The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would propose to extend deadlines for refiners to prove compliance with biofuel laws. However, the EPA said it would not decide on pending waiver requests submitted by the industry. The agency’s proposal represented mixed news for refiners hit by slumping energy demand during COVID-19 and want to sidestep regulatory... [Read More]

US ethanol producers have lost $3.8 billion (€3.1 billion) since the start of the pandemic up to November last year, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. With COVID-19 cases on the rise again, consumption of ethanol-blended petrol is rapidly falling again, threatening to derail the economic recovery in the ethanol industry. In response to reduced travel and... [Read More]

Indonesia's state energy company PT Pertamina has started trials on diesel made entirely out of palm oil. The work is being carried out at its Cilacap refinery on Java island after conducting trials on jet fuel late last year. The state-controlled company began the trials of the green diesel on January 9. Trials for the jet fuel took place at the end of December. "This... [Read More]

The rising presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is not a new problem and it is widely known. Last year in 2019, a new record amount of carbon dioxide was recorded in the atmosphere at around 409 ppm, and it will be increasing every year if past trends continue. Carbon dioxide emissions have also been increasing every year with an increase of approximately 12 billion... [Read More]

Soybean meal prices have strengthened recently leading to a rise in prices in the German spot market. Prices for rapeseed meal and especially GMO-free soybean meal increased significantly in the second half of the year 2020. At the beginning of the crop year in July 2020, GMO-free soybean meal with 48% crude protein was worth €456 per tonne. Six months later, it... [Read More]

The draft act transposing the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) was presented by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment at the end of last year. It was appraised and criticised at a press conference hosted by the organisers of the 18th International Conference on Renewable Mobility - Fuels of the Future 2021. The press conference was held in the run-up... [Read More]

A coalition of senators sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden requesting stronger support for farmers and the biofuels industry and to restore the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The senators, led by Senator Tammy Duckworth, called on the Biden Administration to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject pending Small Refinery Exemptions... [Read More]

CropEnergies generated revenues of €625 million in the first nine months of 2020/21. This was lower than the €668 million generated in the previous year by the Mannheim-based company. Due to higher ethanol sales prices and lower raw material prices than in the previous year, profits increased in the first three quarters to €109 million, €102 million in the previous... [Read More]

Many European governments are getting serious about developing sustainable jet fuels to tackle the climate impact of flying. But a new report shows Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland risk repeating the biofuels fiasco with plans to promote crop-based fuels that cause more carbon emissions than the fossil fuels they replace. Transport & Environment (T&E), which... [Read More]

The Prince of Wales has launched the Terra Carta – the Earth Charter – that aims to provide a roadmap to 2030 for businesses to move towards a sustainable future. The charter will serve as the guiding mandate for the Prince’s Sustainable Markets Initiative and seeks to put sustainability at the heart of the private sector. In section 2, Redesigning Net Zero &... [Read More]

Kuehne+Nagel has joined the Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF programme - launching the first carbon neutral airfreight lane between North America and Europe on New Year’s Day. This initiative marks another step towards the commercial deployment of alternative fuel and the companies’ commitment to a sustainable future for aviation. The year-round transportation... [Read More]

Neste and Avfuel Corporation have announced a strategic partnership to create a continuous supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the US. Neste will provide Avfuel with SAF in volumes able to meet the growing demands of its customers, including fixed base operators, airports, flight departments, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and commercial operators. The... [Read More]

HSBC is under pressure to cut its exposure to fossil fuels after a group of investors filed a climate resolution ahead of the bank’s annual meeting in April. In October, the lender announced that it would become a “net zero” carbon emissions bank by 2050. But a group of influential investors, including some of Europe’s biggest institutions, are calling on HSBC... [Read More]

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner are supporting a postponement of increased use of biofuels by Formula 1 teams next year. The sport is looking to increase the sustainability of its fuels, with the current level of biofuel used by teams standing at 5.75%. Under next year’s regulations that figure will rise to 10%, but F1 is already... [Read More]

Prices in the German rapeseed market climbed significantly, but sales remained at a low level. Most oil mills were stocked up well, with warehouses filled and supplies for the coming weeks secured. There were only occasional rapeseed purchases to meet short time shortages. At the same time, interest in selling was restrained, although prices were at a high level. The... [Read More]

A coalition of the nation’s largest biofuels and agricultural trade groups have filed its reply in support of its motion in the US Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia. The motion, originally filed in November, asked the court to enforce its 2017 decision requiring the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address its improper waiver of 500 million gallons... [Read More]