Kansas-based bioethanol producer Conestoga Energy Holdings has acquired the assets of VicNRG, a Texas-based marketing, distribution and terminal operating company for biodiesel. In a statement, Conestoga said that the purchase will enable Conestoga and VicNRG to better serve the needs of their customers in the energy and agriculture sectors.  “Our acquisition... [Read More]

US bioethanol producer Poet has filed a lawsuit in US District Court of Sioux Falls alleging that the Sioux Falls-based company Nelson Engineering has misappropriated Poet’s trade secrets. The lawsuit is captioned “POET, LLC and POET Research, Inc. v. Nelson Engineering and Jerry Baker,” Case No. CIV 17-4029. The trade secret in question is known at... [Read More]

US trade body Growth Energy has praised a new ASTM standard and said it is a “major victory for the ethanol industry”. Last week, ASTM International published an important new high-octane fuel standard, ASTM D8076 – 17, Standard Specification for 100 Research Octane Number Test Fuel for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engines. This new specification intends... [Read More]

A team of researchers at the UK-based University of Cambridge has developed a way of using solar power to generate a fuel that is both sustainable and relatively cheap to produce. The team used natural light to generate hydrogen from biomass. In a statement, the researchers said:  “One of the challenges facing modern society is what it does with its waste... [Read More]

The government of Canada is investing CAN$43 million (€27m) in the clean technology sector to help create jobs and stimulate growth in the environmental sector. Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains announced an investment of up to $20 million to support clean energy projects at the pre-commercialisation stage. This... [Read More]

Investment in ethanol production from waste biomass could have great economic environmental benefits, according to a new study from researchers from the Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory. In this study, the researchers found that ethanol produced using waste biomass, such as dead or dying trees, is more cost-effective and could achieve higher benefits... [Read More]

US agribusinesses AgProcessing (AGP) is pushing ahead with a $38 million (€35m) expansion of its Port Neal biodiesel plant in Sioux City, Iowa, according to media reports. According to media reports in the Sioux City Journal, the company will also build a $90m vegetable oil refinery. Construction on both projects is expected to begin in coming months, said Matt Caswell,... [Read More]

Oil refiners contributed more than $2 billion (€1.87bn) to meet US biofuels requirements in 2016, a 70% surge that helps fuel a growing debate over who should shoulder the costs for meeting environmental regulations, according to a media report. A Reuters review of regulatory filings from ten refiners, including Valero Energy Corp and CVR Energy Inc, showed that they... [Read More]

Growing sustainable energy crops without increasing greenhouse gas emissions, may be possible on seasonally wet, environmentally-sensitive landscapes, according to US-based researchers who conducted a study on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land. Debasish Saha, postdoctoral in plant sciences, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences and colleagues, measured the... [Read More]

Bellona, a non-profit environmental organisation, has published a new report on the potential and challenges of using seaweed biofuels in aviation. According to the organisation, the report provides comprehensive recommendations for researchers, public authorities and consumers. By mapping existing knowledge and practice, sustainability and development of the technology,... [Read More]

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt has said that he does not believe carbon dioxide is a primary contributor to global warming. "I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and there's tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact, so no, I would not agree that it's a... [Read More]

Finnish renewable diesel specialist Neste has said its product has helped its users to replace conventional diesel and reduce carbon emissions by 6.7 million tonnes in 2016. The amount equals the permanent removal of 2.4 million passenger cars from the roads for one full year. Neste has labelled its product as a low-carbon renewable diesel made from reined renewable raw... [Read More]

In 2016, the US was again the world’s largest net exporter of ethanol, according to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) trade data. Net exports are calculated as the difference between exports and imports, and the 2016 calendar year concluded with US net exports at 838 million gallons, the second highest level ever, exceeded only in 2011. US ethanol shipments exceeded... [Read More]

A member of a European Parliamentary group is calling on the European Commission to take measure to promote the responsible cultivation of palm oil and phase out its use for biofuels. Czech GUE/NGL (European United Left/Nordic Green Left) member Kateřina Konečná has made the call. Although palm oil was barely employed some 30 years ago, its use has more than doubled... [Read More]

In Washington D.C., biodiesel industry leaders are meeting with key influencers to spotlight advanced US biofuels, with jobs and economic opportunities as the hot tickets. “It’s simple. Biodiesel can continue to grow American jobs and prosperity in communities throughout the nation,” said Donnell Rehagen, CEO at the trade association National Biodiesel... [Read More]

US investment bank Capital Corp Merchant Banking has given the green light to help fund a biodiesel project in California. In a statement, the bank said that the facility will be able to process multiple feedstocks of any quality level and turn it into B-100 biodiesel, which is 100% pure biodiesel. A by-product of the biodiesel manufacturing process is glycerol, which,... [Read More]