Biomass Articles
Jimmy's article: http://www.ecowatch.com/chatham-house-biomass-study-2288764699.html
Jimmy's summary: "Burning forest biomass to produce "carbon neutral," was a fundamental assumption underlying European's renewable resource energy policy. Companies in the U.S. that are cutting down forests and producing wood pellets claim that biomass is clean and renewable. However the Chatham House Report shows that forest biomass is not carbon neutral. Scientists discovered that biomass worsens climate change by emitting more carbon than burning coal. These findings alert policymakers in both the UK and EU that their renewables aimed at reducing carbon emissions from power plants are likely having the opposite effect and making our climate problems worse.
Diane's article: http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/14181/planned-california-biomass-plant-aims-to-use-dead-trees
Diane's summary: In California, the Mariposa Biomass Project recently just closed escrow on two parcels for its future location. It will be located in Mirposa Industrial Park near the Mariposa County Solid Waste Facility and PG&E substation. It received a USDA U.S. Forest Service grant of $244,000 and is in the running to score a $5 million California Energy Commissions grant. The groups CTO, Stephen Smallcombe has worked closely with the group's CEO, engineer Jay Johnson, and other community members in order to develop and find a suitable site for the project.
Marti's article: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/burning-of-woody-biomass-more-harmful-than-coal-says-report-35475707.html
Marti's summary: It is reported that using wood for biomass power and heat is more harmful than other energy sources such as coal. According to Duncan Brack, an author for Woody Biomass for Power and Heat Impacts on the Global Climate, biomass may produce lower life-cycle emissions than fossil fuels; however, this is not the usual case. It can be seen that biomass gives out higher levels of emissions compared to coal and gas. Now, there is technology that produces water-resistant biomass pellets, which is said to be extremely environmentally friendly. From now on, all biomass power plants in the UK need to meet certain criteria that ensures they lower carbon emissions. Chris Huhne, the chairman for Zilkha Biomass Energy, defends biomass and states that "we moved from a world which was sustainable and had no impact on the climate to a world where we were digging up fossil fuels, whether it was coal or later oil and gas, and burning those.” Overall, carbon emissions need to be reduced when using power plants.
Tran's article: http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/14211/biomass-thermal-legislative-advances
Tran's summary: The Biomass Thermal Utilization Act (BTU Act), a federal investment tax credit on high-efficiency biomass heating systems. This act became one of the Biomass Thermal Energy Council’s top priority, and it came closer than ever to becoming law in 2016. If this act become law, it would make biomass thermal more competitive with other renewable technologies, and expand markets for biomass across the country. BTEC members also made progress with state-level biomass efforts, and if this is passed into law, facilities would be encouraged to use biomass to increase the efficiency of their thermal energy system. Starting this year, BTEC focus on developing codes and standards for biomass thermal energy in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings. In addition, BTEC also have other technical priorities that they would like to accomplish in 2017 like finishing touches on the Wood Energy Financial Calculator and completing laboratory testing of the first U.S. efficiency test standard for commercial-sized wood boilers.
Jimmy's summary: "Burning forest biomass to produce "carbon neutral," was a fundamental assumption underlying European's renewable resource energy policy. Companies in the U.S. that are cutting down forests and producing wood pellets claim that biomass is clean and renewable. However the Chatham House Report shows that forest biomass is not carbon neutral. Scientists discovered that biomass worsens climate change by emitting more carbon than burning coal. These findings alert policymakers in both the UK and EU that their renewables aimed at reducing carbon emissions from power plants are likely having the opposite effect and making our climate problems worse.
Diane's article: http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/14181/planned-california-biomass-plant-aims-to-use-dead-trees
Diane's summary: In California, the Mariposa Biomass Project recently just closed escrow on two parcels for its future location. It will be located in Mirposa Industrial Park near the Mariposa County Solid Waste Facility and PG&E substation. It received a USDA U.S. Forest Service grant of $244,000 and is in the running to score a $5 million California Energy Commissions grant. The groups CTO, Stephen Smallcombe has worked closely with the group's CEO, engineer Jay Johnson, and other community members in order to develop and find a suitable site for the project.
Marti's article: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/burning-of-woody-biomass-more-harmful-than-coal-says-report-35475707.html
Marti's summary: It is reported that using wood for biomass power and heat is more harmful than other energy sources such as coal. According to Duncan Brack, an author for Woody Biomass for Power and Heat Impacts on the Global Climate, biomass may produce lower life-cycle emissions than fossil fuels; however, this is not the usual case. It can be seen that biomass gives out higher levels of emissions compared to coal and gas. Now, there is technology that produces water-resistant biomass pellets, which is said to be extremely environmentally friendly. From now on, all biomass power plants in the UK need to meet certain criteria that ensures they lower carbon emissions. Chris Huhne, the chairman for Zilkha Biomass Energy, defends biomass and states that "we moved from a world which was sustainable and had no impact on the climate to a world where we were digging up fossil fuels, whether it was coal or later oil and gas, and burning those.” Overall, carbon emissions need to be reduced when using power plants.
Tran's article: http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/14211/biomass-thermal-legislative-advances
Tran's summary: The Biomass Thermal Utilization Act (BTU Act), a federal investment tax credit on high-efficiency biomass heating systems. This act became one of the Biomass Thermal Energy Council’s top priority, and it came closer than ever to becoming law in 2016. If this act become law, it would make biomass thermal more competitive with other renewable technologies, and expand markets for biomass across the country. BTEC members also made progress with state-level biomass efforts, and if this is passed into law, facilities would be encouraged to use biomass to increase the efficiency of their thermal energy system. Starting this year, BTEC focus on developing codes and standards for biomass thermal energy in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings. In addition, BTEC also have other technical priorities that they would like to accomplish in 2017 like finishing touches on the Wood Energy Financial Calculator and completing laboratory testing of the first U.S. efficiency test standard for commercial-sized wood boilers.