Formula 1's plan to move towards biofuels with its latest cars could result in a new tussle because of changes it will bring in engine cooling characteristics. New rules governing the sport will require the F1 teams to run their engines with a 10% blend of advanced sustainable ethanol. This was originally due to come in next season but has since been put back. Work has... [Read More]

Concerns are growing as to whether Brazil will be able to maintain its recent growth pace for ethanol production as demand for biofuels reduces as the global Covid19 impact continues to bite. The Latin American country produced 244m litres of ethanol from sugarcane during the first two weeks of March, according to Brazilian sugarcane industry association Única. Ethanol... [Read More]

  Two companies have invested $100m (€91m) in R&D and combined technologies to convert natural and renewable gas sources into methanol, ultra-low sulphur diesel, naphtha and low carbon renewable fuels. Gas Technologies LLC and INFRA Synthetic Fuels will market and commercialise their new integrated gas to liquid (GTL) plants capable of producing  the... [Read More]

International technology group ANDRITZ has started up a fossil-free biomethanol plant at the Södra Cell Mönsterås pulp mill in south-east Sweden. The global company is using its self-developed A-Recovery+ concept that delivers commercial grade biomethanol by using a patented extraction process. The plant has an annual production capacity of 6.3 million litres... [Read More]

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... [Read More]

The number of fuel stations in the US offering Flex-Fuel E85 has reached a new milestone. E85 (or flex fuel) is a term that refers to high-level ethanol-gasoline blends containing 51% to 83% ethanol, depending on geography and season. A Casey’s General Store in Ankeny, Iowa, became the 5,000th station nationwide to sell E85. While offering lower emissions... [Read More]

More chemical companies are switching to the production of hand sanitisers as global demand grows in the current crisis. Swedish firm Sekab is now producing the product for the healthcare system after getting a temporary exemption from the Swedish Chemicals Industry. Within one to two weeks, Sekab expects to produce around 65,000 litres made from ethanol from Domsjö... [Read More]

Two Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) members have sent the first donated shipment of ethanol and glycerin to be used by the prison industries for the production of hand sanitiser during the national shortage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The donation was made by Iowa ethanol producer Absolute Energy and Iowa biodiesel producer Western Iowa Energy. The IRFA... [Read More]

One of the world’s largest producers of renewable diesel has delayed crucial work at one of its refineries due to the coronavirus outbreak. Neste Porvoo has announced that the implementation of the major turnaround of the Porvoo refinery as originally planned was being halted and delayed. The Government of Finland has declared a state of emergency around the country... [Read More]

In light of the recent outbreak of Covid-19 (coronavirus), the Biofuels International team is thinking of all those affected by the virus. We understand that along with the impact on health, the virus is also causing major issues for industries and businesses. We want to update our readers and advertisers on the plans for our Biofuels International distribution over... [Read More]

Several American ethanol plants have slashed production over the past week or idled entirely as the coronavirus outbreak cuts into fuel consumption and hit margins to refine the corn-based fuel, the head of a biofuel trade group revealed. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Chief Executive Geoff Cooper said on a conference call he expects ethanol production to fall... [Read More]

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) celebrated National Biodiesel Day this year by kicking off its 2020 vehicle branding programme with the theme “Biodiesel: Better. Cleaner. Now!” The NBB is encouraging biodiesel users to promote their use of biodiesel and share its benefits by applying for matching funds to be used for vehicle branding initiatives which may include... [Read More]

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... [Read More]

At the moment the vast majority of Europe’s renewable target is met with land-based biofuels like corn and alfalfa. But critics have argued that such biofuels are not economically and environmentally sustainable. The use of such land-based biofuels can lead to more intensive use of resources, a reduction in biodiversity and the increase in higher GHG emissions... [Read More]

Since Covid-19 first made the news when it struck in a place in China most of us had never heard of, little did we suspect the global consequences three months later. Normal daily life as we know it has been severely disrupted, thousands of people have died worldwide, borders between countries are being closed and the stock markets and our global economies have taken... [Read More]

Biomass fuels derived from various grasses could significantly mitigate global warming by reducing carbon, according to a long-term joint field study by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Michigan State University (MSU). In a new paper published in Environmental Science and Technology, the researchers examined a number of different cellulosic... [Read More]