BiogasWorld Weekly Vol 20

By | 2017-09-07

California to pass law setting 100% renewable electricity goal

September 1, 2017 – The world’s sixth largest economy is aiming for an entirely clean power grid by 2045, with legislation that pits technology start-ups against utilities. California is on the brink of approving a law to target 100% renewable electricity by 2045, in defiance of the Trump administration’s hostility to climate action. The bill passed the Senate in May and is primed for a final assembly vote in the coming days. It will make California the world’s largest test bed for creating an entirely clean power grid.

Read more on Climate Home

 

FERC: 198 MW of biomass capacity added during first half of 2017

September 1, 2017 – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Energy Projects recently released its Energy Infrastructure Update, reporting that 198 MW of biomass power capacity was placed into service during the first half of 2017, up from 48 MW placed into service during the same period of last year. According to the report, two biomass units with a combined 60 MW of capacity were installed in June. During the first half of this year, 11 biomass units were placed into service, with a combined capacity of 198 MW. During the first half of 2016, 19 biomass units with a combined capacity of 48 MW were placed into service.

See the video on Biomass Magazine

Haiti – Environment: Biogas production project in Gonaïves

September 1, 2017 – Martin Coiteux, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, Public Safety and Minister responsible for the Montreal region, announced that Biothermica Technologies Inc., a leader in the field of biogas recovery, a Montréal-based company, will receive nearly $ 1 million ($ 999,617) from the Green Fund for a valuation project of biogas in the municipality of Gonaïves in Haiti “I am pleased with the funding granted to Biothermica Technologies, […] By supporting the work of companies like this one, Québec is making a concrete and positive contribution to the efforts to adapt to climate change in the most vulnerable countries.”

Read more on Haïti Libre

Oman’s commitment to improving waste management

September 1, 2017 – Having been previously always state-controlled, municipal waste management in Oman was privatized in 2007 in order to increase efficiency, and the Be’ah Oman company was created. At the end of 2017 all of the contracts will be awarded, this enabling the initiative to begin. Let’s find out more about Be’ah Oman’s main areas of activity, including the implementation of biogas and anaerobic digestion projects. The raw materials are there, all that remains is to start exploiting them.

See the video on Biogas Channel

Post-Brexit changes in the UK biogas industry

September 5, 2017 – Now that the procedure to leave the European Union has begun, how will the biogas industry change in the UK? Chris Huhne, Strategic Adviser at ADBA, explains the main economic and legislative impacts of this decision. The overall transition period will be a long one, but the country’s commitment to reducing CO2 emissions is confirmed. A good outlook, therefore, for biogas.

See the video on Biogas Channel

China to begin paying farmers to convert livestock waste to fuel & fertilizers

September 6, 2017 – According to a government plan announced on Aug. 1, China will pay farmers to turn animal poo into fertilizer and power, as Beijing cracks down on agricultural pollution that has for years leaked into rivers and lakes, angering Chinese residents. The Ministry of Agriculture gave no details about the size of the subsidies, but the move could be a big step toward curbing chemical fertilizer use and cutting water pollution.  The plan includes setting up recycling programs by 2020 in 200 major countries that have livestock farms.

Read more on Biogas Channel

DMT to supply desulfurization process to California AD facility

September 6, 2017 – DMT Clear Gas Solutions recently announced that Calgren Dairy Fuels LLC is going to install DMT’s desulfurization technology, Sulfurex BR. The anaerobic digestion (AD) facility is located adjacent to Calgren Renewable Fuels LLC, a 55 MMgy ethanol plant located in Pixley, California. The AD facility provides heat and power to the ethanol plant. According to DMT, its project with Calgren supports the production of renewable natural gas for use in vehicles. DMT explained that biogas used to make transportation fuel contains approximately 60-70 percent methane, 30-40 percent carbon dioxide and 3,000 parts per million hydrogen sulfide (H2S).

Read more on Biomass magazine

Shell Seeks to Boost LNG Demand in Order to Build New Plants

September 6, 2017 – Europe’s biggest energy company is investing in projects to boost global gas demand and aims to continue feeding the market it’s nurturing with new liquefied natural gas export plants. Royal Dutch Shell Plc is supporting the development of gas use in heavy transport such as shipping and is also helping smaller and less credit worthy customers begin importing LNG, Maarten Wetselaar, the company’s director of integrated gas and new energies, said at an event at Bloomberg’s Sydney office Wednesday. As new LNG customers enter the market, that will open a window for Shell and others to develop new low-cost export plants.

Read more on Energy Now

‘Virtuous cycle’ – Biomethane concept tractor unveiled

September 6, 2017 – As part of a vision for a sustainable farming future, a concept tractor powered by biomethane has been unveiled. New Holland Agriculture’s new biomethane powered concept tractor is a reimagining of traditional tractor design. According to the company, it’s inspired by the belief that farmers could lead the move away from fossil fuel powered vehicles towards renewable sources, using a ‘closed-loop’ virtuous cycle that powers tractors using energy produced from their own land and waste products.

Read more on Bioenergy Insight

London Food Strategy: teaching restaurants how to reduce food waste

September 7, 2017 – Founded in 2006, the London Food Strategy aims to make both access to food in London and the entire food system more harmonised and equal. The anaerobic digestion industry plays an important role in waste management, but there is also a need to reduce food waste at source. An interesting and successful project, in this sense, is the one aimed at making restaurants aware of the correct amounts of food to plate up.

See the video on Biogas Channel