Low carbon fuel company Gevo has successfully completed the first phase of a trial pilot of fleet vehicles using its low carbon, renewable drop-in isobutanol blended gasoline. The trial, which took place in the City of Seattle in in the US, saw a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its fleet of vehicles equal to 18 metric tons. The use of the low carbon... [Read More]

Minnesota-based Advanced BioEnergy has announced the sale of its Aberdeen and Huron ethanol plants to Glacial Lakes Energy for $47.5 million (€42.4 million), the Associated Press has reported. The transfer of the plant is due to take place in the third quarter of 2019, following shareholder approval. Advanced BioEnergy would be liquidated and the proceeds distributed... [Read More]

Next generation fuels producer LanzaTech has partnered with Novo Holdings to advance its sustainable fuels and chemicals platform. Novo Holdings will make a $72 million (€64.3 million) investment in the company in a Series E financing. The transaction, which will also see Novo’s senior director Anders Bendsen Spohr join LanzaTech’s board of directors, highlights... [Read More]

US ethanol association Growth Energy has announced the election of Nathan Vander Griend to the organisation’s board of directors. Vander Griend is president and CEO of ERI Solutions, which provides environmental, health and safety non-destructive testing (NDT), sustainability and risk control solutions to a range of industries, including biofuels. He also oversees... [Read More]

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded four grants totalling over $500,000 (€446,888) to expand biofuel access and production. Under its Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) programme, the MDA awarded grants to four recipients through two competitive review processes. A bioenergy/biochemical pilot project grant worth $150,000 (€134,060)... [Read More]

An ethanol plant in northwest Iowa, US has suspended production ‘until further notice’, according to a statement from the plant’s owner Plymouth Energy. The company’s ethanol plant is one of at least 10 in the US to temporarily suspend operations, with a further three closing for good, Radio Iowa reported. “A lot of the experts say we’ve got about a 10%... [Read More]

Renewable fuels producer Gevo has achieved International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) under the ISCC Plus scheme for food, feed, industrial applications, energy and biofuels outside Europe. The ISCC certification demonstrates the company’s sustainable cultivation of corn, which is then converted into renewable isobutanol, or biobutanol. ISCC Plus... [Read More]

US renewable fuels producer Pacific Ethanol has released its financial results for the second quarter and first half of 2019, with both sales and production impacted by the ‘current poor margin environment’. Pacific Ethanol reported net sales of $346.3 million (€313.6 million) for the second quarter of this year, down from last year’s sales. Total gallons sold... [Read More]

Two US Senators have renewed their bipartisan efforts to repeal the ethanol mandate under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), claiming that it negatively impacts the environment and increases prices. Senators Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) have introduced the Restore Environmental Sustainability to Our Renewable Energy (RESTORE) Act, which would abolish... [Read More]

Chinese company Zhongkai International has launched an ethanol processing plant in central Zambia, as reported by Chinese news agency Xinhau. The plant, which will cost $9 million (€8 million), will help the country to tackle fuel source problems and alleviate poverty, creating around 200 direct jobs. Ethanol will be produced from agricultural feedstock, including... [Read More]

Air Liquide company Airgas has opened its new liquid carbon dioxide and dry ice facility, which will convert gaseous carbon dioxide (CO2) produced as a by-product of ethanol into liquid CO2. Located in Stockton, California, the facility will capture and recycle all process and rain water that comes into contact with equipment to create a zero discharge site. CO2... [Read More]

Transportation fuel producer Valero Energy has reported a mixed bag of results for the second quarter of 2019. Reported net income attributable to stockholders was $612 million (€549.5 million), down from €845 million (€758.8 million) in the corresponding quarter in 2018. “We had solid operating performance while also completing major turnarounds at our Memphis,... [Read More]

UK energy major BP has agreed to form a 50/50 joint venture (JV) with US agricultural trader Bunge, creating a bioenergy company in Brazil. The JV, which will be known as BP Bunge Bioenergia, will operate 11 mills across the southeast, north and Midwest regions of Brazil, one of the largest fast-growing markets for biofuels in the world. The new company will have... [Read More]

Following a recent policy change by the Japanese Government, the country has received its first shipment of ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) made from US corn-based ethanol. According to the US Grains Council (USGC), this first shipment to Japan marks the country’s new demand for US ethanol-based products, as well as a milestone in efforts to develop the US ethanol market... [Read More]