ISSUE 1, APRIL 2023 | NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2023 | A NOTE FROM BRUNO ZAGAR

Atlanta Hosts Largest Biomass Event in North America

The Largest Biomass event in North America was held February 28-March 2, 2023, at the Cobb Galleria Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This event brought together bioenergy and biobased product producers with equipment manufacturers, project developers, waste generators, crop growers, investors and technology providers in one location.

If you are looking for other biomass-related conferences, the Biomass Conferences is an International indexed listing of upcoming meetings, seminars, workshops and courses: Biomass Conferences in 2023/2024/2025 (waset.org).

In addition, if you are looking for funding for biomass-related projects, grant opportunities are continually surfacing, such as the USDA Value Added Producer Grant just announced that helps agricultural producers generate new products, create marketing opportunities and increase their incomes through value-added activities.

Please see the Funding Opportunities section of this newsletter for more details and information on upcoming webinars being hosted by the USDA Rural Development regarding changes to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP provides eligible applicants with grant funding to help purchase and install renewable energy systems, such as renewable biomass, anaerobic digesters, hydrogen, solar, wind, geothermal, or hydropower. Grant funds can also be used to make energy efficiency improvements.

AUTHOR:
Bruno Zagar
Environmental Specialist
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
HTM Steering Committee
UPCOMING EVENTS
  • April 18-20 – Argus Biomass Conference
  • June 7-8 – Global Energy Transition 2023
  • August 23-25 – Forest Products Machinery and Equipment Expo
STAKEHOLDER SPOTLIGHT
  • Green Friendly Pellet, LLC – Biomass Pellet Plant Equipment and Inventory for Sale
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
  • Get Your Mapping Needs Met Using Minnesota Resource Atlas
  • Chipper vs. Grinder: Depends on the Application
LOCAL BIOMASS
  • Biomass For Sale 
  • Biomass Wanted
IN THE NEWS
  • USDA: Wood Pellet Exports at 637,518 Tons in January
  • USDA: US Wood Pellet Exports at 8.89 Million Metric Tons in 2022
  • Wood for Warmth Project Awarded Funding for Firewood Bank
  • EIA Updates Bioenergy Production, Capacity Forecasts
  • Impacts of the US Southeast Wood Pellet Industry on Local Forest Carbon Stocks
  • Quebec Community to be Powered by Biomass Cogeneration Plant
  • Canada Invests $35M in 6.5 MW Biomass CHP Plant
  • DOE Zero Energy Standards Includes Wood Heat
  • DOE-Sponsored Wood Heater Design Challenge Goes to HPBExpo
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
  • Learn About Changes to the REAP Following Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act 
  • USDA Value Added Producer Grant is Open for Applications
  • DOE Offers $50 Million for Tribal Clean Energy Projects

HTM STEERING COMMITTEE
  • Jeremy Mortl* - President
  • T.J. Morice* - Secretary/Treasurer
  • Stacy Cook*
  • John Ackerly - National Rep
  • Bruno Zagar
  • David Neumann
  • Joseph Donnell
  • Becky Philipp
  • Tim Portz - National Rep
  • Ben Rose
  • Adam Sherman - National Rep
  • Patrick Serfass - National Rep
* Executive Members
BROUGHT TO YOU BY HEATING THE MIDWEST
UPCOMING EVENTS

April 18 - April 20, 2023

June 7 - June 8, 2023

August 23 - August 25, 2023
STAKEHOLDER SPOTLIGHT

Green Friendly Pellet, LLC

FOR SALE: COMPLETE LINEUP OF BIOMASS PELLETING

A certified North Dakota, woman-owned business is selling their turnkey pellet business and equipment!

Start selling today with current inventory and have all the equipment to start producing next week at your new location! There is a pellet shortage already for the 2023 heating season and there are many biomass opportunities in North Dakota!

All semi-trailers, trucks, walking floor, complete plant, all electrical equipment (600 AMP BOX to 480 to 220 and 110 transformers, soft start, plus complete panel), and inventory. Previously decommissioned, loaded in trailers, and awaiting shipment to your new location.

Asking $400K - offers may be considered.

Finance options available or silent partnership agreements may also be available.

Please contact Sally if interested.
Call 701-862-2132 or 651-210-7717 for all questions.
Email: sally@ndsafetypro.com
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Get Your Mapping Needs Met Using Minnesota Resource Atlas

The University of Minnesota Duluth's Natural Resources Research Institute is hosting free 60-minute training webinars to learn how to use the Minnesota Natural Resource Atlas. The webinars will explore Minnesota's natural resources and socioeconomic data by practicing choosing, layering, and analyzing spatial data, as well as creating and sharing data-rich maps.

Webinars are being hosted through May 2023.
Chipper vs. Grinder: Depends on the Application

An article from Canadian Biomass magazine discussing how to choose the right machine for your woody biomass harvesting needs.
LOCAL BIOMASS
Photo Source: Canva
Local Biomass Market
IN THE NEWS...
USDA: Wood Pellet Exports at 637,518 Tons in January

The U.S. exported 637,518.4 metric tons of wood pellets in January, down from both 917,175.4 metric tons the previous month and 655,656.5 metric tons in January 2022, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on March 8. 
USDA: US Wood Pellet Exports at 8.89 Million Metric Tons in 2022

U.S. wood pellet exports reached 917,175.4 metric tons in December, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on Feb. 7. Exports for the full year 2022 reached 8.98 million metric tons. 
Wood for Warmth Project Awarded Funding for Firewood Bank

The Wood for Warmth Project of Midland, Michigan is one of many receiving funding for their Firewood Bank. Click below to see all the grantees.
EIA Updates Bioenergy Production, Capacity Forecasts

Renewables are expected to 24 percent of U.S. electricity generation in 2023, increasing to 26 percent in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released Feb. 7.
Impacts of the US Southeast Wood Pellet Industry on Local Forest Carbon Stocks
Quebec Community to be Powered by Biomass Cogeneration Plant

Hydro Quebec has announced an agreement to build a forest biomass cogeneration plant that will supply energy to Opitciwan, an Indigenous community in Quebec. The 4.8 MW facility is scheduled to begin commissioning in July 2026.
Canada Invests $35M in 6.5 MW Biomass CHP Plant

Natural Resources Canada is investing $35 million in Whitesand First Nation-owned Sagatay Co-Generation Limited Partnership to deploy a 6.5 MW biomass-fired CHP facility that will provide energy to three communities and a proposed pellet plant. 
DOE Zero Energy Standards Includes Wood Heat

DOE’s ZERO program accelerates the adoption of cost-effective building technologies by establishing guidelines for and recognizing energy-efficient and demand-flexible residential buildings..
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Learn About Changes to the REAP Following Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act:

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is hosting a virtual event that will provide updates on funding available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). USDA began accepting applications on April 1 for $1 billion in grants to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses invest in renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. 

The webinar will be held over Zoom and will be led by USDA staff at the following dates and times:

IRA REAP Training Webinar: Investing in America
April 4, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. ET  

In August 2022, Congress passed the IRA, the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic legislative package to reduce energy costs for families and create thousands of good-paying jobs for people across rural America.

REAP funds may be used to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses install renewable energy systems or to make energy-efficiency improvements (https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/energy-programs/rural-energy-america-program-renewable-energy-systems-energy-efficiency-improvement-guaranteed-loans) 
USDA Value Added Producer Grant is Open for Applications
The Deadline is May 11, 2023.

USDA is making the grants available under the Value-Added Producer Grants program. The grants help agricultural producers generate new products, create marketing opportunities and increase their incomes through value-added activities. Eligible applicants include independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures.

The maximum award for a planning grant is $75,000. The maximum award for a working capital grant is $250,000.
DOE Offers $50 Million for Tribal Clean Energy Projects

The DOE announced the availability of $50 million to support clean energy technology deployment on Tribal lands. Projects utilizing biomass, biogas, RNG and renewable hydrogen systems are among those eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.
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