Biomass is likely to have a crucial role in Europe's ability to meet its targets for renewable use by 2020, according to a new report, ' Strategic Assessment for European Biomass Energy Markets' from Frost & Sullivan. Biomass, says the report, is the largest renewable resource in use and offers cost effective and sustainable opportunities that can meet the rising energy demand in Europe. In fact it forms almost two-thirds of all renewables in the fast growing renewable sector, owing to its competitive prices.

The US Patent Office has confirmed that the patent application by First American Scientific Corp (FASC) contains allowable subject matter which will result in the granting a new patent for the Kinetic Disintegration System (KDS) biomass processing system developed by the company.

Permission to build a 65mW biomass power plant in the north east of the UK has been granted to Helius Energy, by the UK's Department of Energy today (16th June). The power station is, says the company, the first phase of an integrated bioenergy development on a 36 hectare site 4km from the port of Immingham.

A research collaboration agreement, to work on a new approach for deriving ethanol from biomass, has been announced (12th June) between Harvard University’s Office of Technology Development and SunEthanol, Inc.

Under the agreement, Harvard Medical School researchers will work to develop new genetic strains of a proprietary natural bacterium that SunEthanol is using to convert cellulose into ethanol. SunEthanol is developing the 'Q Microbe' to produce ethanol from a variety of plentiful biomass feedstocks, including switchgrass, corn stover, wheat straw, sugar cane bagasse, and wood pulp.

Today's (13th June) announcement by the EU that it will initiate an investigation into imports of subsidised B99 biodiesel from the USA has been welcomed by the European Biodiesel Board (EBB). In a statement issued earlier today the EBB said; "The Commission decision to proceed with an investigation on the B99 case comes as an encouraging move for our industry. This is an important political signal from EU authorities in favour of a fair international trade of biofuels and it is crucial that this will lead to the timely imposition of countervailing measures against US biodiesel imports to the EU."

There is a clear role for ag and industrial biotech, according to Jack Huttner, vice president, Biorefinery Business Development at Genencor, and that is to increase yields of agricultural crops and other biomass crops for both food and biofuels and to commercialize second and third generation cellulosic biofuels. Huttner was outlining the industry's view on the market during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing held yestday (12th June) on the relationship between U.S. renewable fuels policy and food prices.

The suspension of cereal import duties in the EU will remain in force for the next marketing year - to June 30, 2009 – unless market conditions justify their reintroduction before that date said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, today (13th June) . The proposal, which was put to the Management Committee for cereals today, is a reaction to the continuing tight situation on the cereals markets and the resulting high price levels. At the same time, there are no export refunds on cereal exports.

Anti-subsidy and anti-dumping investigations into imports of biodiesel from the United States has been initiated by the EU today (13th June). The decision follows complaints, lodged by the European Biodiesel Board, that US exporters were effectively dumping biodiesel on the European market.