BIOTECH COMPANY SOLAZYME INKS ALGAE FUEL DEAL WITH CHEVRON
SiliconValley.com, 1/22/08
Solazyme Inc., a five-year-old biotechnology company, announced an agreement with Chevron Corp. to develop and test biodiesel building blocks made from algae.  The deal could accelerate Chevron's research into the growing field of algae-based fuel.   Solazyme, one of a handful of companies working to produce fuel from oil-rich algae, received funding from DARPA to develop jet fuel from vegetable and algal oil.
> Read more: http://www.siliconvalley.com/latestheadlines/ci_8044298?nclick_check=1

CHEAP ETHANOL FROM TIRES AND TRASH: GM TEAMS WITH A STARTUP AIMING TO PRODUCE LOW-COST BIOFUELS
K. Bullis
Technology Review, January 14, 2008
General Motors announced a partnership with Coskata of Warrenville, IL, a new company that claims it can make ethanol from wood chips, grass, and trash--including old tires--for a dollar a gallon. The company says they have developed a hybrid approach involving both thermochemical and biological processes for making ethanol.
> Read more: http://www.technologyreview.com/Biztech/20056/?nlid=803

COMING SOON: MORE EFFICIENT, CLEANER OUTDOOR WOOD BOILERS
John Gulland
Mother Earth News, Dec 2007-Jan 2008
Outdoor wood boilers are a popular heating solution in some rural areas, but they’re also controversial due to the fact that current designs are inefficient and polluting.  An outdoor wood boiler, also called an outdoor furnace, water stove or outdoor hydronic heater, emit at least 20 times more smoke than EPA-certified woodstoves, according to some reports. The major outdoor wood boiler manufacturers, along with state environmental regulators, have helped to write a smoke emissions test standard for outdoor boilers under the auspices of the American Society for Testing and Materials. If you're a manufacturer of outdoor boilers, you should be making these changes to your product now.
> Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Nature-Community/2007-12-01/Better-Outdoor-Wood-Boilers.aspx

CRITICAL TECHNICAL AREAS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT IN BIODIESEL TECHNOLOGIES
A Z Abdullah, et al.
Environmental Research Letters, Jul-Sep 2007
This article analyzes critical technical areas that currently limit the success of biodiesel as a fuel, such as the fact that biodiesel has relatively low energy content, causing higher fuel consumption. And, biodiesel has a drawback in terms of its cold flow properties.   These and several other technical areas are reviewed.
> Read more: http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1748-9326/2/3/034001/erl7_3_034001.html

GRASS BIOFUEL PELLETS - GROWING INTEREST IN GRASS BIOFUELS: AN ECOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO ENERGY CONCERNS
R.E.A.P. - Canada
REAP-Canada has pioneered the research and development of biofuel pellets made from switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) for use in space heating applications. This development can significantly reduce greenhouse gases and heating costs and assist the development of rural communities. Fast growing warm season perennial grasses have been identified as ideal candidates for biomass fuel production due to their high net energy yield per hectare and low cost of production.
> Read more: http://www.reap-canada.com/bio_and_climate_3_2.htm

NET ENERGY OF CELLULOSIC ETHANOL FROM SWITCHGRASS
Schmer, M. R., et al.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1/15/2008, p 464-469
Perennial herbaceous plants such as switchgrass are being evaluated as cellulosic bioenergy crops.  Two major concerns have been the net energy efficiency and economic feasibility of switchgrass and similar crops.  The authors managed switchgrass as a biomass energy crop in field trials of 3-9 ha, on marginal cropland on 10 farms across a wide precipitation and temperature gradient in the midcontinental U.S. to determine net energy and economic costs based on known farm inputs and harvested yields. This report summarizes the agricultural energy input costs, biomass yield, estimated ethanol output, greenhouse gas emissions, and net energy results.
> Read more: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/reprint/105/2/464

NEW BIOFUEL USED FOR THE FIRST TIME
James Cooper
Edie, January 29, 2008
Companies in Ireland have used a fast growing, perennial woody-type grass as a biofuel for energy generation for the first time.  This biofuel was successfully fired with peat at the Bord na Mona power station at Edenderry to generate green electricity.
> Read more: http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=14114&channel=0

POO POWER FROM DAIRY FARM LIGHTS ONTARIO HOMES
CBC News, November 27, 2007
The technology that produces energy from cow manure at an Ottawa Valley dairy farm won a $50,000 innovation award from the Ontario government in 2007.  Drawing a great deail of interest, the technology uses bacteria to generate a biogas mixture containing methane or natural gas, and then collecting and burning the gas to power a generator connected to the provincial power grid.  According to Natural Resources Canada, the Klaesis power project is the smallest of its kind in Canada and shows that anaerobic digester power technology is feasible on a typical farm.
> Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2007/11/27/ot-poo-071127.html#skip300x250

SANDIA’S SUNSHINE TO PETROL PROJECT SEEKS FUEL FROM THIN AIR
Sandia National Laboratories News Release, December 5, 2007
Using concentrated solar energy to reverse combustion, a research team from Sandia National Laboratories is building a prototype device intended to chemically “reenergize” carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide using concentrated solar power. The carbon monoxide could then be used to make hydrogen or serve as a building block to synthesize a liquid combustible fuel, such as methanol or even gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
> Read more: http://www.sandia.gov/news/resources/releases/2007/sunshine.html

SCIENTISTS DEVELOP MICROALGAE THAT MAY REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES
Bioforumnews, 1/2008
Koreans scientists have developed a microalgae that can be mass-produced as an animal feed supplement while also helping to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.  Spirulina M20CJK3, a member of the cyanobacteria family, traps carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis of living organisms.
> Read more: http://www.bioforum.it/news04.htm

SUNY POTSDAM TO BE BIO-FUEL STUDY SITE: WILLOW SHRUBS TO BE GROWN FOR FUEL PELLETS
SYNY Potsdam News Release, January 4, 2008
SUNY Potsdam has partnered with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry to take part in a biofuel study that will give Potsdam students the opportunity to grow and manage a crop of willow shrubs that will be turned into a source of petroleum-saving fuel. By growing the willow shrubs, grinding them into pellets and burning them as fuel, fewer emissions such as carbon, sulfur and nitrogen that cause acid rain and increase ozone will be released into the air.
> Read more: http://tinyurl.com/2hxylz

The following article was provided by Bob Brennand, Project Manager, Energy Economic Development Energy Development Initiative, Manitoba Science, Technology, Energy and Mines

MANITOBA’S AMENDED BIOFUELS ACT

Background:
Manitoba continues to be a leader in Canada in the promotion of alternative fuels including biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. On November 8, 2007 amendments to Manitoba’s Biofuels Act received royal assent. The Act had originally been passed by the Manitoba Legislature in December 2003 and provided for an ethanol-blended (gasohol) mandate as well as an incentive in the form of a gasoline tax reduction for local ethanol production. These sections of the Act were not proclaimed however as Manitoba did not have sufficient local production to supply a significant portion of the ethanol required by the mandate.

Recent Amendments:
The mandate outlined in the 2003 Act required that fuel suppliers provide a blend of 10% ethanol (E10) in 85% of the gasoline sold in the province. There would also be an incentive in the form of a fuel tax reduction for locally produced ethanol blended in E10 gasohol. The incentive would last for eight years at the following amounts: $0.02 for the first two years, $0.015 for the next three years and $0.01 for the final three years. This reduction provided an effective incentive of  $0.20, $0.15 and $0.10 per litre of ethanol over the eight year program, .

In the interim, the Federal Government as well as Manitoba’s neighbouring provinces of Saskatchewan and Ontario have announced or implemented pool average mandates and incentives in the form of direct grants. Fuel suppliers have also requested a pool average mandate as opposed to a requirement for a specific blend such as E10 for it allows them to supply all jurisdictions with the same product and avoids the blending of boutique fuels. The amendments in 2007 brought Manitoba in line with these other jurisdictions by providing for a mandate that required that 8.5% of the total gasoline sold in the province on an annual basis be ethanol. It also changed the incentive from a tax reduction to a direct producer grant over eight years in the following amounts per litre of locally produced ethanol: $0.20 for the first two years, $0.15 for the next three years and $0.10 for the final three years.

Benefits for Manitoba:
Husky Energy completed construction of a new 130 million litre state-of-the-art ethanol plant in Minnedosa in late 2007 at an estimated cost of $200 million. It is anticipated that 350,000 tonnes of Manitoba-grown wheat and corn will be purchased each year as feedstock for the plant and that 130,000 tonnes of distillers dried grain will be produced for livestock feed from the protein portion not required for ethanol production.

The Province’s ethanol mandate was proclaimed into force on January 1, 2008 and local production began receiving the incentive in order to avoid price increases as a result of the mandate. The ethanol that displaces regular gasoline consumed by Manitoba vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 135,000 tonnes per year which is equivalent to taking over 25,000 vehicles off the road. It is also expected that financial outflows from the province of approximately $70 million will be eliminated as a result of reduced purchases of imported petroleum products.

Standards:
Under Manitoba’s Biofuels Act gasohol must meet specified fuel quality standards. These standards are contained in the Ethanol General Regulation which defines gasohol as a blend of denatured ethanol and gasoline with a denatured ethanol content of least 3% of the total volume.
 
Gasohol possessed for sale in Manitoba must meet the specifications set out in one of the following standards:

1. Canadian General Standards Board Standard CAN/CGSB-3.511, Oxygenated Unleaded Automotive Gasoline Containing Ethanol
2. ASTM D5798-07, Standard Specification for Fuel Ethanol (Ed75-Ed85) for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engines, ASTM International.

There is an exception to the vapour pressure requirement in CAN/CGSB-3.511. The maximum vapour pressure of the gasohol may be up to 7 kpa greater than the vapour pressure set out in Table 2A of CAN/CGSB-3.511, if the gasohol is produced by splash blending and contains:

1. more than 5% denatured ethanol by volume; and
2. gasoline that complies with the Canadian General Standards Board Standard CAN/CGSB-3.5, Unleaded Automotive Gasoline, as amended from time to time.

In addition, the Ethanol General Regulation provides that gasohol is deemed to meet the requirements of CAN/CGSB-3.511, if it is produced by blending gasoline with denatured ethanol that meets the specifications set out in ASTM D4806-07, Standard Specification for Denatured Fuel Ethanol for Blending with Gasolines for Use as Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel, ASTM International.
 
The Ethanol General Regulation also contains an exception to the standard for E-85, ASTM D5798-07. This exception is due to Manitoba’s winter temperature conditions. Because of these conditions, gasohol is not required to comply with ASTM D5798-07 during the months of October to May, inclusive. E-85 fuel is currently not available for commercial sale in Manitoba.
 
Biodiesel:
The amended Biofuels Act also now deals with the production of biodiesel for blending with diesel fuel. Regulations pertaining to the licensing of biodiesel producers and fuel standards for biodiesel production are expected to be completed in the spring of 2008.

BIO-FUELS TECHNOLOGY MARKET PROFILE BUCHAREST - ROMANIA
Globe-Net, January 15, 2008
Romania presents significant opportunities for the development of bio-fuels projects over the next period of time. There is a large available agricultural area, part of it uncultivated in the previous years. The agricultural production for bio-fuel raw materials is under the average of that obtained in EU countries. By introducing more advanced technologies these productions can be considerably increased.  It can be anticipated that Canadian companies interested in supplying technology, equipment or in participating in bio-fuel projects in Romania, will compete with other foreign companies, especially from European Union. Outbidding the European competition would be possible by providing a more advanced technology and at lower price.
> Read more: http://www.globe-net.com/search/display.cfm?NID=1356&CID=6

POWER AND PITFALLS : PATENT GUIDELINES TO HELP COMPANIES PROTECT THEIR BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND GARNER A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE BIOFUELS MARKET
Jeremy Lawson
Canadian Chemical News, January 2008, p. 23
Efficient, competitive, and sustainable technologies are pivotal for the continued development and staying ability of the biofuel economy. Accordingly, patents are of crucial significance in this field where R&D is in full bloom.
> Contact the ITC Library to obtain this article.

NEW BIOENERGY STRATEGY ADVANCES INNOVATION
British Columbia News Release, January 31, 2008
The Government of B.C. has recently released a new bioenergy strategy to help British Columbia reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen long-term competitiveness and electricity self-sufficiency.  As part of the strategy, the Province will seek legislative approval for $25 million in funding to establish a provincial Bioenergy Network for greater investment and innovation in B.C. bioenergy projects and technologies. Legislative approval will also be sought for up to $10 million in funding over three years for biodiesel production.
> Read more: http://www.energyplan.gov.bc.ca/bioenergy/PDF/2008OTP0017-000129.pdf
> See also: http://www.energyplan.gov.bc.ca/bioenergy/#bcep_nr

A THUMBS-DOWN FOR BIOFUELS AS BALI CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT REACHES A FRANTIC CONCLUSION
Global Fuels Magazine, February 2008
Decision-makers in the climate change field have little faith in biofuels as a low-carbon technology, according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) survey results.  Professionals have more confidence in bicycles than in biofuels. One of the key issues at the conference was the theme of technology.  The  IUCN attempted to gauge which technologies inspired the most confidence of the 1000 professionals attending.  Of the 18 technologies identified by the IUCN, biofuels came up at the bottom of the list.  Twice as many were confident in the potential of nuclear energy while solar power for hot water and solar power for electricity emerged as the most favoured low-carbon technologies.
> Read more: http://www.propubs.com/global-fuels/eGF_Feb08_HighRes.pdf

WHY ETHANOL PRODUCTION WILL DRIVE WORLD FOOD PRICES EVEN HIGHER IN 2008
Lester R. Brown
Earth Policy News, January 24, 2008
The world is facing the most severe food price inflation in history as grain and soybean prices climb to all-time highs, according to the author.  As a result, prices of food products made directly from these commodities such as bread, pasta, and tortillas, and those made indirectly, such as pork, poultry, beef, milk, and eggs, are everywhere on the rise.
> Read more: http://www.earthpolicy.org/Updates/2008/Update69.htm

ANALYSING ONTARIO BIOFUEL OPTIONS: GREENHOUSE GAS MITIGATION EFFICIENCY AND COSTS
Prepared by R. Samson, et al.
Resource Efficient Agricultural Production (REAP)-Canada, January 18, 2008
A key attraction of biofuels is the promise to address priorities such as energy security, climate change and rural economic development. In recent years, concerns about climate change have dominated in the media, going so far as to influence elections in some cases.   Given that, this study compares the cost effectiveness of various alternative energy policy incentives in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in the Province of Ontario.  "The report concludes that solid biofuels offer the least expensive biofuel strategy for government incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the province of Ontario."
> Read more: http://www.reap-canada.com/library/Bioenergy/BIOCAP_REAP_bioenergy_policy_incentives08Jan18-Final.pdf

CBC VIDEO CLIP ON R.E.A.P.- CANADA'S INNOVATIVE RESEARCH ON SWITCHGRASS
> See video: http://www.reap-canada.com/docs/switchgrass.mov

AGRIFORENERGY
AGRIFORENERGY is an action funded by the European Union under the "Intelligent Energy – Europe" Programme, promoting the use of biomass from agricultural and forestry sector for heating, electricity and transport purposes.
http://www.agriforenergy.com/

NREL - NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the U.S.'s primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development (R&D).  NREL's R&D areas of expertise are: Renewable electricity; Renewable fuels; Integrated energy system engineering and testing; Strategic energy analysis.   Within their Biomass Research web site, there are many information resources on conversion of biomass to fuels, power and chemicals as well as information on specific projects being worked on in this area.
http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/

TWO RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION CHINESE RENEWABLE ENERGY ISSUES
Worldwatch Institute (http://www.worldwatch.org/taxonomy/term/53) -- A joint initiative of the Worldwatch Institute and Beijing-based Global Environmental Institute (GEI), China Watch reports on energy, agriculture, population, water, health, and the environment in China—with an emphasis on big-picture analysis relevant to policy makers, the business community, and non-governmental organizations.  Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA - http://www.creia.net/cms_eng/_code/english/)

First Annual Biomass Workshops & Tour
February 27, 28 & 29, 2008
Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
> To Pre-Register please contact:Chris Reynolds (204) 385-3492, creynolds@mhhc.mb.ca, for woody biomass workshop, or Roslyn McLean (204) 697-1140, kap@kap.mb.ca, for crop residue workshop & biomass tour

Hearth, Patio, & Barbecue Expo 2008
Exposition: February 28 – March 1, 2008
Education component held February 27 – March 1
Atlanta, Georgia
> Details: http://www.hpbexpo.com/index.html

Greenhouse Gas Management In Manitoba - General Orientation Workshop
March 4, 2008
Winnipeg, MB
> Details: Contact CSA at 1-800-463-6727 or seminars@csa.ca

WIREC 2008
Washington International Renewable Energy Conference 2008
March 4-6, 2008
Washington, DC
> Details: http://www.wirec2008.gov/

Ecological Dimensions of Biofuels
March 10, 2008
Ronald Regan Building & International Trade Center
Washington, DC
> Details: http://esa.org/biofuels/

National 25x'25 Renewable Energy Summit
"Bringing the Vision to Life: Win-Win Solutions for America's Energy Future"
March 11-13, 2008
Omaha, NE
> Details: http://www.25x25.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=371&Itemid=179

Canadian Renewable Energy Workshop 2008
March 16-March 18, 2008
IPSCO Place
Regina, Saskatchewan
> Details: http://www.crew2008.com/ema/DisplayPage.aspx?pageId=Home

Gasification 2008: The Path Forward
March 18-20, 2008
Denver, CO
> Details: http://www.infocastinc.com/index.php/conference/gasification

2008 International Wood Composites Symposium
March 31-April 2, 2008
Seattle WA
> Details: http://www.woodsymposium.wsu.edu/

Growing The Margins: Energy, Bioproducts And Byproducts For Farm And Food Sectors
April 2-5, 2008
London, Ontario
> Details: http://www.gtmconf.ca/welcome.htm

Atlantic Bioenergy Conference 2008
April 9-11, 2008
Saint John, New Brunswick
> Details: www.AtlanticBioEnergy.ca

International Biomass '08 Conference & Trade Show:
Power, Fuels, And Chemicals
April 15-17, 2008
Minneapolis, MN
> Details: http://www.biomassconference.com/speaker.aspx

All-Energy Exhibition And Conference
May 21-22, 2008
Aberdeen, Scotland
A Canadian Pavilion is being organized to showcase Canada's expertise in these green / renewable energy sectors.
> Interested in participating? Contact Duncan de Lugt / Duncan.delugt@international.gc.ca
> Conference bochure: http://www.all-energy.co.uk/UserFiles/File/All-Energy%20'07%20ShowGuide.pdf

World Bioenergy Conference & Exhibition 2008
May 27-29, 2008
JÖNKÖPING, SWEDEN
> Details: http://www.elmia.se/worldbioenergy/

The Third International Bioenergy Conference & Exhibition
June 3-5, 2008
Prince George, BC
> Details: http://www.bioenergyconference.org/index.php