LowCountry Biomass, a recycler of wood residues, plans to expand its existing wood pellet manufacturing operations in Jasper County, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s Office announced last week. The $16 million investment is expected to create 26 new jobs. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to grow our company in Jasper County. South Carolina [...]
Obama Administration Announces New Funding For Biomass Research
As President Obama recently visited Ohio State University to discuss the Administration’s all-out, all-of-the-above strategy for American energy, the White House announced up to $35 million over three years to support research and development in advanced biofuels, bioenergy and high-value biobased products. The projects funded through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), a joint [...]
Dominion Virginia Power Receives State Approval For Biomass Plants
Dominion Virginia Power has received state approval to convert three coal-fired power plants to biomass fuel. The State Corporation Commission also approved a charge to Dominion customer bills starting April 1 to cover the estimated $165.8 million cost to switch over the plants in Altavista, Hopewell and Southampton County. In it’s filing for the conversion, [...]
Biomass Boiler Installation Complete In U.S. Federal Building
The U.S. General Services Administration announced last week that the installation of the first biomass boiler in a United States Federal Building is complete. Outdated oil-fired steam boilers in the Ketchikan Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse were replaced with a technologically advanced biomass boiler, which uses waste generated by the timber industry, a renewable energy [...]
Federal Agencies Implement Hundreds Of Renewable Energy Initiatives
Governmentwide, 23 agencies and their 130 sub-agencies reviewed by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) implemented nearly 700 renewable energy initiatives in fiscal year 2010. The Departments of Defense (DOD), Agriculture (USDA), Energy (DOE), and the Interior were collectively responsible for almost 60% of all initiatives. The initiatives supported a range of renewable energy sources, [...]
Washington State Plan Expands Renewable Energy Law
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire recently signed a bill that for the first time broadens the definition of renewable energy. The measure makes electricity produced from older biomass facilities, such as pulp mills, eligible for the state’s renewable energy mandate. Supporters say it will benefit rural communities and a struggling timber industry. Since voters approved Initiative [...]
Maine Secures Wood Pellet Approval For FHA Homes
The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has changed guidelines to allow FHA-insured homes in Maine to use wood pellet heating systems as a conventional heating source, based on an initiative from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. Federal Housing Administration appraiser guidelines now allow wood pellet systems as an acceptable heating source for FHA-insured single-family [...]
Southeast Biomass Study: Is It Too Late?
A new study of southeastern forests in the U.S. finds that in the long run, burning wood instead of fossil fuels to make electricity can reduce heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but not soon enough to prevent worsening the conditions leading to global climate change. The study also shows that as the industry expands [...]