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admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:50:11 +0000

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IRS OKs black liquor for $1.01 per gallon tax credit for 2009, with conditions, risks

Jim Lane — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:36:14 +0000

In Washington, the Internal Revenue Service ruled that the pulpmaking byproduct, black liquor, is eligible for up to $10 billion in Cellulosic Biofuel Producer Credits (CBPC), or “Son of Black Liquor” credits. The production credits will be paid at the $1.01 per gallon rate originally designed to incentivize renewable fuels, double the old $0.50 per gallon rates available under the “alternative fuel mixture” credits. In order to receive the credits, pulp manufacturers may have to refund previously claimed credits, and then claim and secure the new, more lucrative cellulosic credits.

More on the story.

Federal funds awarded to Oregon’s Lake County for biomass projects

Jim Lane — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:01:37 +0000

In Oregon, Federal stimulus funds have been awarded to Lake County for biomass projects. The Lakeview cogeneration project will receive $1.7 million and must be fully operational by mid-February 2012. The new plant is expected to produce enough electricity to sell to utility companies. The project will also improve air quality, as an old boiler system at the county’s sawmill will be replaced by a new biomass system, using the most cutting edge technology available. County Commissioner Brad Winters said the project will also be a big boost to the local environment and economy.

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Oregon creates temporary criteria for Biomass Tax Credit Program

Jim Lane — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:37:28 +0000

In Oregon, the state’s Department of Energy has created new temporary criteria for biomass producers participating in the Biomass Producer or Collector (or BPC) Tax Credit Program. The changes are a result of reforms passed by the 2009 state legislature.
The temporary rules are effective for 180 days ending December 28, 2010.

More on the story.

EPA Administrator considers biomass-fired and fossil fuel powered generators the same

Jim Lane — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:57:16 +0000

In Washington, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is under fire by Congress and the public for attempting to treat biomass-fired power generators the same as fossil fuel power generators under a new proposed rule on greenhouse gas calculations. She received letters from 163 companies and interest groups, as well as 63 members of Congress, expressing concern and disappointment over the agency’s decision in its “tailoring” rule to treat greenhouse gas emissions from biomass fuel the same as such emissions from fossil energy resources.
The rule goes into effect January 2011.
http://www.snl.com/Interactivex/article.aspx?CdId=A-11366205-13618

Massachusetts activists petition to make biomass-fired projects ineligible for renewable energy subsidies

Jim Lane — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:23:33 +0000

In Massachusetts, campaigners have so far collected 78,597 certified signatures on a petition that would make biomass-fired projects ineligible for renewable energy subsidies. Campaigners say that biomass-fired plants that burn wood and biomass release unhealthy emissions, increase greenhouse gas emissions in direct conflict with state law, and “consume the equivalent of 50 football fields of trees every day.”

State representatives are working on draft legislation similar to the ballot measure developed by the campaigners, but is less ‘severe.’ The State House would have to get something on the governor’s desk by July 7 in order to avoid the ballot proposal going to a vote in November.

More on the story.

Biomass Power Association says proposed EPA rule will cost $7 billion.

Meghan Sapp — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:08:26 +0000

In Maine, the Biomass Power Association said that the EPA’s proposed boiler maximum achievable control technology, or MACT, rule would be prohibitively expensive to biomass installations and would halt new investments in biomass power.

The EPA’s proposed rule would set emissions control standards for dioxin, mercury and other emissions from utility boilers. The agency is currently collecting emissions data to support the rule.

Implementation of the new rule could cost $7 billion to the forest products industry while across all sectors costs would reach up $50 billion. The BPA says it has made health-based rule suggestions that are achievable through existing technology.

More on the story.

EPA to hold hearings to define fuel vs. solid waste

admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:06:16 +0000

In Virginia, the EPA will hold three public hearings in June to determine rules on which secondary non-hazardous materials should be considered ‘fuel’ and which should be considered ‘solid waste’ as part of their hearings on air pollutants from waste-based energy processes.

Secondary materials are those that are not the primary product of a manufacturing or commercial process and include consumer and industrial materials that are no longer used for their original purpose, such as scrap tires, used oil, wood, coal refuse, and construction and demolition debris.

The hearings will be held in Arlington, VA on June 15 and in Houston and Los Angeles on June 22. Written comments will be accepted until August 3.

Three biomass projects receive $13 million from DOE in Recovery Act investment

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:42:28 +0000

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 will also serve as models for other local governments, campuses or small utilities to replicate, allowing other communities to design projects that fit their individual size and energy demands.

“Smaller, more localized renewable energy systems need to play a role in our comprehensive energy portfolio,” said Secretary Chu. “These projects will help create jobs, expand our clean energy economy, and help us cut carbon pollution at the local level.”

The selected projects will be leveraged with approximately $167 million in local government and private industry funding. DOE estimates that these projects will provide enough clean, renewable energy to displace the emissions of approximately 10,700 homes.

Projects selected for awards include:

City of Montpelier (Montpelier, VT)

This project will further Montpelier’s energy goals by supporting installation of a 41 MMBtu combined heat and power district energy system fueled with locally-sourced renewable and sustainably-harvested wood chips. The CHP system will be sized to provide heating to the Vermont Capitol Complex, city owned schools, the City Hall Complex, and up to 156 buildings in the community’s designated downtown district for a total of 176 buildings and 1.8 million square feet served. By providing 1.8 million KWh of power to the grid, the system will maximize its operating efficiency and reduce thermal costs for users in the community. Montpelier will conduct outreach to encourage replication regionally and nationally through its project partners, the Biomass Energy Resource Center, the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, and Veolia Energy North America. DOE share: $8,000,000

Forest County Potawatomi Tribe (Forest County, WI)

The Forest County Potowatomi Tribe proposes to implement an integrated renewable energy deployment plan that will provide heating, cooling and electricity for the Tribe’s governmental buildings, displacing natural gas and propane. The renewable energy installations will include: a 1.25 MW biomass combined heat and power facility that will provide heating, cooling and electricity; a biogas digester and 150 kW generation facility; three 100 kW wind turbines (788,400 kWh/year); and three dual-axis 2.88 kW solar PV panels (14,000 kWh/yr) located at the Tribe’s Governmental Center. DOE share: $2,500,000

University of California at Davis (Davis, CA)

UC Davis’ proposed Waste-to-Renewable Energy (WTRE) system is one component of a campus oriented mixed housing and commercial development venture. The system would generate power from a renewable biogas fed fuel cell. The organic waste will enter a receiving station in which it can be collected and prepared for digestion. Once the appropriate mix has been created in buffer tanks, the waste will flow to the reactor where methanogenic bacteria will generate methane and carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, etc. These gases will flow to the Bio-methane Upgrade System for hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide removal, so that cleanup is to a level appropriate for use in a fuel cell system, and the cleaned gas is stored. Housed alongside the WTRE system within the Community Energy Park will be an advanced storage battery and a 300kW fuel cell that will be fueled by the on-site biogas and provides electric power to West Village end-users. DOE share: $2,500,000

Washington State considers biomass relief with Forest Biomass bill

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:30:29 +0000

In Washington state, the Forest Biomass Supply Agreements Bill was introduced this week in the state legislature, after a request by the state Commissioner of Public Lands. The bill is designed to relieve stress on the state biomass industry by encouraging investment.

The bill allows the state Department of Natural Resources to sign long-term biomass feedstock agreements — stability in the price and supple,y of biomass has been an impediment to growth. The bill’s supporters are touting that the bill comes at no cost to the Trasury and may contribute funds to the state from government-managed forest lands.