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Friday, November 4, 2011 |
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Oregon Biomass Tax Credit led to $12M in Economic Activity (Ind. Report) A new study on the performance of Oregon's biomass tax credit shows the $5.5 million awarded in 2010 helped wood fuel prices stay competitive, support jobs and create economic activity, perhaps as much as $12 million.
Oregon's Biomass Producer or Collector credit was created in 2007 following the severe crash in the housing market and other forest products industries, when lower volumes of mill waste boosted demand for forest biomass for bioenergy feed stocks.
The tax credit is primarily used by collectors of forest biomass from logging, slash or land stewardship projects. Those who receive the credit are offered $10 for each green ton of forest biomass they deliver to a bioenergy facility.
Legislation calling for the program's review in 2011 recently led researchers at the University of Oregon to probe its impacts, with assistance from the Oregon Department of Energy.
The soon to be released study found that the tax credit helped keep prices in the wood fuels market competitive while supplies from mills dwindled, and likely improved the margin on forest biomass moving out of forests during a time when output was otherwise likely to slump. Forest biomass volume increased between 100,000 and 190,000 tons from 2007 to 2010, and prices were about $7 less per ton after the tax credit became available. The results are based on a model that tracked previous trends in the industry.
The study also found the credit supported between 32 and 73 jobs in Oregon in 2010, or between 11 percent and 24 percent of the forest biomass portion of the wood fuels market in the state, and created at least as much economic activity as it cost in foregone revenue and possibly as much as $12 million.
A full report will be posted on ewp.uoregon.edu soon, dubbed No. 32 Impacts of the Biomass Producer or Collector Tax Credit on Oregon's Wood Fuels Market and Economy. (Source: University of Oregon)
Access briefing paper HERE
ePURE Demands U.S Bioethanol Subsidies Investigation (Int'l, Reg. & Leg.) In a move that could trigger import tariffs on the green fuel, European Union bioethanol producers have asked regulators to investigate whether U.S. exporters are receiving illegal subsidies. The complaint could result in a formal investigation later this month, and in provisional tariffs next year on hundreds of millions of liters of U.S. produced bioethanol.
The case marks the latest stage in a global race for a portion of Europe's lucrative renewable market, where demand is boosted by official targets to fight climate change and wean the bloc off fossil fuels.
In 2008, the EU imposed tariffs worth up to €400 ($552) per tonne on U.S. biodiesel and extended these to Canada in 2009.EU biodiesel producers have also been pushing for tariffs against imports from Argentina and several Asian countries.
ePURE, whose members produce 80 percent of Europe's bioethanol and include Germany's CropEnergies and Spain's Abengoa, says U.S. tax credits for firms that blend ethanol with gasoline are illegal because they threaten the development of ethanol as transport fuel in other countries. Earlier this year, ePURE said it would target as illegal a 45-cent-a-gallon U.S. tax credit known as the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit or VEETC. U.S. producers defend this scheme, saying it is essential to propping up a fledgling industry.EU imports of U.S. ethanol blends surged by more than 500 percent between 2008 and 2010, and imports are expected to double year-on-year in 2011 according to EU industry figures. In 2010, the U.S.
Congress extended the VEETC scheme until the end of 2011, but it is unclear whether the scheme will be scrapped due to budget cuts, ending the need for EU action. (Source: ePURE, Reuters, November, 2, 2011)
Metso Supplying Biomass-Power Boiler to Russian Paper Mill (Int'l, Ind. Report) Metso has signed a contract with Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill to deliver a biomass-fired BFB (bubbling fluidized bed) power boiler including main auxiliary equipment for boiler and site advisory services.
Bark and sludge will be used as fuel in the new boiler which has a capacity of 60MWth.
Start-up of the new biomass boiler is scheduled for the first quarter of 2014. The value of the order is not disclosed, and the order is included in the Energy and Environmental Technology's Q4 orders received.
70 year old Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill is one Russia's leading wood chemical enterprises manufacturing paperboard and market pulp, fiberboard, paper, and paper stationery products. In 2010, the company had net sales equivalent to €320 million. (Source: Metso, November, 3, 2011)
Comet Biorefining Inc. Announces Cellulosic Sugar Toll Facility (Ind. Report) London, Ontario-based Comet Biorefining Inc., a leader in low cost cellulosic sugar technology, has begun construction of a cellulosic sugar toll processing plant in Southwestern Ontario. The facility will produce cellulosic sugar on a tolling basis for current and potential Comet customers and licensees. The Comet Cellulosic Sugar Process is feedstock flexible and produces low cost cellulosic sugar using a cost effective modular process.
Comet expects that the toll facility will be available for customer runs in the second quarter of 2012. The system will be capable of producing drum quantities of cellulosic sugar syrup using a wide range of biomass feedstocks. (Source: Comet Biorefining Inc, November, 3, 2011)
Global Biofuel Market Analysis - RNCOS Report Available (Ind. Report) RNCOS has recently launched a new report Global Biofuel Market Analysis. The global biofuel industry has been witnessing rapid growth over the past few years in the backdrop of depleting fossil fuels and degradation of environmental conditions. Since the second half of the 20th century, amid concerns about rising oil prices and
greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, the term biofuel has largely come to mean bioethanol (also referred to as ethanol) and diesel, and many economies have turned their attention towards biofuels. Many countries are also supporting the biofuel industry in the form of subsidies and tax incentives which keep the biofuel producing companies profitable. Even national governments have implemented mandatory biofuel blends with conventional fuels in an effort to increase biofuels demand.
According to our new research report, Global Biofuel Market Analysis, the global production of ethanol and biodiesel is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 8% to 11%, respectively during 2011-2014. The prospective growth in ethanol and biodiesel production depends on several factors that have been thoroughly covered in this report.
The Americas, mainly encompassing the US, Brazil, Argentina, and Canada, accounts for around 90% of the total global ethanol production. The EU is leading as a biodiesel producer. Considering the
growth prospects of the biofuel industry in the developing countries,the Asia-Pacific regions constitute an enormous potential in the field of biofuel production, particularly due to cost-effective availability of feedstock. The countries covered under the Asia-Pacific region include Australia, China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, all of which have shown interest in raising the production of biofuels as alternatives to conventional energy sources.
The report contains information about government support that would facilitate clients to formulate appropriate strategies for the expansion of biofuel the business in untapped markets. The report also provides detailed information about the second generation biofuels, which will raise the production capacity per acre land, along with their social and environmental benefits. (Source: RNCOS, November, 3, 2011)
Purchase report HERE
Yokayo Biofuels Wins USDA Grant for Biodiesel Production Expansion (Funding) A Ukiah, California biodiesel operation has received $134,000 in USDA grants to expand its facility and increase production of alternative fuels from used vegetable oil.
The rural development funds were dispersed in the last two months for grant applications made in 2010 and 2011, said Yokayo Biofuels Inc. CEO Kumar Plocher.
Yokayo Biofuels currently produces about 500,000 gpy of biofuel and is hoping is hoping to boost annual production to 1 million gallons within two years. (Source: Press Democrat, November, 2, 20110
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