I’m not talking about those guys with the funny horns on the side of their football helmets. A group of Swedes have traveled to Minnesota to give residents there some ideas about how biomass can heat a home. This story from Biomass Magazine says a delegation from the city of Växjö, Sweden… dubbed the Greenest City in Europe… is visiting …
USDA, DOE Hand Out Biomass Grants
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy announced $10 million worth of grants for 10 places of higher education to help accelerate the use of biomass into cellulosic biofuels. This USDA release has details: “USDA is committed to fostering a sustainable domestic biofuels industry at home in rural America,” [Agriculture Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics Gale Buchanan] said. …
The Cost of Biomass
Sarah Brechbill, Purdue University, got to put her masters degree project on the stage today here at the Farm Foundation’s Transition To A Bio Economy conference. She looked at the cost to get biomass to a plant and specifically looked at switchgrass and corn stover. She says that there’s really no one answer to what’s best for everyone. However, she …
Answering Ethanol Plant Location Questions
On the subject of locating a biorefinery we had another presentation on the subject here at the Transition To A Bio Economy conference. This one was by David Perkis, Purdue University. He says the purpose of his work is to answer questions that local decision makers have such as, Where to locate plants?, What do we have to prepare for?, …
Looking At The Switchgrass Alternative
The second session here at the Transition To A Bio Economy conference was on risk and uncertainty. Jim Larson, University of Tennessee, talked about farmers risk in growing switchgrass as a biomass feedstock for fuel production. He says that this is a commodity that will come into play looking forward. His research shows that it’s risky for farmers because it’s …
Duke Energy Ohio Looks for Renewable Energy Options
Duke Energy Ohio is seeking proposals for renewable energy resources. The energy company says it’s looking to begin delivering energy through more renewable means sometime between 2009 and 2012. The effort falls in line with Ohio’s new renewable energy portfolio standards. Types of renewable resources that would qualify: — Wind energy — Solar photovoltaic or solar thermal energy — Geothermal …
Biomass Pellets Making Electricity
An energy cooperative has successfully completed a test burn of 150 tons of biomass pellets to produce electricity at a power facility near Kansas City, Missouri… a first for biomass pellets in the U.S. This story on redOrbit.com says the Show Me Energy Cooperative (SMEC) has produced the power at the Aquila power company’s generating facility at Sibley, Missouri from …
Investment Banks Bank on Alternative Energy
A growth sector focused investment bank is hosting its annual Alternative Energy Conference today at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York. The Thomas Weisel Partners one-day event will focus on the opportunities and challenges of the Alternative Energy industry for 2008 and the future. The conference will showcase presentations from over 30 established and emerging public and private companies, …
The State of Cellulosic Ethanol
Cellulosic ethanol is no longer a pipe dream. It’s real and it is being produced today. That was the message Tom Slunecka, Vice President of Business Development for KL Process Design Group of South Dakota, gave at the 2008 Agri-Marketing Conference in Kansas City last week. Slunecka provided a detailed overview of the state of cellulosic ethanol to agri-marketers during …
DOE Awards New Biorefinery Grants
The U.S. Department of Energy awarded grants for three small-scale biorefinery projects this week in Maine, Tennessee and Kentucky. In announcing the grants, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said, “These projects will help pioneer the next generation of non-food based biofuels that will power our cars and trucks and help meet President Bush’s goal to stop greenhouse gas emissions growth by …