Massachusetts Regulations for Biomass

Posted on May 14, 2012 by mamegalo

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources released a new set of strict standards for biomass in early May that have the potential to cut subsidies for developing plants. According to these new requirements, all qualifying biomass plants must generate power at 50 percent efficiency to qualify for one-half Renewable Energy credit (REC) per MWh, and 60 percent for one full REC. These new standards are up from the previous 25 percent efficiency requirements. Plants will also be required to analyze lifecycle emissions to demonstrate at least 50 percent reductions over 20 years.

These decisions were largely influenced by the oft-debated 2010 Manomet Center for Conversion Sciences study, which determined that biomass electricity is not carbon neutral and not effective for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. According to Manomet, biomass plants release more CO2 for every kilowatt of energy produced than most fossil fuel. Essentially, we would be removing trees that “catch” carbon from entering the atmosphere, and burning them creates an even larger CO2 imbalance or “debt.”

These findings have been heavily debated. Dr. William Strauss of FutureMetrics issued a retort, “How Manomet Got it Backwards,” in which he explains that the Manomet argument is based on a debt-then-dividend assumption, where a debt is incurred when CO2 is released from burning trees and then repaid as trees gather carbon during a growth cycle. “The Manomet study’s logic essentially begins with a full grown tree, then that tree is harvested and used for energy while its stored carbon is released as CO2 (the debt), and then they continue to watch the empty spot where the tree was for 30 to 50 years while a new tree grows in its place. Only after that regrowth is the carbon debt repaid (the dividend).”

Read more at:://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/05/massachusetts-sets-strict-regulations-for-biomass-will-this-influence-further-restrictions

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Wood Makes Comeback as a Fuel

Posted on May 4, 2012 by mamegalo

By KATE GALBRAITH
Published: May 1, 2012

AUSTIN, TEXAS — A century ago, rural homes in the United States and Europe commonly relied on wood for heating. Now wood is making a comeback, thanks largely to pellet technology.

The energy-dense pellets, which resemble dry dog kibble and are mostly made from mill residue like sawdust and wood shavings, can be used to generate heat or electricity — or both at the same time. Demand is strong in Europe, where high prices for heating oil and clean-energy requirements have fostered interest in alternatives, but analysts say that over the long term, markets in Asia and North America could grow rapidly, too.

Modern pellet furnaces for homes are a “very convenient way of heating,” said Christian Rakos, president of the European Pellet Council, an industry group. “The only thing you have to do is empty an ash box once a year.”

Europe accounted for close to 85 percent of the global pellet demand in 2010, according to a report issued in December by an international group called IEA Bioenergy Task 40.

Although many pellets used in Europe are manufactured on the Continent, the rising demand has caused an increase in new export-oriented pellet plants in Canada, Russia and especially the United States, whose mills already make more pellets than any other country. In the heavily wooded American South, nine huge industrial pellet plants are under development, according to Forisk Consulting, a timber research group in Georgia.

Read more:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/business/global/wood-makes-comeback-as-a-fuel.html?_r=1&ref=kategalbraith

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Captured CO2 put to higher use in greenhouse facility

Posted on April 25, 2012 by mamegalo

BC greenhouse uses captured CO2 from woody biomass to grow food
BY GORDON HAMILTON – VANCOUVER SUN · IMAGE BY PROSELECT
A B.C. greenhouse grower and a Dutch energy company have developed a new carbon-capture-and-storage technology that relies on the natural need of plants for carbon dioxide to transform carbon contained in biomass into food.
SunSelect Produce Inc. and Procede BV say their carbon-capture-and-storage system is the first commercial operation of its kind in the world to convert the carbon in biomass into fertilizer for food.
The technology is designed to heat greenhouse operations with low-cost biomass, filter emissions, capture the carbon dioxide and feed it to the growing plants as a natural air-borne fertilizer, said Victor Krahn, chief executive officer of the joint-venture company, ProSelect Gas Treating. SunSelect Produce unveiled the technology Friday at its 17-hectare Delta greenhouse complex.

Read more:http://www.forestbusinessnetwork.com/16181/bc-greenhouse-uses-captured-co2-from-woody-biomass-to-grow-

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Synthesis Gas for Fuel: Direct from Forest Residues

Posted on April 23, 2012 by mamegalo

ScienceDaily (Apr. 16, 2012) — Forest residues such as stumps, bark and twigs are now proving of great benefit in a new test facility for the production of high-quality synthesis gas intended for transport fuels. The results which are unique in Scandinavia, are based on close cooperation between Luleå University of Technology, the Energy Technology Centre (ETC) and industry.

By applying known gasification technology, valuable synthesis gas has been obtained from waste materials from the forest.
“We chose to take the shortest route and make use of, for example, tree stumps and the tops of trees from the forest and use them as they are in our facility.Primarily, we use make use of low-quality forest residues which the wood and paper industry cannot use.People often talk of the need to pre-treat these kinds of raw materials or to use it with charcoal to produce synthesis gas effectively.What we have done is to show how to use forest residues directly — and this is an important aspect of our success,” says CEO Magnus Marklund, at ETC in Piteå.

Read more:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120416100626.htm

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North Dakota research center demonstrates methanol from wood

Posted on April 20, 2012 by mamegalo

By The Energy & Environmental Research Center | April 17, 2012

The Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks has successfully developed and demonstrated a mobile, trailer-mounted biomass gasification technology that converts wood waste into methanol and can be transported to remote, off-grid sites. The methanol can then be reformed into hydrogen to power fuel cells to produce electricity.

“Using power generation in off-grid sites eliminates the need to build transmission lines in remote areas, which ultimately saves utility ratepayers money,” said EERC Senior Research Advisor John Hurley. “The wood-to-fuel technology provides a renewable, nearly carbon dioxide neutral method to fuel distributed power generators.”

The largely automated system uses a unique gasifier to convert the wood waste into a blended gas, which is cleaned and compressed and then passed through a gas-to-liquids reactor to convert the gas to a liquid fuel—methanol. Methanol is one of the simplest alcohol types, which even preceded ethanol for vehicle use, and is easily converted to clean hydrogen.

Read more: http://biorefiningmagazine.com/articles/6211/nd-research-center-demos-methanol-from-wood-for-off-grid-power

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Biomass industry leaders converge on Denver

Posted on April 19, 2012 by mamegalo

By Anna Austin | April 17, 2012

Nearly 1,300 gathered at the International Biomass Conference & Expo held in Denver, Colo., April 16-19, to hear leaders of biomass industry sectors discuss current challenges, opportunities and goals.
During the general session discussion “Director’s Roundtable: Priorities for Industry Growth in an Election Year,” Gary Melow, Biomass Power Association state projects coordinator, gave an overview of the biomass power industry’s history, pointing out that things have changed dramatically for producers over the years. He also explained how the industry got where it is today.

Read more:http://www.biomassmagazine.com/articles/6276/biomass-industry-leaders-discuss-priorities-challenges

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Bioenergy companies share project groundbreaking details

Posted on April 19, 2012 by mamegalo

By Anna Austin | April 18, 2012

Reaching the point of groundbreaking is no easy task for a bioenergy project developer. Panelists in the second-day general session discussion at the International Biomass Conference & Expo held April 16-19 in Denver, Colo., shared their groundbreaking stories with attendees, delivering valuable pieces of advice and a wide breadth of knowledge.

Joshua Levine, vice president of project development at American Renewables Inc., discussed the company’s experience getting the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center in Gainesville, Fla., off the ground. The 100 MW woody biomass-fired facility will utilize a bubbling fluidized bed boiler technology with selective catalytic reduction, a baghouse and a continuous emissions monitoring system. “The thing about the technology is that it is tried and true, and it’s not a science experiment,” Levine said, adding that it would be one of the cleanest biomass facilities in the world.

Describing the project as a success story, Levine said it was the result of a lot of hard work, and that there were some ups and downs. It took a significant amount of time to develop—seven years by the time power production starts at the plant—and necessary permits took over a year to acquire, according to Levine. The company also had a total of 10 public hearings in a span of a year, and faced some minor but loud local opposition. “They really had the ability to really cause us some pain, and appealed all three of our major permits,” he said. “We ended up realizing that they didn’t have legitimate claims against the project, and that their strategy was just one of delay.”

Read more at :http://www.biomassmagazine.com/articles/6279/bioenergy-companies-share-project-groundbreaking-stories

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Report Questions Large-scale Biomass Sustainability

Posted on April 19, 2012 by mamegalo

April 19, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

By Summit Voice
SUMMIT COUNTY — Large-scale use of forest biomass for energy production may be unsustainable and is likely to increase greenhouse gas emissions in the long run, according to a new study.
The research was done by the Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Germany, Oregon State University, and other universities in Switzerland, Austria and France. The work was supported by several agencies in Europe and the U.S. Department of Energy.
The results show that a significant shift to forest biomass energy production would create a ubstantial risk of sacrificing forest integrity and sustainability with no guarantee that it would mitigate climate change,” according to the researchers.
Early assumptions that biomass energy production would be greenhouse-neutral, or even reduce greenhouse emissions “are based on erroneous assumptions,” the researchers said, adding that large-scale biomass energy production would have negative impacts on forest ecosystems, including shorter tree rotations, younger forests, depleted soil nutrients, increased risk of erosion, loss of forest biodiversity and function.
“The main objective of bioenergy production from forest harvest is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the strategy is likely to miss the mark,” said Beverly Law, a professor of forest science at Oregon State University.
“The article raises important issues for bioenergy policies,” said co-author Helmut Haberl, who is also an author of the climate mitigation chapter of the fifth assessment that is under way by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Read more:http://summitcountyvoice.com/2012/04/19/report-large-scale-forest-biomass-energy-not-sustainable/

In this report, and based on large-scale use of biofuels as proposed in some policies, the scientists outlined a number of concerns. They include:
The general assumption that bioenergy is carbon-neutral is not valid.
The reduction of biomass and lost carbon sequestration by forests could take decades to centuries to be “paid back” by fossil fuel substitution, if paid back at all.
There are significant concerns about the economic viability of biofuels, which may require government mandates or subsidies.
A higher demand for biomass from forests will increase prices for the biomass, as in Germany where they have already increased in price 300-600 percent from 2005 to 2010.
An emphasis on bioenergy production from forests could lead to shorter rotation lengths, questionable management practices and increased dependence on wood imports.
Negative impacts on vegetation, soil fertility, water and ecosystem diversity are all possible.
Fertilizer use, another important source of greenhouse gas emissions, could increase.
The use of fossil fuels in the Industrial Revolution allowed previously degraded forests to recover in much of Europe and the U.S., while industrial-scale use of forests for biomass would likely reverse this trend.
If biofuels are desired, the researchers said, a better alternative would be to produce them on lands that once were forested but now are not, although that runs the risk of competing with food and animal forage production.

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Secretary Vilsack announces BioPreferred Final Rule

Posted on April 18, 2012 by mamegalo

BioPreferred® Program designates thirteen new Biobased Product Categories More than 1500 additional biobased products now eligible for preferred Federal purchasing

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2012 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the addition of 13 biobased product categories which are eligible for Federal procurement preference. Now more than 1,500 additional biobased products will be offered for preferred purchasing consideration by all Federal government agencies and contractors. The final rule was published in the April 4 Federal Register.

In February, President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum to create jobs through increased procurement of biobased products by the federal government and to encourage greater Federal support of the BioPreferred program.

“There are now more than 10,000 products qualifying for preferred procurement under USDA’s BioPreferred program” said Vilsack. “Including previously designated items, these 13 additional biobased product categories will help feed the President’s initiative by offering even more products with federal procurement preference.”

Today’s final rule designates the following biobased products for preferred Federal procurement:

air fresheners and deodorizers
asphalt and tar removers
asphalt restorers
blast media
candles and wax melts
electronic components cleaners
floor coverings (non-carpet)
foot care products
furniture cleaners and protectors
inks
packing and insulating materials
pneumatic equipment lubricants
wood and concrete stains
Biobased products are composed wholly or significantly of biological ingredients in new or emerging markets– renewable plant, animal, marine or forestry materials. A BioPreferred designated item is one that meets or exceeds USDA-established minimum biobased content requirements.

BioPreferred is comprised of a preferred procurement program for Federal agencies and a voluntary labeling program for the broad scale marketing of biobased products. Please contact biopreferred@usda.gov for more information about the Round 8 final rule or the BioPreferred program.

A complete list and detailed description of each BioPreferred designated item, and items for future designation, can be found at www.biopreferred.gov; or follow BioPreferred at http://twitter.com/BioPreferred.

Creating new markets for the nation’s agricultural products through biobased manufacturing is one of the many steps the Administration has taken over the past three years to strengthen the rural economy. Since August 2011, the White House Rural Council has supported a broad spectrum of rural initiatives including a $350 million commitment in SBA funding to rural small businesses over the next 5 years, launching a series of conferences to connect investors with rural start-ups, creating capital marketing teams to pitch federal funding opportunities to private investors interested in making rural and making job search information available at 2,800 local USDA offices nationwide.

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Secretary Vilsack Announces Advanced Biofuels Industry Roundtable

Posted on April 18, 2012 by mamegalo

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2012 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture – along with the Department of Energy, and the Department of Navy – will co-host an Advanced Biofuels Industry Roundtable in Washington D.C. on May 18, 2012 as the next step in the partnership with the private sector to produce advanced biofuels to power military and commercial transportation. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement today during his keynote address to the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference.

“Advanced biofuels are a key component of President Obama’s ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy to limit the impact that foreign oil has on our economy and take control of our energy future,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “By bringing together farmers, scientists, and the private sector to produce fuel for the American military, we can help spur an industry producing biofuels from non-food feedstocks all over the nation, strengthen our middle class, and help create an economy built to last.”

“The Biofuels Industry Roundtable will produce the market and industry expertise necessary to develop a domestic biofuel market capable of producing alternative fuel that is cost-competitive with traditional fuel,” stated Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. “The Departments of Navy, Agriculture, and Energy are investing in an existing private industry to spur growth, and each department will closely monitor how that investment is used to achieve the president’s objectives.”

The May 18, 2012 roundtable will focus on efforts to accelerate the production of bio-based fuels for military and commercial purposes. Last year, USDA, and the Departments of Energy and the Navy announced that – through the Defense Production Act – they will collaborate to accelerate the development of advanced, drop-in aviation and marine biofuels and marine diesel to help power our military. Participants in this roundtable will discuss next steps for those interested in pursuing the production of aviation biofuels and marine diesel. Topics will include production, distribution and contracting, and best practices. This roundtable follows a “match making” event hosted last week at USDA headquarters to promote connections between agricultural producers of energy feedstocks, and biorefineries.

In 2008, America imported 11 million barrels of oil a day. By the end of last year, that number dropped to 8.4 million barrels per day. In the last year alone, in part because of booming U.S. oil and gas production, more efficient cars and trucks, and a world-class refining sector that last year was a net exporter for the first time in sixty years, we have cut net imports by ten percent – a million barrels a day. And with the new fuel economy standards the President announced last year, we are on pace to meet our goal by the end of the decade. Developing advanced drop-in biofuels is another part of this comprehensive strategy to reduce America’s dependence of foreign oil.

As part of that strategy, and at Secretary Vilsack’s direction, USDA is working to develop the national biofuels industry producing energy from non-food sources in every region of the country. We are conducting and encouraging research into innovative new energy technologies and processes, helping companies build biorefineries – including the first ever commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facilities – and supporting farmers, ranchers, and businesses taking risks to pursue new opportunities in biofuels. Along with Federal partners, we’re establishing an aviation biofuels economy, and have expedited rules and efforts to promote production and commercialization of biofuels.

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