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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Specialized shelter for cats with immune system virus opens at Sanctuary One UPDATE: All lanes are back open near Rogue River following semi crash One Utah man dead, another injured in shooting over truck in O'Brien Emergency services, April 19 Public meetings: April 20-24 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services UPDATE: All lanes are back open near Rogue River following semi crash Emergency services, April 19 Emergency services, April 18 Jurors see shocking conditions of accused serial killer's farm Emergency services Politics and Elections Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Kent Bush: Clinton 2.0 is neither new nor improved Arthur I. Cyr: Britain’s earthquake election Former state Senate President Brady Adams dies Education Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Crater dropout says graduating high school would've saved him time and money New Medford middle school would offer Montessori approach Mae Richardson Elementary turns 50 Prepping before 9th grade Environment Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste Sugar Pine Mine co-owner: "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel" Oath Keepers say they'll defend contested mining claim on BLM land Central Point's Arbor Day project will provide shade along Mingus Creek State News Oregon gun-rights advocates seek recalls of three Democrats Junction City police chief claims religious discrimination in attempted firing Governor Brown says Oregon 'back on track' in State of the State address Ex-Daimler Portland engineer files $2 million discrimination suit Mannix-backed measure targets taxes Nation - World Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Gloria Ruth Pelett Allsup Tobi Andrews (Sherri M. Wagler) Cynthia Rose Spies Robert Lynn Jolliffe Charles Henry Herman “Hank” Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Panthers pick up wins in Eugene Kenseth slides into first at rainy Bristol Source: Philadelphia to sign QB Tebow Eckert, Beavers take series from Arizona Furyk breaks drought at RBC Varsity 541 College Sports Eckert, Beavers take series from Arizona Randall drives SOU into postseason Beaver fans get first look at Andersen, Collins Raiders drop two pitching duels at EOU Beavers ring in new era with spring game Pro Sports Source: Philadelphia to sign QB Tebow Furyk breaks drought at RBC Royals overcome five ejections to beat A’s Bailey picks up modified win Crawford, Heston lead Giants to win Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories GREEN ACRES: Southern Oregon provides escape from the maddening crowd Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Blog: Spring Cleaning: Revisited Since You Asked: Metro Medford rebranding proved economical Zombies join in the horror produced by local game companies Real Estate News GREEN ACRES: Southern Oregon provides escape from the maddening crowd Since You Asked: Metro Medford rebranding proved economical Jackson County median home price hits $215,000 in first quarter People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Erickson shores up business with three contracts Lithia Motors shares break the $100 mark Agriculture New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Opinion Latest Our View: The rule of law vs. armed confrontation Dana Milbank: America's new cycle of partisan hatred Letters to the Editor, April 19 George Will: Don't seize the raisins Charles Krauthammer: The queen travels by van Editorials Our View: The rule of law vs. armed confrontation Other Views: State Board of Education dragging its feet over Native American mascots Our View: Impeachment should be an option Our View: Gun background check bill is worth passing Our View: Don't expect a fix for I-5 viaduct through Medford anytime soon Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, April 19 Letters to the Editor, April 17 Letters to the Editor, April 16 Letters to the Editor, April 15 Letters to the Editor, April 14 Columns Dana Milbank: America's new cycle of partisan hatred George Will: Don't seize the raisins Charles Krauthammer: The queen travels by van Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history Guest Opinion: Removing barriers to walking, biking benefits everyone Guest Opinion: Conversion therapy on LGBT youth is child abuse Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: The Healing Power of Nature 6 must-see beaches on the Southern Oregon Coast On taxes and coffee comforts Pacey Snodgrass Food Tammy Kelly: Soft-shell crab is in season Community blog: Orange-blossom water enhances honey syrup High on flavor, low on calories: Cookbook offers tasty options for people trying to eat healthier Prudence Hilburn: Test-kitchen products become ‘secret’ specialties Community blog: Leave fruits whole for crumbles in a time crunch Home and Garden Carol Link: Tea olive shrubs can be propagated from new growth 12 ways ceiling fans keep you comfortable and save cash Dear Monty: Profiting with adaptive re-use Paul Rogers: Schedule your time wisely Home Help: 3 upgrades to help give your bathroom spa-like panache Health Community blog: The Healing Power of Nature Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Health Watch: How to avoid the dreaded weight-loss plateau Book Notes: A big body is not a bad body Go get physical Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Religion briefs: Friday, April 3 Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Milestones and Achievements Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Drizzle doesn't dampen Pear Blossom Parade spirit New Arrivals: Sunday, April 12 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Five picks for entertainment this week L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art Theater Ashland New Plays Festival chooses new artistic director A tale of two plays at OSF Oregon Cabaret Theatre's "The Musical!" delivers five clever Broadway parodies in Ashland OCT stages 'The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)' Auditions for youth musical set at Camelot Music Alex de Grassi and Andrew York play SOU Live Music in Local Clubs L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Community Events Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art 'BRAND,' 'Western' among Ashland Independent Film Festival award winners Ashland Co-Dependent Film Festival 2015 Pear Blossom Festival kicks off in Medford Ashland Independent Film Festival announces 2015 lineup Dining Restaurant inspections: April 19, 2015 Siam Cafe offers 'mild' to 'very spicy' Thai cuisine Restaurant inspections, April 12, 2015 La Tapatia offers authentically delicious cuisine RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: Sunday, April 5 Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW UPDATE: All lanes are back open near Rogue River following semi crash ... One Utah man dead, another injured in shooting over truck in O'Brien ... Our View: The rule of law vs. armed confrontation ... UPDATE: All lanes are back open near Rogue River following semi crash ... One Utah man dead, another injured in shooting over truck in O'Brien ... Our View: The rule of law vs. armed confrontation ... RENEWABLE RESOURCES Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste Industry pioneer in process lives in Ashland By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 16, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 16, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> When most Southern Oregonians think about biomass, they think of backyard clippings and wood waste destined for energy production in White City. Biomass technology, however, has made quantum leaps in recent years with a handful of production facilities around the world now breaking down cellulose into raw materials used in paper products, specialty chemicals, plastics and biofuels. The idea, said Carl Lehrburger who moved to Ashland five years ago, is to provide a low-cost alternative to petroleum-based products. "Everything you can do with oil you can do with biomass and feed stock," said Lehrburger said, who co-founded Fort Lupton, Colo.-based PureVision Technology in 1992. PureVision Technology's next generation breakthrough advanced biorefining from an enzyme-based process taking days to one taking less than 30 minutes. The rapidly deconstructed biomass breaks down into pulp, sugars and lignin (a polymer in plants' cell walls that makes them rigid and woody). Food-based biomass, such as corn, comprised the first generation as researchers looked for petroleum alternatives following the oil shocks of the 1970s, when crude prices soared. "At first the emphasis was on renewable fuels to offset the cost of imported oil," said Harry Cullinan, director of the Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering at Auburn University. "Over time, renewable chemicals and all that followed." PureVision Technology plans to build a commercial demonstration plant on a 5-acre site along the Columbia River in Boardman, where ZeaChem Inc., operates a $70 commercial demonstration facility.  The company's biorefining technology converts corn stalks, wheat straw and industrial hemp into components used to make thousands of bio-products. The patented process is producing a half-ton-per-day at a pilot plant at PureVision's Colorado headquarters. By piggy-backing on ZeaChem's $70 million plant infrastructure, PureVision will both reduce its costs and speed up its timetable. PureVision plans to begin processing 25 tons per day at its commercial demonstration site by the end of 2016. By 2017 or 2018, it expects that to be 250 to 500 tons per day. The company announced its plans last month at the Oregon Hemp Conference in Portland. "Second-generation biomass uses a the non-food portion of corn and other feed stock," Lehrburger said. "The industry has been developing ways to break down biomass that was much harder than starchy materials. Lehrburger has been immersed in renewables, waste management and recycling for 30 years, handling environmental assessments and waste management studies for private clients, trade associations, state and federal agencies. He is past president and chairman for PureVision Technology and remains on its board. He said current industry technology uses enzymes to break down cellulose, producing primarily biofuels. Five global competitors, including DuPont, use the existing technology in commercial cellulosic biorefineries, producing primarily fuels. PureVision uses a countercurrent approach, feeding in solids at one end and fluids at the other end of an auger-like machine. The resulting collision results in the formation of desirable and marketable materials. "When the solids and liquid, or whatever chemicals, are in isolation they work their magic," said Cullinan, a chemical engineering professor whose primary focus has been on the pulp and paper industry, alternative fuels and biorefining. Lignin accounts for 20 to 25 percent of all biomass, Lehrburger said. Pulp companies chemically extracted lignin, which was then burned to produce energy because it could't be used as a high value product.  "Our process produces a more native lignin that is more usable in making plastics," he said. Extracted sugars can be used in sweeteners such as Xylitol. With the opportunity to work with pulp and other biomaterial processors, Lehrburger sees great opportunity. Lehrburger said the Boardman site makes sense because its cornstalk supply is located within a 50-mile radius and wood components are within a 100-mile radius.  "Beyond that distance, transportation becomes uneconomical," he said. "Once the technology is demonstrated commercially, we will deploy it anywhere there is a feedstock supply." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at  www.mailtribune.com/ Economic Edge .     By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 16, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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