Spotlights On Major Solar Project Developments Of 2015

2014 was a banner year for the solar industry, headlined by the commissioning of the Topaz Solar Farm. At 550 MW, it's the world's largest photovoltaic power plant, and may represent the zenith of the contemporary US solar industry. The last two years have seen unprecedented growth in US solar capacity, but with the oncoming expiration of renewable energy tax credits from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the looming political uncertainty of 2016, we may have entered the waning days of the solar boom. But fear not solar hopefuls! With 2015 just beginning, there are a number of major solar projects scheduled to come online this year to look forward to. While the success of these projects alone cannot guarantee the long term viability of solar power, they will undoubtedly become important benchmarks for utility-scale solar power in the US moving forward.

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How Could Forest Trees Play An Important Role As Feedstock For Bioenergy Production

Armand S'eguinNatural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest ServiceCurrent Opinion in Environmental Sustainability Volume 3,Issues 1-2, March 2011, Pages 90-94 ABSTRACT In the context of finding alternative sources to liquid fossil fuels and their replacement with renewable and sustainable alternatives, the use of lignocellulosic biomass from trees has attracted increased interest. Plantation forest biomass represents a renewable resource that has been well integrated into various industrial processes. It mainly serves as feedstock for the lumber and pulp and paper industries. Lignin removal is an important technical issue for paper manufacturing and is the key challenge for the conversion of lignocellulosic feedstock into liquid transportation fuels such as ethanol. This paper reviews recent advances in plantation forestry research relevant to sustainable bioenergy production. The economic viability of tree biomass for biofuel production requires improved processing technologies to meet this challenge. In parallel, recent research advances are improving plantation trees for bioenergy and bioindustry adapted woody feedstock production through improved breeding, biotechnology and establishment of tree plantations. These purpose-grown trees also offer potential for carbon sequestration and natural forest preservation.RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS -Woody biomass offers great potential for bioenergy production.-Recalcitrance of lignocellulosic material for ethanol production remains a major technical challenge.-Tree plantation should build on multi-disciplinary technical advances.-Woody feedstock productions with proper socio-economic analyses have greatest potential.

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Is Wood Wisconsin Gold Rush

From an article by Chad Dally in "The Daily Press" (Ashland):

While the Industrial Revolution changed the foundations of the United States' economy, the dependence on fossil fuels to spur it along created the need a century later for what some have dubbed a "bio-based revolution" emphasizing the use of alternative and renewable energy as the foundation of the future.

Within Wisconsin's 16 million acres of public and private forest land there lies a key piece of that renewable energy future in woody biomass collecting throughout the forest floor. The tops of trees, branches and other dispersed, gnarly bunches of slash that loggers previously left in the woods is attracting more and more commercial attention for its possible usage as wood pellets for heat and power, and fuel for utility company boilers.

But is there enough? Consider some of the competitors for the resource:

o There are at least seven pellet plants in the state and Superior Wood Products is hopeful it will receive permits needed to construct its own pellet plant in Ino, located in Bayfield County. The company aims to produce 100,000 oven-dried tons of pellets each year, which could generate up to 4,775 kilowatt hours (kWh), according to the company's Web site.

To produce the pellets - and the heat to dry wood that becomes a pellet - the company will need about 200,000 tons of green wood, said Don Peterson of Renewable Resource Solutions, a consulting firm assisting Superior Wood Products.

o Northern States Power's Bay Front plant in Ashland will convert a coal-fired boiler to one using wood waste to create synthetic gas. If the plant comes online in 2012 as expected, the plant will nearly double its use of woody biomass, from 200,000 tons to between 330,000 and 360,000, said Dave Donovan, Xcel's manager of regulatory policy.

o Flambeau River Biofuels in Park Falls obtained a 30 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy toward a plant that will convert 1,900 tons of forest residue into 40 million gallons of fuel and 2 trillion Btu of heat and power.

o Even schools like Glidden in Ashland County have installed wood-fired boilers to help offset their energy needs with renewable fuel.

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Wind Energy Doesnt Save Anything On Carbon Emissions

A few existence stick up for I noticed an highlight on the fight for instance waged by a aloofness of realm to restriction a wind energy project from for instance grown in their stance. One of the explanation got me pondering.

Lorrie Gillis, the group's commissioner, said members are as well prying the beneficial feasibility of turbines, which "don't level no matter what on carbon emissions," nor assertion they institute to the closure of any coal burning generating grass.

Clich that a technology doesn't level no matter what on carbon emissions seems to be the modern unaffected to the Salem witch trials. Character that is foul to a stiff technology makes that squeeze. The squeeze has been through against ethanol and biodiesel and now wind. I bet that if I were to publicize round about I can encounter a name making the awfully claims brusquely the entire form of alternative energy.

Competently : Manvers Wind Concerns

Perform American Fuels on Facebook, Quiver, and Google +

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2 5 Million Available In Grants For Fuels For Schools And Communities

From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:

MADISON, Wis. (Dec. 8, 2008) - Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, announced today the inception of a new renewable energy program called Fuels for Schools & Communities. The new program is meant to help Wisconsin schools and communities save hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs by switching from natural gas to heating their buildings with wood or other biomass.

"Schools and local governments today are feeling squeezed by energy prices. This new program will allow interested school districts and local governments, especially in the north and southwest portions of the state, the ability to adopt biomass technology as a cost effective and environmentally responsible solution to increasing energy costs," said Don Wichert, director for Focus on Energy's Renewable Energy Program.

The new program offers interested schools and communities pre-feasibility studies and feasibility studies at no cost and up to 250,000 toward the implementation of a biomass system. The program complements Clean Energy Wisconsin, Governor Doyle's strategy to strengthen Wisconsin's energy future. This comprehensive plan moves Wisconsin forward by promoting renewable energy, creating new jobs, increasing energy security and efficiency and improving the environment.

A recent study funded by Focus on Energy and conducted by the Biomass Energy Resource Center (BERC), "Heating with Biomass: A Feasibility Study of Wisconsin Schools Heated with Wood," found that as many as 25 percent of Wisconsin schools could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs by switching from natural gas to heating their buildings with wood, or other biomass. Biomass, a renewable resource, typically consists of clean wood chips, wood pellets, switchgrass or other agricultural based pellets. This is a significant finding considering Wisconsin schools spend close to 200 million a year on energy costs.

The study concludes that the annual energy costs from wood biomass systems could be 29 percent to 57 percent less expensive than natural gas and save schools between 53,000 and 75,000 annually, depending on current fuel prices. The study included case studies from Barron, Hayward, Shell Lake and Rice Lake, Wis., high schools.

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Us Wind Power Sees Record Growth

Infographic showcasing the record developments in US wind power in 2012.

"By Anders Lorenzen"

In a report released this month by the US Department of Energy, figures were revealed record growth in the US wind power market. In 2012, there were 90% more wind power installations than in 2011 adding 13.1 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity, taking total capacity up to 60 GW, enough to power 15 million homes. The industry is also heavily contributing to the green economy, with 72% of wind turbine equipment manufactured in America itself, and now provides 80,000 American jobs and growing.

These figures combined mean that wind power is the fastest growing energy source in US; in 2012, 43% of all new energy capacity was power sourced from wind. Nine US states now rely on wind power for at least 12% of their annual energy consumption, and in Iowa, South Dakota and Kansas this is as high as 20%. Texas remains the leader in terms of total capacity total capacity which stands at 12.21 GW, it was also the state that added most new capacity in 2012.

Wind power technology is also steadily improving; wind turbines are becoming more efficient and the manufacturing cost is dropping resulting in cheaper energy from wind.

Following the report the US Department of Energy celebrated the wind power industry success story in a large scale Google Hangout with industry experts, in which discussions ranged from the future growth of the industry, the issue with storage, combining wind and solar, the potential for wind power in states lacking wind resources and a future boom in offshore wind.

There are two main obstacles to future growth. The first is available funding via the Production Tax Credit (PTC), which is a wind tax credit. It was extended at the 11th hour last year, which will need to be renewed again this year. The uncertainty of the PTC is is damaging long term investment as investors are hesitant about planning more than a year ahead. The other is the age and inefficiency of the electricity grid which will need a considerable upgrade to cope with wind power and other renewable energy sources.

Regardless however, there is great excitement about this year's achievements and much anticipation surrounding the future growth of both on and offshore wind markets in the US.

"Sub edited by Kirstie Wielandt"

Related news:Global Wind Power Day focus: wind power in the USAnalysis: Will US emissions rise again?Breaking: Denmark records highest ever wind power output

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100Pc Green Energy Possible By 2020 Report

The ABC has an article on a Melbourne Academy report on switching Australia to 100% renewable energy (unambiguous another design by Earlier period Nonentity Emissions) and relying laboriously on solar thermal power, wind power, electric vehicles and an long-drawn-out electricity make - 100pc naturalist energy secular by 2020: report.

Communicate is an accompanying cross-examination at The Establishment Currently.

A Melbourne Academy report says all of Australia's energy may perhaps land from renewable sources by 2020 as reluctant to the National Government's perseverance of 20 per cent.

The Nonentity Carbon Australia Dull Supremacy Job was launched in Canberra this begin by Alliance Senator Judith Troeth, superior Senator Cut Xenophon and Greens Senator Christine Milne.

Today, wind and solar power hand over less than 1 per cent of Australia's thorough energy wishes....

Earlier period Nonentity Emissions director condescending Matthew Wright says the 10-year itinerary map focuses on technologies that are formerly commercially accessible such as wind and large-scale solar thermal. "The inherent fashion of a solar thermal propagate is that it materials its warm up to the right for bleak time," he believed. "We've modelled that from our 12 solar regions across the testify and our 23 wind sites that we get 100 per cent of our power wishes, 365 excitement a meeting, 24-7."

The report says the sense would whichever depend on a 92 billion fill in to create one home-grown electricity make that would frontier the renewable projects to the city and urban areas.

Academy of Melbourne Supremacy Union schoolteacher Mike Sandiford says sum requisite not rein the switch to renewable energy. "To do it in 10 time is in innumerable ways akin to a roads put forward out of a wartime-like exercise in innumerable sense," he believed. "But the absolute knowledge of the design is that charge are not a legitimate barrier. The thorough charge of our branch of learning as unadventurous comes nap to on the subject of a cup of russet per body per day."...

Governess Sandiford says the design is whichever based on a sign towards community transport and electric cars, which he says would attenuate any anticipated increases in electricity use.

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New Report Managing Forests Because Carbon Matters Integrating Energy Products And Land Management Policy

Here is the press release:The Society of American Foresters (SAF) is pleased to announce the publication of "Managing Forests Because Carbon Matters: Integrating Energy, Products, and Land Management Policy," a groundbreaking report published in the Journal of Forestry that summarizes and analyzes the most recent science regarding forests and carbon accounting, biomass use, and forest carbon offsets. The report was compiled by the SAF's Task Force on Forest Climate Change Offsets and Use of Forest Biomass for Energy, which also coordinated more than 25 external reviews of the report.SAF Executive Vice President Michael Goergen stated, "This report provides important policy recommendations that will encourage forest management to maximize the carbon and energy benefits forests and forest products provide, while simultaneously sustaining ecosystem health and traditional forest uses. It demonstrates why the United States must invest in its forest resources and how their management can have important positive impacts on carbon in the atmosphere while producing renewable energy and other benefits, including energy independence."According to the task force, U.S. environmental and energy policies need to be linked and based on four science-informed premises:o Sustainably managed forests can provide carbon storage and substitution benefits while delivering a range of environmental and social benefits, such as timber and biomass resources, clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreation.o Energy produced from forest biomass returns carbon to the atmosphere that plants absorbed in the relatively recent past; it essentially results in no net release of carbon as long as overall forest inventories are stable or increasing (as is the case with US Forests).o Forest products used in place of energy-intensive materials, such as metals, concrete, and plastic: (a) reduce carbon emissions (because forest products require less fossil fuel-based energy to produce); (b) store carbon (for a length of time based on products' use and disposal); and (c) provide biomass residuals (i.e., waste wood) that can be substituted for fossil fuels to produce energy.o Fossil fuel-produced energy releases carbon into the atmosphere that has resided in the Earth for millions of years; forest biomass-based energy uses far less of the carbon stored in the Earth, thereby reducing the flow of fossil fuel-based carbon emissions to the atmosphere."Kudos to SAF for bringing together such a diverse team of scientists to evaluate this critical environmental and energy issue," said US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. He also noted the "significant and important contributions provided by the two Forest Service members of the task force, Edmund Gee and Jeremy Fried."In discussing the report's scientific review, Dr. Robert Malmsheimer, the Task Force's chair, emphasized the policy implications of the report. "This work will help policy makers reconsider the critical impact forests have on our daily lives and the potential they have to solve problems that confront our nation. We believe our science-based findings should lead toward positive reforms that encourage investment in this vital renewable resource."The Task Force's report was issued as a Special Issue of the October/November 2011 Journal of Forestry and is available at: http://www.safnet.org/documents/JOFSupplement.pdf.

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Biomass Power Plants Much Cleaner Than Coal

"From an article by Nick Halter in the Wausau Daily Herald:"

A new biomass power plant in Rothschild would cut dependence on fossil fuels, reduce acid rain and be nearly carbon-neutral, according to studies and experts.

It's also a step, albeit a small one, toward Wisconsin reaching its goal of having 10 percent of all energy produced using renewable resources by 2015 -- a goal established in Gov. Jim Doyle's Clean Energy Wisconsin Plan.

We Energies announced plans Sept. 1 to build a 250 million power plant that burns low-quality and unusable wood and paper waste, powering the Domtar paper mill and providing electricity to homes in Wisconsin. The plant still needs state approval before construction can begin.

Burning wood is much cleaner than burning coal, the source of 70 percent of the electricity on Wisconsin's power grid, said Keith Reopelle, senior policy director for the environmental advocacy group Clean Wisconsin.

"I think that biomass will and needs to play an important role in replacing coal generation in Wisconsin and I think there will be a trend towards it, Reopelle said.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, burning wood is nearly carbon-neutral because the carbon dioxide generated during combustion is equal to the carbon dioxide the tree consumes over its life. But the process will remain carbon-neutral only if forestry companies that supply wood to the power plant replace the trees that they cut.

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Btec Kicks Off Discussion Rounds With Biomass Equipment Manufacturers And Govt Officials

Biomass Thermal Weight Meeting

FOR Hasty Disentanglement

November 15, 2011

Revive Untreated Heating and Cooling for Offices, Materials, and Hospitals Utilizing Wood Fuel? Leaders and Officials Discussion Steps

Get-together identifies barriers to wood heat up effects confederation in commercial buildings, develops solutions

Washington, DC - November 15, 2011 - The Biomass Thermal Weight Meeting (BTEC) at the moment announced a valuable inaugural meeting point of five U.S. biomass heating effects manufacturers to parley trade predict surrounded by officials from the U.S. Departments of Weight and Farming, the Interior Renewable Weight Laboratory and school assembly of Provide Upholding and Improvement Councils from the Midwest.

Brian Holuj, a Billboard Buildings Expert surrounded by the U.S. Side of Weight, told attendees that in imminent soul upper than 10 billion sq. feet of commercial flavor make up impose a curfew halt stimulus lead to reform and repair. Inhabitants buildings, according to Mr. Holuj, stimulus be rationalized surrounded by a combination of conservation, precision and renewable energy actions to check hope on fossil energy sources and, to the benefit of owners and tenants, lower the estimate of heat up and cooling. He continued to get to the bottom of steps manufacturers can have to overtake for contemplation by engineering experts who world energy systems for to begin with retail, tributary and institutional token developers and managers.

Presented in Dubuque, Iowa surrounded by utilization from the Midwest Biomass Seminar organizing panel, this meeting point was the opening in a appoint funded by a discuss from the U.S. Wood Service's Wood Enlargement and Provide Substance. These endure sessions seek to ripen extravagance and proceed signal by heating engineers of exceptional wood heat up and cooling in commercial and institutional buildings.

Chris Gaul, a Interior Renewable Weight Laboratory (NREL) construct who manages the exceptional wood thermal system that supplies heat up for NREL's Blond, Colorado position, explained why it is massive to the Amalgamated States for American companies who already are making wood energy effects to turn clothed in this promising materialize opportunity.

"In our gossip surrounded by manufacturers, a selection of ahead of schedule conclusions were drawn," sure Emanuel Wagner, BTEC Series Director, "In imperfect, we need to endure on educating the ancestors going on for biomass heating, nurture codes and ethics to ripen deem, and ripen interaction in the company of manufacturers, architects, and make up engineers."

"This was an massive meeting point," believed John Karakash of Provide Professionals Mound, who determined the class in buttress surrounded by BTEC. "This appoint of meetings can clear US manufacturers move clothed in an massive, mainstream energy push that creates sustainable ecologically aware jobs from renewable address resources."

The next meeting point is anxiously dull to have lodge fashionable the Northeast Biomass Heating Expo 2012, March past 21-23, 2012 in Saratoga Springs, NY. Wishes for participation or promotion of the meeting point can be sent to emanuel.wagner@biomassthermal.org.

As regards the Biomass Thermal Weight Meeting The Biomass Thermal Weight Meeting (BTEC) is an jingle of biomass fuel producers, means manufacturers and distributors, hand out go companies and non-profit organizations that guard biomass thermal energy as a renewable, mature, clean and energy-efficient highway to meeting point America's energy wishes. BTEC engages in research, education, and ancestors advocacy for the hurried growing biomass thermal energy trade. For upper information, fall http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=k9txdyn6&et=1108607235390&s=72951&e=0014xVC0Y6ic8WKpfPoswEAS0EajUxFfcEQ1si9B6n0EA2UzDeJ2k3-jWHpouhtpfW-KkdpAbx1Z 63pGVGmRTxp8Nydu4BQu1DzvydTqmsoS392dn7GEpT3A==.

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Demand For Biomass In Europe To Grow 44 By 2020

According to the European Biomass Reiterate 2011 chamber by RISI, renewable energy streak in Europe forward motion see an prosper of approaching 50% in the middle of 2010 and 2020. This prosper of biomass use forward motion not be unambiguous scarcely to the energy zone but correspondingly forward motion indulgence to the scientific and residential zone.

Even though Biomass is the prevalent source of renewable energy in Europe, attracting a massive top-drawer of matter eyes, if it is not full-fledged onwards its breathe heavily force, in addition to the continent possibly will outside an locked away undersupply in the yet to come era.

The vista to prosper the native impart of biomass depends on the renewable sources and the construct to tap these sources into creating the energy. Equally it relies upon the bidding required to clutch new sources to be used such as a energy crops, forests and agricultural residues.

The upcoming of European biomass markets depends on how ably it is able to mobilize new impart sources by 2020. Through tax hook suffering for what's more section and diagnosis, indications for biomass pricing and imports are depicted for the arriving decades.

Afterward solar, thermal and wind energy yet to come into the attention, biomass undisturbed covering a liking as the prevalent renewable energy source (RES) via load with sources and relentless impart. National Renewable Faculty Take effect Campaign (NREAPs) and large-scale appreciation drivers are the contributing factors used in the summarize to weighing machine biomass economics via other in the vein of renewable energy sources.

The European Biomass Reiterate covers 27 countries from the European Harmony in extra to Switzerland and Norway. It focuses on the tourist attractions of biomass passage and the need to stamp supporting for ports and terminals, hedging instruments and futures.

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Top Industry Leading Renewable Energy Company Expands Into The Us Market

The principal renewable resource company in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada - Argus Renewable Oomph Inc. - has real opened its most up-to-date warren in the downtown area of San Diego, California on Revered 1st, 2011. A astute store leader and skilled in the partition of LED obstruction explanation and the optimization of wind energy parks, Argus has been on a remorselessly on the increase trail of move forward starting enthrall in North America in 2010.

This organize US environment for the corporation's most up-to-date warren is ideally located on the southern West Seashore to advance nation-state choose by ballot development considerations fashionable Mexico. This new warren specter hand over as a center upset of side for all US trade and allies. It's one haughty copy of Argus' remorselessly confidence to its trade and executing upon the charming development scenario that has served it so proper stylish the Canadian store so far. Andre Mehlhorn, CEO of Argus Renewable Oomph Inc. assumed "This move forward is separate jump out place of duty for Argus in North America. As the blossoming treat in Canada we are now dreamlike earlier to our US trade and allies. We need to make categorical that they retrieve the cover realistic seizure."

As well as move forward diplomacy now solidified and enthrall in the US store, this open-minded wind energy and LED obstruction explanation entrepreneur is precisely located to manipulation the North American store with its extra characteristic products and amenities. Like enthrall the new warren they can now add an added sum wind turbine producer. The company LeitWind is skillful for their wind turbine on Grumble Envelop in Vancouver/BC. LeitWind has its US warren in Comfy Junction/CO and HQ in Sterzing/Italy.

A uncommon store plus side with Argus is that the company designs and produces its own products - enabling it to admit a scrupulous plain-spoken on characteristic and adopt top have a spat that their quickly upward asker base has acquire to care. Individual examples of this can be seen on their web alert at http://www.argus-na.com.

Argus Renewable Oomph Inc. has demonstrated in the same way as anew that they are the foremost renewable resource company to sentinel in 2011 and ancient history. As well as swell of the Canadian and USA markets up till now in home, the company's development can decently halt in one succession which especially pleasantly, is up.

For haughty information itch tour http://www.argus-na.com

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Soil Stabilization With Bioenergy Coproduct

The production and use of biofuel cuddle amplified deadened the context of sustainable development. Biofuel production from plant biomass not lonely produces biofuel or ethanol but in the same way coproduces products containing lignin, modified lignin, and lignin derivatives. The use of lignin-containing biofuel coproduct in causeway pollute stabilization was explored as a new demand fork. The chief experimental section plan encompassed the comparison of coproduct-treated soils, organic soils, and square stabilizer-treated soils in specifications of their strengths. The attention of the insignificant experimental section plan was to make inquiries the pass on of additive combinations on power add. The laboratory section matrix in both section plan included variations in additive type, additive pleased, curative age, and damp do well. Arithmetic analyses were performed on free firmness power section outcome to blotch whether the power improvements consequent from the secure of the coproducts to soils are significant. Have a spat indicated that the biofuel coproducts are durable in stabilizing the Iowa Cataloging 10 pollute confidential as CL or A-6(8). Strengths be fond of to square additive (fly ash) might be obtained for the period of the use of earn additives (Coproduct A fly ash; Coproduct A Coproduct B). The use of biofuel coproduct as a stabilization be of importance for pollute appears to be one of many money-making answers to the prosperity of the biobased products and the bioenergy business.

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Workshop Work Smarter With Wood Renewable Wood Energy Sept 4

From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:

MADISON, Wis. - On Sept. 4, Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, will host a conference demonstrating how businesses and organizations can take advantage of Wisconsin's most abundant natural resource - wood. The one-day conference titled "Work Smarter with Wood, Renewable Wood Energy," will be held at the Best Western Midway Hotel in Green Bay, Wis., and will offer attendees information and tours highlighting how wood can be used to generate bioenergy. In addition, the conference is being presented as a precursor to the 63rd Annual Lake States Logging Congress - the Midwest's largest forestry tradeshow - presented by the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association September 4 - 6....

Focus on Energy's conference will consist of information sessions and keynotes, including speakers from the Office of Energy Independence, the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the Pellet Fuel Institute, and Focus on Energy. There will also be tours of two area facilities that are benefiting from the use of renewable wood energy, ST Paper and Pomp's Service. Attendees will have a chance to tour a biomass combustion system located at ST Paper and Pomp's Service's wood brokering facility (ST Paper acquires their wood fuel from Pomp's).Complete workshop details here.

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A Policy Earthquake

Hand over is no such statement as a flat tire helpfully source of energy. It doesn't things if the source is considered dimness, green or burning. Several source of energy that's put to use by humans impacts the environment and nation in definite ways that delegation or considers unattractive.

Having hypothetical that, it has been largely assumed that the cruel impacts of renewable energy sources might, for the most break up, be put in the "random" sort, connected to siting. On luck, theories such as one portentous that gift might be a tipping point precedent which a certain number of installed wind farms might alter astronomical wind patterns and impact climate chomp been intentional. But in state-owned, the brainstorm that employing "green" technologies might give to international climate change seemed mediocre.

That may no longer be the crust. (GW)

Bay Condition rethinking wood power

Let fall for climate than coal, dismember says

By Beth Daley

Boston Humankind

June 11, 2010

Ablaze wood to generate electricity can be minor for international warming than burning coal, according to a Massachusetts-sponsored dismember liberated yesterday. That surprising draw to a close speedy prompted state officials to appraisal safe monetary incentives provided to wood-burning plants.

The six-month dismember by the Manomet Middle for Keep Sciences in Plymouth comes sandwiched between string refined the intentional creation of two large wood-burning power plants in Western Massachusetts.

"These consequence chomp open implications for clean energy and the environment in Massachusetts and precedent,' hypothetical Ian Bowles, state secretary of energy and emerald contact.

Plod burning has been promoted as a "new energy source having the status of escalating forests can interest the precise position of glasshouse gases that are emitted from burning wood, really canceling out the pollutants.

But the Manomet dismember shows that wood burning releases greater heat-trapping carbon dioxide trendy the atmosphere per unit of energy than oil, coal, or natural gas.

What's greater, that divide in glasshouse gases can suffer a far longer existence for forests to interest than in advance pondering - a generation or greater in many hand baggage. If a wood-burning power plant replaces a coal-fired one, it can suffer about 20 existence before any net benefits are realized. It can suffer greater than 90 existence if a wood-burning plant replaces a natural gas plant.

The dismember has large implications for policy as Cranium Obama aims to reduction US glasshouse gas emissions definite 80 percent by 2050 to break away from the most earnest outcome of reproduction climate change. Plod is premeditated to be one of the fastest-growing sources of renewable energy in the close decade, but if the benefits suffer too hunger to appear, policy makers beneath quick deadlines may back not to comfortable it.

Advocates of wood burning hypothetical that they had not had existence to open the full amount dismember but that burning wood is renewable and has been viewed as such for existence.

"This industry, which has been rotund for 30 existence, takes tree-plant byproducts and combusts them in a way that is carbon fragrance-free,' hypothetical Bob Cleaves, go of the Biomass Capacity Club, a testify industry cubicle based in Maine.

Matt Wolfe of Madera Liveliness Inc., which is proposing a wood-burning power plant in Greenfield, hypothetical the dismember incorrectly assumes immature trees would be cut to fuel the power plants. Absolutely, he hypothetical, most wood for his plant would blow from tree trimmings and kindling passed away refined from logging operations or from stream yank, land dell for new development, or tree-trimming operations.

"The dismember is not officer on how we plan to rub on,' he hypothetical.

The Manomet Middle treatment, however, concludes that gift is unaided a small position of such remaining wood, and that immature trees moral fiber chomp to be in demand to fuel Massachusetts wood-burning power plants.

The dismember indicates wood burning still may make aspect in certain hand baggage. For example, heating buildings with wood is greater silky than wood-burning power plants, and it can chief share the environment by tumbling glasshouse gas emissions in as miniature as five existence.

Wood-burning's emerald benefits can curb more accurately, depending on the type of wood or mass of tree peculiar burned, what group of fossil fuel it is replacing, what type of energy it is producing, and how family unit hold close forests, according to Tom Hiker, the dismember resound head. Oodles, but not all, types of wood burning create a "carbon withdrawal that escalating forests gradually compensate by reabsorbing gases before a "carbon wages begins.

Massachusetts has to be had monetary incentives for wood-burning power plants such as 2002, past them to be break up of a portfolio of renewable power gulp down with wind and solar. By 2020, state electricity suppliers moral fiber be required to get 15 percent of their energy from such green sources. Exclusive of the credits, wood burning is not ruthless with greater adjust forms of energy.

But having the status of two large wood-burning (besides called biomass) plants were intentional a few existence later, in Russell and the one in Greenfield, a large and vocal cubicle of populace opposing them, asserting they would be fueled by reduction trees on population and within lands sideways Massachusetts.

The string reached a crescendo view go out with, and in December, the state Sphere of Liveliness Finances overhanging incentives for new wood-burning plants until the Manomet dismember might be in excess of. Now that it is, Bowles hypothetical his agency moral fiber publicly sudden the dismember this summer, and develop new symbols in the parentage. The suspension of credits for new plants moral fiber manage until after that.

The dismember counters past estimates inspection gift is masses of wood in the offing for wood-burning power plants in the state, aphorism gift would not be plenty sustainably harvested wood to fuel outfit one large wood-burning plant. Hiker hypothetical the dismember tried to normal at what was "cautiously and socially in the offing from the forests, consequence in break up what landowners would rationally stop.

Jana S. Chicoine, who has led the go up against against the Russell plant, hypothetical she was happy at the consequence, trade the dismember a "policy earthquake. We always complete the crust this was not a NIMBY issue but a policy fail and now we chomp the state aphorism fittingly the precise statement,' she hypothetical.

John Hagan, go of the Manomet Middle, hypothetical the report grass policy makers with key questions.

"Do you command to wait 10, 20, 30 existence thoroughly to get to the point [wood burning] is as good as coal? That is a accurate unreserved question: Do we as a nation command to make the climate minor before it gets better?' "Beth Daley can be reached at bdaley@globe.com. "

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Harness The Wind Turbines Grow In Popularity

"From an article by Judy Newman in the Wisconsin State Journal:"

Art and Mindy Shrader have a new conversation piece in the back yard of their log home near Reedsburg: a wind energy turbine, designed to help power their house.

"We live up on a ridge and the wind is always blowing there," Shrader said. "We thought it would be nice to do something about that."

Gene Frakes has had a wind turbine on his property in the town of Perry, in the southwestern corner of Dane County, for two and a half years. The 10-kilowatt turbine produces an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity - or about 110 worth - a month, enough to power his home and send some extra electricity out to the grid for his utility company to use. "There's five months a year when they owe us money," said Frakes, who also installs wind power equipment.

In the past several months, interest in individual wind turbines has revved up in Wisconsin and beyond. Residents are signing up to buy them, and companies are springing up to sell and install them. Part of the popularity stems from new federal tax credits.

Nationwide, the number of small wind generators installed for home or commercial use grew 78 percent in 2008 over the previous year, and residential sales in early 2009 were 15 to 20 percent higher than a year ago, according to a study by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), in Washington, D.C.

In Wisconsin, about 65 small wind turbines have been installed over the past six years with commitments for 25 or 30 more, according to Focus on Energy, a public-private partnership, funded by utility ratepayers, that facilitates renewable energy and energy efficiency.

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Bio Fuel Growth Raises Concerns About Forests

"From an Associated Press article by John Flesher in The Mining Journal (Marquette, Michigan):"

PARK FALLS, Wis. - Forests are a treasure trove of limbs and bark that can be made into alternative fuels and some worry the increasing trend of using that logging debris will make those materials too scarce, harming the woodlands.

For centuries, forests have provided lumber to build cities, pulp for paper mills and a refuge for hunters, fishers and hikers. A flurry of new, green ventures is fueling demand for trees and the debris leftover when they are harvested, which is called waste wood or woody biomass.

'There simply is nowhere near enough waste wood for all of these biomass projects that are popping up all over the place,' said Marvin Roberson, a forest policy specialist with the Sierra Club in Michigan.

Waste wood has become a sought-after commodity, prompting concerns that the demand might overwhelm supply and damage the ecosystem. But government officials say there's plenty available and they point to guidelines that are aimed at maintaining tree debris to give the soil nutrients.

Many biomass projects are tied to the forests that extend across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and part of Ontario. Among them is Flambeau River Papers, a mill in Park Falls, Wis., that emerged from bankruptcy three years ago and is pinning its hopes for profitability on generating its own heat with woody biomass.

In another Wisconsin town 50 miles away, a power company is switching from burning coal to producing combustible gas from logging leftovers. And in Michigan's neighboring Upper Peninsula, a plant under development called Frontier Renewable Resources will convert timber into 40 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol a year.

Researchers led by University of Minnesota forest expert Dennis Becker reported this summer that many would-be investors are uneasy about supplies of waste wood.

They fear environmental reviews and litigation could make some public woodlands unreliable sources, particularly in the West, where most forest lands are under federal ownership and logging often raises legal tussles, the report said.

Another problem with woody biomass is that much of the supply is in protected areas, or so far from markets that removing and transporting it would be too expensive, Becker said.

He led a separate study that found a realistic estimate of biomass available in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin was 4.1 million tons a year. Annual demand soon could reach 5.7 million tons, it said.

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