http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Earth_Clean-Energy_Biomass_18_151_1326.html Press Review of the Earth from the most relevant websites. Keep in touch with the Earth and your future ! fr-FR http://www.earth-stream.com/logo-stream-Earth.png http://www.earth-stream.com Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:15:58 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Xcel-to-Spearhead-Midwest-s-Largest-Biomass-Plant_18_151_1326_134546.html Xcel Energy will invest as much as $70 million on a biomass power plant project in Wisconsin that will be the Midwest's largest. Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:51:41 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Another-New-Alternative-to-Fossil-Fuels-Sunflowers_18_151_1326_134541.html In the race to produce the best alternative to fossil fuels, there could soon be a new contender – sunflowers. Although already used to produce oil and biodiesel, some scientists believe these tall, colorful flowers can be used to produce ethanol as well. The silverleaf and Algodones dune varieties are both produce a significant amount of biomass that could be converted to ethanol. Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:59:00 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Weyerhaeuser-venture-to-turn-wood-into-biochemicals_18_151_1326_134480.html Weyerhaeuser Co. and a Canadian biotechnology company are exploring ways to turn non-food biomass into cellulose-based products and biochemicals. Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:18:45 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Drax-invests-o10m-in-new-facility-which-will-mix-renewable-biomass-materials-with-coal_18_151_1326_134207.html New equipment will cut coal-fired power station's emissions by more than 2.5m tonnes a year Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:28:04 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Nitrogen-Fertilizers-Used-Off-Season-Help-Crops-Planted-Later_18_151_1326_134142.html Recent study results have shown have shown that using nitrogen fertilizer on off-season cover crops can not only increase the biomass of these crops, but can also have a beneficial effect on the nitrogen levels in the soil for the cash crop planted during the summer season. The results could significantly aid in preventing soil erosion in vulnerable agricultural regions. Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:57:14 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Solar-Powered-Refrigerator-Could-Bring-Health-and-Energy-Savings-to-Rural-India_18_151_1326_134035.html I just love new technologies that allow the developing world to leapfrog straight into a renewable energy future. TreeHugger has covered several of these inventions and programs—the e-charkha, solar powered lamps to replace kerosene, more efficient biomass cookstoves, Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:40:49 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Landfills-to-Fertilize-Biofuel-Crop-With-Trash-Juices_18_151_1326_133251.html Two British landfills could soon use their trash’s syrupy excretions to irrigate and fertilize on-site biomass crops. A developer, Waste Recycling Group, hopes to construct two 18-foot-deep lagoons near landfills to produce fertilizer from the leachate that oozes from the trash piles. The substance will be pumped from the dump into the lagoons where bacteria will eat away at the contaminants. The developer then hopes to use the fertilizer to grow willow coppices at the landfill for use as biofuel. Read more of this story » Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:08:54 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/EPA-Uses-Google-Earth-based-Interactive-Database-to-Spot-Energy-Opportunities_18_151_1326_132815.html The Environmental Protection Agency has released an interactive Google Earth-based database which pinpoints energy development opportunities on contaminated properties. According to Biofuels Digest, the EPA’s site shows opportunities for solar, wind and biomass benefits, by combining Google Earth visuals with the database list of places that show promise for progress. The “Renewable Energy on Contaminated Land and Mining Sites” Web page gives interested parties tools to see what’s possible and where. For example, someone interested in building a community wind farm might want to view the “EPA Tracked Sites with Community Wind Energy Generation Potential” map. Read more of this story » Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:54:38 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/EPA-s-New-Google-Earth-Mash-Up-of-Renewable-Energy-Resources-on-Contaminated-Lands_18_151_1326_132799.html The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a Google Earth-based interactive website that pinpoints opportunities for solar, wind or biomass siting on contaminated properties. The site combines the Google Earth platform with an EPA database that lists each property’s attributes for renewable energy development. According to the EPA, many lands tracked by the agency, such as large Superfund sites, and mining sites offer thousands of acres of land, and may be situated in areas where the presence of wind and solar structures are less likely to be met with aesthetic, and therefore political, opposition. Read more of this story » Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:29:52 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/10-of-U-S-Domestic-Energy-Now-Renewable_18_151_1326_132245.html That's right, ten percent of the energy produced in America is now renewable! It's certainly good news, but not actually as good as it might seem. We're only talking about American energy here...so while that counts almost all of the coal, it doesn't include a pretty huge chunk of the oil. But it does point out that renewable energy is already a substantial portion of American's energy production picture. The biggest piece of that 10% is now biomass and biofuels, followed by hydroelectric (a chunk of the renewable energy pie that has not and will not grow any further.) Wind is a different story however. While it's still a tiny piece of domestic production (still less than a percent) it's growing faster than any other energy source, 50% up over last year in the first half of this year alone. Solar and geothermal finish up the renewable source list with a truly tiny piece of the pie...but both offer even more opportunity for growth than wind power. Renewables are simply best way to get energy domestically, and now with 10% of our energy (and rising) coming from these sources, the sun is looking that much brighter. Full Press Release from the SUN DAY Campaign Below   Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:28:43 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/US-Forest-Products-Industry-Nervous-About-Biomass-Fueled-Generators_18_151_1326_131749.html Biomass Burning Power Plant In Scotland Image credit:EcoWarrior, Biomass Burner. Wood-Fired Electricity; What's Not To Like? Create new incentives for a massive industry to compete for a primary natural resource - trees in this case - and costs for existing consumers of trees will go up, as will adverse environmental impacts. Check out the title of this news release which appeared today on PR Newswire: New RISI Biomass Study Finds Government Renewable Energy Mandates Would Lead to ... Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:09:25 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Biofuel-Industry-Will-Help-Clean-Up-Chernobyl-Site_18_151_1326_131272.html Many different methods have been used to clean up the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site, but I never thought harvesting biomass crops would be one of them. Apparently, the Belarus government believes that harvesting biomass crops repeatedly on the disaster site will eventually remove radionuclides from the soil. Read more of this story » Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:13:30 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/AREVA-Duke-Energy-Commit-to-Largest-Woody-Biomass-Power-Plant-Projects-in-U-S-_18_151_1326_131107.html New York, September 24, 2008 - At the opening session of the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative, former president, and host of the event, Bill Clinton, announced a joint commitment from AREVA and Duke Energy to proceed with the development of fourteen wood biomass power plants in the United States. The project commitments will help avoid 4 million tons of carbon per year by 2014. “This project comes at exactly the right time as Americans face soaring energy prices and look to meet rising electricity demand with green energy sources. The ADAGE biopower facilities will respond to our nation’s need for new baseload energy alternatives,” said Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration the total installed capacity of wood biomass power generation is 6,000 megawatts, said Clinton. That figure could easily be doubled over the next 10 years. AREVA is the leading U.S. nuclear vendor and a key player in the electricity transmission and distribution sector. Duke Energy is one the largest electric utilities in the country. Duke supplies and delivers electricity to approximately 4 million U.S. customers across the Mid-Adlantic and Mid-West. >>For more updates from CGI, subscribe to my Twitterfeed at @ecopolitologist, where I will be posting more commitments and news items as they develop. Image credit: Andrew Ciscel via flickr under a Creative Commons License Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:11:23 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/New-More-Efficient-Ways-To-Use-Biomass_18_151_1326_130393.html Researchers have developed a new catalyst that directly converts cellulose, the most common form of biomass, into ethylene glycol, an important intermediate product for chemical industry. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:29:14 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Breakthrough-in-Next-Generation-Biofuels_18_151_1326_130085.html Virent Energy Systems, a next-generation biofuels company based in Madison, Wisconsin, has figured out how to convert biomass into gasoline instead of ethanol. On Tuesday, Sept. 23rd, 2008 at 2 p.m. Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:14:16 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/American-States-Continue-to-Install-Renewable-Energy-Sources_18_151_1326_129552.html With my complete lack of faith in the US federal government, it warms my heart aplenty to see so much initiative by local governments and businesses in going green. On Friday of last week, the 19th, two announcements were made that saw plans revealed for two new renewable energy sources. The first announcement saw Oglethorpe Power Corporation (OPC) announce plans to buld as many as three 100-megawatt biomass electric generating facilities in the state of Georgia. The second, was an announcement by SBD International promising the future construction of a small solar farm in Florida, capable of generating up to 20 megawatts. And these sorts of announcements come across our desks almost every day. But there are only so many articles we can write that would be as long as this introduction. Read more of this story » Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:51:52 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Bipartisan-Senate-Bill-To-Extend-Renewable-Tax-Credits_18_151_1326_128323.html After much arm wrestling, the Senate came to an agreement on energy tax breaks which are set to expire later this year. Both Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), of the Senate Finance Committee, made the announcement on Tuesday. The tax package will provide $17 billion in renewable energy tax breaks. It will also adjust the alternative minimum tax, extend tax credits for children and create several business tax cuts. It will also set aside $7 billion in tax relief for those affected by recent floods and hurricanes. The bill extends the solar and wind investment tax credit for eight years, and the production tax credit for biomass and hydropower for up to two years. Read more of this story » Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:19:45 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Invention-Oil-sands-digester_18_151_1326_127955.html Breaking down sticky oil sands when they are underground allows them to be pumped to the surface like normal crude, says a patent application Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:20:38 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/United-Kingdom-Government-eyes-up-eucalyptus-fuel_18_151_1326_127929.html Business Green: They may be more famous as the Australian home of Koala Bears, but fast growing Eucalyptus could soon become a feature of the UK's forests after the government announced it was to investigate using virgin timber from the trees as a source of fuel for biomass power plants. Defra has today unveiled plans for a three year research project to assess the feasibility of short rotation forestry as a viable renewable energy source with Eucalyptus featuring as one of the trees under ... Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:03:53 GMT http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Biomass/Mascoma-s-Cheap-Ethanol-Bacteria-is-Ready_18_151_1326_127835.html Researchers at Dartmouth have genetically engineered a bacterium that makes ethanol as the only product of its fermentation from breaking down products like wood and grass. Researchers in the school's engineering department working with Mascoma Corporation have come up with the first step, a proof of concept, of ethanol-producing microbes that can make ethanol from cellulosic biomass without adding enzymes. The next step is developing the bacterium for commercial production of cellulosic ethanol. Mascoma's has been extolling it's system for a while now, saying they were certain that they'd have the proper bacteria ready for implemention in an ethanol production plant. Turns out they weren't just full of e-coli. The discovery could eventually lead to a process to turn inedible cellulosic biomass such as wood, grass and various waste materials, into ethanol. The heat-loving bacterium developed has an advantage over the current method because cellulase enzymes used for ethanol production is expensive. Lee Lynd, a professor at Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering, says the genetically engineered new organism can augment the process at a lower cost. The researchers published their findings in last week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.