Biodiesel News

German automaker Mercedes-Benz is probing the possibility to shift its diesel cars and other vehicles in India to biodiesel.  "Mercedes has given me a letter that they can use 100% biodiesel in their cars and buses," Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told the India Times nespaper. "Mercedes India chief has told me that the standards which we have prescribed for biodiesel can…
Read More »

The New York City Council is planning to pass legislation on Wednesday to give a major boost to the level of biodiesel blended into home heating oil. But the planned policy comes amidst criticism from environmental groups claiming that the increased biodiesel percentage will do more harm than good for the nature. Currently, New York has a mandate in place to blend 2% of biofuels, such as soybean…
Read More »

The government of Argentina has more than doubled export taxes on biodiesel, further distressing the industry already suffering from low oil prices and closed markets. The export taxes were increased in February to 3.89pc from 1.62pc in January, which were the lowest since the government implemented a sliding-scale system of export duties for the biofuel in 2012. The biodiesel industry sees the…
Read More »

Biox Corp., a Canadian renewable energy company, has acquired a 50 million litre nameplate capacity biodiesel facility in Ontario, Canada, from Methes Energies Canada. The 21-acre facility in the village of Sombra, near Sarnia, with good logistics including on site rail, changed hands at a price of US$4.5 million (€3.9m). Originally constructed in 2009, the facility has not achieved…
Read More »

Renewable Energy Group plans a $24 million (€21.7m) investment to expand its first biorefinery to an annual nameplate production capacity of 30 million gallons. The REG Ralston expansion announcement comes on the heels of Landus Cooperative expanding its adjacent soy crush operation. "Ralston is where it all began for REG and the experience and lessons we have learned, and are still…
Read More »

United Airlines will use Honeywell Green Jet Fuel to power 12,500 flights from Los Angeles to San Francisco as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and support energy diversification. The fuel for the flights was produced by AltAir Paramount using Honeywell UOP's proprietary renewable jet fuel process technology, which converts non-edible animal fats and oils into renewable fuels. The…
Read More »

Global agribusiness Cargill has announced that it will sell two of its European-based oilseed processing plants and businesses to Bunge. The plants are based in the Netherlands and France. In the Netherlands, the transaction includes the soybean and rapeseed crush and soybean oil refining facility in the Port of Amsterdam as well as part of the bulk port terminal assets dedicated to…
Read More »

Two ex-biofuel bosses in Indiana, US, have been sentenced to prison for their roles in what federal authorities say was a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving biodiesel. Jeffrey Wilson, Imperial Petroleum’s ex-CEO, and Craig Ducey, a co-owner of E-biofuels, were sentenced to serve prison terms of 120 months and 74 months, respectively, for their roles in fraud schemes involving…
Read More »

The Governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad, has signed a bill that extends biodiesel incentives in the US state through to 2024. The bill, called 2309, includes a tax credit that helps keep the state's 13 biodiesel producers competitive on a national scale. It also includes a retailer's credit that entices fuel retailers to carry higher blends of biodiesel than they may currently carry. Flanked by…
Read More »

Activists from Greenpeace blocked entry to a palm oil refinery at the Port of Rotterdam for seven hours on Tuesday due to claims of the plant being linked to Indonesian environmental concerns. A report by the environmental group links IOI, the owner of the Croklaan palm oil refinery, to deforestation, wildfires, and human rights violations including using child labour in Indonesia. The ten…
Read More »

A group of environmental groups in the UK are calling on the next Mayor of London to commit to making the capital's buses run on clean fuel. The NGOs, including Greenpeace, WWF, RSPB and the National Trust, have drawn together 20 policy suggestions to improve London's environment and will publish them today to mark the start of Greener London Week. Suggestions include the introduction of…
Read More »

In the US, disputes over the current state and the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) continue as the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) VP of federal affairs Anne Steckel testified to the US Congress about the benefits of biodiesel. Biodiesel is delivering the vast majority of advanced biofuel under the RFS and is poised for continued growth with strong policy, Steckel said in her prepared…
Read More »

In the US, the city of South Portland has launched a pilot programme to run a proportion of its municipal vehicles on locally produced biodiesel. During the year-long programme, the Maine city will trial the use of 20% biodiesel (B20) produced by Maine Standard Biofuels, which would upon success be expanded to the city’s entire vehicle fleet. With a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions…
Read More »

The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) commends Canada’s Liberal government's first federal budget for its focus on climate change. Tabled on Tuesday by Finance Minister Bill Morneau, the 2016 budget commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, pricing carbon emissions, and addressing climate change. The budget provides CAN$50 million (€34.1m) over four years to Sustainable…
Read More »