The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) price index for vegetable oils in April slipped 5.2% compared to the previous month. This was down 7.2 points to 131.8 points - the lowest level since August 2019 and also the third decline in the last three months. According to the FAO the reason was falling prices for palm oil, soybean oil and rapeseed oil. In contrast,... [Read More]

The Dekker Group has revealed plans to expand its operations in the port of Rotterdam. The company had extended its long-term lease contracts for its subsidiary Maastank at Welplaatkade in the Botlek area by 25 years. Managing director Jan Duel said: “By entering into this new long-term lease for our existing and newly-allocated sites, we plan to further strengthen... [Read More]

In this article, Hank A. Britain, director of optimisation and advanced control at OpX Control, reveals how the base control layer can be improved to reduce variability, and how many advanced process control (APC)-type functions can be done in the distributed control system (DCS), leading to improved control in ethanol plants. Part I: Begin with the base layer In a... [Read More]

Neste is bringing renewable diesel to a significant number of new stations in Finland. With the expansion, Neste MY Renewable Diesel will be available at around 120 stations in growth centres as well as smaller towns. Katri Taskinen, vice president responsible for the sales of the Neste station network in Finland, said: “Our customers have asked for more stations... [Read More]

Growth Energy has welcomed the inclusion of long-awaited assistance for the struggling biofuels industry in the HEROES Act. The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act is a new COVID-19 relief package that has passed the US House of Representatives. “The economic onslaught sparked by COVID-19 has taken a terrible toll on rural families,... [Read More]

Sekab E-technology AB and Praj Industries have signed a collaboration agreement geared towards the production of sustainable biofuels and chemical products. India-based Praj industries is aiming to scale up, integrate and optimise the CelluAPP technology platform developed by Sekab. The CelluAPP being the latest in coniferous residue conversion into biofuels, green chemicals... [Read More]

The international trade fair expo PetroTrans, which was to take place in conjunction with expo GasTrans, has been axed due to COVID-19. The event will not take place as planned from 1-3 October, but in the autumn of 2022. The decision to postpone the trade fair did not come lightly to the organisers, but was inevitable in light of social distancing and global restrictions.... [Read More]

Pacific Ethanol, a leading producer and marketer of low-carbon renewable fuels and high-quality alcohol products in the US, has reported its financial results for the three months ending on 31 March. The company reported that net sales were $311m (€287 million) compared with £355 million (€328 million) in 2019. Total gallons sold amounted to 184.9 million this year... [Read More]

Soybean production accounts for the largest hectarage and has shown the biggest increase in area relative to other legume crops, according to new EU Commission statistics. The crop occupies an area of just about 1 million hectares in 2020, which is up 11% year-on-year. Figures show Italy is the biggest soybean producer in the European region followed by France and Romania. Soybean... [Read More]

Clariant has revealed that due to the Covid-19 pandemic it is withholding the distribution of its regular dividend. Instead of the originally planned distribution of CHF 0.55 (52c) per share dividend by way of a par value reduction, the available earnings will be carried forward. If the economic environment and the financial condition of the company allow, an extraordinary... [Read More]

CropEnergies has reported record revenues of €899 million in the 2019/20 financial year compared with €779 million previously. The Mannheim-based company also reported that its profits had tripled to €104 million up from €33 million the previous year. The company said the main reason for the increase in earnings was an increased demand for climate-friendly... [Read More]

Velocys, the sustainable fuels technology company, has announced it has secured a further £1m funding for the Altalto waste-to-fuels project from British Airways and Shell. The proposed Altalto Immingham plant is to convert hundreds of thousands of tonnes per year of residual waste into sustainable fuels - mainly aviation fuel. The project is being executed under a... [Read More]

Valmet will supply automation to AustroCel’s bioethanol plant currently under construction in Austria. The advanced automation technology will provide the plant in Hallein with high operational flexibility, reliability and availability in producing biofuel to replace fossil fuel. The order was included in Valmet’s orders received of the first quarter of this year.... [Read More]

The Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (MINCIT) has announced it will impose duties of $0.1997 per gallon on US ethanol exports to Colombia. A joint statement from leadership of the US. Grains Council, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association said they were disappointed with the implementation. The statement said: “While we have co-operated... [Read More]

The aviation industry requires effective and sustainable solutions to meet its commitments – at national and international level – in a global effort to reduce the impacts of climate change. With the implementation of CORSIA, the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, over 85% of global... [Read More]

More than 30 co-operative serving members across the upper Midwest in the US have signed a letter urging members of Congress to provide economic relief for food and ethanol processing plants. The letter was addressed to members of Congress from Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska. The letter calls for Congress to support additional stimulus package... [Read More]