Forest Energy BIB

A study that says biomass plants are worse than oil is not the last word on this subject.

Studies in Massachusetts and nationally conclude that biomass -- the burning of wood and other organic matter for electricity and heat -- can make climate change worse and devastate forests. They warn that renewable energy policies at the state and federal levels ignore these risks and will worsen the threat.

VANCOUVER, June 15 /CNW/ - Nexterra Systems Corp., (Nexterra) a leading supplier of advanced, renewable biomass gasification heat and power solutions, today announced that it has received the Best Application of Technology Award from the British Columbia Industry Association (BCTIA).

According to a new publication, if Europe is to achieve its renewable energy objective of 20% by 2020, it must step up the supply of wood from its sustainably managed forests.  In Europe, only 60% of the annual natural growth of the forests is currently being harvested. For a sustainable energy future, however, this is not near enough.

By 2025, a quarter of Nevada’s energy must come from renewable sources

NV Energy’s experimental use of wood chips in one of its coal plants was a bit of a flop, but the utility and state officials are hoping it will wind up being the first step toward using waste wood that is stacking up in Nevada.

Concerns Expressed About Treatment of Bioenergy Sources in U.S. House and Senate Climate/Energy Bills; Improper Accounting Could Lead to Large-Scale Destruction of Forests, Undercutting of Other Climate Change Gains.

Preserving biodiversity may be the goal of conservationists and environmental activists, but preserving biomass is a more important priority for the poor, says a literature review. The finding, which researchers said was unexpected, was the result of one of three reviews presented to a symposium this week (28-29 April).

Boralex Power Income Fund is pleased that its Senneterre, Québec power station project will benefit from significant investments by the federal and provincial governments.

The $6 million project was developed in collaboration with a manufacturer in the Abitibi area and will maximize the utilization of old bark piles. The innovative aspect of the project is that it will make it possible to receive process and handle wood residues while limiting the impact of the severe deterioration and erosion encountered to date.

Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) and NewPage Port Hawkesbury Corp. (NewPage) today announced agreements to develop a new 60 MW biomass co-generation facility.

South African paper group Sappi, which is to supply state utility Eskom with 45 MW power from its plants, said on Friday companies should prepare for another power crunch by cutting their reliance on Eskom and on fossil fuel wherever possible.

In late 2008, a series of blackouts crippled gold and platinum production facilities in South Africa, sending prices for both commodities soaring.

Europe’s research driven clusters in sustainable forest management and wood based industries will get new co-operation opportunities within the ROKFOR project starting today, 23 February. This cooperative action project ‘Sustainable Forest Management Providing Renewable Energy, Sustainable Construction and Bio-based Products’ (ROKFOR) will join forces in which five European regions in order to create both individual and regional research agendas and action plans in the fields of renewable energy, bio-based products and sustainable construction.

A deal has been struck by British Airways to build the first plant in Europe to produce jet fuel from waste matter.

The plant construction is due to begin within the next two years with plans already in place to start fuel production by 2014. Once the project is completed 500,000 tones of waste will be turned into 16 million gallons of fuel. In total 1,200 new jobs will be created.

UK fund managers are selling investments in jatropha plantations as a wallet-swelling, planet-saving financial bonanza. But the reality for poor farmers is very different

Bio-energy becomes one of the innovative trends for the Arkhangelsk timber industry. Until recently wood wastes haven’t been considered as available cheap resource for byproducts. Currently the situation has changed and part of the biomass is used as alternative fuel for some boiler-houses. There are already several projects in the Arkhangelsk region that have been already realized, of them conversion of the boiler-houses to bio fuel in Onega, at Sawmill 25 (Arkhangelsk), energy saving programmes at objects of social sphere in the districts.