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September 19,
2006, 8:00-5:00 p.m.
Workshop on Bioenergy Opportunities
Norwood Hotel, Winnipeg
Contact the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association for details
and registration - 783-7090.
Keynote: John Swaan,
Executive Director of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada
The purpose of the workshop is to
relay the knowledge gained by the individuals that went on the
Manitoba BioEnergy Technology Mission to Sweden and Denmark last
spring and to identify the best bioenergy options to pursue in
Manitoba. Biomass fuel pellets are perceived as one of the more
significant opportunities to pursue.
September 26-27, 2006
International Stirling Forum, Osnabrueck, Germany
Click
here for Details
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COMPETING COMMODITIES
R. Kotrba
Biodiesel Magazine, July 2006
In the United States, starch-based ethanol from corn, and biodiesel
often derived from soy oil, each serve great functions as renewable
fuels in their respective markets. Although both fuels are renewable,
they couldn't be more different otherwise. This article helps you trace
these differences back to their roots, though, and an indisputable
commonality exists-the need for farmland.
Detail: http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1006&q=&page=1
ECO-HEATING SYSTEM FOR THE LAZY
G. Cuda
Wired News, 7/27/06
Most pellets are made from a single fuel source, usually wood or corn,
and commercially available stoves usually burn one or the other, not
both. Bixby Energy Systems has developed a pellet made from various
types of biomass and a stove that can burn all of them.
Detail: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,71375-0.html?tw=wn_technology_4
ENZYMES AND ETHANOL
CarbonFree
Dyadic International believes it can release the economy from its
dependence on oil using technology that enables us to use carbohydrates
as a fuel. Apparently a fungus, Dyadic has nicknamed C1, is being
reprogrammed to produce large volumes of low cost enzymes to convert
cellulose, xylan and other hemicelluloses into fermentable sugars which
can then be used to replace petroleum for a whole lot more than merely
ethanol.
Detail: http://www.carbonfree.co.uk/cf/news/wk18-0004.htm
FARMING MOVES TO GREEN ENERGY
C. Smith
IATP listserv, April 26, 2006
A revolution in farming, and the saving of the family farm, may now be
possible, thanks to Ontario's new system of guaranteeing sale prices to
farmers for generating green electricity.
Detail: http://lists.iatp.org/listarchive/archive.cfm?id=119248
IOWA STATE SCIENTISTS FIND A BETTER
WAY TO MAKE BIODIESEL
IATP Listserv, 4/28/06
Iowa State scientists say the tiny nanospheres they've developed could
revolutionize how biodiesel is produced. Current biodiesel production
technology is a tedious process that dissolves the catalysts so they
can't be used again. The researchers started looking for technologies
that would create an easier, more efficient and more economical process.
They were also hoping to find technologies that would effectively make
biodiesel out of raw materials such as used restaurant oils and animal
fats.
Detail: http://lists.iatp.org/listarchive/archive.cfm?id=119282
SUPER ETHANOL IS ON ITS WAY
S. Hargreaves
CNNMoney.co, 6/23/06
The next generation of ethanol could be cheaper, more plentiful and
arriving sooner than you think. Cellulosic ethanol, is a biofuel that
differs from corn-based ethanol in that it can be made from pretty much
any organic matter, such as wood chips. There are a few major problems
with corn-based ethanol: it takes a lot of energy to produce it; an
expensive infrastructure would need to be built if people started using
mostly ethanol in their vehicles, since ethanol is water soluble and the
existing pipelines and filling station equipment for gasoline are not
completely water tight; and there's not enough corn available.
Detail: http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/21/news/economy/cellulose_ethanol/
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY - FARMERS MUST
PLAY THEIR PART
Stackyard News, 4/19/06
Biomass crops (miscanthus and willow coppice) together with anaerobic
digestion of animal and organic waste (biogas), have proven carbon
savings, compared to fossil fuels, and can provide a secure source of
electrical power generation and heating for industry, housing and
municipal buildings.
Detail: http://www.stackyard.com/news/2006/04/environment/01_nfu_sustainable_energy.html
SWITCHGRASS TEST BURN ENDS IN IOWA
J. Passer
Brownfield Ag News for America, 5/15/06
The Chariton Valley Biomass project is managed by Chariton Valley
Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Inc. and co-funded by
the U.S. Department of Energy, USDA, Alliant energy, and others. the
project uses switchgrass from area farmers harvested from CRP acres. The
farmers are not paid for the switchgrass. Large bales of switchgrass are
conveyed to a processor where it is ground down to a finer particle and
then blown to the generating plant where it is burned with coal. The
project, still in a research and development phase, started in 1996 and
wll determine the effects on Alliant's boiler.
Detail: http://www.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=3865BF1A-93B6-5663-9279CE3E12907D7B
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$11M TO BOOST BIOFUEL PRODUCTION
Globe-Net, 7/27/06
The federal government will provide $11 million in new funding to
farmers and rural communities to encourage production of biofuels,
Minister of Agriculture Chuck Strahl has announced. The funding is
intended to "ensure farmers and rural communities have
opportunities to participate in and benefit from increased Canadian
biofuels production", says a government statement.
Detail: http://www.globe-net.ca/news/index.cfm?type=2&newsID=2182
$48M SUPPORTS RESEARCH INTO CLEAN
TECHNOLOGIES (CANADA)
Laboratory Product News, 7/10/06
Twenty-two projects focussed on developing and demonstrating clean
technologies have received a total of $48 million in funding from
Sustainable Development Technology Canada. Lead organizations and
projects are listed here.
Detail: http://www.labcanada.com/issues/ISArticle.asp?id=58016&issue=07102006
BIO-ENERGY DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITIES
For those who would like to participate in intelligent discussion on
specific bio-energy topics, there are a number of forums for doing so
online. Check out the Renewal Energy Policy Project web site for an
excellent list of discussion groups from Bioconversion to Stoves.
Detail: http://www.repp.org/discussiongroups/index.html
BUSINESS LEADERS DISCUSS BIOFUEL
STRATEGIES
Globe-Net, 7/28/06
Executives from major international firms offered some insight on the
intersection of the biotechnology, chemistry and agriculture sectors at
the third annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and
Bioprocessing held in Toronto July 11-14.
Detail: http://www.globe-net.ca/news/index.cfm?type=2&newsID=2184
INDIANA PRISONS TO START BURNING
CORN
G. Truitt
Brownfield, 6/7/06
The Indiana Department of Correction will be the first such institution
to switch to using renewable fuels. Four state prisons will be converted
to systems that burn corn for heat. All of the corn used by the DOC will
come from Indiana.
Detail: http://www.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=AFBB0388-D82E-D559-EE2F555D7E9961E8
NEXTERRA AND TOLKO COMPLETE
GASIFICATION PLANT
Globe-Net, 7/25/06
Nexterra Energy Corp. and Tolko Industries Ltd. have completed a
gasification plant at a Tolko sawmill. The plant converts wood residue
into thermal energy, replacing natural gas to increase energy
self-sufficiency and save the mill more than $1.5 million in annual fuel
costs.
Detail: http://www.globe-net.ca/company_news/listing.cfm?ID_News=2194
UK COMMITTEE SUPPORTS RENEWABLES FOR
ENERGY FUTURE
Refocus Weekly, April 19, 2006
The UK should obtain more electricity from renewables and natural gas
over the next decade, rather than from nuclear, concludes a government
committee.
Detail: http://www.sparksdata.co.uk/refocus/redesign/showdoc.asp?docid=14043826&accnum=1
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PUBLICATIONS:
BIOFUELS FOR TRANSPORTATION: GLOBAL
POTENTIAL AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND ENERGY IN THE
21ST CENTURY
Worldwatch Institute
Biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel can significantly reduce global
dependence on oil, according to a new report by the Worldwatch
Institute, released in collaboration with the German Agencies for
Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and Renewable Resources (FNR).
Link: http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4078
BIOMASS ENERGY IN GERMANY
GLOBE-Net
Germany's energy supply is still based mainly on fossil sources and the
use of regenerative energy in Germany has increased considerably in
recent years and is expected to increase further. More than 60 percent
(incl. sewage gas) of the regenerative final energy produced in 2004
came from biomass, making biomass much more important than hydraulic
(water) power (18.7%), and wind power (17%).
Link: http://www.globe-net.ca/search/display.cfm?NID=913&CID=6
HOW MUCH BIOENERGY CAN EUROPE
PRODUCE WITHOUT HARMING THE ENVIRONMENT?
European Environment Agency, 2006
The purpose of this report is to assess how much biomass could
technically be available for energy production without increasing
pressures on the environment. The study concludes that significant
amounts of biomass can technically be available to support ambitious
renewable energy targets, even if strict environmental constraints are
applied.
Link: http://reports.eea.europa.eu/eea_report_2006_7/en/eea_report_7_2006.pdf
PRIMER ON BIOPRODUCTS
Developed by BIOCAP and Pollution Probe, 2004
This Primer on Bioproducts is an introduction to biology-based
industrial products and processes - technologies and processes that use
plants, micro-organisms and their products as an alternative
(or as a complement) to the fossil fuels and petrochemicals used in
cars, factories and consumer goods.
Link: http://www.biocap.ca/images/pdfs/BioproductsPrimerE.pdf
VENTURE CAPITAL IN THE ENERGY
INDUSTRY
Research Reports International, 2006
The report offers a look at the current Venture Capital environment in
the energy industry. Included: Explaining what venture capital is and
how it works; Identifying trends driving energy industry investments;
Detailing the key sectors receiving investment; Revealing candidate
funding criteria and valuation methodologies; Explaining financing
options for companies seeking funding. (This report is for sale.)
Link: http://www.researchreportsintl.com/products/product.cfm?report_ID=64
WEB SITES:
GRASS BIOENERGY, COLLEGE OF
AGRICULTURE & LIFE SCIENCES, CORNELL UNIVERSITY
It takes 70 days to grow a crop of grass pellet fuel. It takes 70
million years to grow a crop of fossil fuel. Grass pellets have great
potential as a low-tech, small-scale, environmentally-friendly,
renewable energy system that can be locally produced, locally processed
and locally consumed. This web site is specifically for grass bioenergy
information and research.
Link: http://www.grassbioenergy.org/
STRAW: THE WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST
SOURCE OF FIBROUS BIOMASS
FiberFutures.com
Millions and millions of tons are left each year after harvesting wheat,
barley, rice and other grain and seed crops. Straw is used worldwide in
building materials, packaging, paper, fuel, mulching, roofing, the list
goes on and on. But it usually gets burned on the field because it is
too costly to haul around and process into useful products, and because
wood is cheaper and easier to use. This website provides a wealth of
information on straw utilization as an alternative to field burning.
Link: http://www.fiberfutures.org/straw/main.html
RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
AREDIcenter.org promotes the awareness, development, and the
exchange of information on subjects such as wind, solar, biomass,
geothermal, alternative energy, & clean energy technologies. The
site provides an open forum community for industry news and articles
showcasing company products, upcoming green & renewable events and
seminars, plus the AREDI eNewsletter.
Link: http://www.aredi.org/
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