Newly discovered enzyme complexes in the digestive tracts of herbivores could hold promise for the future of sustainable fuels, according to new research from the University of California – Santa Barbara. Assistant engineering professor Michelle O’Malley from UCSB and 20 other scientists have collaborated on a study describing a new complex of enzymes discovered... [Read More]

A ground-breaking new study has characterised the molecular features that make cellulose resistant to degradation. The findings could be hugely significant in the quest to develop cost-effective means of producing biofuels, as well as various valuable chemicals. A vital structural component of plant cell walls, cellulose is highly resistant to degradation. This means significant... [Read More]

MEP Bas Eickhout has proposed sweeping reforms to EU legislation regarding bioenergy and biofuels. They come amid the Dutch politician’s proposals for increasing the EU’s renewable energy share target for 2030 from 27% to 45%. "The entire energy sector must be sustainable by 2040 one hundred percent." Eickhout said, according to Groen Links. Just as significantly,... [Read More]

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CTFC) has said it is not investigating biofuels credits, despite eight Democrat senators having called for Carl Icahn’s activity in the market to be scrutinised. According to an article from Reuters, the news agency gained access to a letter saying the CFTC was not looking to investigate Icahn. Icahn, an adviser to US... [Read More]

Spanish renewables and engineering company Abengoa has completed the sale of its bioethanol operations in Spain and France to private equity firm Trilantic Europe. The buyout firm has acquired the shares of Abengoa Bioenergy France , Biocarburantes de Castilla y Leoon , Bioetanol Galicia , Ecocarburantes Espanoles and Ecoagriicola for  € 140 million, including... [Read More]

Finnish advanced biofuels producer Neste is putting a large amount of resources into research on waste and residue raw materials and promoting the circular economy. In addition to biofuels, also bioplastics can be produced from waste and residues in the future. The company is also focusing its raw materials research on waste plastics as a substitute for crude oil in the... [Read More]

Colombian biofuels company Bioenergy will begin selling bioethanol to Bogotá-based oil and gas leader Terpel, according to media reports. According to a report in Finance Colombia, the move marks the beginning of the Bioenergy’s commercialisation process. Bioenergy has the capacity to produce up to 504,000 litres of ethanol per day, which will increase... [Read More]

More consumers in the UK are purchasing petrol and electric vehicles and shunning diesel cars. Diesel car sales fell by around 20,000 from just under 102,000 in May 2016 to 81,489 last month. In the same period, sales of petrol cars increased slightly to 96,518.  A total of 8,258 vehicles using hybrid and electric motors were sold in May 2017, compared to 5,630 the... [Read More]

Biodiesel and bioethanol use is declining in the German oil industry, according to official mineral oil data published by the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control for the first quarter of 2017. Even though German diesel consumption rose by 7.4% to 9.3 million tonnes by March, the share of biodiesel fell by 7% to around 500,000 tonnes. The bioethanol share also... [Read More]

Americans want to know when they’re power is coming from renewable sources, according to a new study from Washington State University (WSU). Interestingly, this concern over energy use isn’t connected to political beliefs, the sociologists behind the research finding both Democrats and Republicans were interested in using non-fossil fuel energy sources. The... [Read More]

The US’ withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, announced by President Donald Trump yesterday, “is a saddening turn for the international battle against climate change” according to advanced biofuels producer Neste. Nevertheless, the Finnish company points out that the US withdrawal doesn’t have to signal the end of the agreement. The company... [Read More]

The price of soybean oil could increase sharply in 2018 as a result of US anti-dumping action against vegetable oils for biodiesel produced by Argentina and Indonesia, according to forecasts by data analyst specialists Informa Agribusiness Intelligence. US action to impose countervailing duties against these countries on imports of soybean oil could push up the cost of... [Read More]

EXCLUSIVE - The biofuels industry has reiterated its commitment to tackling climate change in light of President Trump’s announcement that the US will withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor told Biofuels International: “Biofuels like ethanol stand ready to continue helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions - with or... [Read More]

One person has been killed and two are still missing following an explosion at a corn milling ethanol plant in Cambria, Wisconsin, according to WBAY.com. The explosion occurred late at night on 31st May, triggering a power outage in Cambria. Cambria’s sheriff told a news conference that 16 people were inside the Didion Millon Plant when the explosion happened, according... [Read More]

Australia’s ‘first’ biofuels pilot plant has been officially opened in Gladstone, Queensland. The opening ceremony was presided over by Premier of Queensland and Minister for the Arts, the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP. The $18 million Northern Oil Advanced Biofuels Pilot Plant is a joint venture between Southern Oil and J.J. Richards & Sons,... [Read More]

US Water, a subsidiary of Allete, a well-known provider of integrated solutions for water treatment, will give two technical presentations during the upcoming Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW), at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the FEW programme, US Water’s Monty McCoy, director of technology, Process Technologies, will present on the... [Read More]