In Washington state, the state House of Representatives has approved a request by the Washington Department of Natural Resources to test forest biomass as a feedstock for renewable jetfuel. The proposal now moves on to the state’s Senate. More on the story.
In Illinois, John Deere has launched woodybiomass,com, a site where “site visitors can influence friends, family, co-workers or their local legislators about the benefits of woody biomass by just a few clicks through the “Making It a Reality” tab”. Via the tab, visitors can email the site link, or send messages to local legislators in […]
Harvesting and transportation makes up 40 –60% of the delivered cost of SRWC and are an important source of GHG emissions. Harvesting systems are not well developed — throughput decreases up to 65% from harvester to short term storage. Changes in biomass quality and impacts of pretreatment techniques are not well understood. And most of […]
In Canada, the governments of Ontario and Canada are investing more than $8.34 million to expand CHAR Technologies’ facility in Thorold to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) and biocarbon. CHAR’s Thorold facility will create close to 40 new direct and indirect jobs, as well as 20 construction jobs. “This new facility will produce clean alternative […]
In Belgium, late on May 16, the European Parliament’s environment committee voted on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), including limiting subsidies to burning forests biomass and crop-based biofuels. Forests biomass: with a 45 to 36 majority the committee voted in favor of amendment CA9, recommending that primary woody biomass should no longer be […]
In Nevada, Comstock Mining Inc. announced its submission of comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calling for enhanced regulations governing the use of biomass-derived intermediates in the production of renewable fuels that qualify for federal incentives under the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard. Comstock’s patented, patent-pending and proprietary portfolio of breakthrough Cellulosic Fuels technologies efficiently […]
In Louisiana, a new study published in Nature Communications, Louisiana State University researchers reveal how carbohydrates interact with the aromatic polymer lignin to form plant biomass. This new information can help advance the development of better technology to use biomass for energy and materials. The Wang research team examined the nanoscale assembly of lignocellulosic components […]
In Colorado, Gevo has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sweetwater Energy, Inc., regarding the use of sustainably sourced agricultural residues and woody biomass as a feedstock for producing cellulosic alcohols and energy-dense renewable liquid hydrocarbons. As outlined in the MoU, Sweetwater plans to build, own and operate a facility adjacent to Gevo’s existing […]
With a name like Dr. Wood as CTO and Co-founder of a company that was founded to commercialize Hot Water Extraction for producing fuels and chemicals from biomass, particularly but not exclusively hardwoods, this Competitive Edge entry caught our eye. But what is the HWE tech all about? How does it valorize the hemicellulose portion […]
In Italy, a new Joint Research Center report on the use of woody biomass for energy production in the EU shows the need to recognize that sustainability of bioenergy remains a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all answers, but that win-win and lose-lose forest management pathways for climate and biodiversity exist. Bioenergy sits at the nexus […]
