by Leah Douglas (Reuters) A U.S. Department of Agriculture investigation into the agency's funding for the University of Maine could compromise research on biofuels, vegetables, and "forever chemicals" that have been polluting the state, said an advocate and a state lawmaker. USDA
(Castlerock Biofuels/Biomass Magazine) Castlerock Biofuels LLC, operating locally through its subsidiary EME Biofuels, LLC, has announced the selection of Millinocket, Maine, as the site for its new sustainable biocrude production facility, leveraging the advanced thermal processing (RTP) technology developed by Ensyn
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This presentation by Dr. Robert Graham, CEO of Ensyn, outlines the company’s Renewable Thermal Processing (RTP) technology and its potential for producing a range of bio-based products, including renewable heating fuels, gasoline, diesel, methanol, ethanol, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A team of researchers have designed a project to support development of woody feedstocks forUniversity of Maine’s Thermal Deoxygenation pathway to produce renewable aviation fuel and chemicals. The goal of the project is to prepare woody
(University of Maine) Millions of pounds of low-value wood, such as small diameter trees and branches, have been left behind in Maine’s forests due to the decline in pulp and paper production, stymied by drought, fire suppression and dropping demand. While
by Wayne Hicks (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) NREL Researchers Identify Promising Locations off US Coastlines for Installation of Technology -- Using electricity generated by offshore wind turbines as one pathway to split water to produce clean hydrogen may make economic sense, particularly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) I have good news to share today, from Ensyn; also, from a company called Matereal that’s been bubbling below the surface for some time and is now emerged from stealth. Finally, from a worthy group called
(Nexus Development Capital/PR Newswire) Nexus Development Capital, LLC (NDC), a leading investment firm specializing in catalytic capital for teams deploying low-carbon infrastructure, is pleased to announce an investment of approximately $9 million in Castlerock Biofuels LLC (Castlerock Biofuels), a joint venture company led
(bluShift Aerospace/Yahoo! Finance) The aerospace startup will use the new investment funds to continue its rapid expansion into the orbital and small satellite services markets. -- bluShift Aerospace announced today that it has raised $1.3M in a seed round, led by Houston-based
(Office of Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA 8th)) Supports renewable electricity from forest byproducts to charge electric vehicles -- Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) and Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME) introduced the "Biomass for Transportation Fuel Act” (H.R.7609), with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
(Office of Iowa Attorney General) Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today led a 13-state coalition in a lawsuit to pull the plug on Biden’s electric vehicle handout and defend ethanol. -- In Biden’s most recent attack in the war on gas vehicles, he
by Emma Frantz (ACT News) ... Originating in California from a need to curb air pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this regulatory initiative emerged as a pivotal strategy to decarbonize and reduce the environmental footprint of the trucking industry. The ACT
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BDNE was formed In 2019 to commercialize proprietary Biofine technology and is the exclusive Licensee of the IP Portfolio for the Northeast Region. This is a patented continuous chemical conversion process, enabling the economic production of
(Phy2Climate) ... Phy2Climate is a project funded by Horizon 2020 EU’s Research and Innovation programme. The overall objective of the Phy2Climate project is to build the bridge between the phytoremediation of contaminated sites with the production of clean drop-in biofuels and
(Biofuels Digest/Nuu Media) Low Carbon Fuels 2040: The Emerging Markets provides detailed case studies, updates and analysis of the key producers and developers participating in Renewable Diesel projects and Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) projects in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, and in South
by Michele Boyd (U.S. Department of Energy) Large-scale solar energy installations are a relatively new form of development in many rural areas. Solar energy development can create clean energy, jobs, and other economic benefits in these communities. At the same time, the
by Al Greenwood (Independent Commodity Interlligence Services) Several US states could adopt restrictions on the sale of light vehicles that rely primarily on internal combustion engines (ICE), which would lower demand for liquid fuels while increasing demand for plastics and chemicals
by Robin Bravender (Politico Pro Greenwire) A government program aimed at putting young people to work on climate has been on President Joe Biden’s wish list for years. -- President Joe Biden is launching a new federal program that aims to put
(Northern Illinois University/Biomass Magazine) ... Mirbod (Dr. Parisa Mirbod (the Mirbod Lab) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and Biofine Developments Northeast Inc.) and her group at UIC will investigate the phenomena behind plug flow formation and drag reduction effect
by Gloria Dickie (Reuters) U.S. Department of Energy has invested $55 million in seaweed biofuel research; Whale biologists worry kelp growing gear could entangle critically endangered North Atlantic right whales; Seaweed farms test out stiffer, whale-friendly gear -- ... Now, the
by Jarrett Renshaw and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters)The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recommended delaying a scheme that would give electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers tradable credits under a federal biofuel program, in a final rule that the White House will now
by Dimana Doneva (Carbon Herald) Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced on May 12 the Carbon Removal and Emissions Storage Technologies (CREST) Act. The new legislation directs the Departments of Energy and Interior to put in place new research programs
(BDO Zone) Ecostrat is pleased to announce that Peaks Renewables has joined the BDO Zone Strategic Alliance as a partner in the Project Group. BDO Zone Strategic Alliance Partners include some of the leading companies in the bioenergy industry that help de-risk biobased project
(Office of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME 1st)) Farming has always been a risky business. But today, extreme weather events and trade wars are creating challenges that threaten food production and jeopardize farmers’ livelihoods. We must work to keep farmers on the
by Julie Harris (Bangor Daily News) Lincoln has agreed to a 20-plus-year lease with a biofuels refinery that wants to produce wood-based heating fuel at the former Lincoln Pulp and Tissue mill site. Biofine Developments Northeast plans to invest more than $100
(Bioenergy Insight) University of Maine researchers have devised a roadmap to recruit more women into the forestry industry, and particularly the bioenergy sector. The team, led by Abigayl “Abby” Novak, a master’s student in forest resources at the BioEnergy Lab of the
by Dan Brown (DG Fuels) DG Fuels, LLC (“DGF”), an emerging leader in drop-in sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) production, announces the execution of a long-term lease agreements with the Loring Development Authority for 1,240 acres of contiguous land in Aroostock County,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Here are the 50 Hottest Project Development & Deployment Spots in the Advanced Bioeconomy for 2022, as selected by the Digest’s editors. READ MORE
by Hannah LaClaire (Press Herald) The fermentory, which makes cider, kombucha and mead, may soon be acquired by Maine Standard Biofuels, which recycles cooking oil into heating fuel. -- ... But their respective founders, Eli Cayer and Jarmin Kaltsas, said it
by John Bleasby (Daily Commercial News) ... When projected over 10 years between 2022 and 2032, it found considerable advantages with advanced diesel technology, particularly when using renewable biofuels, as compared to an electrification strategy. The study found using low-carbon renewable bio-based
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a $200,000 grant to the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) to support anaerobic digestion technology in 11 states in the Northeast, New England the Mid-Atlantic, including New Jersey
(Renewables Now) New York governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced that Maine and Rhode Island have joined a big consortium led by New York that is working on a proposal to become one of at least four regional clean hydrogen hubs
by Struan Coleman , Tobias Dewhurst, David W. Fredriksson, Adam T. St. Gelais, Kelly L. Cole, Michael MacNicoll, Eric Laufer, and Damian C. Brady (School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine) To keep global surface warming below 1.5 °C by
by Currey McCullough (RFD TV) Just this morning (July 19, 2022) on a call with ag reporters, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said he and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar are sending a letter urging the EPA to increase volumes of biodiesel
by Manuel Quiñones (E&E News/Politico Pro) "Our bipartisan bill would spur research and development for carbon removal technologies, as well as accelerate the commercialization of innovative carbon removal solutions to help make them more affordable," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).
The Seagriculture Conference USA 2022 gathers top speakers, who will share their know-how within seaweed for feed, food, offshore cultivation, biorefinery of seaweed and much more. The two-day program will go into the many different applications of seaweed that exist now
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) The April announcement by Joe Biden that E15 would be allowed to be sold year-round set off a frenzied spate of new attacks on the good fuel...the clean fuel...the 100% domestically produced fuel: ETHANOL. TV
by Alex Brown (PEW Stateline) ... The state’s permitting process involves nine different agencies, and the paperwork is so burdensome and time-consuming that few people bother. “There's a lot of people who are interested in seaweed farming, take a look at that
(Aerospace Testing International) aine, USA-based rocket developer bluShift has performed the first full-scale test of its hybrid, biofuel rocket engine. As shown in the video ..., the test of the Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch (MAREVL 2.0) fired the
by Julia Bayly (Bangor Daily News) ... The 2018 farm bill may have legalized hemp production, but it’s going to take language in the 2023 farm bill to remove lingering red tape regulating the crop. Those regulations stem from laws governing production of marijuana
by Dan Gearino (Inside Climate News) This 1970s Minnesota Farmers’ Uprising Tried to Block One. What Can it Teach Us? As the country moves toward a massive build-out of transmission lines, a decades-old rebellion offers a way through potential opposition. -- If
by David Shepardson (Reuters) The Biden administration on Tuesday finalized a reversal of a rule issued under then-U.S. President Donald Trump that sought to pre-empt California's vehicle emissions regulations. The Department of Transportation said it was issuing final rules rescinding the Trump
by Raphael Orlove (Jalopnik) ... 1st Gear: Here’s Another Fun ‘Wait Do We Actually Want These Lithium Mines’ Article -- Every day I feel like there’s a new article about lithium mining coming home. Just the other day, Bloomberg was wringing its
by Matthew Choi (Politico's Morning Energy) Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim suspended the permits for the New England Clean Energy Connect, a controversial 145-mile transmission project that would deliver hydropower from Quebec into New England. The suspension
(E&E News) The Transportation and Climate Initiative — a cap-and-trade program covering cars in three Northeastern states and the District of Columbia — was abandoned last week after Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) pulled
(Orbex/SpaceRef) The carbon footprint of launching the new Orbex Prime space rocket will be up to 96 per cent lower than comparable space launch programmes, a new scientific study has revealed. Prime is poised to become one of the most environmentally friendly
(SoCalGas) The reactor is part of a $5 million project funded by the Department of Energy -- SoCalGas’ biomethanation reactor system will be used to help produce renewable energy as part of a power-to-gas demonstration. This system will be installed at
by Julia Bayly (Bangor Daily News) Approximately 67,000 fixed-tilt, bifacial panels will comprise a solar farm under construction at the Eastern Piscataquis Industrial Park in Milo. There is growing concern that development of solar farms will come at the expense
(U.S. Department of Energy) Projects align with administration's new goal of decarbonizing the aviation sector by 2050 - - As part of a White House roundtable to launch the Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Grand Challenge to decarbonize the aviation sector by 2050, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $64.7 million in funding for projects
by Lia Russell (Bangor Daily News) The town of Lincoln may see a refinery for a wood-based heating fuel move onto its former mill site. Biofine Developments Northeast Inc. said Thursday it had reached a tentative agreement with Lincoln and Lincoln Lakes
(Office of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) today introduced the Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act, a bill to end the corn ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard. The
(ReNewsBiz) Avangrid has submitted green hydrogen project concepts on the US east and west coasts in response to the Department of Energy’s request for information (RfI). The green hydrogen project concepts are in the states of Connecticut, New York, Maine, Oregon and
Planning a family trip to the beautiful Maine coast this summer? Why not have your kiddos also learn about the wonderful world of algae! The University of Southern Maine and Maine Robotics is hosting the first ever Algae Camp. In collaboration
(Office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)) U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) led a bipartisan letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging the Biden administration to address languishing applications under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program, including
by Harun Asad (Environment & Energy Leader) In a U.S. first, the state of Maine has passed legislation – bill LD99 – directing the $17 billion Maine Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) to divest $1.3 billion from fossil fuels within 5 years and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Things move faster these days, and in the past 24 hours, we’ve had 10 different Worlds shaken to their foundations by events taking place around the world and within the Circular Economy. 1. United States announced
(Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA suggests an expansion of transportation emissions reduction in the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) proposed Draft Model Rule (TCI-P) in public comments filed today. Currently, the proposed emission reduction program is limited to on-road
by Oliver Milman (The Guardian) Joe Biden’s administration, seeking deep cuts to planet-heating emissions, is facing pressure to take a previously unthinkable step: declare the end of the internal combustion engine in the US. Washington state has moved to call time on
by Jane O'Brien (BBC News) Snow swirled and a biting wind sent temperatures plummeting to several degrees below zero as the Stardust 1.0 made its debut at a former military base in Maine. ... But after several delays and as the
by C. Thatcher Carter (Times Record/Press Herald) Despite technical setbacks early on, the Brunswick-based company successfully launched its first rocket around Sunday afternoon. -- Despite frigid weather and early technical difficulties, Brunswick’s bluShift Aerospace Inc., made history Sunday afternoon when it
by Anne Berleant (Ellsworth American) Delta Thermo Energy will be the new owner of Coastal Resources of Maine, the waste-to-biofuel facility in Hampden that has had a dramatic, if short, history since opening in April 2019. The facility closed in May
by Alice Keefe (WMTW) ... BluShift had planned to launch the rocket from the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, but the launch was scrubbed Friday afternoon. The rocket launch will likely be rescheduled to Tuesday or Wednesday. WMTW spoke with
(Transportation and Climate Initiative of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States) TCI-P will invest $300 million every year to modernize transportation, improve public health and combat climate change -- The governors of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and the mayor of the
by Anne Berleant (Ellsworth American) Among the discussion topics for members of the Municipal Review Committee (MRC) board of directors at a meeting on Nov. 29 were a draft of the group’s 2021 budget and news of a prospective buyer of
(Insider NJ) Groups Push For “Strong Safeguards and Guarantees for Overburdened and Underserved Communities” in 12 TCI States & DC; Need for State Leadership Seen As U.S. Formally Abandons Paris Climate Agreement. -- The largest and most diverse collection ever of
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) There's been a barrage of big deals this week and here's The Digest's exclusive take on the biggest 7 deals, why they are big, and more. In today's Digest, we've got the latest deal details that
Please join us on Friday, November 13, 2020, on Zoom, for "The Future Belongs to Maine: Opportunities in the Bioeconomy"—our not-to-be-missed investor webinar on Maine's growing bioeconomy. Friday, November 13, 2020 9 to 11 am EST Via Zoom -- Link to be provided This webinar
(Houston Chronicle) Using current and past Census data, Stacker tracks the way the American farming industry has changed over the past century. Over the past century, American farming has changed dramatically. Crops with long histories like tobacco are still prevalent throughout
by Sam Lehr, David Cox and Mike Alaimo (RNG Coalition/Biomass Magazine) Renewable natural gas (RNG) has become an increasingly important part America's push toward clean energy sources and technology. -- ... Renewable natural gas (RNG) has become an increasingly important part
This session is designed for anyone interested in learning more about trucks, construction and farm equipment use in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia,
by Michael Bates (NGT News) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has adopted a first-in-the-world rule – the Advanced Clean Truck regulation – that requires truck manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks and vans to electric zero-emission trucks beginning in 2024. By 2045,
by Kate Cough (Ellsworth American) Coastal Resources of Maine, the $70-million waste and recycling facility in Hampden, shut down in late May after an expected $14.7 million in funding fell through. The closure forced the 115 member towns that send their
(University of Maine) Incentivizing both sequestration and avoidance of emissions— using a carbon rental or carbon tax and subsidy approach — versus only a carbon tax encourages protection of natural forests by valuing the standing stock, according to a new study
by Ike Levine, Tiffany Cannis and Marissa Nalley (Algae Industry Magazine) In these turbulent times, when many educational programs are in limbo, we wondered what is happening to algae education? For a perspective, we asked leaders of the Algae Foundation
(Biotechnology Innovation Organization) Maine is speeding up its transformation to a 21st-century, biobased economy with the passing of the Renewable Chemicals Tax Credit, which will foster the production of environmentally friendly innovations—like renewable chemicals and biobased products. “In order to address
(Office of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine)) Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), comprehensive legislation that sets a bold vision of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. agriculture by the year 2040. “Farming has always been a
by Parris N. Glendening (Washington Post/Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute) When President Trump attempted to eliminate California’s more stringent fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards for cars and trucks, local elected officials cried foul — and not just in California.
"The Future Belongs to Maine: Opportunities in the Bioeconomy"—our not-to-be-missed investor summit in Portland, Maine, on the state of Maine's growing bioeconomy. WHAT: This full-day conference will provide an open forum to discuss the bioeconomy in Maine today as well as its future
The Provasoli-Guillard National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA) will have its annual Algal Culturing Course from: Saturday, May 9 through Friday, May 15, 2020; Travel days should be Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 16, 2020. The course will be
The states participating in the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) have released a Draft Memorandum of Understanding to establish a regional cap and invest program to transition to a more sustainable, resilient, low carbon transportation sector. Also released were initial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The bioeconomy is kickstarting 2020 with a flurry of innovations, like a millennial entrepreneur who developed a method to convert invasive toxic algae commonly called “rock snot” into various materials including paper, fabric and bioplastic. Another
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Modeling by Georgetown Climate Center's Transportation and Climate Initiative of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States released Tuesday showed potential for greenhouse gas emissions reduction, pollution reduction, job creation and public health benefits. The anticipated
(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown Climate Center) The bipartisan group of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic jurisdictions that make up the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) today invited public input on a new draft proposal for a regional program to establish a cap
(Biofuels International) Rainforest Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Infinity Biofuels for the licensing of patented technology to produce bio-gasoline from biomass across the Americas. The MoU is for a technology framework for North America, South America and
by Tux Turkel (Press Herald) Wind and other renewables produce excess power that could be used in the state’s natural gas pipeline system. -- ... The transmission lines connecting Maine’s far-flung renewable generators to the regional electric grid sometimes are too
by Meg Robbins (Morning Sentinel) After more than a year of delays, the Hampden-based trash-to-fuel plant is processing trash from 115 Maine communities, and hopes to see that number climb. -- The long anticipated trash-to-fuel facility in Hampden met its contract
by Marc S. Reisch (Chemical & Engineering News) Despite a spotty track record, companies keep trying to convert trash into energy, fuels, and chemicals -- ... Local press reports noted weather-related construction delays, a challenge to the plant’s environmental permits,
by Eric Wolff (Politico's Morning Energy) A bipartisan group of a dozen northeastern and Mid-Atlantic governors are considering a plan to impose a gas tax to fund investment into mass transit, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and other infrastructure improvements in
Join us to feel hopeful and inspired as we honor extraordinary leadership for health and justice. At this not-to-be-missed Celebration, internationally recognized environmental justice leader, Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali, the winner of this year's prestigious Frank Hatch Environmental Health Leadership Award, will
(Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel (NGSB)) Hop onto a red CyRide bus in Ames, Iowa, and there’s a pretty good chance it’s fueled by a biodiesel blend. That’s thanks in part to the work of Sam Kramer, a chemical engineering and economics
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) "Nothing has been decided yet about the treatment of biofuels" or renewable fuels in the proposed program to cap transportation emissions in 13 Northeastern US jurisdictions, according to the chair of the Transportation and Climate
(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown Climate Center) Jurisdictions participating in the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) have made available a framework for a draft regional policy proposal to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from transportation, and are encouraging interested individuals and organizations to provide
(New England Fuel Institute /Biodiesel Magazine) The Northeast’s heating oil industry has resolved to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050. This ambitious goal was set at the Northeast Industry Summit held during the 2019 Heating & Energizing America Trade
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) Biogas producers struggling to generate revenue from their digestate may find an opportunity to turn this around through the American Biogas Council’s Digestate Standard Testing and Certification Program. -- ... Exeter Agri-Energy was formed to
(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown Climate Center) On Tuesday, July 30, more than 300 community members, transportation, environmental and social justice advocates, business and industry representatives, and state and local officials participated in the Transportation & Climate Initiative workshop on Low-Carbon Transportation
(Summit Utilities Inc./Biomass Magazine) Summit Utilities Inc., the parent company of Summit Natural Gas of Maine Inc., announced May 23 a new renewable natural gas (RNG) program aimed at supporting the local economy and fighting climate change. The program outlines three
by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) The Green New Deal may be floundering in Washington. But it is alive and well in left-leaning states and cities across the country. From Maine to California, Democratic politicians have begun adopt the Green New Deal brand -- a
by Meg Robbins (Morning Sentinel/PressHerald) The plant started taking in waste last week even as key officials from the group representing towns' interests in the facility have stepped down. -- The Fiberight waste-processing facility in Hampden accepted its first loads of municipal
(Office of Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)) Legislation allows the use of biomass waste from certain federal lands in the making of renewable fuels -- U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced bipartisan legislation to allow the use of biomass from
by Paul Dwyer (WABI TV) Lawmakers discussed a bill Wednesday aimed at encouraging investment in bio-biased manufacturing to create jobs, bring more business into Maine, and help fight climate change. The bill, sponsored by Assistant House Majority Leader Ryan Fecteau, (D) Biddeford,
(Solutions from the Land) ... The swelling momentum of state leadership pushing forward climate issues and solutions, as well as growing engagement with the challenges of climate change on Capitol Hill, shows there is a surging opportunity for stakeholders from the
by Clay Gordon (News Center Maine) Maine Standard Biofuels collects grease and refines it into bioheat, biodiesel and other bioproducts -- ... Used cooking oil is being repurposed, and in its refined state is powering engines, cars, trucks, even ferries, and heating
by Meg Robbins (Morning Sentinel) The plant started taking in waste last week even as key officials from the group representing towns' interests in the facility have stepped down. -- The Fiberight waste-processing facility in Hampden accepted its first loads of municipal
by Michael Shepherd (Bangor Daily News) Gov. Janet Mills issued her first veto on Thursday, rejecting a bill that passed the Maine Legislature without roll-call votes and would ban the sale of gasoline containing more than 10 percent ethanol that likely
by Brian Kahn (Earther) Maine’s AFL-CIO, which represents more than 40,000 members, just threw its weight behind a version of the Green New Deal introduced to the state’s legislature last month. That makes Maine’s bill the first piece of Green New Deal legislation
(PR Web/Maine Standard Biofuels) Maine Standard Biofuels is headed to the big city. On April 16, the Portland-based biofuels pioneer will be in New York City to showcase its new green cleaning products—as well as its cutting-edge biofuel-conversion process—at an event
(Algae Biomass Organization) The National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA) at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences will be offering two courses this year that may be of interest to ABO members looking to enhance their culturing and identification
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Douglas B. Rivers, PhD,from Sunflwr Consulting and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting offers this illuminating overview and more READ MORE
by Marina Bowie (Biobased Maine) According to the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (1990-2016), the transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to U.S anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, at 28%. Of the 28%, aircraft transportation contributes 9% of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn produces a biocrude from forest and agricultural residues using its proprietary thermal technology. Dr. Robert G. Graham, Founder and Executive Chairman of Ensyn gave this illuminating overview of their growth in RFO, advancement in refinery co-processing, and
(Maine Technology Institute) MTI will award up to $1.5 million in grants to challenge winners, for one or more projects. -- The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) has announced a request for responses to the Emerging Technology Challenge for Maine’s Forest Resources. The
(National Biodiesel Board) In keeping with the spirit of the season, five biodiesel users have unveiled new vehicle “wraps” that are helping to share their stories of sustainability and emissions reductions with area residents from Maine to the Midwest. “Our annual biodiesel
(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown University Climate Center) A coalition of nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia today announced their intent to design a new regional low-carbon transportation policy proposal that would cap and reduce carbon emissions from
by Charles Eichacker (Bangor Daily News) The company developing a state-of-the-art waste processing facility in Hampden says the project will probably be completed by the end of March — nearly a full year after the facility was supposed to begin receiving
by Beth Brogan (Bangor Daily News) ... Eventually, that rocket, powered by a proprietary bio-derived, carbon neutral rocket fuel formulation, will leave Earth, carrying small satellites — “cube sats” — into space. Eventually, the rocket would be able to carry 50
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Why the attention? Some of it in the most recent data and news regarding commercial status. TCat-8 has operated for over 2,000 hours with continuous catalyst circulation including a fluid bed reactor, catalyst stripper, catalyst regenerator, quench tower,
by Edwin L. Aguirre (University of Massachusetts Lowell) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a three-year, $1 million grant to a team of researchers from UMass Lowell, the University of Maine and Florida-based Mainstream Engineering Corp. to develop renewable fuel additives
by Marianne Lavelle and Dan Gearino (Inside Climate News) Governors have the power to set the agenda on renewable energy or throw up roadblocks to its progress. It's become an issue in several races this year. -- Some of the most consequential elections
by Dave Songer (Bio-Based World News) “The milestones and professional growth I've achieved in this role are above and beyond what I could have accomplished in academia within the same time frame.” Fiberight is a UK- and US-based small and medium-sized enterprise
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... First, let’s start with the latest from the Maine Technology Institute, which just announced a request for information regarding emerging forest industry technologies, with the goal of accelerating matchmaking to connect the most viable,
(Biobased Maine/Maine Technology Institute) The Maine Technology Institute is collecting publicly available information on technologies that could be deployed within Maine’s forest industry. The purpose of this RFI is to encourage technology companies to submit preliminary information on their technology and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In these top 20 projects, we usually say that we are using waste, but really we are converting something from a state of waste to a state of value — and that’s not just good for
by Raphael Orlove (Jalopnik) Our emissions standards are probably the biggest booster to automotive performance in the past half century, making our cars not only more eco-friendly but more powerful, too. Trump has been trying to cut it all down, but now California
by A.J. Higgins (Maine Public) Members of the Municipal Review Committee (MRC) said Wednesday that it will work with communities that are uncomfortable with an interim plan to temporarily send their municipal solid waste to a landfill until the new Hampden
by Benjamin Storrow (E&E News) ... Transportation emissions threaten to undercut blue states' climate goals, raising questions about their ability to lead U.S. climate efforts at a time when the federal government is rolling back environmental regulations. Emissions from cars, trucks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn uses its patented and proprietary RTP fast thermal technology to convert wood residues and other non-food, cellulosic biomass to liquid biofuels. Ensyn has had continuous commercial operations for more than 25 years. Its technology has
by John D. Forcier (Forcier Consulting Engineers/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... Besides increasing the electrical output from 1MW to 3MW, we increased the thermal output from 3.7MM btu/hr. to 10MM btu/hr. of hot water for process heat and heating of several nearby
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fiberight is a privately held company founded in 2007 with current operations in Virginia, Maryland and Iowa. The company focuses on transforming post-recycled municipal solid wastes and other organic feedstocks into next generation renewable biofuels, with
by Alex Acquisto (Bangor Daily News) The company behind a state-of-the-art solid waste disposal facility in Hampden designed to convert trash into biofuel has secured enough funding to begin operations in May. Craig Stuart-Paul, CEO of Maryland-based Fiberight LLC, announced this week that his company
(University of New England) The United States Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the University of New England was awarded a three-year, nationally competitive research grant for $1,321,039 from DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). DOE awardees are part of
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, the chopping continues and there are literally tons of wood waste left behind that doesn’t get used up, but we can all agree we
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yes, ARPA-E has unveiled its latest moonshot and is investing $22M in Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources — also known as MARINER. The projects that comprise ARPA-E’s Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But pulp and paper markets have taken big hits. Headlines have centered around damaged balance sheets that make it difficult to modernize or expand, mothballed plants, bankruptcies, job losses that have struck hard at northern
by Dawn Gagnon (Bangor Daily News) If all goes to plan, a $69 million waste-to-energy plant planned for Hampden will be up and running by April 1, 2018, according to the partnership that is building it. Sargent Corp. began earth work at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Where Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto joined the mayors of more than 175 cities in a rebel yell that has been heard nationwide since President Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords last Thursday. Peduto said:
by Tux Turkel (Portland Press Herald) 'The biggest obstacle now is financing,' says Stephen Fitzpatrick, president of Biofine Technology LLC, which is partnering with UMaine on a pilot plant at the site. -- The former Old Town Fuel and Fiber
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) News this week arrived from Canada that Enerkem has received the lowest carbon intensity value ever issued by the British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines for its ethanol product under the Renewable and Low
by William Strauss (FutureMetrics/Biomass Magazine) ... The recently released paper by the Chatham House is a study that contains many inaccurate statements about the use of wood for energy. Those statements are presented as facts, or as uncontested conclusions. This article
by Madeline St. Amour (CentralMaine.com) The decision by a Superior Court justice marks the end of the Fiberight project's last legal battle and one of its major hurdles. -- A Maine Superior Court justice on Wednesday affirmed state environmental permits
by Darren Fishell and Nick Sambides Jr. (Bangor Daily News) Investors seeking to build a biofuel refinery that they say would employ more than 100 people at the former Great Northern Paper Co. mill site were granted a temporary restraining order
by Darren Fishell (Bangor Daily News) The company EMEP LLC wants to buy the shuttered East Millinocket paper mill to build a biorefinery that it said would be a centerpiece of a larger $240 million plan for biomass energy parks
At ABLC 2017, Maine’s Born Global Challenge named Core Biofuels, DMC, CRI, D4 Energy Group, Concord Blue, Ark Power Dynamics, NuFuels, Visolis, Phytonix, Renmatix and Sweetwater Energy as the first set of prequalified companies — a second round of companies will be
by Tex Turkel (Portland Press Herald) Ensyn Corp., which makes heating oil from wood waste, already supplies Bates College and needs more customers before it can build a plant here. -- A Canadian company that turns leftover wood from forestry
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Erie, Pennsylvania-based biodiesel producer Hero BX announced a new business enterprise Jan. 12, the Hero BX-branded Bioheat program. Bioheat is a blend of biodiesel and heating oil in varying concentrations. Hero BX’s new program offers
(Algae Industry Magazine) Marine algae have the power to simultaneously fuel vehicles, recycle carbon dioxide, and provide nutrition to animals and humans,” said Ira A. Levine, a tenured Professor of Natural and Applied Sciences at the University of Southern Maine
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... the most innovative public-private policies are likely for some time to proceed out of regions, provinces and states. In some ways, in the United States the forces arrayed against the Renewable Fuel Standard will end up
(Algae Industry Magazine) Scarborough, ME-based laboratory instrumentation manufacturer, Fluid Imaging Technologies (FIT), has announced that it is accepting applications for the FlowCam® Student Equipment & Travel Grant for Algae Technology Research. The grant is open to graduate students and senior
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn uses its patented and proprietary RTP fast thermal technology to convert wood residues and other non-food, cellulosic biomass to liquid biofuels. Ensyn has had continuous commercial operations for more than 25 years. Its technology has
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For some time in The Digest, we have examined the problem of matching capital to projects. As Ecostrat’s Jordan Solomon observed at ABLC Next a few weeks back, “the vast majority of projects are given
(U.S. Department of Energy) The results of the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office's (BETO's) Cellulosic Sugar and Lignin Production Capabilities Request for Information (RFI) are now available on the RFI responses web page. This new web page is a
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