Bioethanol News

On 2 February, the Brazilian government agreed, along with ethanol producers, to increase the level of the sugar-based fuel in petrol. From 15 February, all petrol sold in Brazil will be required to include at least 27% ethanol, a 2% increase from the current minimum of 25%. This level was agreed upon in a meeting between Aloizio Mercadante, presidential chief of staff, and leaders of the Unica…
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As a result of the continuing fall in crude oil and bioethanol prices, along with the weakening of the euro versus sterling, Associated British Foods (ABF) has decided to impair its investment in Vivergo Fuels, its wheat-fed bioethanol joint venture with BP and DuPont in the UK. The interim results for the 24 weeks ending 28 February will include a non-cash exceptional charge of £98 million.
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Associated British Foods (ABF) has decided to impair its £98 million (€132 million) investment in Vivergo Fuels, citing 'the continuing fall in crude oil and bioethanol prices, and the further weakening of the euro against the sterling'. ABF is a shareholder in Vivergo and its wheat-to-ethanol production plant in the UK, along with BP and DuPont. ABF said in a statement that 'the…
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A joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell and Cosan, called Raizen, plans to spend nearly $1 billion (€846 million) on constructing ethanol production facilities to increase its biofuel output by 50%, according to the Financial Times. Over the next ten years, Cosan intends to build eight ethanol plants, for an estimated cost of $930 million. The plants will produce cellulosic ethanol fuel…
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A number of fire crews responded to a fire on 8 January at the Sunoco ethanol plant in Volney, Oswega County, New York. At least eight crews were called to the scene, where a fire had started in an empty warehouse section of the plant. No injuries were reported. 
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Low carbon renewable fuels producer Pacific Ethanol has made an agreement with Dresser-Rand to install a 3.5MW cogeneration system with gradual oxidiser at its Stockton, California plant for approximately $12 million (€10.2 million). The cogeneration system will displace purchased electricity by using Ener-Core's gradual oxidiser technology to convert waste gas from ethanol production and…
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Gevo, the world's only commercial producer of renewable isobutanol, has released an update on the progress of the Side-by-Side operational mode (SBS) of its plant in Luverne, Minnesota. The isobutanol producer announced that the facility produced over 50,000 gallons of isobutanol in December 2014. Last June, Gevo started the co-production of isobutanol and ethanol at the plant, with one fermenter…
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A fire broke out on the 19 January at the Illinois River Energy plant in Rochelle, Ogle County, Illinois. Emergency services responded to the fire and remained on the scene for a little over an hour. The fire started in a grain room of the ethanol plant after corn had been burnt following an electrical fault. No injuries were reported. There was minor damage to some of the facility's equipment.
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The Zimbabwean government has given Zimbabwe Bio-Energy, a joint venture between a group of private investors and the Development Trust of Zimbabwe, the go-ahead to develop its $500 million (€432 million) ethanol plant project in Nuanetsi Ranch in Mwenezi. The project, which will be the largest in the country, is expected to have more than 5000 employees and promote sugar growing by farmers.
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On 20 January, several fire crews responded to a fire at Big Rivers Resources' ethanol plant in Boyceville, Wisconsin, US. Reports from the Boyceville Fire Department say that the fire was started by a bearing on a motor that caught fire in a duct. The plant was shut down and evacuated. No one was injured. The fire was contained inside the building. To date, no damage estimate has been made.
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Edeniq, a biorefining and cellulosic technology company, has raised more than $16 million (€13.8 million) in equity. The funding will support the roll-out of Edeniq's Pathway Platform, which increases ethanol yield at existing plants by 3-6% through the conversion of starch and cellulosic corn kernel fibre into ethanol. The equity investment was led by I2BF Global Ventures, an existing…
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The joint project focuses on the development of an integrated, sustainable biorefinery for local lignocellulosic feedstocks. Russian and Indian scientists will join forces to develop technologies for producing fuels and chemicals from biomass within a 3-year period for a biorefinery project. Representatives of the Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS),…
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Firefighters in Greensboro, North Carolina, US, responded to a leaking tanker at a Ryder truck rental facility.  Approximately 2,000 gallons of ethanol spilled in an accident in south Greensboro, North Carolina. A tanker filled with ethanol burst after the landing gear, which is used to keep the trailer upright when not hooked to a tractor gave way.  Additional city crews with heavy…
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Biomass supply company, Genera Energy, has received a financing commitment from Boston-based investment firm WindSail Capital Group that provides financing to companies focusing on advancing energy and sustainability. The investment will enable Genera to continue its international growth by helping scale its energy crop production and supply chain operations, expand the variety of…
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