Ohio-based pulp/paper producer NewPage announced April 24 that it’s discontinuing its involvement in the gasification-based “Project Independence” biomass-to-liquid (BTL) fuels project at its Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, mill.

Iowa-based DenYon Energy and the University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center announced May 1 that they’re teaming-up with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a poultry-waste gasification scheme for “green” electric power “and other value-added products.”

United Kingdom-based Advanced Plasma Power (APP) announced May 1 that it granted a exclusive license to institutionally funded Plasma Green Energy (PGE) – a joint venture partner in which APP holds a 20% interest – to construct and operate its “Gasplasma” plants globally utilizing particular industrial wastes.

Ontario, Canada-based TurboSonic announced April 26 that it won a Cdn$2.7 million (US$2.75 million) contract from an undisclosed, gasification-based waste-to-energy (WTE) project developer for the company’s “SonicKleen” wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) technology.

Sweden-based Chemrec announced April 24 that it signed a “cooperation agreement” with China Tianchen Engineering (TCC) “to provide an integrated offering of Chemrec plants on a global lump-sum turn-key basis and co-market the Chemrec black liquor gasification technology.”

A new study by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) for the American Chemistry Council (ACC) finds that gasification and pyrolysis are emerging as relatively “green” technologies for waste-to-energy (WTE) projects.

Refinery technology vendor Axens and coal-to-liquids (CTL) technology developer Headwaters are promoting a novel coal/residual oil co-processing scheme that could open up new possibilities for motor fuels from relatively low-value feedstocks.

Air Liquide announced April 26 that it started-up a 120 million standard cubic feet/day steam methane reformer (SMR) in La Porte, Texas, for hydrogen production.

Lurgi/Air Liquide is touting a new “FBDB Mk Plus” version of its fixed-bed dry-bottom gasification technology, boosting prospects for lower-cost synthetic natural gas (SNG) production.

Connecticut-based UTC Power announced April 24 that an affiliate of Beacon Capital Partners, LLC. has installed one UTC’s “PureCell” stationary fuel cell system at its 1211 Avenue of the Americas building in New York City.

The China Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute (CERI) technology is winning more commercial gasification projects – beyond the initial “GreenGen” integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant that just started-up.

The “Biofuels Research Infrastructure for Sharing Knowledge” (BRISK) program announced April 20 that it’s now accepting applications from researchers for the €10.84 million (US$14.3 million) project.

Gasification projects around the world.

The widest-circulation newspaper in Mississippi – the Jackson Clarion-Ledger – on April 28 published an editorial endorsing continuation of the Mississippi Power Co.’s US$2.4 billion, 582-megawatt (MW) Kemper County integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) project.

Alberta Premier Alison Redford (Progressive Conservative party) on April 23 won re-election to her post – an encouraging sign for proponents of gasification-based projects in the energy-rich Canadian province.

Citing too-low prices on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, Canada-based TransAlta, Enbridge and Capital Power announced April 26 that they’re abandoning the “Pioneer” carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Alberta.

The U.K. Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) announced April 25 that the U.K. will allocate up to £60 million (US$96 million) to “support the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology in emerging markets.”