid projects is continuing – but there is uncertainty around new plants after April 2016, while
the industry waits for a decision on future funding for the RHI; there will be a significant fall in sub-500 kWe
FIT plants in 2015 compared to 2014 - but still more than in 2013 or any year before that; the sector faces real
challenges from 2016, but with reasonable policy changes the sector could still deliver at least 500 more plants
by 2020. 07/01/2015
Green3Power Wins Contract to Build Waste Gasification Facility in
Florida
BioPower Operations Corporation has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Green3Power Operations Inc (G3P) has been awarded a contract to build a
$175 million renewable energy facility which will convert waste into ultra-low sulfur synthetic green No. 2
diesel fuel. The facility will use G3P's exclusively licensed gasification technology and the Fischer-Tropsch
process which has been in use for ninety years turning gas into fuel. The facility will be built at the existing
St. Lucie County Solid Waste Management Facility and extend the life of the landfill while reducing
environmentally harmful greenhouse gas emissions. G3P has finalized negotiations with St. Lucie County on the
agreement, which will be presented to the County Commissioners on July 21, 2015 for their consideration. G3P has
finalized the site plan. 07/01/2015
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