The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced up to AUD$500,000 (€311,719) in funding will be awarded to Boral Timber to investigate the feasibility of building a biorefinery capable of producing biodiesel from sawmill residues. If the facility at Boral Timber’s Hardwood Sawmill at Herons Creek near Port Macquarie, New South Wales, goes ahead,... [Read More]

The UK’s Renewable Energy Association (REA) has published new analysis on the impact the introduction of E10 blended petrol would have in the UK, arguing that the switch should be made ‘as soon as possible.’ Crucially, REA’s analysis suggests that there are significantly fewer main household cars on the road that are unwarrantied to use E10 than... [Read More]

New research shows that seawater could be used in place of freshwater for the production of bioethanol, lowering the process’ water footprint. In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, scientists from the University of Nottingham show that when combined with a new strain of marine yeast, the seawater can be used to replace freshwater during fermentation. "Current... [Read More]

The US National Biodiesel Board has reiterated the industry’s strong support for the passage of a new Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (commonly known as the Farm Bill) that includes funding for programmes that support biodiesel, in a letter to the Conference Committee working to finalise the legislation. The 2018 Farm Bill would lay out agricultural and nutritional... [Read More]

Major waste-based biofuel producer Argent Energy has announced the appointment of Erik Rietkerk as the company's new CEO. Rietkerk takes over leadership of the company from Jim Walker, the former managing director. Rietkerk has joined Argent from Amsterdam Commodities, a listed trading company in the Netherlands. According to a statement, he’ll bring experience in... [Read More]

All diesel vehicles in the City of Vancouver’s fleet will be fuelled by 100% renewable diesel, according to a statement. The City has signed a new supply contract with integrated energy company, Suncor. “This new contract concretely demonstrates our commitment to greening our operations and deriving 100% of our energy from renewable sources,” said Jerry... [Read More]

In a bid to reduce its crude oil imports over the next four years, India is set to invest heavily in biofuels. Various media outlets are reporting that on 10 August, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the plans to build the country’s biofuel capacity through 100 billion rupees of investment. India is one of the world’s biggest oil importers... [Read More]

Biotechnology company Novozymes has published its results for the first half of 2018. The Denmark headquartered company produces enzymes for biofuel production among its range of products. The company reports an overall organic sales growth of 4% in the first half of the year, and net profit growth of +5%. “Overall, I’m satisfied with our performance in the... [Read More]

US biofuel producer Hero BX is aiming to drastically boost the capacity of a shutdown biodiesel facility it recently purchased in South Roxana, Illinois.   As reported by Biodiesel Magazine, the acquisition of the 12MGY facility was made in an auction held by Maas Companies, which closed on 24 July 2018. Financial terms for the acquisition of the former Midwest Biodiesel... [Read More]

Researchers claim to have found a way to protect yeast from damage inflicted by pretreatment chemicals in the biofuel production process. Pretreatment chemicals are used in biofuel facilities to accelerate the breakdown of plant material, however, these chemical are sometimes poisonous to the yeasts that turn the plant sugars into fuel. In a study published in the journal... [Read More]

Major US biodiesel producer Renewable Energy Group has published its financial results for the second quarter 2018. The figures cover the quarter ended 30 June, and they reveal a dramatic year on year improvement for the company. Net income per diluted share was $33 million over the period, compared to a net loss of $34.8 million in the second quarter of 2017. Adjusted... [Read More]

A public school district in San Diego, California, has switched its fleet of 53 school buses to run on Finnish company Neste’s renewable diesel. The Vista Unified School District (VUSD) is the fourth largest in San Diego County, comprising 32 schools with programmes ranging from kindergarten through to adult educational facilities. The district serves more than 23,000... [Read More]

The US Department of Agriculture has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the environmental assessment report for Velocys’ planned Bayou Fuels biorefinery in Natchez, Mississippi. Velocys is describing the FONSI as a significant step towards the permitting of the Bayou Fuels facility. It was issued as part of the company’s ongoing development... [Read More]

Findings from a ground breaking study could prove crucial in boosting the ‘economic viability’ of algae biofuel, showing for the first time that raw plants can be used as a carbon energy source for cultivation of a strain of microalgae. In a study recently published in the journal Algal Research, it’s revealed that a freshwater production strain of microalgae,... [Read More]

Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC) has announced a significant expansion to its membership. ABFC is the industry association for biofuels in Canada. According to a statement, the new members include fuel distributors, global technology developers and strategic compliance services providers. These include Canada Clean Fuels, Canfor Pulp, EcoEngineers and Honeywell UOP. “Our... [Read More]

The Indonesian government is planning to make the use of biodiesel blended fuels compulsory for all vehicles and heavy machinery from 1 September, according to Reuters. According to the wire service, Indonesia’s Renewable Energy Director General Rida Mulyana announced the government’s ambitious aim on 1 August. Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo said... [Read More]