October/November 2015

		G20 Meeting Seeks to Remove Obstacles Undermining Global Renewable Energy Growth By John Greene The week of October 2 marked an important milestone for global champions of renewable energy. Istanbul, Turkey hosted the first-ever G20 Energy Ministers Meeting, where high-ranking energy officers and heads of international energy organizations affirmed their commitment to renewable energy development and integration into existing power generation schemes. In partnership with the meeting, the International Energy Agency also released its Medium-Term Renewable Energy Market Report 2015 (MTRMR), and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released its renewables Toolkit, which highlights some exciting data, trends and opportunities for renewable resources in the near- and long-terms. Continue reading → ...�

		KiOR Assets Recycled By John Greene In 2012, Texas-based KiOR constructed a $230 million facility in Columbus, MS that was designed to convert wood chips into a crude oil substitute, but the venture was short-lived as it failed to successfully scale its production. The company filed for bankruptcy in early 2015, owing the state roughly $70 million on a $75 million loan from the Mississippi Development Authority. But its subsidiary (KiOR Columbus, LLC), which operated the facility, wasn't included in the filing and a state court appointed a receiver for the property. After unsuccessfully attempting to sell the entire plant, the receiver recently won approval to sell the plant's equipment on a piecemeal basis. Continue reading → ...�

		Diverse Uses of Woody Biomass in Europe and U.S. By John Greene As energy sources go, woody biomass from forest residues has been reliably and sustainably fueling human civilization for thousands of years. Many modernized countries now have access to a broad energy portfolio that includes nuclear, wind, solar and hydro power generation, but much of the world-2.8 billion people in fact-still relies solely on some form of biomass for both cooking and heating. To put that number in perspective, that's nearly 40 percent of the earth's population. That's also a whole lot of wood. Continue reading → ...�

		National Bioenergy Day Highlights Growth, Interest in Industry By Suz-Anne Kinney The third annual National Bioenergy Day (NBD) will be celebrated on October 21 in tandem with National Forest Products Week, which is the third week of October annually. Managed by Biomass Power Association in partnership with U.S. Forest Service, National Bioenergy Day seeks to educate the public and raise awareness for the many diverse applications that sustainable biomass offers, as well as its important role as an energy source of the future. Continue reading → ...�

		US Pellet Producer Receives First Sustainable Biomass Certification By John Greene European energy producers are leading the way in the implementation of large-scale biomass projects, and feedstock sustainability is a critical component in the process of converting from coal to clean power. As these providers continue to incorporate renewable technologies into existing power plants, they are taking a proactive approach to ensure that their wood feedstocks meet certain sustainability criteria. Continue reading → ...�

		NARA & Alaska Airlines Promoting Wood-Based Biofuels By John Greene Despite the recent devastation caused by wildfires in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), a number of regional organizations are working together to secure a future for the area that includes renewable energy and products derived from forest resources. Led by Washington State University and funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) is developing a sustainable industry in the PNW that uses post-harvest wood residues to manufacture bio-jet fuel and other value-added polymer and carbon products from wood lignin. The Alliance includes public universities, government agencies and private industry. Continue reading → ...�

		Finnish Company Brings First Commercial-Scale, Wood-Based Fuel Oil to Market By John Greene Finland continues to lead by example when it comes to utilizing its forest resources in practical, innovative and sustainable methods. The country has a robust forest products industry and recent developments further demonstrate its commitment to maintaining a strong forestry legacy. While softwood timber and lumber will always be popular Finnish exports, the country is home to some of the most advanced companies in the cellulosic biofuel and renewable energy sectors. Continue reading →...�

Forest2Market�
15720 Brixham Hill Ave., Suite 550
Charlotte, NC 28277-2845

Phone: (704) 540-1440
Fax: (704) 540-6301