November 2013 News and Matters of Interest

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

Raizen Starts Construction on Iogen Biomass-to-Ethanol Facility in Brazil

Canadian company Iogen Corporation announced that Brazil based Raízen Energia Participacoes S/A, has begun construction on a commercial biomass-to ethanol facility using Iogen Energy`s (a joint venture between Raízen and Iogen Corporation) advanced cellulosic biofuel technology. The $100 million plant being built adjacent to Raízen’s Costa Pinto sugar cane mill in Piracicaba, São Paulo, will produce 40 million litres of cellulosic ethanol per year from sugarcane bagasse and straw. Plant start-up is anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2014. Iogen will provide cellulosic ethanol related process technology, process designs, and start-up and operational services to Raizen through their jointly owned Iogen Energy affiliate. Iogen Energy, the original owner of the technology, has granted comprehensive licenses to both Raizen and Iogen Corporation. Brian Foody, CEO of Iogen: "The technology being deployed has undergone extensive testing and validation work. We have nine years of demonstration scale operating experience with cereal straw and corn stover, so by operating over 6 months with the Brazilian bagasse, we were able to identify differences, troubleshoot problems, collect information, and adapt designs for reliable low-cost operation." 11/30/2013

Carbios and SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Collaborate on Plastic Waste Recovery

French companies Carbios and SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT have announced signing a preliminary agreement for future cooperation in the field of recovery and recycling of plastic waste, shaping a common strategy for the two companies. As part of this preliminary phase, SUEZ will provide Carbios with plastic waste deposits from its subsidiary SITA France's treatment sites. Carbios will explore plastic waste composition in order to enrich its range of biological tools and expand the potential of plastic waste recovery. Carbios will then test these bioprocesses on the available deposits and validate their processing efficiency for better recycling and recovery of waste plastics. The goal is to implement the most effective processes to decompose plastic waste and collect its basic component, the polymer, as high quality as a petroleum-based product. This infinite recycling process thus allows avoiding chemical and mechanical constraints encountered in conventional recycling processes. Jean-Claude Lumaret, CEO of Carbios: "We are delighted that SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has placed its trust in us. This strengthens the strategic positioning of our innovative biological processes in the field of plastic waste recovery, as developed under the Thanaplast™ project." Paul-Joël Derian, Deputy Director of Innovation & Industrial Performance at SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT: "Carbios enzymatic processes seem particularly interesting and promising to us, as they will allow better recycling and recovery of end-of-life plastic waste while respecting the environment." 11/30/2013

SITA UK Signs £760MM 25 Year Contract with West London Waste Authority

A consortium led by SITA UK has announced signing a Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract with the West London Waste Authority to recover energy from residual waste over the next 25 years. Announced as preferred bidder last April, SITA UK, along with its partners Scottish Widows Investment Partners and the ITOCHU Corporation, will design, finance, build and operate infrastructure to manage up to 300,000 tonnes of residual municipal waste every year. Over its duration, the contract is worth £1.4 billion in total and £244 million will be invested into new infrastructure. The 34 megawatt Severnside Energy Recovery Centre will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 50,000 homes and could also provide heat to local businesses. This solution will enable the West London Waste Authority to divert 96 per cent of its waste from landfill and is expected to save two million tonnes of CO2 over the duration of the contract. It is anticipated that preliminary construction work will begin at Severnside in December this year and the facility is expected to be completed in 2016. From January 2014, SITA UK will take over the operation of the two rail-linked waste transfer stations at Transport Avenue and Victoria Road, which will both be substantially modernized as part of the project. 11/30/2013 

Due 01/28/2014: Qualifications to ECUA for Alternative Energy Facility

Florida's Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) is requesting statements of qualification (RFQ Number CC 2014-09) from experienced contractors interested in proposing on the design, construction, and operation of the Alternative Energy Facility (AEF) Project. The proposed AEF site is located south of the biosolids building and outside of the current fence line at the Central Water Reclamation Facility. Contractors shall demonstrate experience in the design, permitting, equipment system supply, and turnkey facility installation and operation of a multi-fuel fired energy plant that may use biomass, dewatered sewage sludge, green waste, and potentially some levels of FOG (fats, oils and greases) and refuse derived fuel (RDF) as fuel. The submitted qualifications will be utilized to develop a list of qualified proposers. The first optional site visit has been scheduled for December 6, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. (local time). A second site visit will be scheduled by addendum for sometime in January. No answers to questions or interpretations relevant to the RFQ will be made to any applicant orally. Every request for such interpretation should be made in writing and must be received at least five (5) business days prior to the submittal date. All statements of qualifications must be received by the ECUA Purchasing and Stores Manager, 9255 Sturdevant Street, Ellyson Industrial Park, Pensacola, FL 32514, no later than 2:00 p.m., local time, January 28, 2014, at which time the names of the applications will be read aloud. 11/27/2013 

Briefing Event Scheduled in London for Upcoming Call for Bioenergy Projects

Bioenergy Sustaining the Future (BESTF) has scheduled a briefing for December 11, 2013 to provide details on upcoming funding opportunities for bioenergy demonstration projects (BESTF2). The event will be held in London, United Kingdom (UK) from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBRSC) and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) are partners in the European initiative to encourage the commercialization of bioenergy projects and increase renewable energy production across the European Union (EU). The purpose of the briefing is to inform potential UK applicants about the upcoming BESTF2 call for projects. The single call for proposals is expected to open in December 2013 and will close in March 2014 with first projects commencing from January 2015. Please note that dates are provisional and will be confirmed later in the year. Online registration for the event is available. 11/26/2013

Cambrian and Lagunitas Launch EcoVolt Wastewater Treatment Technology

Cambrian Innovation has announced the installation of EcoVolt™, the world’s first biologically enhanced wastewater treatment system at Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California. Until now, Lagunitas transported its 50,000 gallons per day of high-strength wastewater to East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), requiring over 3,000 truckloads a year, a reality for many breweries. EcoVolt™ will eliminate 10 truckloads per day and generate clean energy at Lagunitas. Lagunitas CFO Leon Sharyon: "We looked at a lot of options for onsite treatment. EcoVolt takes anaerobic digestion to a new level allowing for remote monitoring and greater control." Developed with assistance from the National Science Foundation, EcoVolt is an anaerobic treatment process enhanced by newly discovered electrically active microbes. The technology uses electrogenic organisms that convert wastewater pollutants into electricity, which is then funneled to a circuit and back into an electrode where a different set of microorganisms convert electricity and carbon dioxide into methane fuel, forming a complete treatment process. The methane can be used on-site for clean power and heat production. EcoVolt is prefabricated and provides for turnkey installation, so the system can easily accommodate facility expansion, as well as new system installations. 11/26/2013

Due 01/15/2014: Abstracts on Forests and Bioenergy for 'California Agriculture'

The University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension and the UC Berkeley Center for Forestry are soliciting abstracts for a special issue of the journal California Agriculture on Forest and Bioenergy. California Agriculture plans to publish a special collection highlighting significant research relating to forestry and bioenergy. Tentatively scheduled for spring of 2015, the primary content of the collection will be previously unpublished, original research, or reviews of such research, conducted at the nexus of forestry and energy systems. News material in the front section of the journal will provide a context for understanding the importance of reported findings. California Agriculture is the UC's peer-reviewed, open access quarterly journal on agricultural, natural and human resources. It has been published continuously since 1946. The length of manuscripts should be from 3,500 to 4,500 words. March 1, 2014 will be the final deadline for all manuscripts. For a complete description of guidelines, you may download the California Agriculture Writing Guidelines from the website. Refer specifically to the opening descriptions of research and review articles under "Research articles." If you would like to contribute to this special issue, write a brief (about 150 words) description of the article to be considered. Instructions for submission can be found online.11/26/2013 

World's Largest Dry Anaerobic Digestion Facility Is Now Open in San Jose

The grand opening of the first large-scale commercial dry fermentation anaerobic digestion (AD) project in the United States and the largest in the world was held in San Jose, California last Friday. The facility is owned and operated by Zero Waste Energy Development Company LLC (ZWEDC), a company formed between local companies GreenWaste Recovery, Inc and Zanker Road Resource Management, Ltd. The facility is the result of a joint effort between ZWEDC, Zero Waste Energy, LLC (ZWE) and the City of San Jose. The ZWEDC facility is part of the City’s transformation of its commercial solid waste management system that began in July 2012 when San José adopted a dry/wet collection system for businesses. Recently, that system has more than tripled the commercial recycling rate to over 70 percent. Eric Herbert, CEO, ZWE: "This project demonstrates the potential for other cities in California and the nation. We hope that by seeing an organic waste stream become a source of renewable energy at this magnitude, people will recognize the role organic waste and this technology can have for renewable energy on a larger scale." The ZWEDC Facility uses Eggersmann Anlagenbau’s patented Kompoferm high solids dry anaerobic digestion and IVC Plus in-vessel composting technologies, exclusively licensed to and provided by ZWE. The system will process 250 tons per day, up to 90,000 tons per year of organic waste in a fully enclosed and ventilated waste processing facility composed of 16 digesters and 4 in-vessel composting (IVC) tunnels. The project also includes a 2×800 kW combined heat and power system, mechanical pre-treatment, accessible piping chamber at the digester rear-wall, containerized process equipment on the digester roof and dual-mode lean-gas/emergency flare. The system will produce 1.6 MW of electricity and an estimated 34,000 tons of high-quality compost. The high-quality compost produced will be used to enrich soils, while the renewable biogas will provide both on-site power for Zanker operations and power for sale to local green energy users. This is the first phase of a three phase project; the facility will process 750 tons per day of organic waste at full buildout. 11/25/2013  

EWI's Waste Tire Facility Completes Landmark Continuous 4-Day Run

Canadian company Environmental Waste International, Inc (EWI) has announced successful completion of a continuous four-day (100 hour) run of its TR-900 waste tire recycling facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, doubling the previous record announced in June. The four-day run is another milestone in the Company's progress toward continuous 24/7 operation of its waste tire recycling facility. Moreover, this run confirms the technical improvements which will be in place for EWS's first commercial plant. Dr. Daniel Kaute, President & CEO of EWS: "EWS' years of development are about to come to fruition. Sale and construction of a commercial facility is the next step. We are virtually there." EWI's technology platform is centered on the proprietary Microwave Delivery System (MDS), enabling depolymerization of waste tires, reduces them to their base components (carbon black, steel, hydrocarbon gases and oil). 11/22/2013

Cleveland Browns, FirstEnergy Stadium to Showcase Food Waste Recycling

The Cleveland Browns and FirstEnergy Stadium will showcase a new system that recycles stadium food waste into renewable energy and fertilizer sources, diverting 35 tons of food waste from landfills annually. The Browns are the first professional franchise to implement the Grind2Energy system from InSinkErator in their home stadium. Food scraps are collected and ground into a slurry, which is transported to an anaerobic digester operated by quasar energy group at Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). At the anaerobic digester, which periodically adds dairy cow manure to lower acidity and boost the methane, quasar produces biogas for energy and fuel uses in addition to vital nutrients and fertilizer that can be reused for farming. The Browns and FirstEnergy Stadium have joined numerous other organizations in Sustainable Cleveland 2019 launched in 2009, and the US Food Waste Challenge launched in June of this year. The Challenge, a joint US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) effort, is calling on others across the food chain, including producer groups, processors, manufacturers, retailers, communities, and other government agencies, to join the effort to reduce, recover, and recycle food waste. 11/22/2013

Stirling Engine Developer Qnergy Acquires US-based Infinia Corporation

Israel based Qnergy Ltd and its US affiliate have announced that they acquired the assets of US-based Infinia Corporation Inc located in Ogden, Utah. Qnergy plans to integrate the core technologies and knowledge of both companies in order to commence mass production of Stirling engines for various applications within the coming twelve months. Qnergy was established in 2009 by Ricor Cryogenic and Vacuum Systems, a world leader in the field of miniature Stirling cryogenic coolers. Qnergy's technology enables residential and business customers to generate power and hot water on-site (Distributed Power Generation) with total efficiency of more than 90%. Erez Harel, CEO of Qnergy: "The potential of Infinia technology to provide a low-cost source of renewable energy for a wide range of applications is proven and significant. The Stirling technology developed by Infinia is an excellent complement to Qnergy's portfolio." Infinia filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief in September due to an inability to obtain additional financing. Infinia saw strong grown in the first half of 2013 with the ongoing installation of a 1.5 megawatt project at Tooele Army Base in Tooele, Utah, and nearly 200 MW of projects under development in the Mediterranean region, but could not achieve full-scale operations rapidly enough to start generating positive cash flow.  11/22/2013

Due 12/06/2013: Ideas to CEC for Natural, Renewable Gas Research Initiatives

The California Energy Commission (CEC) is requesting ideas for natural gas research initiatives in the following areas: energy efficiency, renewable energy, natural gas infrastructure, natural gas related environmental research, and natural gas related transportation research. Renewable energy refers to technologies that utilize renewable natural gas (biomethane or biogas). The CEC is developing the budget plan for fiscal year 2014-15 and estimates that a total of $24 million will be available for natural gas RD&D. Suggested initiatives using the template provided should be submitted by email to Johann Karkheck at <> by December 6, 2013. A public workshop will be scheduled on January 28, 2014 to discuss the proposed natural gas research initiatives. This is not a solicitation for funding. Ideas received will be considered by CEC staff in developing the plan for fiscal year 2014-2015. 11/22/2013  

EDF Renewable and Santee Cooper Dedicate the Pinelands Biomass Project

California based EDF Renewable Energy and South Carolina utility Santee Cooper have just announced today's dedication of the Pinelands Biomass Project, which consists of two nominal 17.8 megawatt (MW) generating facilities located in Allendale and Dorchester Counties in South Carolina. The Dorchester facility began commercial operation on November 1; Allendale followed on November 19. EDF, formerly enXco, closed on the purchase of the Pinelands Biomass Project from Southeast Renewable Energy, LLC (SRE) in May 2012. The two projects interconnect to Santee Cooper's transmission system adjacent to the sites with the generated renewable energy contracted to the utility under 30-year Power Purchase Agreements.The projects use a well proven biomass design with a stoker boiler supplied by Factory Sales Engineering (FSE) and a steam turbine generator supplied by General Electric (GE). EDF Renewable Services will provide long-term operations and maintenance.Allendale and Dorchester Counties enjoy a substantial and reliable wood supply, and the woody biomass facilities will bring significant economic benefits to both counties by contracting with the existing trucking and wood supply industry. Additionally, the two facilities have created over 250 construction jobs and 38 full-time positions.Lonnie Carter, Santee Cooper's President and CEO:  "Santee Cooper was the first utility in the state to deliver electricity to all our customers from new renewable resources 12 years ago. Today represents a new milestone for us and for South Carolina." 11/21/2013

UC Riverside Introduces System that Uses Steam to Turn Waste into Fuel

The University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) Bourns College of Engineering held a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday to announce a new steam hydrogasification reactor system. UC Riverside received a $1.4 million California Energy Commission (CEC) award last year to further study its patented Steam Hydrogasification Reaction (SHR), which uses biomass to produce alternative fuels or electricity. The advanced steam hydrogasification process, which has been in development at UC Riverside for more than a decade, uses steam, recycled hydrogen, and carbon-based materials, such as yard waste and agricultural waste, into fuel. A fine-particulate liquid slurry of biomass is flooded with hydrogen and gasified (Steam Hydrogasification), causing a water shift catalytic reaction and converting producer/syngas to methane. The new reactor is 12 percent more efficient and can process material 10 times faster than conventional dry gasification systems. Over the past several years, the CEC has funded over $3.4 million on early technology projects leading to the development of the system. 11/20/2013

Global Bioenergies Secures EUR 5.7MM Grant for 2nd Pilot Plant in Germany

France based Global Bioenergies SA has announced that its German subsidiary, Global Bioenergies GmbH, has just been awarded a EUR 5.7 million grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The company plans to use the funding to construct its second industrial pilot on the site of the Leuna refinery, close to Leipzig in Germany. Marc Delcourt, CEO of Global Bioenergies SA: "After conducting a systematic assessment of available pilot facilities in North America and Europe, we have concluded that the Fraunhofer CBP platform in Leuna offers the unique combination of fermentation capabilities and olefin-oriented chemical engineering. Articulating our process with the recognized German knowledge in chemical engineering will be a key success factor." The pilot plant in Leuna will combine two 5,000 liter fermenters and a complete purification system, mimicking all aspects of a commercial scale plant. Designed for a production capacity of up to 100 tons per year, the isobutene produced in Leuna can be used for the fabrication of plastics, elastomers, and fuels. Such scale will enable the delivery of samples to industrialists. This second pilot is the final step in Global Bioenergies’ development program before the full scale exploitation of the isobutene process. In June 2013, Global Bioenergies had announced the launch of its first industrial pilot in the heart of the Bazancourt-Pomacle biorefinery, close to Reims. 11/20/2013

Due 01/10/2014: Proposals to PNM for Renewable Energy Resources

PNM, a subsidiary of PNM Resources and New Mexico’s largest electric utility, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) today for renewable energy and/or accompanying renewable energy certificates (RECs) totaling 150,000 megawatt-hours produced and delivered to customers in 2016. Projects should be located in or deliver electricity to customers in New Mexico. REC-only purchases must be from a facility located in New Mexico. Renewable energy sources sought include wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, and biomass technologies. Fossil fuel and nuclear resources will not be considered. PNM will host a pre-bid conference and live webinar at its headquarters at 414 Silver Ave. SW in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. MST for project developers interested in submitting proposals. Interested parties should submit a Notice of Intent to Respond on or before 4:00 PM Mountain Time on Tuesday, December 3, 2014 via the RFP website. Proposals are due by January 10, 2014 no later than 4:00 PM Mountain Time. A non-refundable RFP submission fee of $500.00 per project is required to accompany the proposal unless the proposal is for RECs-only from an existing renewable energy facility. 11/20/2013 

CPUC Approves EPIC Plans for Funding Clean Energy Technologies

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has announced approval of the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) 2012-2014 Triennial Investment Plan to fund clean energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment. In May 2012, the CPUC established the EPIC to fund public interest investments in clean energy. The CPUC authorized the utilities to collect $162 million from ratepayers, annually from January 2013 through 2020. Since then, the bodies charged with administering the program, the California Energy Commission (CEC), Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California Edison, developed initial investment plans through robust public processes. The CPUC's  Decision approves these plans and establishes strict program administration and accountability requirements. The CEC will administer 80% of the funds to provide for applied research and development, technology demonstration and deployment, and market facilitation for clean energy technologies. The three utilities will administer the remaining 20%. 11/16/2013

BioPower Signs a JV and License Agreement to Produce Cellulosic Ethanol

Florida based BioPower Operations Corporation (BioPower) has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Global Energy Crops Corporation (Global Energy), entered into a 50-50 joint venture (JV) agreement with Alternative Green Today, LLC (AGT) to license the JV's Intellectual Property for the production of cellulosic biofuels. Global Energy acquired a global license from AGT late last year for its patented enzymatic waste conversion process that converts chicken, hog, human, and sugar wastes into ethanol, Class A fertilizer, and other products Targeted companies will include oil companies, sugar companies, and all other producers of ethanol and transportation fuels. Global Energy will manage the JV. The joint venture intends to provide a platform of sustainable solutions for the production of cellulosic biofuels and biobased products in a flexible and cost-effective manner. Dr. Marco Baez-Vasquez, Chief Scientific and Technology Officer for BioPower: "Our latest work and results have made significant progress towards configuring an advanced process for the production of cellulosic biofuels economically. We intend to license our technology to sugar producers, ethanol producers, transportation fuels and energy companies looking to achieve low capex and OPEX backed biofuels production goal." Randall Padget, CEO of AGT: "We have been working for many years to produce an advanced microbial based technology that could be used for the conversion of cellulosic sugars into ethanol at much greater rates and much lower costs than achieved by others today. We believe we have achieved a major breakthrough and we have partnered with Global Energy to improve, market and license our sustainable platform solutions throughout the world." 11/16/2013 

DOE Invests Over $7.2 Million to Deploy Nine Tribal Clean Energy Projects

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced during the 2013 White House Tribal Nations Conference that nine tribal clean energy projects that will receive a total of $7,222,587. The projects selected were a result of two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity announcements. According to a recent study by the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, American Indian land comprises two percent of US land, but contains an estimated five percent of all US renewable energy resources. Two of the projects receiving awards this year are biomass projects. Menominee Tribal Enterprises (Neopit, Wisconsin) will receive $1,350,000 to install a biomass-fueled combined heat and power (CHP) system to power the tribe’s sawmill and lumber drying operation. The project will help cut fuel oil use by over 80 percent annually. The White Earth Reservation Tribal Council (White Earth, Minnesota) has been awarded $642,899 to install a woody biomass-fueled boiler to heat a tribal facility, replacing over 60 percent of the fuel oil and propane currently used to heat the facility. Since 2002, the DOE's Tribal Energy Program has invested nearly $42 million in 175 tribal clean energy projects. 11/15/2013

UK Environment Agency Grants Permit for Milton Keynes Waste Recovery Park

The United Kingdom's (UK) Environment Agency has granted an environmental permit to AmeyCespa Limited to operate a waste recovery and gasification facility at Milton Keynes. The Agency is satisfied that the proposed facility will not harm the health of local people or the environment. Some minor changes have been made as a result of comments during the draft permit consultation, which closed on October 30, 2013. These are detailed in the final decision document. An environmental permit from the Environment Agency needs to be in place before the plant can start operating, and contain specific conditions and emission limits that must be met while the plant is operating. The Milton Keynes Council entered into the contract with AmeyCespa to design, build, and operate the recovery park in July 2013. The project will use the Energos technology platform that provides two-stage thermal conversion to process Milton Keynes' black sack waste, estimated to be 125,000 tonnes in 2016 when the facility is scheduled to open. 11/15/2013  

2014 National Clean Energy Business Plan Regional Competitions Are Open

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the opening of the application periods for six regional competitions that are part of the 2014 DOE National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition. The competition challenges university teams from across the country to create new businesses and commercialize promising energy technologies developed at U.S. universities and the national laboratories. Finalists from the regional contests announced today will be invited to compete in the third annual national competition this spring in Washington, D.C. At the national competition, finalists will compete for cash prizes as well as unique technical, design, public relations, and legal assistance to help commercialize their technology. The six regional competitions announced today include: Western Southwest Region (deadline: February 21, 2014), Southeastern Region (deadline: February 14, 2014). Eastern Midwest Region (deadline: varies by state), Western Midwest Region (deadline: February 24, 2014), Northeast Region (deadline: February 28, 2014), and Western Region (deadline: March 4, 2014). The National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition is now in its third year. Participants in the first two years of the competition have raised almost $19 million in follow-on funding, launched 55 startups, and created more than 89 full-time jobs. 11/15/2013

Wood Stove Decathlon Will Be Held on National Mall November 15-19

The Wood Stove Decathlon is taking place on the National Mall in Washington D.C. from November 15-19, 2013, and is the final event of a technology challenge for teams to design and build next-generation clean burning wood stoves. The event is hosted by the Alliance for Green Heat, a non-profit organization that promotes the use of advanced wood stove technology as an affordable energy source and dispels myths about wood and pellet heating. The Wood Stove Decathlon will showcase technology which drastically reduces pollution from wood stoves, makes them more efficient and helps the average American family save up to $1,000 dollars each winter on heating bills. In addition to the 13 wood stoves in competition in the Decathlon, exhibitors will feature wood and pellet stoves and retrofits, and panelists will speak on state and federal policy, resource sustainability, modern wood stove technology and related services. The schedule for the event is available online. The Partners and Sponsors include Popular Mechanics, the US Department of Agriculture, the Brookhaven National Lab, NYSERDA, several universities and state agencies and many others. 11/14/2013

Cool Planet Receives IBI's First Biochar Certification for Cool Terra

The International Biochar Initiative (IBI) has announced certification of the first biochar material in its recently launched the IBI Biochar Certification Program. Cool Planet Energy Systems, a California-based developer of small-scale bio-refineries for the conversion of non-food biomass into biofuels and biochar, can now utilize the IBI Certified Biochar Seal™ on its Cool Terra™ biochar product. The approval of Cool Planet’s biochar signals that leading industry organizations recognize the market value in providing assurances to biochar end-consumers through the display of the IBI Certified Biochar Seal™. IBI’s Executive Director, Debbie Reed: "This is a key milestone in the fledgling biochar industry, and an important step in IBI’s development of standards and certification of biochars to promote market certainty. IBI's certification program, the first of its kind globally, is a voluntary, self-certifying program created and administered by IBI. It enables biochar manufacturers to certify that their product meets industry-accepted standards and is safe and effective for use as a soil amendment. Cool Planet announced the launch of its Cool Terra biochar soil amendment last month. 11/14/2013 

Neste Oil Joins Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Biofuels In The Netherlands

Finland based Neste Oil announced its commitment yesterday to a Dutch initiative with the goal of deployment of sustainable biofuel in the aviation sector. The signatories of the initiative include KLM, SkyNRG, Schiphol Airport, the Port of Rotterdam, the State Secretary of Infrastructure and the Environment, and the Minister of Economic Affairs. Neste Oil's role in the initiative is to explore the production opportunities for aviation biofuel and scaling up production. Its renewable fuel refinery in Rotterdam would potentially be the first site for producing the Netherlands' renewable aviation fuel. Neste Oil's renewable aviation fuel is based on its NExBTL technology, which can make very flexible use of a wide range of vegetable oil and waste-based raw materials. Neste Oil ensures the sustainability of all the renewable raw materials it uses and its supply chain complies with a number of sustainability certification schemes. Kaisa Hietala, Neste Oil's Vice President, Renewable Fuels: "Neste Oil is a global pioneer in aviation biofuels and has already carried out trials on the use of NExBTL renewable aviation fuel in commercial service." 11/13/2013

Alter NRG Sells USD$21MM Plasma Gasifier to Air Products for 2nd Plant

Alberta, Canada based Alter NRG Corp has announced signing an agreement with Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (“Air Products”) to provide a Westinghouse Plasma Gasification Solution for $USD21 million. The Company began its relationship with Air Products in January 2009 when it signed a Joint Development Agreement that provided to Air Products five site licenses and access to the  Westinghouse Plasma Technology Air Products confirmed its intention to proceed with a second plasma gasification facility (the “Project”) during its recent fourth quarter earnings call held on October 29, 2013 and its location would be adjacent to Air Products' first project, the Tees Valley 1 Renewable Energy Facility in Northeast England. Alter NRG and its wholly owned subsidiary Westinghouse Plasma Corporation will provide gasifier equipment, related control, instrumentation, and engineering services for the Project. Walter Howard, Chief Executive Officer of Alter NRG: “Having an industry-leading company like Air Products commencing construction of a second facility utilizing our Model G65 gasifier solution is a significant commercial milestone." 11/13/2013

We Energies Biomass Plant Begins Commercial Operation at Wisconsin Mill

We Energies announced that the 50MW biomass-fueled power plant on the site of Domtar Corporation's Rothschild, Wisconsin, paper mill was placed into commercial operation on November 8, 2013 after testing and commissioning activities were successfully completed. Wood, waste wood, and sawdust are being used to produce up to 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity; steam provided by the plant is also supporting Domtar's sustainable papermaking operations. Gale Klappa, We Energies chairman, president and chief executive officer: "The addition of the biomass plant enables us to produce renewable energy on demand. That benefit is simply not available with solar or wind generation." The new biomass plant adds another technology to the renewable energy portfolio operated by We Energies. Under Wisconsin law, utilities statewide must use renewable energy to meet 10 percent of the electricity needs of their retail customers by the year 2015. With the commercial operation of he Rothschild biomass plant, We Energies estimates that it now has secured enough renewable energy to remain in compliance with the state mandate through 2022. We Energies provides electric service to customers in portions of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. 11/13/2013 

Cleanworld’s Biodigester Receives Bioenergy Project of the Year Award

California based CleanWorld Partners has announced receipt of the 'Project of the Year Award' in the Bioenergy category for its Sacramento BioDigester facility. Editors from Renewable Energy World and Power Engineering selected the winners from among the finalists in each technology category. The award winners were announced last night at the co-located Renewable Energy World North America Conference and Expo and Power-Gen International in Orlando, Florida. Competing against a field of sixteen applicants, CleanWorld edged out bioenergy projects from four continents. The Sacramento BioDigester converts 25 tons of food waste per day into various forms of renewable energy including heat, electricity, and natural gas in addition to producing fertilizer and soil enhancements for California farms.  The success of the Phase I facility had the company announce the groundbreaking of a Phase II facility that would expand its size three-fold, to 100 tons per day of food waste, or nearly 40,000 tons per year. Michele Wong, CleanWorld's Chief Executive Officer: "CleanWorld is tremendously excited to see our anaerobic digestion technology receive widespread attention and recognition in the US and around the globe." 11/12/2013

CEC Announces Proposed Awards for Advanced Biofuels Facilities

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has issued a Notice of Proposed Award for two proposed projects under its grant solicitation for Commercial Scale Advanced Biofuels Production Facilities. Grant Solicitation PON-13-601 was released on April 10, 2013 as part of the CEC's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program to provide funding for the development of commercial scale, California-based biofuel production facilities that can sustainably produce at least 15,000,000 gallons per year of low carbon transportation fuels. Crimson Renewable Energy LLC will receive a grant award of $5,000,000 for its Bakersfield Biodiesel & Glycerin Production Plant Expansion Project. Crimson's biodiesel production facility is designed to process multiple types of feedstock ranging from vegetable oils to algae oil to waste animal fats. The Crimson Bakersfield Biodiesel and Glycerin Production Plant currently uses waste animal fats and used cooking oils to produce an ultra-low carbon biodiesel. American Biodiesel, Inc dba Community Fuels will receive $4,904,375 for expansion of its existing Port of Stockton Biodiesel and Glycerine Facility to produce low carbon intensity biodiesel. 11/12/2013 

City of San Jose Announces Cleantech Demonstration Center

The City of San Jose, California, has announced the launch of Prospect Silicon Valley (ProspectSV), a nonprofit organization to operate the City's planned San Jose Demonstration Center. The Demonstration Center will be located at the LEED-certified San Jose Environmental Innovation Center, currently under construction. The Innovation Center is scheduled to open in Spring 2014 on about 4 acres at 1608 Las Plumas Ave. The new Demonstration Center will include 22,500 square feet of exhibition space, state-of-the-art labs, vehicle lift and shop equipment, an “open platform” vehicle simulator facility, as well as the ability to accept new energy efficient building technology, solar photovoltaic, energy storage, electric vehicle charging and other emerging technologies. Mayor Chuck Reed: "ProspectSV will facilitate the development the cutting-edge technologies that will create jobs and fuel economic growth throughout the region. These types of projects play a key role in attracting entrepreneurs and innovators who can help San Jose achieve its long-term economic objectives and Green Vision goals." The project was created in partnership with the City of San Jose and a growing list of sponsors and partners including Wells Fargo, Applied Materials, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Stanford Office of Technology Licensing, Transportation Technology Ventures, the Cleantech Open, BMW, and the Bay Area Climate Collaborative. 11/11/2013

New US Patent Issued to Dyadic International for Fungal Enzymes

Florida based Dyadic International, Inc has announced that it has been issued US Patent No. 8,551,751 B2 entitled, “BX11 Enzymes Having Xylosidase Activity” by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). The invention relates to methods of developing and producing novel enzymes, more specifically for the development of a variety of fungal enzymes. Encoding of nucleic acid molecules for such enzymes, compositions, recombinant, and genetically modified host cells, and methods of use are also described in the patent. In addition, the patent also addresses methods to convert lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars with enzymes that degrade the lignocellulosic material and novel combinations of enzymes, including those that provide a synergistic release of sugars from plant biomass. Dyadic’s President and CEO, Mark Emalfarb: "This latest patent builds upon our family of patents that address the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars for the production of renewable biofuels and bio-based chemicals using our proprietary C1 technology." 11/11/2013

Canada's Forest Industry Seeks To Continue Momentum to Transform Sector

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) has announced that it is calling on the federal government to renew and replenish the highly successful Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program to help the sector further develop innovative breakthrough technologies. FPAC is asking the government to fund the IFIT program with an additional $500 million over the next six years, starting with a modest $25 million next year in recognition of the government’s tight fiscal situation, and then scaling up to $150 million for the final two years of the program. The Executive Vice-President of FPAC, Catherine Cobden, made the request today during pre-budget consultations before the House of Commons Finance Committee. IFIT was first created in 2010 to encourage innovation in the forest sector by supporting first-of-kind commercial-scale demonstration and market applications. The $100 million program received 107 project applications worth $2 billion. So far IFIT is supporting 15 technologies. 11/11/2013

ReFood Launches UK Roadmap To Achieve Zero Food Waste To Landfill

United Kingdom (UK) based ReFood UK Limited has announced release of a major report intended to stop billions of pounds worth of food being consigned to landfill entitled Vision 2020: UK Roadmap to Zero Food Waste to Landfill." The report is the culmination of more than two years’ work and sets the framework to achieve a food waste-free future by 2020. The report highlights where and why food waste is happening at each stage of the UK supply chain; what actions are being taken to tackle food waste in each sector and what more can be done in the future to drive the positive environmental, economic and social outcomes, for the greater good. Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood: Our message is clear; food waste is a valuable resource that should never end up in landfill sites. Everyone from the food producer, through to the retailer, the restaurant and the householder can play their part in ensuring that we take full advantage of its considerable potential by ensuring we re-use, recycle and recover every nutrient and kilowatt of energy it has to offer. As the biggest contaminant in the waste stream, food waste consigns millions of tonnes and billions of pounds of valuable resources to landfill or incineration each year." ReFood UK is a partnership between SARIA Bio-Industries and the PDM Group. 11/11/2013

Due 12/10/2013: LOI for CHP, Renewable Energy Projects at Federal Facilities

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0000901 on Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT). There are two topic areas to which an application may be submitted under this FOA: 1) Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and 2) Renewable Energy. Only US Federal Agencies, Sub-Agencies, and National Laboratory Contractors are eligible to apply for funding under this FOA. A domestic or overseas facility (existing or new) must be owned by the U.S. Federal government to be eligible. The DOE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is presenting a 60 minute webinar and question and answer session on the opportunity on November 12, 2013 at 1:00PM CT. AFFECT will provide direct funding to Federal agencies for the development of CHP and renewable energy capital projects at U.S. Federal government-owned facilities.  Letters of Intent (LOI) are due December 10, 2013, and full applications are due 2/18/2014. 11/11/2013

Battelle's Mobile Catalytic Pyrolysis Device Turns Waste Biomass into Bio-Oil

The Ohio based international nonprofit Battelle Memorial Institute has announced a pilot-scale, mobile catalytic pyrolysis technology that turns wood residue or other waste biomass into bio-oil. Battelle engineers and scientists have developed a mobile device that transforms unwanted biomass materials such as wood chips or agricultural waste into valuable bio-oil using catalytic pyrolysis. This intermediate bio-oil then can be upgraded by hydrotreatment into a gas/diesel blend or jet fuel.  As currently configured, the Battelle unit converts one ton of pine chips, shavings, and sawdust into as much as 1,300 gallons of wet bio-oil per day. Battelle is evaluating this one-ton-per-day system at its West Jefferson, Ohio facility. Because of its small size, the pyrolysis unit is installed on the trailer of a flat-bed 18-wheel truck, making it mobile and thus transportable to the waste products. This feature makes it ideal to access the woody biomass that is often left stranded in agricultural regions, far away from industrial facilities. Kathya Mahadevan, Battelle’s Energy and Environment Business Line Manager: "We have something quite compelling. We’ve got it producing oil and have proven viable applications for it. As we increase scale, we will be able to further refine efficiencies such as thermal consumption and yield." 11/08/2013

Zero Waste Energy Breaks Ground on Organic Waste to CNG Fuel Facility

California based Zero Waste Energy, LLC has announced the groundbreaking of its latest project, a SMARTFERM® anaerobic digestion facility in South San Francisco, California that will convert organic waste into compressed natural gas (CNG) and compost. SMARTFERM is a dry anaerobic digestion system that processes organic waste feedstocks and generates renewable energy. The project is located at the Blue Line Material Recovery Facility, which is owned by Blue Line Transfer, Inc, a subsidiary of South San Francisco Scavenger Company, Inc. The facility is scheduled to begin operation in the second quarter of 2014. The Blue Line Biogenic CNG facility will convert 11,200 TPY of food and green waste into 100,000+ diesel equivalent gallons of CNG fuel. It is estimated that each collection vehicle will collect enough organic waste during just one route to fuel it for an entire day, creating a true closed loop system. Doug Button, President of South San Francisco Scavenger: "SMARTFERM will give us the ability to reduce the organics going into the landfill by converting that same waste into CNG fuel to power our collection routes. Good for us, the cities we serve, and California as well." The California Energy Commission selected Blue Line Transfer for a $2,590,929 grant for the project last year. 11/08/2013

International Symposium in Toronto Endorses Energy from Waste

The Canadian Plastics Industry Association has announced that an international gathering of scientists, researchers, and industry experts meeting in Toronto has endorsed the future of energy recovery (or energy-from-waste). Expert speakers from around the world presented their findings, viewing energy recovery as a highly promising way for municipalities to generate affordable and renewable power from post-recycled garbage. Sarah Foster of CPF Associates, a Bethesda, Maryland based consulting firm: "Energy recovery has almost no measurable effect on human health. A comprehensive review of hundreds of environmental and human health risk assessment reports shows that energy-from-waste is as safe or safer than any other form of waste management or power production." There is also broad awareness of the potential for energy recovery to serve municipal needs. Tracey Forrest, Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy:  "Advancements in energy recovery through rigorous evidence-based science are critical if we are to realize the full potential of waste as a resource in a sustainable energy future." 11/07/2013 

USDA Awards $10MM to Develop Bioenergy from Beetle-Killed Wood

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $10 million grant to a consortium of academic, industry, and government organizations led by Colorado State University (CSU) and their partners to research using insect-killed trees in the Rockies as a sustainable feedstock for bioenergy. CSU created the Bioenergy Alliance Network of the Rockies (BANR) to address these challenges. Organizations involved with the CSU's BANR project include Cool Planet Energy Systems, Colorado State Forest Service, the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), University of Wyoming, University of Montana, Montana State University, University of Idaho, and the USDA Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Research Station. Bark beetles have infested more than 42 million acres of timber with more than half of that in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. In addition, wood from thinning for fire control and forest restoration in national forests is currently costly to manage and often burned in place for disposal. Congress did not anticipate this when passing the renewable fuels standard, so the project will investigate the policy implications, and inform a broad group of environmental and government stakeholders on the benefits of approving this feedstock for use in bioenergy applications. Colorado Governor Hickenlooper: "I would like to thank the USDA for seeing the value that Cool Planet’s technology can bring to turning beetle-kill wood into renewable fuels. Now Cool Planet, in collaboration with the other Colorado-based members of the Bioenergy Alliance Network of the Rockies (Colorado State University, the Colorado State Forest Service at CSU, and NREL) will be able to demonstrate a solution to this problem." 11/07/2013

Cory Environmental Opens Its First Anaerobic Digestion Facility in Somerset

Cory Environmental has announced that its first anaerobic digestion facility has opened in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. The renewable energy recycling plant will initially process approximately 12,000 tonnes of material each year, including 7,500 tonnes of food waste from North Somerset Council (NSC), and generate 500 Kilowatts of electricity (KWe) per hour. An upgrade of the green energy plant is already planned that will more than double electricity production. As part of the project, Cory Environmental also assisted the NSC to undertake major improvements to the recycling facilities on site. These included the construction of a waste transfer station, and improvements to the Household Waste Recycling Centre and road network. Cory holds a seven-year contract with NSC to provide various waste management services, including the treatment of all of the authority’s kitchen wastes. The contract includes an extension provision to March 2024. Alistair Holl, Director at Cory Environmental: "This plant will produce 500kw of electricity per hour, which powers the plant and is exported to the National Grid. The second phase of development will see an upgrade of the plant to a minimum of 1MW of electricity production, doubling our green energy generation at the site." 11/07/2013

WRAP Releases Report on 2012 Household Food and Drink Waste in the UK

The United Kingdom's (UK) Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has announced release of its report containing estimates of the quantity and types of food and drink waste generated by UK households in 2012. The results show that avoidable household food waste has been cut by an impressive 21% since 2007, saving UK consumers almost £13 billion over the five years to 2012. However, despite this significant drive to reduce food waste, UK households are still throwing away 4.2 million tonnes of household food and drink annually; the equivalent of six meals every week for the average UK household. The main report and executive summary contain estimates of the quantity and types of food and drink waste generated by UK households in 2012, and compares these to 2007 estimates. It includes details of the types of food and drink wasted, why it is thrown away, and where the material goes. Supporting documents include: Infographic: illustrating the key data from the report; Synthesis of Food Waste Compositional Data 2012: a report providing estimates of household food and drink waste collected by local authorities; Methods Annex Report: detailed descriptions of the research methods and analyses that were performed to obtain these estimates. 11/07/2013

Biome Bioplastics Helps Develop Biodegradable Single-Serve Coffee Pods

United Kingdom based Biome Bioplastics has announced development of a biodegradable coffee pod, offering one of the first sustainable packaging alternatives in the single-serve market. There are now around 50 different coffee pod or capsule systems on the market, but their convenience comes at a price. An estimated 9.1 billion single-serve coffee and drink cartridges wind up in US landfills every year, amounting to some 19 million cubic feet of waste. Coffee-pod machines are also increasingly popular in Britain with usage up by 45.1% between February 2012 and 2013, equating to around 186m capsules. In response, Biome Bioplastics has developed a portfolio of compostable materials for coffee pods based on renewable, natural resources including plant starches and tree by-products. These bioplastics will degrade to prescribed international standards in composting environments. Biome Bioplastics CEO Paul Mines: "Single–serve coffee pods are an excellent example of the fundamental role that packaging plays in delivering quality and convenience in the food service sector. The challenge is to reduce environmental impact through packaging optimisation without impacting on food quality or safety, or inconveniencing the customer. Bioplastics are an important part of the solution." Biome Bioplastics received an award of £150,000 ($228,456) in April of this year to commercialize a microbial pathway for conversion of lignin to bioplastics. 11/06/2013 

Facility in China Earns First Ever RSB Certification for Waste-Gas to Biofuels

LanzaTech and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Services Foundation has announced that joint venture (JV) Beijing Shougang LanzaTech New Energy Science & Technology Co, Ltd has earned RSB’s sustainability certification for its facility that converts waste steel mill gases to sustainable biofuels. The companies that formed the JV are LanzaTech, Shougang Jingtang Iron and Steel United Company (part of the Shougang Group), and the Tang Ming Group. The RSB is a global sustainability standard and certification system for biofuels and biomaterials production. The facility, which utilizes LanzaTech technology, is the first RSB-certified biofuel plant in China, and the first of its kind anywhere to receive this key certification for industrial carbon capture and utilization. Peter Ryus, RSB Services’ CEO: "The joint venture uses a process that creates a sustainable biofuel and does so by efficiently reusing greenhouse gases that would have otherwise been released into the atmosphere. This solution, which does not impact the food chain or land use, meets the RSB principles and practices and serves as an example of how continued innovation in the industry will lead to sustainable biofuels in the future." 11/05/2013 

New Test for Enzyme Cocktail Can Speed Research for Biofuel Production

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has announced development of a new test to speed up research to create a potent blend of enzymes to transform materials like corn stalks and wood chips into biofuels. The new research, "Activity-based protein profiling of secreted cellulolytic enzyme activity dynamics in Trichoderma reesei QM6a, NG14, and RUT-C30" was published in October in the journal Molecular BioSystems. The research is part of a worldwide effort to create fuels from plants that are plentiful and are not part of the food supply. It's possible to do this today, but the process is costly, laborious, and lengthy. The findings by chemists and colleagues at the PNNL open the possibility that laboratory research that now takes months could be reduced to days, and that scientists will be able to assess more options for biofuel development than is possible today. Chemist Aaron Wright, PNNL team leader: "The ultimate goal is to begin with a plant material like corn stalks, for instance, and to subject it to a cocktail of enzymes that would convert those plants to fuel. It takes a series of steps to do that, and the cost has to come down if these fuels are to compete seriously with traditional hydrocarbon-based fuels." 11/04/2013

New Recyclable Fiberboard Could Help Solve UK's Waste Problem

The United Kingdom (UK) based University of Leicester has announced that Professor Andrew Abbott has been awarded the Royal Society Brian Mercer Award for Innovation 2013 for development of a new wood-based product similar to Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) that uses a starch based resin from completely natural sources, such as potatoes. Professor Abbott and his team of researchers use the starch to replace urea and formaldehyde, making the product completely biodegradable and recyclable. The new material is easier to manufacture than existing MDF as the components are easily pre-mixed and only set on the application of heat and pressure; end user feedback suggests it is also easier to work with than currently available MDF boards. Almost one million tonnes of MDF is produced in the UK every year. It is a cheap and popular engineered wood product widely used for furniture and other products in homes, offices and retail businesses. However, as MDF cannot be recycled, waste MDF either has to be incinerated or ends up in landfill. Professor Abbott: "The Brian Mercer Award is fundamental in enabling us to take this project forward to the next stage; it means we can now scale up our process from laboratory to the full scale manufacture of a product that I hope will revolutionise industries dependent on MDF and provide them with a more environmentally-friendly alternative." Professor Abbott will receive £172,347, which will be used to bring the four collaborators together to create a supply chain to create prototypes for the point-of-sale market. 11/04/2013

Due 01/13/2014: Proposals to PSCo for Forest Biomass Energy Demo Project

Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), an operating company subsidiary of Xcel Energy Inc, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to acquire the capacity and energy associated with a single forest biomass gasification generation project with an electrical output rating no more than 2 megawatts. Only bids offering a 10-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) will be considered. The information contained in the RFP has been prepared solely to assist bidders in deciding whether or not to submit a proposal. The purpose of the RFP is to allow PSCo the opportunity to test a small-scale demonstration project from which it can learn about the feasibility of a specific generation technology, namely a generating facility using forest biomass that includes a system of gasification to gas clean-up to electric generation. Respondents that intend to submit a bid are encouraged to submit a non-binding Form A: Notice of Intent to Respond (NOIR) by email no later than 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time on November 29, 2013 to the RFP Project Manager. There is no fee required to submit a NOIR and submittal of a NOIR is not required in order to participate in the RFP. Proposals must be submitted electronically by 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time on January 13, 2014 to the RFP Project Manager <>. 11/04/2013