business
Nexterra receives innovation award
Chevron,Weyerhaeuser partner
At the Globe Foundation’s 10th biennial trade fair and conference in Vancouver in mid-March, Nexterra Energy Corp. was given the Award for Technology Innovation and Application for its gasification technology that converts biomass into synthesis gas. The award was presented to Nexterra Chief Executive Officer Jonathon Rhone at a dinner held in conjunction with the conference. “Tonight’s awards demonstrate that companies no longer have to choose between what’s good for the environment and what’s good for the bottom line,” Rhone said. BIO
Chevron Corp. and Weyerhaeuser Co. have joined forces to create Catchlight Energy LLC, a research and development company working to convert cellulosic biofuels into low-carbon biofuels. Michael Burnside of Chevron has been appointed chief executive officer of the new entity. Both companies will contribute financial resources and employees to the venture. Although Weyerhaeuser is one of the world’s largest integrated forest products companies, company spokesman Bruce Amundson said the initial focus of Catchlight will be to use switchgrass as a feedstock. BIO
Colusa completes restructuring, obtains research funding
Stock Fairfield provides equipment for biomass power plant
Colusa Biomass Energy Corp. has completed a restructuring plan that injected $4 million into the company for biomass research. The transaction with Pan Gen Global PLC in March gave Colusa funds to explore the commercialization of converting waste rice straw and hulls into ethanol. Colusa’s business operations will be concentrated in a new entity called Colusa Biomass Inc., headquartered in Reno. It hopes to raise an additional $40 million to complete the engineering and construction of its first biorefinery. BIO
In early March, Stock Fairfield Corp., part of Schenck Process Group, completed the installation of a belt conveyor, chain conveyor, magnetic Biomass is transported on this Stock Fairfield belt separator and duct- conveyor in the poultry-litter-fueled power plant work at a poultry- operated by Fibrominn in Benson, Minn. litter-fueled power plant operated by Fibrominn in Benson, Minn. Fibrominn is a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Fibrowatt LLC, which was founded in 2000 by the management team that built the world’s first poultry-litter-to-energy power plants in the United Kingdom. BIO
Changing World Technologies receives award Changing World Technologies Inc. in West Hempstead, New York, has been given the Most Innovative Patent Award in the Environment & Energy category by the Long Island Technology Hall of Fame. Brian Appel, chief executive officer of CWT, accepted the award at the hall of fame’s 2008 awards ceremony March 6. CWT’s thermal conversion process is a commercially viable method of reforming organic waste that converts approximately 250 tons of turkey offal and fats per day into approximately 500 barrels of renewable diesel. BIO
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Renegy starts production, reports financial loss Renegy Holdings Inc. began testing at its new 24-megawatt biomass power plant in Snowflake, Ariz., in late March. The news accompanied fourth-quarter financial results showing an $11 million loss, which Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Worsley attributed partly to one-time items and mergerrelated costs. In February, the company appointed Hugh Smith to the position of chief operating officer. Prior to joining Renegy, Smith was employed with EnergyCo LLC, PNM Resources and Tampa Electric Co. BIO
PHOTO: STOCK EQUIPMENT CO.
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