Southern Iowa Biomass Crop Workshop

There is increasing interest in biomass crops for energy in Iowa. Initially, it was thought that strong commodity prices would limit the interest of growers in planting perennials for bioenergy, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. A Biomass Crop Production workshop Thursday, March 8, at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa will explore why interest is increasing. The program will start at 8:45 am and conclude at 2:15 pm

The Southern Iowa Resource Conservation and Development Area has been working with Iowa State University and the Iowa Farm Energy Working Group to evaluate biomass crops, including giant Miscanthus and warm season grasses that can be used to produce renewable energy feedstocks. Read more ...

Funding for energy programs announced by USDA

The US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the available funding for the fiscal year 2012 for two key programs to encourage the use of renewable biomass and production of advanced biofuels. Around US$25 million (€19.1 million) is to be made available through each program.

"President Obama has laid out a new era for American energy an economy fueled by homegrown and alternative energy sources that will be designed and produced by American workers," said Secretary Vilsack. "These programs support that vision by helping biorefineries use renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil fuels and supporting advanced biofuel producers as they expand production." Read more ...

Oman authorities to develop an integrated city

The project to develop a city of 100,000 residents in Duqm, Oman are looking to incorporate renewable energy into its power generation plans. The authorities in charge of the new development are looking at ways into the possibility of using alternative energy sources. H E Yahya al Jabri, president of Duqm Special Economic Zones said, "We will be conducting research and development on creating a development based on clean energy". "The special economic zone was designed to be an integrated city based on strong foundations with renewable energy to provide as much power as possible." Read more ...

Spanish company Nufri invests in biomass plant

A Spanish horticultural company Nufri based in Mallerussa (Lleida) Spain is to invest €25million (US$33.414 million) in the construction of a biomass plant in El Palau d'Anglesola. The company's industrial director Xavier Argilés said "We will help farmers in the area, since we offer the chance to cultivate energetic biomass at assured prices", he said in a press conference, while explaining that the company will offer to producers the chance to diversify traditional cultivations in the area, widening them with "energetic cultivations". Read more ...

US bio energy development in Zimbabwe

A US$600 million ( €443.344 million) bio energy development eastern Chisumbanje district, has launched ethanol blended with petrol on the local market in a development hoped to cut fuel cost for motorists and to reduce the country's fuel import bill. At selected fuel stations in Harare the new mixed fuel went on sale at US$1.36 per liter, which is marginally cheaper than the unblended petrol. The government has since approved a blend ratio of 10 percent locally produced ethanol and 90 percent petroleum, a low-level blend called E-10 in the industry. Read more ...

The 20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 2012

The 20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition will take place from June 18 to 21, 2012 in Milan, Italy. The subjects of the 20th EU BC&E result from the experiences of the previous successful EU BC&E conferences. The subjects have been further developed and structured, and include the most recent scientific, technology, and market trends. All biomass specialists are invited to contribute and to present innovative development, progress, and scientific results to the global biomass community and to submit their abstracts by January 30, 2012.

In addition to the Conference Program, the 20th EU BC&E will present four thematic highlights with extremely strong industry relevance. These are ‘conference-in-conference’ events that focus on actual forefront ‘hot topics’ in the biomass sector:

• A parallel event on ‘Biogas upgrading and grid injection'
• A special industry show on ‘Biogas goes Europe'
• A further side event on ‘Biowaste to Energy'
• A forum on Bioenergy and Smart Grids'

                                                                         For more details Click Here

Wood waste for energy? questions being raised

In British Columbia, Canada, the efforts of the province to develop a bioenergy industry is coming under close scrutiny. Now scientist and environmentalists are starting to ask questions as to how much wood can be removed from the forest, and weather it is really a carbon neutral source of energy. Greenpeace is leading the fray against bioenergy calling for tighter controls on harvesting biomass and more detailed carbon accounting. University of BC professor emeritus Hamish Kimmins, one of the province's most respected forest ecologists, said "that there is no simple answer around using biomass for energy. But there is a risk that too much material can be removed from the logged site". Read more ...

Government sets out commitment to renewables

The government published its proposals to support renewable electricity and bring forward a surge of investment in the energy infrastructure. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “Investing in green energy boosts growth and creates jobs the offshore wind sector alone could provide up to 66,000 jobs in this country by 2020'. He went on to say “Supporting clean, green, secure energy is the right thing to do for both the environment and the economy.“Today’s announcement makes clear the Government’s commitment to supporting long-term investment in the UK’s renewables industries.” Read more ...

Canada's renewable energy future looks bright

Avrim Lazar the president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) believes that with the right government support that Canada could replace nine nuclear reactors with renewable energy from the Canadian Forest Industry. "We could easily triple our clean energy output using waste products from our mills," says Lazar.  "Already we are self-generating about two thirds of our energy needs and about a half dozen of our mills are now net exporters of energy to provincial grids. Further developing this significant source of green energy needs to be a larger part of governments' energy development plans" Read more ...