All Entries in the "Featured" Category
One potato, two potato
Following the all-but-certain defeat of a renewal of the ethanol tax credit, left-wing environmental activists, confederated into the National Anti-Biomass Incineration and Forest Protection Campaign, are making a move to destabilize support for biomass-based power generation.
At issue: is burning biomass carbon-neutral, and are there other emissions associated with it that make biomass an unappealing alternative [...]
Biofuels Digest announces Advanced Biofuels Markets, November 9-10 in San Francisco
Readers: I am delighted to announce Biofuels Digest’s Advanced Biofuels Markets on November 9-10, 2010 in San Francisco, which will feature the largest assemblage of CEOs of the “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy” since our Washington DC conference in April.
The full agenda and registration information is here.
Sponsorship and exhibition information is here.
Our goal in San [...]
The busy person’s guide to a 20 percent Renewable Power Standard
For a long time there has been discussion of 20 percent renewable power standards in a wide assortment of countries. There’s squabbling about the exact percentages, and the merits of solar, wind, biomass, geo and hydro — but it’s a conversation that hasn’t gone away, and won’t.
Why? To meet the 2050 global carbon goals [...]
Hakuna Matata – to worry or not to worry about the policies of biomass
Paul Hodson, Deputy Head of Unit, DG ENER, European Commission, opined recently that there are no reasons to worry about the future of biomass within the overall transition to a low-carbon society. “Without biomass,” he said, “you can’t write a de-carbonized story. It’s just not possible.”
Ah, no reasons to worry. As in, Hakuna matata. She’ll [...]
Ceres develops salt-tolerant trait: may open 15M US acres to energy crop cultivation
In California, Ceres announced that it has developed a plant trait that could bring new life to millions of acres of abandoned or marginal cropland damaged by salts. Results in several crops, including switchgrass, have shown levels of salt tolerance not seen before. Ceres reported that its researchers tested the effects of very high salt [...]
Biomass better than coal? War over carbon accounting erupts
In Washington, the Environment Working Group has released a study that claims the impacts of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA)—which has already passed the House of Representatives—would require the equivalent of cutting between 18 and 30 million acres by 2025, and up to 50 million acres by 2030.
“From Maine to Washington state, [...]
Lignin: make less, or make more of it, a Digest special report
“Lignin is nature’s plastic and any organism that wants to get to the sugars in a plant has to be able to get past this protective barrier,” professor Ming Tien of Penn State.
There’s lignin, lignin everywhere. Next to cellulose, it is the second most abundant organic material on Earth, representing 24-35 percent of softwood weight and [...]
Swedes do it better: A Biomass Digest profile
In Sweden, biomass power is estimated to represent 32% of all energy consumption and demand is leading to competition for pulp resources between paper and energy producers, pushing pulp prices to new highs, according to a new study.
Between 2000 and 2009, biomass power consumption grew from 88TWh to 115TWh. During the same period, oil-based power [...]
Three biomass projects receive $13 million from DOE in Recovery Act investment
In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced three projects that will receive $13 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support deployment of community-based renewable energy projects, including biomass.
These projects will promote investment in clean energy infrastructure that will create jobs, help communities provide long-term renewable energy and save consumers money. They [...]
REN21 publishes global interactive map of biomass policy, capacity, production, mandates
The Renewable Energy Policy Network REN21, a global policy network that provides a forum for international leadership on renewable energy, has launched its Renewables Interactive Map. The Map contains a wealth of information on renewable energy, including support policies, expansion targets, current shares, installed capacity, current production, future scenarios, and policy pledges.
The Map can be [...]
