tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377614252012-01-29T00:04:36.360-08:00The 1st of 4 BIOenergy Blogs, this one covers mostly farm and forestry feedstock issues. The other three related blogs are the <a href="http://bioconversion.blogspot.com"><b>BIOconversion Blog</b></a>, the <a href="http://bioconversion.blogspot.com"><b>BIOoutput Blog</b></a>, and the <a href="http://biowaste.blogspot.com"><b>BIOwaste Blog</b></a>. Related <a href="http://twubs.com/biostock">#biostock tweets</a> @BIOblogger.C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.comBlogger1191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-66977698225502484542011-11-30T08:39:00.000-08:002011-11-30T10:58:31.576-08:00

I found a fascinating video visualization of the fractal growth of ideas that derive from social media. The Ecosphere Project video (above) is titled "Plant a Thought, Watch it Grow". CNN is using it to track the breadth and depth of discussion on Twitter concerning the Climate Change talks in Durban, South Africa (#COP17). Anyone who writes a tweet that includes "#COP17" in the message will be

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-5814610090960345852011-08-22T10:01:00.000-07:002011-08-22T10:08:14.633-07:00

Environmental Research Web published a report last month based on U.S. and European research concluding that global "Forest Density is Increasing." This substantiates the argument that Indirect Land Use Change is a speculative theory because increased forest density can mitigate the impacts of deforestation - particularly in large forests like Brazil's. If we can sustainably grow and manage

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-8688858596033650512011-05-27T11:56:00.000-07:002011-05-27T12:26:58.289-07:00

Yesterday the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee voted to eliminate USDA BCAP and REAP funding - this in the name of frugality. Biomass Magazine's Lisa Gibson has written an excellent article that accurately depicts the situation. I encourage readers to contact their House Congressional Representatives immediately to express their desire to keep these programs intact.Cutting these

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-27525052052487337322011-05-18T08:05:00.000-07:002011-05-18T08:59:06.031-07:00

In a Forest Business Network article May 15th, it was reported that:The National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today that they support the proposed rule to defer the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from biomass for three years while the agency studies the science and policy of regulating biomass energy the same as fossil

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-35051717885470561522010-03-03T08:59:00.001-08:002010-03-03T08:59:55.310-08:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation created by World Resources Institute concerning the history and current status of Southern Forests. It addresses questions concerning how to maintain our forest health in the face of a dwindling forest products industry and urban/suburban development in the South. Southern Forests for the FutureView more presentations from World Resources Institute (WRI).

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-29337955734466340892009-07-01T18:41:00.000-07:002009-07-13T12:19:42.658-07:00

The Waxman/Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) narrowly passed through the House vote on June 26. It would not have passed if the authors had failed to accede to the amendments insisted upon by Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN). What are the provisions?Below is a condensed explanation of the key provisions agreed to by bill sponsor Henry Waxman (D-CA) as

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-53460722185482583162009-07-01T12:04:00.001-07:002009-07-01T12:23:13.111-07:00

Opened in February 2009, the new biomass power plant at Vermont's Middlebury College is expected to burn 20,000 tons of wood chips each year to provide heat and electricity for the campus.The plant uses an "advanced wood combustion" system. Such plants hold great potential to save energy, cut costs, and even fight global warming, a March 2009 study says. Photograph by Brett Simison, courtesy

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-20026670825403598442009-06-01T17:34:00.001-07:002009-06-06T11:36:12.744-07:00

It seems like every bioenergy and conservation conference I go to drives toward the same conclusion... "What we need is education, education, education." Of course, determining which messages should be communicated is key - which is why the credibility of the authors is paramount. Who is writing the content and what is their motivation?Whenever I come across material that I think is credible and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-26945202151992596902009-05-23T09:29:00.000-07:002009-05-23T11:27:08.547-07:00

"We must always consider the environment and people together, as though they are one, because the human need to use natural resources is fundamental to our continued presence on Earth." - Jim Petersen, Editor, Evergreen Magazine 1989So opens the Evergreen website, an online resource for archives of the the Evergreen magazine. Started in 1986, articles about forestry, biological diversity, forest

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-66965614454287057272009-04-25T11:03:00.000-07:002009-05-07T16:25:25.424-07:00

The passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 included mandates for the production of billions of gallons of "advanced biofuels" including 16 billion gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol by 2022. This is an important investment and technology development driver for this emerging industry. But it is significantly undercut by the restrictions on the sources of qualifying

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-74478981631274259312009-04-17T08:26:00.000-07:002009-04-17T08:50:39.224-07:00

Coinciding with the National 25x'25 Summit earlier this month the alliance has just inaugurated their own blog full of news, reports, and commentary relevant to the mission of the organization - to get 25 percent of our energy from renewable resources like wind, solar, and biofuels by the year 2025.A blog article published yesterday titled "New Report Challenges Searchinger ILUC Study" provides

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-6186421943678840802009-04-14T09:44:00.000-07:002009-04-15T14:39:13.251-07:00

The 25x'25 Alliance held their National Summit March 31-April 2 in Arlington, VA. The theme this year was "Agriculture and Forestry in a Reduced Carbon Economy" which is significant because of the relatively equal footing given to forestry in an organization that has, up to this point, reflect a more agricultural emphasis. Last year the organization's National Steering Committee chartered a

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-64951863186937754802009-03-09T10:23:00.000-07:002009-07-06T15:27:18.318-07:00

July 6, 2009 - After two years development, EESI has just released a new policy paper titled Sustainable Forest Biomass: Promoting Renewable Energy and Forest Stewardship . EESI convened a discussion series bringing together scientists, community groups, foresters, environmental advocates, federal agencies, and other experts to explore the opportunities and problems associated with greater use of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-50631434831056342182009-03-08T20:17:00.000-07:002009-03-09T08:48:57.183-07:00

Here is an article that I didn't write but it offers an approach to solving the communications problem that currently stymies the deployment of forest management programs. I have written several articles about the sad state of affairs of the environmental litigation process in this blog. If you wish to participate in a dialog on this subject or contact the author, David Atkins, then visit this

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-46625389114277695262009-01-20T10:39:00.000-08:002009-01-22T09:07:04.423-08:00

One prominent feature of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) is its renewable fuel standard that sets the trajectory for satisfying America's newfound thirst for alternative fuels. 36 billion gallons per year production by the year 2022. Considering that the U.S.' current annual production of biofuels is about 8 billion gallons that is a considerable amount of growth being

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-9974112661089428472008-10-25T20:36:00.000-07:002008-11-01T10:32:18.445-07:00

After every thinning operation of forest management (see the before/after picture above) there is an accumulation of woody biomass (see below).Woody biomass is the lowest-value material removed from the forest, usually logging slash, small-diameter trees, tops, limbs, or trees that can not be sold as timber. However, in the emerging renewable energy paradigm shift, this biomass has suddenly

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-21502542368558096862008-09-15T12:11:00.000-07:002008-09-15T17:40:44.081-07:00

Price BIOstock and Raven Biofuels announced the signing of a strategic alliance that will help them usher in the new era of biofuel biorefinery deployments. Raven expects to build several acid hydrolysis bio-refineries over the next five years. Each biorefinery is being designed to produce an initial capacity of more than 10 million gallons per year (10 MPGY) of ethanol and high value furfural

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-77179378421362998312008-09-04T15:17:00.000-07:002008-09-04T16:27:14.647-07:00

Here are a series of publicly accessible case studies that point to the conscientious work being performed and meticulously documented by forest managers and academia "so that managers, land- owners, business entrepreneurs, communities, and industry partners can easily access information to help them remove and utilize woody biomass from forests in an efficient and ecologically responsible manner

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-57792129302703213842008-08-25T17:38:00.000-07:002008-08-25T17:47:26.690-07:00

The Forest Service has put together a 12 minute video titled The Forest Service and Climate Change that encapsulates some of the mounting concern for the impact of global warming on the health of our forests, the ability of forests to counteract its progress, and how the Forest Service plans to deal with it.----------------technorati biomass, forestry

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-32736197436814352162008-08-11T19:04:00.000-07:002008-08-11T20:00:07.674-07:00

I am convinced that one of the hardest jobs in the government is to work in the USDA Forest Service. It is not that it is dangerous work... it's that it must be so frustrating. Here is an organization entrusted with a gargantuan challenge, with what should be a more than adequate budget, and more responsibility than should be expected of any governmental agency - safeguarding the health of one of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-88008538733919719682008-07-24T16:59:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:41.108-08:00

As we strive to find sustainable alternatives to the demonstrably unsustainable fossil fuel paradigm the definition of "renewable biomass" is critically important. It is not just biofuels, biopower, or bioproducts that are (or are not) environmentally sustainable. Sustainability is a function, too, of the feedstock - and it may vary by region. Corn grown in the midwest might be sustainable while

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-27857016314510792772008-07-21T16:22:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:41.655-08:00

It is always life-affirming to see the good guys win one. In this case the good guys are the participants of the Flambeau River Biofuels project led by strategic consultant Ben Thorp whose vision, persistence, and professionalism has been an inspiration to all who know him. It has been a labor of love for Ben who has seen the industry he has devoted so much of his career (at Georgia Pacific) be

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-10267351585287808272008-07-11T09:19:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:41.824-08:00

There are many aspects that need to be considered when comparing the sustainability of different feedstock. We are all familiar with the feed vs. fuel debate. Then concern arose about land use change - deforesting to create land for growing biofuel feedstock. Ideally, the highest yielding, most sustainable energy crops would be grown on available land not already being used for any other

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-40486035235048458162008-07-03T07:29:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:42.594-08:00

This is one of a series of comments submitted to the California Air Resources Board for their draft version of the California Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan. Other BIOenergy BlogRing comments are linked here: • Challenge the Status Quo • Recycling and Waste • Sustainable Forests----------------The ill health of our forests is a statewide catastrophe. We are witnessing deforestation by

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-67176755147048827462008-06-27T21:05:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:42.999-08:00

The California Air Resources Board is responsible for implementing the state's AB32 Global Warming Solutions Act. It's first step is to provide a Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan that outlines the reduction goals for achieving a reduction in statewide greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. One of the goals is the reduction of 5 million tons/year of CO2 from forests using sustainable

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-48286674182106437762008-06-21T09:20:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:43.260-08:00

In April, 2008, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue established six "innovation centers" to focus executive activity in industries perceived to be of key importance to the future of the state. One of these is the Energy Innovation Center (EIC). The primary goal of the EIC will be to increase production and use of renewable energy and biofuels in Georgia by utilizing natural resources, locally grown

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1920831307477358492008-05-25T18:59:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:43.783-08:00

To many preservationists the term "Sustainable Forestry" is an oxymoron. To them all management of forests is unnatural, and therefore unsustainable. I have two questions for them:1 - If your garden was infested with bugs, suffering from lack of soil nutrients, invaded by weeds, recently burned, or eroding from water damage, would you intervene by managing it? If yes, then why should forests be

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-78053110484475472922008-05-23T19:49:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:44.391-08:00

We have seen too many examples of mainstream media spinning and twisting the discourse between science research, environmental concern, and public opinion. I recently attended a workshop that showed a constructive approach that is taking root in the forests of the Pacific Northwest.Back in early March I organized two side events at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC)

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-52903421762986877032008-05-06T11:12:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:44.524-08:00

The problem I have with Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Life Cycle Analyses (LCA) is that they attempt to measure only the impact of a new project upon the status quo. They stop short of analyzing what will occur if no attempt at remediation is done. Below is the finding of one report based on data secured from the Forest Service. It seeks to compare action to inaction rather than

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-90290318136652975062008-04-25T16:11:00.000-07:002011-08-22T12:14:52.170-07:00

"Reducing wildfires maybe the single most important action we can take in the short-term to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight global warming." - Dr. Tom Bonnicksen Dr. Tom Bonnicksen, a professor at Texas A&M and author of "America's Ancient Forests: from the Ice Age to the Age of Discovery" is a staunch advocate for restoring our forests to a healthier condition. That shouldn't make him

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-36704642595418757252008-01-23T17:23:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:44.883-08:00

With the passage of the Energy Bill, speculators are looking closely at the possible impact of increasing demand on biomass feedstock prices. We have seen the early impact on corn - what about wood?In the current market the availability of woodchips, a residual from the manufacture of wood construction materials, is down because the housing construction is down. The price for woodchips has gone

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-19927294497465415142008-01-14T17:35:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:44.978-08:00

Well, at least someone in the Senate has it right. Thinning forests is not only "not all bad" but absolutely necessary if we hope to return forest to their historic condition - their condition prior to the relocation of native americans, the rampant logging, the counter-productive suppression of forest fires, obstructive environmentalist litigation, and real estate overdevelopment of wildlands.

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-48938059931118129312008-01-09T19:25:00.001-08:002008-12-09T02:12:45.054-08:00

As a result of some backroom redrafting of the Energy Bill in the House, USDA Forest Service authority to fund proper forest stewardship through the sale of forest thinning slash and waste has been dealt a serious setback - needed bioenergy infrastructure will be ineligible for woody biomass-to-ethanol incentives.This is a blatant usurpation by a few autocrats of the conscientious efforts and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-32178760965857298212008-01-09T17:02:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:45.404-08:00

One of my favorite forest industry resource sites is the Smallwood Utilization Network operated by Craig Rawlings and Nora McDougall of Missoula, Montana. I find a timely piece of information whenever I read one of their monthly newsletters (you can subscribe for free here).This month's nugget is an editorial published in the Seattle Times about the retrenchment of various conservancy groups who

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-22854605144554140682007-11-20T20:16:00.001-08:002008-12-09T02:12:45.690-08:00

Maybe it's because of the wildfires, maybe the fear of global warming - whatever the reason, here is one example of a reconciliation taking place between two parties that are too often seen "at loggerheads" with each other.The USDA/Forest Service at Black Butte Ranch in Oregon decided it was time to try a new tack in its attempt to create understanding between stakeholders in the environmental

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-78388190301540706112007-11-17T10:59:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:45.919-08:00

Hurricane Katrina's legacy is not just the flooding of New Orleans and the destruction of coastal Mississippi. It is also responsible for damaging five million acres of forests - an area the size of the state of Massachusetts. For comparison, the destructive power the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens wiped out 150,000 acres of forests (less than 4% of the forest destruction reach of Katrina). In a

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-33192167016179422472007-10-19T11:39:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:46.424-08:00

I recommend that my readers watch a story on CBS 60 Minutes this Sunday, October 21st. You can read it first at Expert: Warming Climate Fuels Mega-Fires - including my online comment. Like so many investigative stories on television, they create a significant amount of viewer outrage without offering solutions. I am glad they are pointing out that "Seven of the 10 busiest fire seasons have been

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-23684718548825355532007-10-05T15:33:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:46.675-08:00

An oft heard frustration of the USDA Forestry Service is the frequency of challenges mounted in opposition to their planned forest management programs. In June of last year, the Society of American Foresters published a comprehensive study of the legal challenges filed in federal court from 1989-2002 - all 729 of them!Dr. Robert Malmsheimer, lead researcher and Associate Professor of Forest

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-88327122499141593352007-10-05T09:53:00.000-07:002007-10-05T19:37:54.666-07:00

It is interesting to see the lengths that state and federal governments will go trying to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gases: higher CAFE standards mandating increased mpg for automobiles, renewable portfolio standards that provide incentives for using renewable energy in place of fossil fuels, regulations on air conditioning systems and semi cab designs, etc. But efforts to reduce a

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-23081875503057480402007-09-29T18:37:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:48.315-08:00

This article contains the text and some images from the first half of a speech I presented at the Energy from Biomass and Waste conference in Pittsburgh, PA on September 27. It leads into the second half of the presentation titled Woody Biomass: Feedstock for BioEnergy which describes the existing and emerging technologies that can utilize woody biomass for the production of bioenergy - heat,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-70469953903778172672007-08-27T18:06:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:48.428-08:00

The Forest Foundation has made a field guide available to help forest enthusiasts appreciate and identify the variety of wildlife that populate various geographical portions of California's 15 million acres of private forestlands. The guide categorizes the wildlife by forest type - generally the age and type of vegetation - with geographic state maps that display where these species are

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-30379027625230100902007-08-24T17:08:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:49.538-08:00

Click to enlargeHere's a question I haven't seen in the press...What is the impact of public forest wildfires on global warming?I have seen plenty of inferences that global warming is contributing to the cause of wildfire spread and ferocity but virtually nothing on how the burst of fire temperatures, soot, ash, carbon monoxide, and other toxic emissions impact global warming. No journalists make

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-90782793467674027242007-08-20T11:50:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:49.839-08:00

While conducting some research on the catastrophic "megafires" that have been plaguing the U.S. in recent years and their relationship with forest tree density, I ran across a terrific website that offers free downloadable and printable educational materials appropriate for all ages. It is operated by "The Forest Foundation which was created in 1994 to inform the public, specifically Californians

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-71067557195226509482007-08-19T16:12:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:50.027-08:00

The National Association of Conservation Districts has announced the renewed availability of printed copies of the educational comic book "The Hidden Treasure: Forests and Woody Biomass." It highlights the core principles behind current USDA Forest Service and USDI efforts to educate citizens of all ages of the correct relationship between forest density, wildfires, tree health, and emerging

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-59786402081560342732007-07-24T11:28:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:50.344-08:00

Florida Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson hosted the 2nd Annual Florida Farm to Fuel Summit in St. Petersburg last week. A year in the making, it brought farmers, land owners, technologists, educators, and politicians together to talk about the status of biofuels developments taking root in the biggest biomass state in the U.S. Looking over the roster of registrants, there

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-71210470715350566412007-07-21T07:14:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:50.439-08:00

It must be wonderful to be a teacher - because you learn so much from your students.Science teacher Dana Franklin professed as much as she introduced her 7th grade student, biofuels prodigy Erin McCaskey, at last week's Farm to Fuel Summit in St. Petersburg hosted by the Florida Department of Agriculture. Dana teaches at Merritt Island's Thomas Jefferson Middle School (on the "Space Coast" of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-91675437918262816442007-07-16T20:51:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:50.613-08:00

There sure is alot of hang-wringing about biofuels these days. The lastest issue involves concern that the demand for corn will cause food prices to increase - disproportionately affecting the nation's poor and, by extension, the underdeveloped countries in the world.Good news - the price of corn has dropped! According to recent data, corn prices haven't been this low since the end of 2006 (see

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-68524105910994011552007-07-08T12:41:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:50.734-08:00

Major Southeastern utilities including the Tennessee Valley Authority, Southern Company, and Duke Energy are lobbying hard against Energy Bill provisions that would establish a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). The RPS would mandate that the all U.S. utilities replace 15% of their fossil fuel power generation with renewable alternatives by the year 2020. The utilities are crying foul

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-77732583625389579552007-07-08T11:28:00.000-07:002007-07-08T12:17:12.606-07:00

U.S. Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is beginning to voice frustration with the inability of his colleagues to see the connection between underfunded forest management, forest fires, and climate change. It is an issue that is all too real in his state of New Mexico, but has much broader implications to the rest of North America as

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-77196006652772980192007-07-02T20:29:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:50.914-08:00

Being "firstest with the mostest" is extremely important when it comes to brand identification and capital marketability of any emerging technology. The significance of being awarded a construction permit out front of the other five D.O.E. grant cellulosic ethanol developers is a milestone that demonstrates corporate determination, operational integrity, local support, and negotiating skills. It

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-32015228508609618902007-06-21T09:43:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:51.239-08:00

In the latest issue of BIOMASS magazine there is an article titled Wood Residue-to-Fuel written by Michael Shirek. It concerns a Canadian company, Tolko Industries Ltd., that is currently reaping the benefits of using Nexterra technology to gasify its woody biomass to reduce its fossil fuel expenditures for steam, heat, and electricity. Based on the results of one year of operation, he writes

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-18480185921835805832007-06-13T14:59:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:51.566-08:00

We've all heard the following bromides:"When all you've got are lemons, make lemonade." "Turning a silk purse out of sow's ear."Somehow they don't quite measure up to what needs to be done with the devasting waste refuse of natural disasters. However, unless something is done with this unanticipated wealth of biomass, the decay may lead to further perpetuation of the emergency conditions: forest

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-48649173561184985242007-06-08T20:14:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:52.207-08:00

Rightful concern about tropical "deforestation" should never be confused with controlled American logging of our natural wood resources as carried out under the watchful eye of national and international forest certification programs.Right now it is estimated that volume of annual net timber growth in America is 36% greater than the volume of annual timber removals. This statistic comes from an

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-78791696337652619032007-05-31T13:13:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:52.239-08:00

Tying Energy Efficiency to Renewable EnergyLost in the rush to develop alternative energy technologies is the obvious value of making energy usage more efficient. As Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute would say, "a watt saved is a watt earned." This can be applied to biofuel usage as well. It is far cheaper to save energy than it is to produce more of it, particularly when existing

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-89370278021832733282007-05-14T20:12:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:52.555-08:00

TAPPI, the leading association of the paper and pulp industry in America, held a special International Conference on Renewable Energy - 2007 on May 10-11, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. Led by conference chair, Jim Frederick of Georgia Tech's Institute of Paper Science and Technology, the association organized a sterling line-up of technologists and decision-makers who will be the key stakeholders in

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-81470236138320444712007-05-05T20:57:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:52.760-08:00

When it comes to producing electricity, it isn't necessary to convert the feedstock to ethanol or syngas or even invest in gasification or pyrolysis burners. Advanced wood boilers meet the EPA standards and provide a clean renewable alternative to dirty, carbon-positive coal boilers of the past.Here is the press release from Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH). It is New Hampshire's largest

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-79732977647145504712007-04-30T13:10:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:52.775-08:00

Woody Biomass - Energizing a new generationAmerica is witnessing the balkanization of its renewable energy portfolio. The sun belt is home to solar energy. The corn belt is home to ethanol. Landfill bioenergy is focused in urban areas. The nation's woodpiles are in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. Each region will have to come to grips with the economic, technical, environmental, and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-64921902423800447802007-04-29T06:58:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:53.047-08:00

If the In-Woods Expo at Hot Springs, Arkansas this past week is any indication, we are about to see North American forests take center stage leading to a re-emergence of forest industries as a major energizer for our economic future. It's a future that can retain and inspire new generations of Americans to pursue careers in our great forestlands servicing emerging bioenergy businesses. For this

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-32816975679842412672007-04-19T17:17:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:53.212-08:00

640,000 acres.That's larger than the state of Rhode Island and is, unfortunately, the current extent of the pine beetle infestation in Colorado as of February, 2007. There is no way to halt it and it will only get worse. The impact on the state's wildlife (not to mention the effect on tourism and the state's economy) is hard to imagine. Similar outbreaks risk forest fires of horrendous

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-47170895628528698682007-04-12T17:54:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:53.577-08:00

Renewable Energy Access (REA) reported on a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study published in the April 2007 issue of Ecological Applications. It should put to rest any lingering doubts about the advantageous carbon emissions benefits of cellulosic ethanol production - particularly when hybrid poplar feedstock is used.There is also mention by one of the scientists that "Greenhouse

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-69183911776405476822007-04-12T08:39:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:53.715-08:00

Here's a match that demonstrates the mutually beneficial synergy possible between collateral sides of the energy paradigm shift.On the one hand we have Weyerhaeuser - epitome of the evolving forestry management and paper industry - looking for new ways to enhance the value of their raw assets (forestry resources and wood waste) while reducing their liabilities (high overhead as their paper

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-42512724319177595852007-04-10T05:03:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:53.894-08:00

Proper stewardship of forest lands and communication between stakeholders have been challenges addressed by the U.S. federal government for over a hundred years. Adequate funding has always been an issue. A new dimension to the challenges is now emerging - how should we modify our stewardship of the forests to mitigate the effects of global warming?Proper stewardship includes (but is not limited

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-64269787667808995902007-04-07T12:40:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:54.322-08:00

For anyone who desires a simple introduction to what BIOmass Feedstocks are I suggest a careful reading of a brief technical overview document called The BioTown, USA Sourcebook of Biomass Energy (released in April, 2006). It was written for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture by scientist and fellow blogger, Mark Jenner, PhD. who has his own website called Biomass Rules.Below you can see

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-58998708902150385382007-04-05T17:50:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:54.455-08:00

One year ago I wrote an article about the Environmental Impacts of Conversion Technologies using MSW Feedstocks. Biopact recently published a lengthy article on the impact of energy farming on primarily the "Global South" (southern hemisphere countries) - their environments and their societies.The article includes a case study of the Chinese community of Guanxi with impacts potentially affecting

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-91600424613188724972007-04-04T18:57:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:54.649-08:00

While attending the 25x'25 Summit in Washington, D.C. last month I learned about the opening of an innovative facility this month in Mead, Nebraska. Its development highlights one of the reasons why I shake my head whenever I hear skepticism voiced about ethanol and net energy. People forget that technologies improve with deployment.A company called E3 BioFuels-Mead, LLC has patented technology

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-84673246560346181362007-03-31T05:47:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:54.661-08:00

Bridging the Gap to BiofuelsWhen it comes to energy, we are all stakeholders – whether we are producers, refiners, developers, educators, policymakers, marketers, regulators, environmentalists, distributors, farmers, foresters, or simply commuters... we are all consumers with a vested interest in future development of renewable energy in concert with environmental sustainability. Even though

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-80337126031385477642007-03-28T04:41:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:55.185-08:00

One of the most encouraging signs that joint interests of environmentalists and industrialists are finally being addressed is the emergence of the online BioEnergy WIKI. Much like the Wikipedia that most use to find definitions and clarification of technical issues, this WIKI is in large measure written and edited by interested readers - often foremost experts in their fields.It is the brainchild

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-7650180781804841142007-03-26T23:51:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:55.512-08:00

The 25x'25 alliance held its 3rd annual summit at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington D.C. packing numerous networking opportunities between solid conference sessions, stimulating speeches, and advocacy education. After a congressional breakfast held on Capitol Hill, attendees fanned out to contact their local congressmen about the needs of a concerned nation for agriculture and forestry policy

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-64179972373346791972007-03-18T11:37:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:55.604-08:00

Previous posted was an article about beetle infestations and how they were ravaging forests and wildlife habitats - Will dead trees revive forest industries?.The British Columbia government in concert with BC Hydro (the primary electricity provider of the province have published their Mountain Beetle Action Plan. In concert with that, they have issued the following press release...--------------

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-65108585806524807752007-03-11T13:14:00.000-07:002008-12-09T02:12:55.751-08:00

Taking a page from the urban waste management handbook, it is time to start thinking about a wood biostock hierarchy for the production of bioenergy. What wood, that isn't already being recycled, would we seek to use in biorefineries designed to convert wood into bioenergy? In what profile order would we seek woody biostock?At the bottom of the pyramid would be wood industry residues and black

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-58961639520547773772007-03-10T22:19:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:56.214-08:00

Whether or not global warming is responsible for creating the dry conditions that are conducive to the proliferation of bark and pine beetle infestations, there have been devastating blights in recent years affecting trees and wildlife throughout parts of Canada and the U.S.Who in Southern California can forget the fearsom "Old Fire" that claimed 993 homes in an area surrounding Big Bear Lake in

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-18379341720990430902007-02-28T14:26:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:56.232-08:00

The IPCC finally released their long-awaited summary of findings on global warming. Al Gore's movie won the Oscar for Best Documentary. Does that mean that people are finally convinced of the truth about global warming? Does it matter?There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the state of the atmosphere without having to declare one way or the other on the issue of global warming. Living

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-21900765696643946722007-02-22T08:20:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:56.344-08:00

Of the three major renewable energy processes under scrutiny today - wind, solar, and biomass - only biomass conversion offers the benefit of increasing control over an existing source of greenhouse gases. By reducing forest fires, wood industries can mitigate hundreds of combined tons/day of not only CO, NOx and SOx emissions but also the toxic reactive organic gases and particulate matter. Of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-56124867864524583742007-02-12T15:29:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:56.611-08:00

Now you can add green tags to the asset side of your renewable electricity business plan spreadsheet. For many renewable energy developers, "green tags" will provide a necessary financial assurance that may mean the difference between proposal acceptance or rejection by investors. Under the green tag scenario, renewable electricity generated from a biomass waste-to-energy facility, wind farm,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-71226904196155863282007-02-08T18:02:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:56.962-08:00

We knew it was coming. Vinod Khosla has finally made a bold move to back up industry-wide speculation that cellulosic ethanol would soon emerge as the next phase in ethanol production. The surprise is that wood would be the feedstock of choice given the vast headstart of corn-based biorefineries in the country and the obvious synergy of basing corn stover conversion technologies near sugar

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-59423413932393676182007-02-01T10:41:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:57.223-08:00

Abengoa's Spanish facility for converting cereal straw to ethanol.SunOpta Inc. is leading the development and commercial deployment of cellulosic feedstock pre-treatment for the production of ethanol. Their steam explosion technology will help developers preprocess cellulosic biomass feedstock of various kinds to produce ethanol. The globally diverse projects involve diverse feedstock - woodchips

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-28325449012535119372007-01-31T17:17:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:57.358-08:00

The Renewable Industrial RevolutionAfter more than 150 years, the Industrial Revolution is overdue for a major retooling. No longer can we heedlessly combust biomass and fossil resources without consideration for the carbon emissions and potential energy that "floats out the smokestack." But what can possibly replace the status quo paradigm that we have based so much of our energy, industry,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-74894365888652683462007-01-29T21:15:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:57.564-08:00

Green Car Congress has run an article about an investment Volvo is making to help speed up the development of renewable fuels for the heavy vehicle industry.They cite a Volvo Technology Transfer announcement and a report on the process developed by Chemrec AB of Sweden entitled Technical and Commercial Feasibility Study of Black Liquor Gasification with Methanol/DME Production as Motor Fuels for

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-4729902831686881142007-01-29T13:39:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:57.978-08:00

The Biotechnology Industry Organization has released a study that addresses the question “Can American farmers feed the growing biofuel industry?” The report details the potential of cellulosic biomass as an energy resource and the promise of no-till cropping for greater residue collection. It also proposes guidelines and incentives to encourage farmers to produce, harvest and deliver sufficient

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-20911022720333304712007-01-28T09:02:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:58.068-08:00

Just in from GRAINNET is a press release about a Wisconsin based-paper manufacturing company replacing their natural gas boilers with a biomass boiler or gasifier. The objective is to produce 20 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from the paper plant's spent pulping liquor.The technology will come from American Process Inc. who claims:Biorefinery InitiativeAmerican Process Inc. is

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-32677873057277914382007-01-20T23:55:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:58.201-08:00

Celunol Corporation out of Dedham, Massachusetts is making good on its commitment to help open commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facilities this year using their proprietary wet biomass conversion technology.The technologyThe sugar in cellulosic biomass is locked up in the form of cellulose and hemicellulose. Cellulose contains glucose, the same type of sugar—a six-carbon (C6) sugar—that is

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-60443993722070807662007-01-20T21:23:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:58.503-08:00

Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute is a commited advocate for "an environmentally sustainable economy. He has written a book called Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble:Sustaining our early twenty-first century global civilization now depends on shifting to a renewable energy-based, reuse/recycle economy with a diversified transport system. Business as

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-13835381319758629672007-01-17T11:23:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:59.009-08:00

The 25x'25 Alliance lobbies Congress on behalf of the producers of agricultural and forestry feedstock producers in the United States. Its purpose is to explore agriculture and forestry’s role in helping the nation meet its energy needs. After canvasing the opinions of hundreds of producers and dozens of agricultural associations it formulated a target:By the year 2025, America’s farms, ranches

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-85298686233670439952007-01-13T11:23:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:59.345-08:00

The thermal process of gasification is one way to break down the bonds of cellulosic feedstock into syngas (primarily CO and H2). Some processes, like plasma arc, uses extremely high heat to "vaporize" the biostock. Here is an announcement from Germany about a company that has been getting very promising results from gasifying at a lower heat level. They claim, based on experiments with woody

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1168631663801180562007-01-12T11:54:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:59.490-08:00

China is the elephant in just about every room but especially in the house of bioenergy. Its rapid rate of industrialization, its immense population, its consumer potential, its greenhouse gas and particulate matter emissions, etc., are all contributing to a skyrocketing demand for biofuels. How will they balance this demand with their other needs - raw materials, food, pollution control,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1168381822996678372007-01-09T14:28:00.000-08:002007-01-13T08:54:50.090-08:00

Among the many technologies under development for the conversion of biomass into cellulosic ethanol is concentrated acidic hydrolysis. Simply put, the process separates the biomass into two main constituents: cellulose and hemicellulose (the main building blocks of plant life) and lignin (the "glue" that holds the building blocks together), converts the cellulose and hemicellulose to sugars,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1167964355438475702007-01-04T18:19:00.000-08:002007-01-13T08:57:31.979-08:00

Forestry Dean Jack Saddler forecasts a seismic charge in agricultural and forest industries - photo by Darin DueckThe size of the Mountain pine beetle (MPB) blight in Canada is in direct proportion to the number of trees found there. It is believed by many scientists that there is a connection between global warming and the spread of the infestation. In an article published today by the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1167576885505237372006-12-31T06:53:00.000-08:002006-12-31T06:54:45.773-08:00

December 2006 saw major developments in the commitment of whole industries to a new paradigm shift to renewable energy.On the heels of last month's release of the forest products industry report called the Forest Products Industry Technology Roadmap several wood chip refinery press releases and wood industry reference sites became articles in the blogosphere. There were also two auto shows in Los

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1167503245830780642006-12-30T10:17:00.000-08:002007-01-13T09:17:26.928-08:00

We are pleased to announce, and recognize the responsibility to disclose, that the BIOstock Blog has a sponsor - Price BIOstock Services (PBS). PBS is the subject of an article BIOconversion Blog ran in October entitled Inventing the BIOstock Services Concept. I have posted an announcement of the sponsorship relationship on each page of this blog which simply states: "Sponsored in part by Price

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1166808850976689962006-12-22T09:18:00.000-08:002006-12-22T09:34:11.713-08:00

SunOpta is one of the most demonstrably successful biomass conversion companies. It has conducted significant enzymatic hydrolysis R&D and deployed groundbreaking facilities on both sides of the Atlantic that convert a variety of different biostock into cellulosic ethanol, cellulosic butanol, xylitol and dietary fiber for human consumption. Raw materials include wheat straw, corn stover, grasses,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1166755316830471602006-12-21T18:41:00.000-08:002007-01-13T09:25:33.523-08:00

Xethanol Corporation is an aggressive marketer of cellulosic ethanol technology. They have had their share of controversy which is addressed on their website and which resulted last month in a major change in top management. Xethanol has one of the most comprehensive cellulosic ethanol business approaches around. They aim to:1 - identify appropriate bioconversion technologies for a wide range

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1166678310825445452006-12-20T21:12:00.000-08:002006-12-20T21:18:31.203-08:00

New York is starting to put some teeth into its plans to position the state as a leader in cellulosic ethanol development. It has agreed to help finance the establishment of a biomass-to-ethanol demonstration facility in Rochester, New York with the collaborative support of Mascoma Corporation and Genencor, a leading industrial biotechnology company that develops innovative enzymes. Most

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1166280910104014392006-12-16T06:37:00.000-08:002006-12-16T17:44:16.166-08:00

The forest industry self-examination and renaissance is worldwide. Just as the new renewable fuels fever has captured the imagination of rural communities, the potential for woody biostock is just as great - if not greater. After all, the wood and forestry industries have been leaders in using their waste for energy; unlike corn or sugar, wood does not have any food uses to compete with; and the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1166254042046549722006-12-15T22:57:00.000-08:002007-01-13T09:30:03.955-08:00

It is always gratifying to suddenly find a resource online that you considered so necessary that you had considered creating it yourself. Thanks to Friends of the Earth and the financial support of the Wallace Global Fund, this one happens to be free. Here is the website's introduction to this useful resource:---------------------The Global Biofuels DatabaseIn response to mounting global concerns

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1165988760300371542006-12-12T21:44:00.000-08:002007-01-13T09:28:48.161-08:00

Hawaii is rich in many things except the fuels that power industry, agriculture, transportation, and urban lifestyles, It imports almost all of the fuels it uses. The search for alternative energy sources has been an ongoing challenge for decades. Its quest is a microcosm of America's quest for a new way to address the need for clean renewable energy. What does it take to power "paradise"?

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1165535763129212872006-12-07T15:53:00.000-08:002006-12-07T15:58:49.806-08:00

The U.S. Department of Energy Energy Information Administration (EIA) has a wealth of online biomass and energy data that shows the immensity of the biomass potential in the United States. It also catalogs the breadth of federal and state-by-state legislative efforts to address the alternative fuels challenge.Want to start a national renewable energy enterprise? Then you might want to take a

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1165351572939227142006-12-05T12:37:00.000-08:002006-12-05T14:09:44.133-08:00

New technology boilers will contribute to the production of energy while greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions symptomatic of the older boilers they replace. They will be financed in part by earning renewable energy certificates that can be traded. Central to the concept of certificates is the idea that the 'environmental attributes' of renewable energy can be 'unbundled' from the energy

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1164900837410545442006-11-30T07:33:00.000-08:002006-11-30T07:34:01.643-08:00

Broadening the Scope - Focusing on PotentialThe BIOconversion Blog - while keeping an eye on biofuel and biomass conversion technologies, facility deployments, and international issues - welcomes two new siblings! The BIOstock Blog covers biomass feedstock questions - what feedstocks are being used, how they are being transported, and what pre-processing technologies are being developed. The

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1164852680795168872006-11-29T17:03:00.000-08:002006-11-29T19:02:46.926-08:00

Three weeks ago Mascoma Corporation announced the successful raising of $30 Million to be applied to RD&D for cellulosic ethanol technology. Today they announced a commitment to collaborate with Tamarack Energy, Inc. of Essex, CT on the development of cellulosic ethanol facilities using Mascoma enzymatic hydrolysis technology. They will start with a demonstration facility based on wood biomass

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761425.post-1164520542019302592006-11-25T21:35:00.000-08:002008-12-09T02:12:59.780-08:00

1. What is "BIOstock"?Biomass feedstocks (BIOstocks) are living or recently living biological material which can be used as fuel or raw material for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for use as biofuel, but also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers, chemicals, or heat. It is usually measured by dry weight.2. What is the focus of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0