Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has joined biodiesel producers and agricultural leaders to urge President Trump to reject the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to cut biodiesel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). On Tuesday (10/10/17), Grassley spoke about this issue and addressed his concerns to biofuel stakeholders at Renewable Energy Group’s... [Read More]

US ethanol trade body Growth Energy announced that more than 1,000 fuel stations around the country are offering E15. In a statement, the trade body said that this number has doubled from the same time last year. “This spectacular growth is a testament to the value E15 brings to fuel retailers and consumers,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. Skor added:... [Read More]

German biofuels producer CropEnergies has reported strong first half of 2017/18 results. In the company’s financial statement, CropEnergies said revenue increased by 31% to €460 million, compared to €350 million for the same period the year before. In the second quarter of 2017/18, they grew to €229 million, compared to €182 million the previous... [Read More]

California-based biorefining company Aemetis has announced that its Universal Biofuels plant in India has achieved a major milestone in the commercial production of advanced enzymatic biodiesel by processing one million pounds of low-cost waste feedstock unsuitable for use in traditional biodiesel production facilities and achieving high biodiesel yields by utilising... [Read More]

US advanced biofuels company Gevo has announced that it will be partnering with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on a project to fine-tune the composition of the catalyst used in Gevo's proprietary ethanol-to-olefins (ETO) process, in order to improve performance and accelerate scale-up... [Read More]

Researchers in the US have developed a method to convert a biofuel waste product into a ‘usable and valuable commodity’. Published in the journal Bioresources Technology, the research by scientists from Washington State University (WSU) and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) could drastically change the economic viability of algae biofuels. The... [Read More]

A four year, $6 million research project is aiming to determine how the US’ Upper Missouri Basin would be affected if biofuels were produced and carbon capture technologies implemented in the region. Experts from the Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana State Universities will generate economic models to see if changes in commodity and capturing carbon are sustainable,... [Read More]

A major breakthrough has been made in the direct conversion of methane and carbon dioxide into liquid fuels and chemicals. Researchers claim that the new process could help industry reduce greenhouse gas emissions while producing vital chemical feedstocks. The researchers from the University of Liverpool have developed a plasma synthesis process for a direct, one-step... [Read More]

The future of bioethanol, advanced biofuel developments and an uncertain policy landscape were some of the hot topics discussed at this year’s Biofuels International and Bioenergy Insight conference. The conference took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 4-5th October. Rob Wakely, head of low carbon fuels division, energy technology and international directorate,... [Read More]

The impending trade deal between the EU and Mercosur (South America’s trading block) for an annual quota of ethanol imports from Brazil would be a serious blow to Europe’s farmers and ethanol industry unless measures are taken to ensure a level playing field. “By agreeing to open its markets to Brazilian ethanol, the EU would contradict its own efforts... [Read More]

US advanced biofuels company Gevo announced that it expects to supply its renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) to the Virgin Australia Group, a well-known Australian airline group.  The Virgin Australia Group will be responsible for coordinating the purchase, supply and blending of the ATJ into the fuel supply system at Brisbane Airport in Queensland, Australia. Gevo’s... [Read More]

Nordic energy company St1 has signed an engineering design package and licence agreement with Haldor Topsoe for a renewable diesel production unit, which will be integrated with its refinery based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The construction of the plant will be subject to final investment decision after completion of the design in spring 2018 and after obtaining required environmental... [Read More]

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and other leading biofuels advocates in the US have sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging the White House to “act quickly to prevent actions” at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that ‘threaten jobs in rural America, freeze innovation in advanced biofuels and undermine the energy security goals of America’s... [Read More]

The US National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has reacted positively to the confirmation of Stephen Censky to be the US’ Deputy of Agriculture. Censky has substantial experience in both the soybean and biodiesel industries, something which the NBB’s CEO, Donnell Rehagen, believes makes him well suited to the new role. “Congratulations to Steve on his confirmation... [Read More]

Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado are leading a project to improve how algae-based biofuels and bioproducts are made. The US Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office has announced its support for the project, titled: “Rewiring Algal Carbon Energetics for Renewables,” in the form of a $3.5 million (€2.98... [Read More]

Jet biofuel produced by the oil extracted from ground seeds of camelina and carinata could be a step closer, thanks to new research from South Dakota State University (SDSU), reports Phys.org. Glucosinolate is one of the bioactive compounds that remains after oil has been extracted from the ground seeds of camelina and carinata. According to Zhengrong Gu, an associate... [Read More]