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    The 16th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition - From Research to Industry and Markets - will be held from 2nd to 6th June 2008, at the Convention and Exhibition Centre of FeriaValencia, Spain. Early bird fee registration ends 18th April 2008. European Biomass Conference & Exhibition - February 22, 2007.

    'Obesity Facts' – a new multidisciplinary journal for research and therapy published by Karger – was launched today as the official journal of the European Association for the Study of Obesity. The journal publishes articles covering all aspects of obesity, in particular epidemiology, etiology and pathogenesis, treatment, and the prevention of adiposity. As obesity is related to many disease processes, the journal is also dedicated to all topics pertaining to comorbidity and covers psychological and sociocultural aspects as well as influences of nutrition and exercise on body weight. Obesity is one of the world's most pressing health issues, expected to affect 700 million people by 2015. AlphaGalileo - February 21, 2007.

    A bioethanol plant with a capacity of 150 thousand tons per annum is to be constructed in Kuybishev, in the Novosibirsk region. Construction is to begin in 2009 with investments into the project estimated at €200 million. A 'wet' method of production will be used to make, in addition to bioethanol, gluten, fodder yeast and carbon dioxide for industrial use. The complex was developed by the Solev consulting company. FIS: Siberia - February 19, 2007.

    Sarnia-Lambton lands a $15million federal grant for biofuel innovation at the Western Ontario Research and Development Park. The funds come on top of a $10 million provincial grant. The "Bioindustrial Innovation Centre" project competed successfully against 110 other proposals for new research money. London Free Press - February 18, 2007.


    An organisation that has established a large Pongamia pinnata plantation on barren land owned by small & marginal farmers in Andhra Pradesh, India is looking for a biogas and CHP consultant to help research the use of de-oiled cake for the production of biogas. The organisation plans to set up a biogas plant of 20,000 cubic meter capacity and wants to use it for power generation. Contact us - February 15, 2007.

    The Andersons, Inc. and Marathon Oil Corporation today jointly announced ethanol production has begun at their 110-million gallon ethanol plant located in Greenville, Ohio. Along with the 110 million gallons of ethanol, the plant annually will produce 350,000 tons of distillers dried grains, an animal feed ingredient. Marathon Oil - February 14, 2007.

    Austrian bioenergy group Cycleenergy acquired controlling interest in Greenpower Projektentwicklungs GmbH, expanding its biomass operational portfolio by 16 MW to a total of 22 MW. In the transaction Cycleenergy took over 51% of the company and thereby formed a joint venture with Porr Infrastruktur GmbH, a subsidiary of Austrian construction company Porr AG. Greenpower operates two wood chip CHP facilities in Upper and Lower Austria, each with an electric capacity of 2 MW. The plants have been in operation since the middle of last year and consume more than 30,000 tonnes of wood chips and are expected to generate over €5 million in additional revenue. Cycleenergy - February 6, 2007.

    The 2008 edition of Bioenergy World Europe will take place in Verona, Italy, from 7 to 10 February. Gathering a broad range of international exhibitors covering gaseous, liquid and solid bioenergy, the event aims to offer participants the possibility of developing their business through meetings with professionals, thematic study tours and an international forum focusing on market and regulatory issues, as well as industry expertise. Bioenergy World Europe - February 5, 2007.

    The World GTL Summit will take place between 12 – 14th May 2008 in London. Key topics to be discussed include: the true value of Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) projects, well-to-wheels analyses of the GTL value chain; construction, logistics and procurement challenges; the future for small-scale Fischer-Tropsch (FT) projects; Technology, economics, politics and logistics of Coal-to-Liquids (CTL); latest Biomass-to-Liquids (BTL) commercialisation initiatives. CWC Exhibitions - February 4, 2007.

    The 4th Annual Brussels Climate Change Conference is announced for 26 - 27 February 2008. This joint CEPS/Epsilon conference will explore the key issues for a post-Kyoto agreement on climate change. The conference focuses on EU and global issues relating to global warming, and in particular looks at the following issues: - Post-2012 after Bali and before the Hokkaido G8 summit; Progress of EU integrated energy and climate package, burden-sharing renewables and technology; EU Emissions Trading Review with a focus on investment; Transport Climatepolicy.eu - January 28, 2007.

    Japan's Marubeni Corp. plans to begin importing a bioethanol compound from Brazil for use in biogasoline sold by petroleum wholesalers in Japan. The trading firm will import ETBE, which is synthesized from petroleum products and ethanol derived from sugar cane. The compound will be purchased from Brazilian petrochemical company Companhia Petroquimica do Sul and in February, Marubeni will supply 6,500 kilolitres of the ETBE, worth around US$7 million, to a biogasoline group made up of petroleum wholesalers. Wholesalers have been introducing biofuels since last April by mixing 7 per cent ETBE into gasoline. Plans call for 840 million liters of ETBE to be procured annually from domestic and foreign suppliers by 2010. Trading Markets - January 24, 2007.

    Toyota Tsusho Corp., Ohta Oil Mill Co. and Toyota Chemical Engineering Co., say it and two other firms have jointly developed a technology to produce biodiesel fuel at lower cost. Biodiesel is made by blending methanol into plant-derived oil. The new technology requires smaller amounts of methanol and alkali catalysts than conventional technologies. In addition, the new technology makes water removal facilities unnecessary. JCN Network - January 22, 2007.

    Finland's Metso Paper and SWISS COMBI - W. Kunz dryTec A.G. have entered a licence agreement for the SWISS COMBI belt dryer KUVO, which allows biomass to be dried in a low temperature environment and at high capacity, both for pulp & paper and bioenergy applications. Kauppalehti - January 22, 2007.


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Friday, February 22, 2008

Denmark sets renewables target at 20 percent by 2011: biomass, biogas, biohydrogen, wind

Denmark aims to increase its use of renewable energy to 20 percent of its overall energy mix by the end of 2011, up from 15 percent today, the government announced today. Bioenergy, already providing more than 70 percent of Denmark's renewable energy, will provide the bulk of green energy under the plan. Around half a billion U.S. dollars will be invested in the package.

The agreement, which covers the period 2008-2011, meets or surpasses EU environmental goals in a number of areas. Among its important features: Denmark's overall energy consumption in 2011 to decrease by two percent compared to 2006 figures. Renewable energy will provide 20 percent of the country's energy at that time as well.

Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's liberal-conservative government, along with most other parliamentary parties, agreed late Thursday on the new target, the Climate and Energy Ministry said in a statement. "With its new energy agreement, Denmark takes the (global) lead in terms of offensive efforts" to increase the use of renewable energy, Climate and Energy Minister Connie Hedegaard said.

The deal was reached less than a month after the European Commission set a renewable energy target for Denmark at 30 percent by 2020 - one of the highest targets for any EU member state - as part of the Union's scheme aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuel (factsheet on country targets at EU's energy portal).

The negotiating process had not been without its share of obstacles. Climate and Energy Minister Hedegaard's collegue, finance minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, feared the measures would end up costing the state too much.

Hedegaard nevertheless managed to convince Rasmussen and other sceptics that extra costs of up DKK 2.5 billion (€337 / US$ 497 million) were necessary to demonstrate Denmark's commitment to responsible energy policy in the run-up to the UN Climate Conference to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009.

The Danish agreement therefor calls for better subsidies for developing energy from biomass, biogas and bio-hydrogen, and for two new wind parks to be built off the Scandinavian country's coast by 2012. Currently, biomass is the most important source of renewable energy in Denmark accounting for approximately 70% of renewable energy consumption.

Green vehicles

Cars running on clean hydrogen fuel will be exempt from taxes while the tax-free status of electric cars will be extended until 2012. Clean hydrogen means in practise that the energy carrier will be created from biomass resources, because electrolysis based hydrogen (water split by electricity from wind) is far too costly:
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

The share of renewables providing the electricity for Denmark's electric vehicles will also be proportional to the renewables used in the country.

"The creation of a stable framework for investments in renewable energy is in everyone's interest," Hedegaard said, adding that Denmark would also try to slash its overall energy use by two percent by 2011 compared to 2006 levels, and by four percent by 2020.

When it comes to reducing energy use, "Denmark is a world leader and we intend to continue in the same mode," Hedegaard said, pointing out that "In 2025, (Denmark's) total energy consumption will not have risen in 50 years."

The energy deal was reached after more than a year of negotiations. The far-left Unity List party refused to sign it.

The new agreement only deals with renewables for non-transport energy. Each EU member state will also have to reach a 10 percent biofuel target by 2020.

References:
Danish Government: Historic Energy Agreement Sewed Up - February 22, 2008.

Danish Government: Where does your energy come from?

EU Business: Denmark sets renewable energy target at 20 per cent by 2011 - February 22, 2008.



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