tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56737737154066312472024-03-05T19:08:07.730-05:00Better BTU BlogBetter BTU is a small group of industry experts who monitor and evaluate trends in an effort to forward the development of the biomass industry. Made up primarily of engineers, project developers and businessmen, we use our connections with others in the business (consulting firms, lawyers, financiers, etc.) to bring objective and informative blog posts.The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-21301633499475960392014-08-04T14:30:00.000-04:002014-08-04T14:30:37.827-04:00The Project Developer and the Statistician: A Lesson in Probabilities
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
606
2851
US Microgrid
59
11
4246
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-78017845318016401852014-06-24T17:15:00.000-04:002014-06-24T17:15:08.108-04:00We’re Back – and Brighter Than Ever!
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
196
1119
US Microgrid
9
2
1374
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-10195182412390449242013-02-28T16:10:00.001-05:002013-02-28T16:10:29.546-05:00Chicken or the Egg: Project Development from Feedstock to Output
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
662
3779
US Microgrid
31
7
4640
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-64080816693403519332012-12-03T15:49:00.000-05:002012-12-03T15:49:05.777-05:00Global Climate Change Summit Brings Questions of America’s Role in Reversing Carbon Trends
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
626
3573
US Microgrid
29
7
4387
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-7709112808411542722012-11-06T11:31:00.000-05:002012-11-06T11:31:55.076-05:00China and U.S. Waste Strategy: More Similar Than You Think<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
662
3774
US Microgrid
31
7
4634
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-57918298087122837252012-10-03T17:21:00.001-04:002012-10-03T21:50:13.680-04:00Myths About Recycling and WTE: Why Towns Shouldn’t Fear WTE Will Hurt Recycling<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
785
4476
US Microgrid
37
8
5496
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-63646246571427033202012-09-13T14:34:00.000-04:002012-09-13T14:35:06.096-04:00All-Of-The-Above: One Policy, Two Different Takes on Threat of Global Warming<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
741
4226
US Microgrid
35
8
5189
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-27735581632904218582012-08-30T16:03:00.000-04:002012-08-30T16:06:01.461-04:00The Bias Within: How Confirmation Bias Affects WTE<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
536
3057
US Microgrid
25
6
3754
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-27265331716313252512012-08-14T15:28:00.000-04:002012-08-14T15:28:44.341-04:00State Sovereignty: Mass. Banks on Sun and Wind over Biomass
Last month we discussed New Hampshire’s bold move to grant
biomass projects the same incentives as other sources of renewable energy. This
month we look at a neighboring state moving in the opposite direction.
Governor Patrick signs Senate Bill 2395. Courtesy: EricHaynes/Governor's Office.
On Aug. 3rd, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick
signed Senate Bill 2395, The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-67152358971864671552012-08-05T21:37:00.000-04:002012-08-05T21:37:22.402-04:00Industry Spotlight: John May
When we think of leaders of the renewable energy field we
frequently picture engineers and scientists tinkering with machines or
lobbyists fighting for emissions controls and government programs that foster
green energy development. But there is another element, behind the scenes, that
must develop in order to make the rest possible: the financial element.
John M. May, The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-56682459562343080262012-07-23T12:40:00.000-04:002012-07-23T13:07:23.079-04:00Who Turned Out the Lights on the Power Grid?
If you are one of the millions on the East Coast who has
lost power as a result of storms, you know how fragile the electric grid can
be. An aging transmission system and increasingly bad weather means that lots
of Americans have gone without air conditioning in triple-digit temperatures.
U.S. Power Grid Lines. Image courtesy of US Infrastructure.
As many question what can be done to limitThe Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-16593075385234354212012-07-12T21:53:00.000-04:002012-07-16T12:33:53.736-04:00State Sovereignty: New Hampshire’s Bold RPS Move
Better BTU is launching a series of blog posts that will
appear over the next few months to examine RPS standards in some of the 29 states that
have them and how it helps or hurts the development of the biomass industry as a
whole. We’ll also examine the pros and cons of establishing a national RPS and
invite you to contribute your own thoughts to this discussion.
New Hampshire has The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-64211536053116979842012-06-27T10:57:00.000-04:002012-06-27T10:57:49.185-04:00Celebrating America's WTE Efforts with a New Magazine<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
401
2287
US Microgrid
19
4
2808
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-40857326293685954992012-06-10T14:15:00.002-04:002012-06-10T14:16:59.388-04:00A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Waste's State of the Union
Benefits of Expanding WTE Deployment
April’s issue of POWER Magazine featured an excerpt of Stan
Rosinski’s white paper entitled Waste-to-Energy
Technology: Opportunities for Expanding Renewable Generation & Reducing
Carbon Emissions. This paper serves as a relatively up-to-date overview of the
state of the WTE industry in Europe, Asia and the U.S.
Seeing this paper again reminded usThe Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-33091804312792644622012-05-31T17:27:00.000-04:002012-05-31T17:27:33.420-04:00Education, My Dear Watson<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
480
2737
US Microgrid
22
5
3361
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-44150628143739798732012-05-22T12:34:00.000-04:002012-05-22T12:35:56.980-04:00Memo to Obama: Follow Brazil to Energy Independence
As our dependence on foreign oil continues to be a concern
for Americans, the topic of alternative energy is sure to be a hot-button issue
in November’s presidential race. Obama has made appearances in several key
states over the past few months to argue the importance of developing
alternatives to foreign oil and to defend his “all of the above” plan from
critics who say he’s abandoned oil andThe Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-59524985416910506312012-05-09T14:27:00.001-04:002012-05-16T21:14:10.381-04:00San Jose Sets the Emerald Standard for Green Cities
Cities across the U.S. and around the world have proclaimed
themselves as an emerging hub for the clean tech industry. But while some
mayors may have visions of biodiesel-fueled buses and green collar jobs dancing
in their heads, San Jose is leading the charge with its Green Vision plan.
Led by forward-thinking Mayor Chuck Reed, the Capital of the
Silicon Valley adopted the Green Vision, an The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-40114171009756504332012-04-30T15:34:00.000-04:002012-04-30T15:34:53.393-04:00Numbers Game: Deciding if Your Project is Economically Viable
Over the past several months, we’ve received messages from
developers asking us about the economics of possible waste-to-energy projects. We
thought it might be helpful to write a blog post on what goes into determining
the economic viability of a project.
As is the case with any new industry, new project developers
come from a variety of backgrounds. While some enter with a The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-79715837836043549942012-04-18T13:55:00.000-04:002012-04-18T13:55:45.647-04:00Getting the Facts on Garbage
Photo: The Wall Street Journal
Did you know that every
year we throw out enough plastic film to shrink-wrap the state of Texas? Or
that the widely accepted E.P.A. figure of 4.4 lbs. of trash per person per day
has actually been upped to 7 lbs. as a result of more recent survey by Columbia
University?
These tidbits and more
can be found in last Saturday’s edition of The
Wall Street JournalThe Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-49460277933701059412012-04-03T12:38:00.001-04:002012-04-03T12:38:50.804-04:00Wanted: A Guide Dog, Not A Watch Dog
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
670
3822
US Microgrid
31
7
4693
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-75020571739240843182012-03-20T14:54:00.000-04:002012-03-20T14:54:19.123-04:00BioEnergy Symposium Wrap-up: Fuel Me Up!<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
448
2558
US Microgrid
21
5
3141
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-72842504249386740532012-03-16T00:31:00.001-04:002012-03-16T00:31:24.261-04:00The Nuts and Bolts – Why We Do What We Do
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
298
1704
US Microgrid
14
3
2092
12.0
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-83245794146773773132012-03-07T16:01:00.001-05:002012-03-07T16:03:54.698-05:00BioEnergy Symposium 2012 - Transportation Biofuels
If you are looking to
increase your knowledge of the renewable energy industry or to make some
contacts in the field, we suggest you attend the Second Annual BioEnergy
Symposium, held on Mar. 13-14 at UNC Charlotte. Hosted by the UNC Charlotte
IDEAS Center and its Environmental Assistance Office, as well as local firm
Calor Energy, this year’s conference will focus on the area of The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-46753628298398324642012-02-27T15:32:00.002-05:002012-02-28T08:28:08.013-05:00Clinton Endorses Waste-to-Energy Initiatives in an Attempt to Close Landfills
It’s an unfortunate fact of our society that he who shouts
the most is likely to get results, regardless of the validity of the message.
Advocacy groups and politicians bank on that – frequently relying on negative
campaigns to crush opponents. Radical environmental groups have successfully
shut down several projects around the world simply by spreading fear to an
unknowing public, often times The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673773715406631247.post-75389119233154775942012-01-20T17:43:00.004-05:002012-01-20T17:57:50.527-05:00Déjà vu: No Time for the Timid
This anecdote was shared
by one of our members after his time at the West Coast Waste Conversion
Congress:
A little over nine
years ago, I was attending a conference sponsored by a genset company to gather
information for a cow manure project I was considering. The presenter gave a
great talk on his manure-to-digester gas project and I raced up to speak with
him afterwards.
Eagerly The Better BTUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16262511871918652754noreply@blogger.com0