Biomass Conference, Minneapolis Convention Center

Biomass Conference and Expo 2013 By Luke Geiver | November 15, 2012

The USDA’s Energy Investment Map is an asset to the biomass industry that needs to be both understood, and utilized. The map contains a detailed data set regarding the number, type, location and amount of USDA-based financial assistance efforts to renewable biomass since 2003.

More importantly, the map offers partial answers and limited facts to any discussion regarding the size (in installations and dollars) and current state of the biomass industry.

Although the terms partial, or limited, may suggest such answers or facts do not hold a relevant value to any conversation regarding the health of the industry, the opposite is true.

Ethanol facing return of 1980s bust, with oil price drop? Lovins, Dineen weigh in on alt energy outlook : Biofuels Digest

Ethanol facing return of 1980s bust, with oil price drop? Lovins, Dineen weigh in on alt energy outlook : Biofuels Digest: "The Christian Science Monitor ran an article considering whether biofuels will experience a bust as oil prices drop, and compared market conditions to the ethanol bust of the mid-1980s. The article profiles ethanol pioneers who saw oil prices plunge from $53 a barrel to $28 just as ethanol technologies were becoming economically viable. The article profiles the role of the credit crisis, and quotes positive comments on the new robustness of renewable energy business models from Amory Lovins, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Institute, and Bob Dineen of the Renewable Fuels Association."

Helge: The price of raw materials and oil has been going up and down. It's difficult to predict where we are in six months from today?

Biorefineries will be integral to the future economy

From Retrospective to Prospective. Analysis based on performance data is of necessity backward looking. Yet, biorefineries will be integral to the future economy. For those reasons, it is also useful to indulge in well-grounded foresight.

Beyond established markets, environmentally friendly and energy-saving bioprocessing technologies and products from biorefineries may be targeted at potentially rapidly growing markets for the following:

• alternative fuels such as ethanol, hydrogen, butanol and other derivatives
• other chemical feedstocks
• enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide for lighter fuels, and surfactants and soaps for
• recovering heavier reserves
• fine chemicals often as valuable by-products from bulk commodity production.

paper chemicals weblog

paper chemicals weblog: "Genencor launch commercial enzyme for cellulose ethanol Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, today announced a new product, Accellerase™ 1000, which is claimed to be the first ever commercially available biomass enzyme developed specifically for second generation biorefineries.

Helge: Found this blog today.

The product contains complex of enzymes that reduces lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars -- a key step for the production of cellulosic ethanol.

Genencor state that, 'Commercial interest in second generation biorefineries, driven in part by government policies to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and increase energy independence, has accelerated over the past two years in the USA and around the world.

Helge: Reducing emission...

Accellerase™ 1000 will fill a large unmet need for reliable biomass enzyme supply to pilot and demonstration plant developers who are actively working on process development, scale up and integration.' It is worth reading the Big Biofuels blog of Simon Robinson (ICIS) for additional comments and perspectives on the announcement."

Helge: Reliable biomass enzyme...

KL Process Design Group specializes in bio-fuels

klpd.html: "KL Process Design Group specializes in bio-fuels project development, engineering, construction, and plant management with an emphasis on ethanol made from both grain and cellulose.

Our leadership experience ranges from past military leaders to seasoned managers in the ethanol industry. Our process engineering experience is rooted in the petrol-chemical industry. This experience provides unmatched process engineering inherently focused on efficiency

Today, KL researchers continue to refine patent-pending technology as the first demonstration unit to process waste-wood material comes on line near the Black Hills National Forest.

The Upton, Wyoming plant, Western Biomass Energy, is expected to come on line in August 2007 and will be the first biomass ethanol plant not using acids or having a full dependency on specialized enzymes to release cellulosic sugars from lignin fibers."

Helge: A few words about the company...

Our services: KL Process Design Group means Integrity, Professionalism, and Hard Work represent our values when delivering our turn key services to our partners. Today we deliver the most energy efficient ethanol plants in the industry.