May 2015 News and Matters of Interest

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

Converde Energy Acquires XFuels LLC and Combines the Companies

Converde Energy USA, Inc has acquired Oregon-based XFuels LLC, combining the companies and assuming the brand name and existing joint ventures. XFuels has developed and is seeking patent for a highly-integrated modular waste conversion processing platform capable of accepting urban, forestry and agricultural wastes and residues. The modular units may be deployed as mobile or stationary installations, to produce both electricity and alternative fuels. XFuels LLC brings with it an active 50/50 joint venture project for the sale of a $6M energy system producing 1MW of power with JV Partner, Metalwork & Stamping, S.A. de C.V., with facilities in Saltillo, Coahuila, and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Converde's operations include divisions involved in fertilizer production, energy science, crop science, lighting and advanced and automated greenhouse development. The newly configured company will be headquartered in Portland, Oregon. 05/29/2015

Due 08/20/2015: Comments to EU on Circular Economy Package

The European Commission (EU) has announced a Public Consultation on its recently released Circular Economy Package and is seeking stakeholder comment. The EU intends to formalize a circular economy strategy late in 2015, "...to transform Europe into a more competitive resource-efficient economy, addressing a range of economic sectors, including waste. The strategy will be fully aligned with the priorities of the new Commission. It will comprise a revised legislative proposal on waste and a Communication setting out an action plan on the circular economy for the rest of this Commission’s term of office. The action plan will cover the whole value chain, and focus on concrete measures with clear EU added value, aiming at ‘closing the loop’ of the circular economy. The Commission is engaged in a thorough reflection on how the objective of circular economy can be reached in an efficient way that is fully compatible with the jobs and growth agenda." Comments may be submitted on-line to <> or by mail to Unit A1 Eco-innovation and Circular Economy, Avenue de Beaulieu 9, B-1160 Brussels. 05/29/2015  

Therma-Flite's Thermal Oil Recovery System Ships to European Refinery

California based Therma-Flite Inc has announced shipment of its thermal desorption system to a European oil and gas refinery. The system's three processing trains, once commissioned, will be capable of processing 200 tons per day of the refinery’s wastes and residuals. The company’s  proprietary thermal process and duel screw technology reclaims oils and reduces the residuals to non-hazardous materials ready for delisting, while reducing waste to one seventh of its original volume. Therma-flight screw direct or indirect heat exchange systems can be installed on-site or mobilized to intercept and process residual resources that would otherwise go to waste, including biosolids and other organics requiring either heating or cooling. In North America, the thermal desorption process allows refineries to meet RCRA regulation which allows the material to be delisted. 05/28/2015  

ElectraTherm and Air Burners Commission First Whole Log Bioenergy Plant

Nevada based ElectraTherm, Inc partnered with Florida company Air Burners, Inc to develop the first whole-log wood waste burner utilizing ElectraTherm’s Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power generating technology. The first PGFireBox has now been commissioned in Jacksonville, Florida. The PGFireBox eliminates large amounts of wood waste without any pre-processing, converting the woody biomass to fossil-fuel free electricity (6-8 tons per hour/30 cubic yards per hour). The PGFireBox is portable and can be deployed close to the location where the woody biomass is collected, applicable at sites such as landfills, forest maintenance, fire prevention, and natural disaster clean up. ElectraTherm’s Power+ Generator feeds off the heat from the burner to generate up to 110kWe of fossil-fuel free electricity. Through the ORC process, hot water heats a working fluid into pressurized vapor. As the vapor expands, it drives ElectraTherm’s patented twin screw power block, which spins an electric generator and produces power. 05/27/2015

US EPA and Army Finalize Clean Water Rule Expanding Federal Jurisdiction

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Army today announced finalization of the new Clean Water Rule. The Rule provides clarity regarding when and where national controls apply for water protection, and where exemptions are allowed. In doing so, it also redefines boundaries between regulated and unregulated waters. Considering the water-energy-waste nexus, all businesses should check the sector-specific Fact Sheets and consider impacts upon existing and future operations and developments. The Proposed rule opened for comment in April 2014; the final Clean Water Rule will be effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, later this year. 05/27/2015

Ag Residue Harvesting for Biofuels Impacts Soil Carbon Balance

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratories has announced findings of research into the impact of harvesting agricultural residuals like straw and corn stover for making cellulosic biofuels. Soil carbon stores in lands that have long been under cultivation can lose up to 65% of their native complement of so-called Soil Organic Carbon (SOC). This carbon is only partially replaced by tilling agricultural residuals back into fields. Increasing removal of straw can significantly increase this on-going agricultural carbon loss. Cellulosic biofuel production is expected to involve the use of crop residue—the stems and leaves of plants—but the increased use of residues for ethanol production could significantly reduce soil carbon storage capability, as well as plant productivity. The research was recently published in the journal Biogeosciences as “Modeling the impact of agricultural land use and management on U.S. carbon budgets”. Teru note: This imbalance could be countered with addition of certified biochar made from feedstock other than the agricultural residues, such as forest management residuals and clean construction wood waste. 05/27/2015  

Wheelabrator Receives Planning Approval for Wales Energy Recovery Facility

Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. has announced that Flintshire County Council's Planning and Development Control Committee has approved the Parc Adfer Energy Recovery Facility in the Deeside Industrial Park in North Wales. Public consultations began on the project in May 2014. The next stage of the development process will start immediately with the organization of a 'Meet the Buyer' event in the summer. Construction work will start as soon as all the required planning and permitting permissions are in place. The facility will create around 300 jobs during the construction phase and some 35 new full time jobs when operational. The proposed 16WM facility will be designed to process up to 200,000 tonnes of non-recyclable household waste per year, generating electricity equivalent to the needs of around 30,000 homes. The facility will also create heat or steam, which could be piped to nearby commercial, industrial or residential users in the Deeside area. 05/26/2015

North American Energy Ministers Establish Climate Change Working Group

The Honorable Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources; Pedro Joaquín-Coldwell, Mexico’s Secretary of Energy; and Ernest J. Moniz, U.S. Secretary of Energy, have announced the establishment of a North American Energy Ministers’ Working Group on Climate Change and Energy. This group expands the North American Energy Ministers Dialogue that was established by the 2014 North American Leaders Summit, which highlighted that clean and reliable energy supplies can drive economic growth as we shift toward a low-carbon energy future. The new trilateral working group supports the implementation of the clean energy and climate change goals of each of the three countries, including respective Paris targets. The announcement took place as ministers met on the margins of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas Ministerial and the Clean Energy Ministerial meetings. 05/26/2015

Black Soldier Fly Larvae Process Food Waste and Could Be Livestock Feed

Black soldier fly larvae excel at eating food waste, especially when it comes to nasty stuff that we don’t want around or wouldn’t think of eating ourselves. Then, after the larvae had eaten, they could be recycled as feed for livestock, although the US Food and Drug Administration currently prohibits that. The European Union has similar restrictions. However, if the regulations were to change, black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) could be used on a large scale to dispose of organic wastes such as manure or offal, according to an article in Environmental Entomology called Ability of Black Soldier Fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Larvae to Recycle Food Waste. Dr. Jeffery Tomberlin of Texas A&M, one of the co-authors: "The study was the first to show that the insects can thrive on food waste. Insects are no different from most other animals. They need a balanced diet. What we found was food waste and fish offal probably contained the right amount of protein and carbohydrates to allow them successfully to develop." The study is an example of the surging interest in using black soldier fly larvae to recycle waste. According to Louis Sorkin, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History, the larvae are very efficient, and the droppings from the larvae can used as plant fertilizer. 05/26/2015 

Ohio 'Foundry Project' to Use Data Center Waste Heat for Aquaculture

Environmental attorney J. Duncan Shorey has announced formation of The Foundry Project, a collaborative redevelopment of an 8-acre brownfield site in Cleveland, Ohio. The Project will recover waste heat from an underground data center and reuse the heat for an on-site aquaculture facility. In the first phase of the project, Northcoast Fish Farm's (NFF) aquaculture facility will utilize a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), where water is cleaned, filtered and recycled to the fish culture tanks, enabling a bio-secure method that uses no hormones or antibiotics. Fish waste is destined for Northcoast Orchards agricultural usage. To close the loop, conversion of agricultural residues will then provide feedstock for generating part of the energy required by the data center. Warmed by the reclaimed thermal energy, NFF will ramp up production to 500,000 pounds a year of Branzino, or Mediterranean Sea Bass. The Project plan includes constructing a 20,000 – 40,000 square foot underground bunkered data center, once a customer is identified. The data center will take advantage of the three 100-gigabit per second fiber networks located in the adjacent rail lines. Shorey notes that the facility will be the first data center in the world where waste heat is reused to provide heat for an aquaculture farm and represents a breakthrough for reducing the carbon footprint of a data center. The Indoor Aquaculture Fish Farm is the first initiative of the ecosystem and is slated to launch in Q4 2015. 05/22/2015

Cirque Energy and Cat Cay Yacht Club to Jointly Develop DGU Power Plant

Michigan based Cirque Energy, Inc has announced entering into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with Cat Cay Yacht Club (Cat Cay), North Cat Cay Island, Bahamas, for the potential development and sale by Cirque to Cat Cay of renewable energy. The energy will be produced by a generation facility using Cirque’s Deployable Gasification Unit (DGU) technology. The operation will process the island’s solid waste into syngas fuel using Cirque’s gasification and cleanup technology to offset diesel fuel used to power an engine generator set. The JDA tentatively calls for Cirque to provide a 600 kW dual-fuel generator, a deployable gasification unit module, and a fuel handling module. The facility will be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained by Cirque and will provide in excess of 25 years of service. The JDA presents an opportunity for Cirque and Cat Cay to execute a power purchase agreement with an initial term of ten years. The estimated capital requirement for the project is over $2.0 million and the energy facility is expected to be placed in service during the first quarter of 2016. 05/22/2015

BioEnergy Hawaii and Ulupono Initiative Partner for Waste Conversion Facility

BioEnergy Hawaii, LLC (BEH) has partnered with impact investment firm Ulupono Initiative to finance a resource recovery facility planned for the west side of Hawaii Island. Ulupono Initiative is working with similar projects to ensure Hawaii is more self-sufficient in the key areas of waste reduction, renewable energy, and sustainable local food production. The limited partnership will share all financial obligations and proceeds of the $50 million facility. The BEH project will accept municipal solid waste (MSW) delivered by local waste collection companies, and divert 70 percent of it from the West Hawaii Sanitary Landfill. The project will include advanced recycling operations and produce multiple value products from the waste streams: recyclable commodities, organics, and residual solid fuel. Construction on the BioEnergy Hawaii facility is scheduled to begin during the summer of 2016. 05/22/2015 

UN Sustainable Energy for All Announces Global Bioenergy Initiative

A new multi-stakeholder coalition co-chaired by the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) has announced its intention to speed up the development and deployment of sustainable bioenergy. The goal of the global bioenergy initiative is to contribute to meeting the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL)  goals of doubling the global use of renewable energy and ensuring universal energy access by 2030. Among its key goals is delivering bioenergy options that are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable, with a focus on emerging markets and rural communities in developing countries. All types of bioenergy projects are being promoted, including renewable biomass for clean cooking solutions; on-farm bioenergy production to boost agricultural yield and reduce post-harvest losses; distributed electricity production using sustainable biomass from forestry and agriculture coproducts; electricity and fuels from municipal solid waste (MSW); cellulosic ethanol for clean cooking and transportation; and sustainable aviation biofuels. Supported by Novozymes, the world’s largest technology provider to biofuel industries, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), FAO and RSB are co-chairing the sustainable bioenergy effort. 05/21/2015

Energy Recovery Ships Pressure Exchanger System for Oman Power Plant

California based Energy Recovery Inc has shipped pressure energy technology components for a $1 million desalination plant project in Sur, Oman. For this project, Energy Recovery is partnering with Sidem, a Veolia Environnement company headquartered in France. Sidem will use Energy Recovery’s PX-Q300 Pressure Exchanger devices for the plant in Sur in the Ash Sharqiyah Region of northeastern Oman. The award-winning PX Pressure Exchanger remains the most efficient and reliable energy recovery solution on the market for desalination, operating with 98% efficiency in its energy exchange. Energy Recovery products simplify complex systems and protect vulnerable equipment by recycling fluid pressure that would otherwise be lost in critical processes. 05/21/2015

Aventine Installs Valicor Corn-Oil Separation System at 110 MG Ethanol Plant

Illinois based Aventine Renewable Energy Inc has announced the successful installation of its third Valicor® corn-oil separation system. The new $4.4 million “plug and play” modular system is now operating at the Aurora West 110-million-gallon Delta T plant in Aurora, Nebraska. Since corn oil has a higher market value, removing the oil improves dried distillers grain processing properties. The industrial-grade byproduct from the two Aurora plants will be used primarily for biodiesel or as an additive to livestock feed for higher caloric diets. Aurora West can produce 10,000 gallons of corn oil a day. Last summer Aventine ordered a $2.4 million corn-oil separation system for its Nebraska Energy LLC plant in Aurora, which began operations in early January. It can produce 4,500 gallons of corn oil a day. The company previously installed a Valicor system at its Pekin, Illinois, dry mill, which has been in operation since late 2013. Aventine also operates a 100-million-gallon wet mill in Pekin. 05/21/2015 

Blue Sphere Acquires Four Producing Waste to Biogas Facilities in Italy

North Carolina company Blue Sphere Corporation has announced that its new subsidiary Blue Sphere Italy S.r.l has acquired four fully operational biogas facilities in Italy. Each of these facilities produce 1MW. The Company anticipates the potential of 13 more acquisitions in the near future. Blue Sphere Italy S.r.l signed a definitive agreement with Kinexia, an Italian public company, and will now await a change of control process that could take up to 60 days from the date of execution of the definitive agreement. This acquisition represents the initial execution of a long term business strategy geared toward rapidly increasing revenues and adding exceptional assets and cash flow to the Company's balance sheet. Blue Sphere generates electricity from biogas derived from organic waste, which is mostly food waste, and sells this electricity to leading electric companies through long-term power purchase agreements. 05/20/2015

North London Eyes New Energy Recovery Project to Hit 50% Recycling Target

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has unveiled plans to develop a new £500m energy recovery facility that will generate electricity from non-recyclable waste to power local homes and businesses. The North London Heat & Power Project, situated in the Edmonton EcoPark in Enfield, would replace an existing energy-from-waste plant which has served the area for more than 45 years but is coming to the end of its operational life. NLWA began the second phase of a public consultation on the project on May 18 that will run until June 30, 2015. If approved, would help North London make strides towards its target of 50% of waste to be recycled by 2020. The Project would generate power for around 127,000 homes and provide heat for local homes and businesses; distributed locally through schemes such as Enfield Council’s planned Lee Valley Heat Network. All emissions monitored will be the same as or even lower than the existing facility, making it one of the best performing in Europe. 05/20/2015

Green Plains Partners LP Files for $200M IPO

Green Plains Partners LP has filed to offer $200 million in units in an initial offering with the US Security Exchange Commission (SEC). The company plans to list on the NASDAQ under the ticker "GPP." Barclays and BofA Merrill Lynch are the managers of the offering. Green Plains Partners LP is a fee-based Delaware limited partnership recently formed by parent, Green Plains Inc  to own, operate, develop, and acquire ethanol and fuel storage tanks, terminals, transportation assets and other related assets and businesses. The initial public offering price has not been determined. 05/20/2015

Due 09/14/2015: Applications to Elsevier Sustainable Chemistry Challenge

The Elsevier Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge is open to individuals or organizations operating in the not-for-profit and for-profit sectors from all countries.  Projects can be in any field of Green or Sustainable Chemistry so long as they are applicable for use in developing countries. Projects which are within their early stage are preferred. The winning project in the Elsevier Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge will receive a single payment of € 50,000; the winner of the second prize will receive a single payment of € 25,000. The submission system for the Challenge will open on June 1, 2015 (12:00 GMT). Upon registration, you will be able to access the online application. All submissions must be in English and submitted by September 14, 2015 (23:59 GMT). 05/20/2015 

SEaB Wins 2nd Phase Cognicity Challenge and Canary Wharf Pilot OK

London's Canary Wharf Group (CWG) has announced winners in its ongoing Cognicity Challenge with this second round focused on Integrated Resource Management and Automated Building Management. Southampton-based SEaB Energy took the £50,000 prize for Integrated Resource Management with the company's "Muckbuster" and "Flexibuster" containerized anaerobic digestion (AD) modules. With the prize money comes the opportunity to install and demonstrate one of their AD systems at Canary Wharf. CWG launched the Cognicity Challenge as part of a broader Initiative to identify and accelerate the development of smart city technologies, helping to create one of the world’s leading smart city quarters within one of the world's greatest capital cities. In two decades the group has transformed Canary Wharf into 16 million square feet of superior office, retail and leisure space. The final two Cognicity Challenge streams, Virtual Design and Construction and Connected Home have just begun and the winners will be announced on July 7. 05/18/2015

Texas A&M Agriculture Faculty Focuses on Stopping Global Food Waste

Agriculture faculty at Texas A&M University are vowing to team up and figure out how to reduce global food waste by 5 percent over the next decade, according to Dr. Steve Searcy, the group’s facilitator and head of the Texas A&M biological and agricultural engineering department. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has estimated that 30 percent of the food produced in the world is never consumed due to various factors that cause waste. "Feeding Our World" is one of five Grand Challenges designated by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to be addressed through research, teaching and outreach in an interdisciplinary, faculty-driven initiative. To meet the goal of decreasing waste, Searcy said, the agriculture and life sciences faculty along with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Research will assess the problem, develop partnerships and collaborate more fully with each other. 05/18/2015

Gulfstream and World Fuel Services Sign Renewable Fuels Agreement

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp and its fuel supplier, World Fuel Services Inc has finalized a three-year agreement that provides Gulfstream with a consistent supply of renewable fuels for its daily flight operations in Savannah. The fuel is a 30/70 blend of low-carbon, drop-in renewable fuel and Jet-A. The low-carbon, drop-in fuel is derived from agricultural waste and is certified to meet the same industry specifications as petroleum Jet-A. It provides the same performance as conventional, petroleum-based jet fuel and requires no changes to factory-standard engines or aircraft. Each gallon of renewable fuel burned is expected to achieve a more than 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, relative to petroleum-based jet fuel, on a lifecycle basis. World Fuel will manage the logistics of bringing the renewable fuel to Savannah. 05/18/2015

Due 06/15/2015: Comments to ODEQ on Reklaim Waste Conversion Facility

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) has released a public notice requesting written comment on the proposed renewal of  the Conversion Technology Facility Permit held by Reklaim, Inc for its Boardman facility. Renewal of this permit allows the facility to continue to operate its tire pyrolysis operation in the conversion of pre-shredded waste tire crumbs into carbon black, metal, and fuel oil. Reklaim's waste conversion facility is located in Boardman on property owned by the Port of Morrow. The company successfully converted their previous Solid Waste Facility Permit to Oregon's recently-developed Conversion Technology permit in December of last year. Oregon DEQ completed a lengthy Conversion Technology Rulemaking process in 2012 and released its Conversion Technology rules in 2013. To submit comments to the public record, send to Shari Harris-Dunning, DEQ Eastern Region Solid Waste Permit Writer, 475 NE Bellevue Dr. Suite 110, Bend, Oregon 97701, or email to <> by 5pm, June 15, 2015. 05/18/2015 

Energy Recovery Technology Ships for Mirfa Power Plant in Abu Dhabi

Recovering the energy from wasted pressure isn't something often included in our news, but is an important factor in overall system efficiency. Reclaiming usable power and recycling fluid pressure that would otherwise be lost in critical industrial processes is a specialty of San Francisco area based Energy Recovery, Inc. The company has announced shipment of pressure energy technology components for construction of the Mirfa Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, a project with partner Degremont, a company focused on the production of drinking water in industrialized countries. Energy Recovery's PX Pressure Exchanger is an efficient and reliable energy recovery solution on the market for desalination, operating with 98% efficiency in its energy exchange. Degremont Technologies, their partner on this project, is a subsidiary of Suez Environnement, forming part of a world-wide network of water treatment equipment providers and manufacturers. 05/15/2015

Dyadic Receives Funding for Role in New Advanced Biofuels Project

Florida based Dyadic International, Inc has announced that its subsidiary Dyadic Netherlands B.V. (Dyadic Netherlands) will work in collaboration with Compagnie Industrielle de Matiere Vegetale ("CIMV") and five other industry partners on the 2G BIOPIC projecf. 2G BIOPIC is a new advanced biofuels project funded by the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program. The team will develop, construct, and operate a large demonstration-scale facility that produces ethanol from biomass. Dr. Wim van der Wilden, General Manager of Dyadic Netherlands: "Dyadic's CMAX® enzymes offer an industry-leading level of performance across very broad temperature and pH ranges. In the 2G BIOPIC project, we expect to tailor our commercial CMAX® enzyme to 2G BIOPIC's pretreated biomass feedstock to further increase enzyme effectiveness and reduce costs." The grant provides that Dyadic Netherlands will be paid a total of approximately €1.0 million over the three year term of the project. The amount includes an upfront payment of €439,819 that the company has already received. 05/15/2015

EPA Recognizes Chumash Casino Resort for Zero Waste and Food Recovery

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and the Chumash Casino Resort were recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the 2014 Food Recovery Challenge certificate of achievement for its zero waste efforts. The certificate of achievement was presented at the Regional Tribal Operations Council meeting on May 13th. Since 2013, as part of its efforts under the Food Recovery Challenge, the Chumash Casino Resort have prevented more than 13 tons of food waste from entering landfills, and increased animal feeding of food scraps to more than 80 tons. In addition, in 2010 the tribe established a zero waste program implemented by its environmental department that has since coordinated over 100 zero waste tribal events, including events with thousands of participants such as the SCOR Solvang Bike Festival and the tribe's Intertribal Pow Wow. The 2014 Inter-tribal Pow Wow diverted over 7,000 pounds of waste from the landfill to achieve an 87.5% diversion rate. 05/15/2015  

BioNitrogen Contracts with Air Liquide for Plant Air and Gas Requirements

BioNitrogen Holdings Corp has announced that it has reached a multi-plant agreement with Air Liquide Industrial US starting with collaboration on all the air and gas requirements for the Hendry County plant. Carlos Contreras, Chairman and CEO of BioNitrogen: "Without disclosing details of our agreement, we're pleased to make this announcement as our team has been working closely with Air Liquide and the engineering had advanced to the point in which we felt the time was right for us to announce our collaboration on the Hendry project." BioNitrogen produces urea fertilizer using woody biomass as a feedstock instead of the usual coal or natural gas. The company has predicted it would create roughly 250 construction jobs, initially, and 55 full-time positions once the plant opens for operation. BioNitrogen submitted the Construction Air Permit application to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on April 24. 05/14/2015

New Funding Available for MRF Quality Testing Infrastructure Reporting

Zero Waste Scotland has announced a new fund available to Material Recovery Facility (MRF) operators located in Scotland to meet new reporting requirements. The Scottish Government recently published the Code of Practice on Sampling and Reporting at Materials Recovery Facilities, making it a requirement for all qualifying MRF operators to sampling, test and report material input and output quality levels beginning October 1, 2015. The MRF Quality Testing Infrastructure capital funding program has been launched to support operators in implementing the Code of Practice by providing grants to purchase testing equipment and develop a standardized approach to testing, monitoring, and reporting of input and output material quality. Grants of up to £10,000 are available towards the capital costs for infrastructure, plant, and testing equipment that demonstrate an improvement in dry recyclable material input and output quality. The final deadline for applications is 12 noon on June 5, 2015.  05/14/2015 

VTT Gasifies Lignocellulosic Biomass for Pure Industrial Chemicals

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd has demonstrated that lignocellulosic biomass can be successfully converted into pure BTX chemicals: benzene, toluene and xylene. The goal of this research is to enable the use of wood-based chemicals to replace crude oil in plastics, fuels, medicine and paints, for example. VTT has developed a method of manufacturing BTX chemicals by combining the gasification of lignocellulosic biomass, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and aromatisation. Over 85% of the separated benzene exceeded 90% purity and around 50% of the separated toluene was over 70% purity. VTT has calculated that the estimated price of pure BTX fractions is EUR 1.40 per litre. This price is higher than the current price of raw material derived from crude oil, but significantly more competitive than the price of other bio-based routes. 05/13/2015

BDI BioEnergy Successfully Completes RetroFit of Biodiesel Plant in Spain

BDI – BioEnergy International AG has announced the successful completion of the expansion of a BioDiesel plant in Spain. Oils and animal fats with very high FFA-content will now be converted into second-generation standards-compliant BioDiesel. ecoMotion Biodiesel S.A. (a SARIA Group company) commissioned BDI with the installation of a "High-FFA esterification" unit in its plant in Barcelona. This technological in-house development from BDI allows BioDiesel producers to use the most challenging oils and fats available on the market - without a limit on free fatty acids (FFA) - while retaining the highest BioDiesel quality. BDI as the general contractor completed this RetroFit project on time and handed it over after a successful acceptance run. As part of the order, the complete process control system of the plant was also brought up to date. 05/13/2015

Due 06/30/2015: Comments to CEC for Emerging Opportunities Solicitation

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to determine if there are areas in need of funding which have not been previously addressed by the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP). Responses received from this RFI, as well as staff research and public comments from the ARFVTP Investment Plan Advisory Committee workshops, will guide the development of the next solicitation that will utilize the Emerging Opportunities funding allocation. Comments should address one or more of the following concepts: 1) New funding areas that target projects which do not readily fit into current investment plan categories (with the exception of the Emerging Opportunities funding category); 2) A new federal cost-share solicitation similar to PON-13-604: and 3) A solicitation limited to small grants of $150,000 or less. Suggested funding areas should not duplicate or overlap with any existing or previous ARFVTP funding area. Suggested funding areas must be eligible for ARFVTP funding. Comments may be submitted through June 30, 2015, and must be emailed to <> and the subject line must begin with “RFI Emerging Opportunities”. 05/13/2015 

Joule’s CO2-Recycled Ethanol Meets US and European Specifications

Massachusetts company Joule Unlimited, Inc has announced the successful results from third-party testing of its ethanol fuel, setting the stage to obtain certification for commercial use. Initiated by AUDI, Joule’s strategic partner in the automotive space, the test results confirm that Joule’s ethanol meets the US American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D4806 – Denatured fuel ethanol for blending with gasolines for use as automotive spark-ignition engine fuel, and the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) EN 15376 – Ethanol as a blending component for petrol. Joule and AUDI formed a partnership in 2011 to accelerate the development and commercialization of CO2-neutral fuels. Joule also just announced the closing of $40 million in private equity and venture debt financing, supporting the company’s growth towards commercialization. The round was led by existing investors, including Flagship Ventures, and brings the company’s total to $200 million raised to date. 05/11/2015

Major Waste to Energy Company Will Formally Test MagneGas® Fuel

MagneGas Corporation has announced that a major waste to energy (WtE) company with 51 existing operating facilities processing solid waste into renewable energy has requested formal testing of MagneGas® as an immediate replacement to acetylene. MagneGas® technology converts liquid waste into a hydrogen based fuel that can be used formetal cutting, transportation fuel, co-combustion with fossil fuels , and heating. The WtE company's officials viewed a MagneGas® demonstration in Florida and requested formal testing at their corporate headquarters. MagneGas® will be tested as a replacement to acetylene for repairs and demolition. The WtE company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange with a market value in excess of $2 billion. Their name is being held confidential until testing has been completed.  Formal testing is scheduled to begin this week and is expected to be complete within 30 days. 05/11/2015 

Covanta Continues Operation of Resource Recovery Facility in Long Beach

Covanta Long Beach Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of Covanta Holding Corporation, has announced an extended agreement with the City of Long Beach, California, for the operations and maintenance of the Southeast Resource Recovery Facility (SERRF). The amended agreement approved by Long Beach City Council, extends the term of the current agreement from December 8, 2018 to June 30, 2024. The SERRF has served the City of Long Beach and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County with waste management services since 1988 After source reduction and recycling, the residual waste that remains is processed at the Energy-from-Waste facility to generate clean electricity for approximately 35,000 homes. The facility also recycles 7,000 tons of metal per year. 05/08/2015

Vega Biofuels Will Hold Open House at Virginia Bio-Coal Plant

Vega Biofuels, Inc has announced that it will hold an Open House to showcase how Bio-Coal is manufactured at noon on Saturday, May 30, 2015. Those interested in participating in the Open House can register for the event by going to Vega's website, vegabiofuels.com, or by sending an email request to <>. Once registered, attendees will receive an information sheet outlining the agenda for the event. Vega currently markets the green-energy product called Bio-Coal. Bio-Coal has a high energy density of up to 13,000 BTUs/Lb and is considered a renewable energy fuel that meets the Renewable Portfolio Standards and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) in the United States. Bio-Coal can be burned in existing coal-fired power plants around the world as an alternative to traditional coal. 05/08/2015

AnaeCo Is Granted One European and Three Australian Patents

Australia based AnaeCo Limited has announced that the company has been granted one European and three Australian patents for its waste treatment and processing technologies. The European patent was granted for AnaeCo's hybrid aerobic-anaerobic organic waste treatment process, a foundation invention of its next generation organics recycling technology, the DiCOM™ bioconversion process. The patent covers the treatment process of subjecting organic waste material to conditions under which anaerobic digestion, followed by aerobic composting, occurs in a single vessel. The three Australian patents relate to inventions comprising part of AnaeCo’s integrated technology platform and cover DiCOM™ materials recovery facility processing sequence; grit separation system; and DiCOM™ vessel hopper geometry, base, and reclaim screw system. All three of these inventions are being implemented in the AnaeCo™ AWT Plant located at the Western Metropolitan Regional Council Project, Shenton Park in Western Australia. 05/08/2015

Start-up Clean Sea Fuels Launches Campaign for Micro Waste-to-Fuels Service

In central Ghana, the start-up Clean Sea Fuels is well into their IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign, seeking support for its pyrolysis based, micro-scale waste to fuels recycling service. The Micro Recycling Facility (affectionately called "Mike") can fit on a trailer or into a truck bed. For feedstock supply, the company buys waste plastic and used engine oil in small quantities from local residents in areas where no other access to recycling exists. The practice of "Compensated Recycling" - addresses pollution and poverty at the same time in poor countries where waste is simply dumped on the ground or into the ocean. One Mike unit will process 1,000 kilograms of plastic waste or 2,000 liters of waste oil per day, converting about 85% into diesel or other salable fuels. Clean Sea Fuels began its IndieGoGo campaign mid-April and have raised 35% of the $50K goal needed to expand its operations. The campaign closes at the end of May. 05/07/2015

Pacific Ethanol Selects Whitefox Membrane System to Cut Water Consumption

United Kingdom based Whitefox Technologies Limited has announced entering into an agreement with California based Pacific Ethanol, Inc for the delivery of an industrial scale membrane system. The objective is to reduce the consumption of water, energy, and emissions in the production of ethanol while increasing product output. According to the agreement, Whitefox will deliver a stand-alone, container based, membrane system that will be deployed at Pacific Ethanol's Madera plant in California. The Whitefox system is scheduled for delivery this month with commissioning and start-up in June. The membrane unit will be used to assess the impact of treating certain side streams in the ethanol production process and optimize the design of a membrane solution to remove bottlenecks and improve ethanol production efficiency at the Madera plant. This project is fully aligned with California's push to cut water consumption and reduce emissions, which is affecting both Californian ethanol producers and companies wanting to export ethanol into California. 05/07/2015 

MagneGas Fuel Will Replace Acetylene for Railway Repairs and Construction

MagneGas Corporation has announced that one of the largest transportation companies in the United States will be using MagneGas® in its railway division for repairs and construction. MagneGas will initially supply fuel to their California railway division as part of a larger rollout strategy to other locations in the country over the next several months. The new customer's railway division operates nationally, with 32,000 route miles and over 47,000 employees. MagneGas distributor, TriCo Welding Supplies Inc will be sourcing the fuel through MagneGas partner Placer Power, Inc. both California based. The Company currently sells MagneGas® into the metal working market as a replacement to acetylene. 05/06/2015

Renmatix Acquires Former Mascoma Production Unit for Biomass to Sugar

Renmatix has announced that its acquisition of existing assets of the former Mascoma corporation’s 56,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Rome, New York. The new Feedstock Processing Facility (FPF) is dedicated to the first step in conversion of different types of biomass materials to cellulosic sugar utilizing proprietary Plantrose® process. The FPF opened officially on April 20, 2015 as the third U.S. location for Renmatix. This move creates a secure supply for Renmatix and its development partners at the IPC in Kennesaw, Georgia, where the second step in production of Plantro® sugars is performed. The deal is the most recent in a series of strategic moves and prominent milestones for Renmatix over the last nine months, including: a Series D investment from French energy group, Total, the acquisition of Sweden-based REAC’s intellectual property portfolio, and a significant expansion of the company’s Integrated Plantrose Complex (IPC) facility in Georgia. 05/06/2015

Novozymes to Supply Enzymes to ST1 Biofuels' Biorefinery in Finland

Novozymes has announced that it will supply enzyme technology to a new biorefinery to be built by St1 Biofuels in Kajaani, Finland. The facility will be co-located at a sawmill site, and will be the first facility in the world to use sawdust from softwood as feedstock to produce cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale. The process uses steam-explosion to open up the cellulosic structures of the sawdust, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis to extract the sugars for ethanol fermentation. The plant will be constructed and operated by St1 Biofuels using the company’s proprietary Cellunolix® pre-treatment and process technologies. It is owned by North European Bio Tech Oy (NEB), and the production capacity of the plant will be leased to North European Oil Trade Oy (NEOT). 05/06/2015

Fulcrum Awards EPC Contract to Abengoa for MSW to Jet Fuel Facility

Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc, has announced that it has awarded a $200 million fixed-price engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to Abengoa for the construction of Fulcrum’s first municipal solid waste (MSW) to transportation fuels facility, the Sierra BioFuels Plant in Nevada. The Sierra BioFuels Plant will utilize Fulcrum’s process for converting everyday household garbage that would otherwise be landfilled, into renewable syncrude that will be upgraded to jet fuel. Abengoa will construct Sierra under a fixed price contract that guarantees the schedule, start-up and performance of the plant. Located approximately 20 miles east of Reno, Nevada in Storey County, Sierra will produce renewable syncrude that will be upgraded to more than 10 million gallons of jet fuel annually while diverting more than 200,000 tons of garbage from the local landfill when it enters commercial operations in the third quarter of 2017. 05/06/2015 

Ener-Core Powerstation To Generate Electricity at Santiago Canyon Landfill

California based Ener-Core, Inc will install its 250kW Powerstation EC250 at the closed Santiago Canyon Landfill in Orange County, California, which will allow Orange County Waste & Recycling to generate clean electricity from a gas that is currently being flared. The installation is part of a renewable energy project made possible by the California Energy Commission’s award of $1.5 million to the University of California, Irvine’s Advanced Power & Energy Program (APEP) in January 2015. The task under the grant is to install and test a 250kW ultra-low emissions power plant at Santiago Canyon Landfill. As part of the partnership, Ener-Core will receive approximately $900,000 to build and install the EC250 Powerstation, and the power plant will use landfill gas created from solid waste decomposition to produce electricity for site operations, which, in turn, will lower the County’s utility bill. Until now, the landfill gas at Santiago Canyon has been flared because it could not be used to fuel traditional power-generation technologies. 05/05/2015

Due 05/30/2015: Start-up Pitches to Sofinnova Renewable Chemistry Award

European-based venture capital (VC) fund Sofinnova Partners has released a call for submissions toward the VC's Renewable Chemistry Start-up Award. The competition is open to young companies (<$5M annual revenue) or relevant projects active in renewable chemistry, industrial biotechnology or renewable fuels. The Top 5 companies will be selected by popular vote online and the winner will be selected at Bio World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology by an industry jury, where the award will be presented. A short on-line submission form is available on the Award notice home page and must be submitted by May 30, 2015.. On-line voting will close July 5, 2015, and the top five companies will then present their "elevator pitch" on July 20, 2015 to the panel of experts at the at 12th annual BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology taking place July 19-22, 2015 in Montreal, Canada. Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital fund based in Paris investing in start-up and early stage companies across Europe and North America. 05/05/2015  

Republic, DTE and Aria Partner on California Landfill Gas to Energy Facility

Republic Services, Inc has announced a new landfill gas-to-energy (LFGTE) project located at Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Sylmar near Los Angeles, California. The 20-megawatt renewable energy project is capable of generating enough electricity to power nearly 25,000 area homes. Republic Services partnered with Sunshine Gas Producers, a joint venture between DTE Biomass Energy and Michigan based Aria Energy, to develop the Sunshine Canyon LFGTE project. Construction was completed last fall, and the facility began commercial operations and generating renewable electricity in October 2014. The landfill is owned and operated by Browning-Ferris Industries of California Inc, a subsidiary of Republic Services. Landfill gas generated at the site will be used to produce renewable energy to be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric under a long-term power purchase agreement. 05/01/2015

CEC Schedules Workshop on IEPR Renewable Action Plan Progress

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has announced a commissioner workshop scheduled for Monday, May 11, 2015 to discuss progress on actions identified in the 2012 IEPR Update Renewable Action Plan. Commissioner Andrew McAllister is the Lead Commissioner for the 2015 IEPR. Commissioner David Hochschild is the Lead Commissioner for Renewables. Other Commissioners from the CEC and the California Public Utilities Commission may also attend and participate in the workshop. The CEC seeks public comment on the IEPR, and on issues and potential solutions for reaching Governor Brown's goal of renewables for 50 percent of California's electricity use by 2030. Stakeholders interested in participating in the discussion on new issues and challenges with achieving a 50 percent renewable target must contact Angela Gould, RPS Verification and Compliance Lead, at (916) 654-4881 or by e-mail at <> no later than May 7, 2015. Due to space constraints, a limited number of stakeholders will be seated at the discussion table. Time will be allotted for stakeholders not seated at the table to provide oral comments. Written comments should be submitted to the Dockets Unit by 4:00 p.m. May 26, 2015. All written comments will become part of the public record of this proceeding. The workshop will be webcast. 05/01/2015

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