Category: Biomass


Israel talks renewable energy with Egypt and Jordan

February 23rd, 2010 | Posted in Biomass Solar

Just because Israel doesn't get along with most Arab countries in the region, it doesn't mean the cooperation is impossible. Global warming is everyone's problem and solving it should go beyond boundaries and even some principles. On that note, today we're talking about Israel and its plans to work with Egypt and Jordan on renewable energy projects.

In the case of Egypt, the two countries are talking about possibly establishing a joint solar project in Egypt's Sinai Desert, which has clear skies, flat topography and annual average solar concentration of 2,300 KWh per square meter making it suitable for the installation of commercial solar technologies. Under the still-being-negotiated deal, Egypt would give the land and Israel the technology, whereas the energy generated would be used by both countries.

On the other hand, there were talks about building a bio-diesel plant along the border between Jordan and Israel. Salah Azzam, director of the Bio-Fuels Division at the National Energy Research Center in Jordan, outlined plans for the establishment of such a project by the end of 2010.

"This project could serve as a great boost for establishing peace and security in the region and could promote peace efforts between Israel and its neighbors," Azzam said.

[Via: Reuters]


RWE signs milestone contract for biomass plant in UK with Metso and Aker Solutions

February 8th, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

Signing the contracts, Dave Raybould (Aker Solutions), Peter Sharman (RWE), Dave Ley (Aker Solutions), Lennart Ohlsson (Metso), Martin Lenkens (RWE) and Kari Remes (Metso)

Last week RWE signed what a "milestone" contract with Finnish Metso and Norwegian Aker Solutions who have been selected to be the main contractors for moving on the project for a state-of-the-art biomass plant in the UK, which we covered back in September last year. Metso is going to provide the facility's main biomass boiler, while Aker Solutions will provide construction project management, support services and procurement of some of the plant equipment.

The power plant, to be built at Markinch in Fife (Scotland), is a GBP 200 million project and will be a biomass combined heat and power plant. RWE npower renewables, RWE's renewable energy arm, is working with paper producer Tullis Russell for supplying the manufacturer with steam and electricity from the biomass plant. This will be the biggest biomass facility of its kind in Scotland, with 50 MW of installed capacity, and will replace the existing coal-fired power plant used at Tullis Russell.

This is so far the largest investment in a biomass project for RWE, but there are plans for another biomass power plant with 65 MW of capacity in Lincolnshire. The company has plans for further biomass facility development across Europe, about 390 MW of biomass capacity, by 2013.

All three companies have expressed satisfaction with the signing of this contract. The Markinch biomass facility is now on its way towards a planned completion sometime in 2012.

[source: RWE]

Obama announces steps to boost biofuels, clean coal – strategy to enhance American energy independence

February 6th, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

President Barack ObamaPresident Barack Obama announced a series of steps his Administration is taking as part of a strategy to enhance American energy independence while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy.

During a meeting with a bipartisan group of governors from around the country, the President laid out measures that will work in concert to boost biofuels production and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule to implement the long-term renewable fuels standard of 36 billion gallons by 2022 established by Congress. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a rule on the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) that would provide financing to increase the conversion of biomass to bioenergy. The President's Biofuels Interagency Working Group released its first report – Growing America's Fuel.

In addition, President Obama announced a Presidential Memorandum creating an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage to develop a comprehensive and coordinated federal strategy to speed the development and deployment of clean coal technologies. The President calls for five to ten commercial demonstration projects to be up and running by 2016.

President Obama said, "Now, I happen to believe that we should pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill. It will make clean energy the profitable kind of energy, and the decision by other nations to do this is already giving their businesses a leg up on developing clean energy jobs and technologies. But even if you disagree on the threat posed by climate change, investing in clean energy jobs and businesses is still the right thing to do for our economy. Reducing our dependence on foreign oil is still the right thing to do for our security. We can't afford to spin our wheels while the rest of the world speeds ahead."

You can read the full press release, including a background on the announcements from DoE's website. The mentioned Presidential Memorandum is available from here.

[Via: DoE]

Mitsubishi Corporation, Weyerhaeuser sign MoU to explore biomass-to-energy business in the U.S.

February 5th, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

Mitsubishi Corporation, Weyerhaeuser

Mitsubishi Corporation and Weyerhaeuser signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the possibilities of collaborating in the biomass-to-energy business.

The two companies are specifically interested in assessing the feasibility of jointly investing in and operating a commercial-scale bio-pellet production facility in the United States by 2011. Depending on the success of the joint feasibility study, more facilities could follow in addition to the initial bio-pellet production facility.

The MoU brings together two industry leaders and leverages the strengths of both companies: Weyerhaeuser's capacity to produce renewable biomass at scale from its sustainably managed forests and Mitsubishi Corporation's worldwide network and experience in the energy sector and bio-pellet manufacturing business.

And for the record, the bio-pellets would be produced using wood based biomass from U.S.-sourced sustainably managed forest resources or by-products and sold to utilities and industrial users for energy production.

[source: Mitsubishi Corporation]

British Gas announces five biomethane-to-grid demonstration projects

February 5th, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

British Gas

British Gas is set to go ahead with five biomethane demonstration projects that are likely to be the first in the UK to inject green gas into the grid. The announcement follows Government backing for this emerging technology that confirms support for biomethane to grid from April 2011.

The first project will involve working with Thames Water and Scotia Gas Networks to build plant at Didcot sewage works. Thames Water already makes and flares raw biogas from sewage processing. The project will design and build a plant to clean the gas and inject it into the grid. The plan is start injecting the gas into the grid in summer 2010. Upon completion, British Gas will also enter into a long-term gas purchase contract with Thames Water.

British Gas has also signed development agreements with four other companies — GWE Biogas (using food waste and farm crops), Potters Waste (manufacturing waste), Dillington Biogas (farm waste slurry) and Adnams Brewery (brewery waste) — to carry out feasibility studies with a view to delivering biomethane to grid. Assessment and development of these projects will start immediately.

And for the record, according to a study by National Grid, biomethane could account for at least 15% of the domestic gas market by 2020.

[source: centrica]

Shell, Cosan sign MOU to form biofuel joint venture in Brazil

February 5th, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

Shell, Cosan

Shell and Cosan have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU), with the intention to form a circa $12 billion joint venture in Brazil for the production of ethanol, sugar and power; and the supply, distribution and retail of transportation fuels.

Under the deal, both companies would contribute certain existing Brazilian assets to the JV, whereas Shell would pour out a total of $1.625 billion in cash, payable over two years. The ultimate goal is to establish a scalable and profitable position in sustainable biofuels by building a market-leading position in the most efficient ethanol producing country in the world.

With annual production capacity of about 2 billion litres and significant growth aspirations, the JV would be one of the world's largest ethanol producers. In addition, the inclusion of Shell's equity interests in Iogen and Codexis would potentially enable the JV to deploy next generation biofuels technologies in the future.

The two parties will now maintain exclusive negotiations towards a binding joint venture agreement, which shall be subject to final transactional documentation, due diligence, agreement between the two parties on important sustainability issues, regulatory approvals and respective corporate approvals.

[source: Shell]

Joule Biotechnologies building pilot site for testing production of renewable solar fuels

January 22nd, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

Joule Biotechnologies has found a way to produce renewable fuels using solar energy and waste CO2, which when converted by micro-organisms, ends up as ethanol or diesel. Not a new idea? How about using the same process for producing various types of fuels by simply changing the organisms that process CO2. The company makes use of its Helioculture™ technology to achieve this. In order to test the production process the company needs a favorable location where to build a production facility. It has chosen Leander, Texas as the location, and has signed a lease agreement two days ago.

joule-biotech-process

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ExxonMobil's Emil Jacobs: We're investing $600 in bio-fuel from algae R&D

January 22nd, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

bio-fuel from algaeAt a recently held 2010 World Future Energy Summit – Emil Jacobs, Vice President of Research and Development at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, outlined the energy challenge facing the world: global energy demand is expected to be 35% higher in 2030 than it was in 2005 despite the current economic slowdown and anticipated efficiency improvements.

He said that one potential part of the solution was the development of next generation bio-fuel from algae. He went on to add that ExxonMobile has embarked upon a $600 million R&D program to develop advanced bio-fuels from photosynthetic algae that are compatible with today's gasoline and diesel fuels.

It's good to know even the dirtiest of companies are finding their place (or that's interest?) in the renewable energy industry. We'll see where that goes…

In the meantime, you can check out the full press release which has some details on ExxonMobil's efforts to reduce emissions in its own operations and by consumers of its products. It's bogus as expected, but it's a slow news day anyway. ;)

RWE Innogy builds world's largest pellet factory in Georgia, U.S.

January 21st, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

RWE Innogy - biomass

RWE Innogy is to build a factory to produce biomass pellets in Georgia, U.S. The plant is touted as the "biggest and most modern of its type in the world" with an annual production capacity of 750,000 tons. The project will be carried out in collaboration with Swedish BMC Management AB, and the plant is due to take up operation in 2011. The total investment volume amounts to about 120 million EUR.

The biomass pellets will initially be burnt in the existing power plants of Amer in the Netherlands, where currently already up to 30% of the hard coal has been replaced by solid biomass, mainly wood pellets. In the coming years, the use of the biomass pellets is to be extended to other pure biomass power plants and also to conventional power plant sites in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and the UK.

The pellets are to be shipped to Europe from the port of Savannah by Denmark's Dampskibselskabet NORDEN A/S, with which RWE signed has a long-term transport agreement.

For the record, forests in Georgia provide enough wood to sustainably produce the pellets. Around 1.5 million metric tons of fresh wood are needed each year to produce 750,000 tons of pellets. Unlike Europe, the U.S. has a huge growth surplus of wood that is not used. This is particularly true in the Georgia region, where wood growth is currently ahead of consumption.

[source: RWE]

N-Viro International plans to test its fuel at various power generators – opening a pilot fuel production facility for this purpose

January 20th, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

n-viroN-Viro International has submitted a permit application to the Pennsylvania state authorities for a pilot production facility which is to use various technologies to produce biofuel from waste, otherwise patented by the company. One of the fuels to be produced is the companies N-Viro Fuel(TM) and N-Viro Soil(TM). The pilot production facility is to produce enough of these fuels for the company to be able to test them at various power generators.

The tests, and fuel production, will require the utilization of local waste and biosolids supplies from municipal wastewater treatment plants. N-Viro expects to be given the green light to proceed with its plants in mid-2010.

The pilot facility is to be portable, and used for burning demonstrations using N-Viro Fuel. This fuel can be blended with coal, waste coal and even biomass derived fuels. Furthermore, the company will use these tests to collect data for future developments.

[source: N-Viro International]

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