Features

Palm oil prices are expected to decrease slightly from its current levels over the next three to six months due to fall in demand caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Although palm oil supply is also being negatively impacted by government containment measures as plantation operations are being disrupted which could support prices in the very near term, we believe demand destruction will be…
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The agave plant used to make tequila could be used to make biofuels. Found in the semi-arid Australia, the plant could become an environmentally friendly solution to Australia's transport fuel shortage as reported in the Journal for Cleaner Production. A team of researchers at the University of Sydney, University of Exeter and University of Adelaide have been carrying out research into the…
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The European Union’s (EU) new Green Deal, with its goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero by 2050, has come to dominate policy discussions in Brussels. If implemented, it would be one of the most ambitious endeavours in the EU’s 70-year history and amount to a revolution for the transport sector. Electrification will be a fundamental contributor, notably in the light-duty…
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A new guide from the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) for fleet operators shows how renewable fuels can immediately cut greenhouse gas emissions in road transport, particularly from commercial vehicles. While the focus has been mainly on vehicle electrification for meeting the UK’s net zero target as it applies to road transport, there are still major technical challenges to be…
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A new study carried out by economic modelling experts from Purdue University in the US has found the impacts of US biofuel policy on deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia to be ‘insignificant’. The study, titled ‘US Biofuel Production and Policy Implications for Land Use Changes in Malaysia and Indonesia’, considered concerns from renewable fuel opponents claiming that biofuels are…
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In light of today’s concerns about climate change and generating clean energy, there has been increased discussion involving alternative fuels such as biodiesel. Biodiesel, which is derived mainly from vegetable oils and animal fats, is taking the stage as a popular candidate for replacing petroleum diesel for a variety of well-supported reasons. Perhaps the most convincing reason is  that…
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This year is going to be a massive 12 months for biofuels in Brazil, with the launch on Christmas Eve 2019 of the government backed RenovaBio carbon credit programme, the country’s ambitious national biofuels policy, which has been in the making since December 2016, writes Colin Ley. Following three years of heated debate concerning what impact the new policy will have on the development of…
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As we enter a new decade, the world’s energy sector stands at a crossroads in its efforts to improve the sustainability of its supply. The case for greener, cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels was made many years ago, but the growing calls for significant action on climate change have pushed this issue to the forefront of the industry’s strategy for 2020 and beyond. The increased focus on…
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Discovering the world, working with people across the globe, commuting to work every day or consuming exotic fruits imported to Europe – nearly every European is used to at least one of these habits producing a significant amount of carbon emissions. On the road to decarbonising transport and reaching climate targets, the market uptake of renewable fuels is essential. The European transport…
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By Raj Shah, David Forester, Philip Iaccarino and Kareem Mehdi Bioenergy and biofuels are of increasing public and private interest as the world stands at a crossroads of rising energy demand and concerns over climate change. Biofuels are under an ever-brightening spotlight and touted as an ostensibly “cleaner” alternative to fossil fuels. However, in order to glean more than a simple…
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Deriving cooking energy from anything other than reticulated gas networks or reliable electricity grids seems alien to many in the West. But infrastructure, capital and technology deficits in many emerging markets mean millions are forced to rely on traditional, inefficient and polluting cooking fuel sources. In the largest African cities alone, cooking fuel is a $20 billion (almost €18…
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Trucent’s enhanced corn oil separation offering has three prongs: new corn oil separation chemistry, improved mechanical separation solutions, and optimisation services The story behind Trucent’s updated programme started with a basic question, says Jennifer Aurandt-Pilgrim, director of technical services. “Our clients were asking us, ‘Why does our corn oil performance change from day…
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Lallemand offers a brief insight into the ever-changing world of industrial enzymes for alcohol production What do enzymes do? Why do we need them? Enzymes can be defined as any of a group of complex proteins or conjugated proteins that are produced by living cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions. What exactly are enzymes? So enzymes, despite ‘doing things’ in our…
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