April, 2006

US Cargill Buys Into Biofuels Minnow

Food and agriculture giant Cargill, which is a privately held company, has purchased Greenergy Biofuels, a small British concern dealing primarily in biodiesel. Greenergy's agreement with Tesco, a British supermarket chain, has increased consumer access to biofuel pumps. Greenergy has plans for at least two more biofuel plants in the UK. Click for more information

Farm Agency Looks To Crops For Energy

The Florida Farm Bureau hopes to promote the growth of renewable energy crops for biofuel and biopower uses. The state which produces over 280 viable crops is looking for other applications to enhance energy security and farmer incomes. Nonfood crops such as trees, perennial grasses, and forest residues can fill in to augment the benefits local production. http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive4/022806/tp6de6.htm?date=022806&story=tp6de6.htm

DuPont Bets Big On Biotechnology

DuPont Chief Executive Charles Holliday Jr. is pushing for public recognition of the possibilities for biobased products. These include carpet fiber, nail polish, hair dye, and bioglues, all built completely from organic materials. DuPont hopes its future business will evolve with clean energy production and petroleum-substitute products that are better than the original. http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/02/28/business/dupont.php

American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) Forms Biomass Coordinating Council

A Washington, D.C.-based non-profit, ACORE would like to promote mainstream acceptance of bioenergy and biobased products. The Biomass Coordinating Council (BCC) will support sustainable production, and promote the use of biofuels and biopower. Membership in ACORE is a prerequisite for BCC involvement, which will provide networking and policy development opportunities in biomass. http://www.acore.org/programs/bcc.php

Ethanol Cooperative Installing Biomass Energy System For On-Site Energy Needs

The Central Minnesota Ethanol Cooperative, a biofuel production facility, will move further towards complete renewable energy production with the construction of a biomass gasification system at its new Little Falls, Minnesota plant. The system will provide electricity and heat by burning locally contracted waste wood. Many ethanol production facilities burn coal for their electricity and heat needs. http://www.newrules.org/de/archives/000107.html

Biodiesel Home Delivery

Consumers in Connecticut can now get biodiesel delivered to their home in 55-gallon drums. Greenleaf Biofuels LLC has announced the availability of B100 "Biodezl" TM for home delivery. Greenleaf Biofuels delivers B100 "Biodezl" in 55-gallon drums that can be ordered with a Personal Fueling Station (pump). The drum and pump combo allows consumers to fill up at home with ASTM quality biodiesel or splash blend the biodiesel with diesel in the vehicle's fuel tank. http://www.greenleafbiofuels.com

Construction of Idaho's First Commercial Biodiesel Production Facility

A 10 million per year biodiesel plant is now under construction in New Plymouth, Idaho. The plant is designed for 10 million gallons of biodiesel production a year and the developers' goal is to produce 200,000 by the first of May.

Iowa Biomass Partnership Activities

The Iowa Values Fund ($325,000) for E85 stations and biodiesel facilities has been allocated for FY06. New money ($325,000) will be available July 1, at which time the selection committee will meet to review applications for the first round of FY07 funding. During FY06, 15 E85 stations and 2 biodiesel facilities were approved for funding.

State Issues Biodiesel RFP

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts issued a solicitation for biodiesel for blending with diesel D2 (ASTM 975). This is the first time the state has bid for biodiesel. The bid specifications call for biodiesel to meet ASTM D6751 with additional cloud and pour point requirements. The state plans to use the B20 in summer and B5 in winter.

Biomass Energy Education for Rural Sector; USDA Grant and Loan Outreach

The Michigan Biomass Energy Program has been collaborating with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Agriculture in the planning of Michigan's first Harvesting Agri-Energy Conference, which was held on March 15, 2006 in Saginaw, Michigan. The conference was designed to reach out to farmers and rural Michiganders about the potential of biomass energy and biofuels as part of the agrarian based "bioeconomy." At this event, there was a table staffed by USDA Rural Development to help potential applicants with Farm Bill and VAPG information and forms. The larger objective of this inaugural event was to rally stakeholders for development of an agri-energy strategy for Michigan, and use subsequent agri-energy conferences to advance this strategy. http://www.michigan.gov/deqworkshops

Distributed Generation and EPAct 2005

The PUC of Ohio is reviewing provisions of the Federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 with regard to net metering, smart metering and demand response, cogeneration and power production purchase and sale requirements, and interconnection issues. The schedule for four technical conferences to be held in February-April is posted on the Web site. Staff of the Ohio Biomass Energy Program is helping to coordinate this series and involve speakers with regard to biomass and renewable energy sources. The March 9 conference included speakers on anaerobic digestion and diversifying farm energy portfolios. Staff also participated in the March 3 workshop "Initiatives for U.S. Energy Independence" hosted by Senator George V. Voinovich and the Ohio University Consortium for Energy, Economics and the Environment in Columbus, with regard to Ohio's efforts to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources. http://www.puco.ohio.gov/puco/docketing/DocketingInformation.cfm?doc_id=1683

Ethanol Cooperative Installing Biomass Energy System For Onsite Energy Needs

The Central Minnesota Ethanol Cooperative, a biofuel production facility, will move further toward complete renewable energy production with the construction of a biomass gasification system at its new Little Falls, Minnesota plant. The system will provide electricity and heat by burning locally contracted waste wood. Many ethanol production facilities burn coal for their electricity and heat needs. http://www.newrules.org/de/archives/000107.html

Clean Energy Fund Report

The Vermont Clean Energy Fund has singled out biomass CHP and renewable energy generation on farms as key target areas for the state. "There is great demand for expansion of anaerobic digester technology in Vermont, not only for renewable energy generation, but also to address manure management requirements of mid-sized farms." The Clean Energy Fund was established by the Vermont General Assembly in 2005 to promote the development of cost-effective and environmentally sustainable electric power resources. http://publicservice.vermont.gov/pub/other/cleanenergyfundreport.pdf

Passage of Biomass Legislation in Washington State

The Washington State Legislature has now passed some key bioenergy legislation and funding as follows: Renewable fuels standard ESSB 6508. It has a 2% biodiesel and 2% ethanol standard effective 12/1/2008. Renewable diesel was not included. An Energy Freedom Program at the Washington Department of Agriculture E3SHB 2939. It provides a framework for funding bioenergy projects and research. The operating budget provides $23,000,000 for the new energy freedom account. $225,000 of initial funding from the Department of Ecology's Beyond Waste Program was provided for development of a technology matrix and economic assessment as a follow- up to the Washington Biomass Inventory and Bioenergy Assessment. In addition, initial funding was provided for research on a high solids digester. $98,000 was provided to the WSU Extension Energy Program for biofuels consumer education and outreach. http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/6508-S.PL.pdf

BP to Fund Biofuel Production Study

BP has announced that it will provide U.S. 9.4 million in funding for a study being conducted by the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh into the feasibility of biodiesel production from Jatropha plantations.

Construction Begins on UK's Largest Biomass Plant

Construction has started on the UK's largest biomass-fired power plant, following a ground-breaking ceremony on January 27. The plant is located near the Scottish town of Lockerbie and will have a peak capacity of 44 MW. It is expected to run largely on wood waste and specially grown fuel crops, such as willow coppice.

Pennsylvania Gets First Commercial Biodiesel Plant

Governor of Pennsylvania, Edward G. Rendell, has announced the opening of the state's first commercial biodiesel production facility, the first of 11 that biodiesel production company AGRA is planning to construct.