In a new twist to waste-to-fuel technology, scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a new way to turn CO2 into ethanol. The finding involves nanofabrication and catalysis science, using an electrochemical process that produces tiny spikes of carbon and copper to transform greenhouse gas into biofuel.  “We... [Read More]

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has offered more than $26 million (€23.6m) to buy Abengoa SA's cellulosic ethanol plant in Kansas, according to documents filed late Wednesday in bankruptcy court. A report in Reuters, Shell's initial bid on Abengoa's bankrupt biofuels asset marks the oil major's latest push into renewable fuels as the US government is getting its over... [Read More]

The global white biotechnology market is expected to reach $487.08 billion (€442.5bn) by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.2% with biofuels spearheading the market. According to the new report by Grand View Research, rising awareness and emphasis for the adoption of greener and environment-friendly technologies in various end-use industries is expected... [Read More]

Students from Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (KMS) High School in Minnesota, US, visited the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co. plant recently to get a better understanding of how clean home-grown renewable energy is produced. The students, which included three exchange students from an agricultural high school in Norway, toured the various processes of ethanol production at CVEC,... [Read More]

The European Oilseed Alliance (EOA), the European Biodiesel Board (EBB), and the Vegetable Oil and Protein Meal Industry stress the importance of sustainable energy sources in the low-carbon economy post-2020. The organisation held on Wednesday a dinner debate in the European Parliament, during which panellists from all backgrounds discussed the role of sustainable biodiesel... [Read More]

The UK government has released its response to the Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) recommendations to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. The CCC’s progress report, published in June 2016, focused on its priorities for the UK Government’s forthcoming emissions reduction plan. The response report, however, fails to give high hopes to the... [Read More]

Two men pleaded guilty in a US court earlier this week to conspiracy, fraud and making false statements related to the US government's controversial policy designed to boost use of renewable fuels, according to court documents and a report in Reuters. The media agency stated that the case comes in the last four weeks of a US presidential election campaign as the petroleum... [Read More]

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), a US-based renewable fuels trade body, has recognised Absolute Energy, an ethanol production facility in St. Ansgar, Iowa, for producing its one billionth gallon of cleaner-burning, homegrown ethanol this month. “Congratulations to Absolute Energy for reaching this incredible milestone,” said IRFA director... [Read More]

US biodiesel specialist REG Grays Harbor has secured an additional $5 million (€4.5m) credit facility from Umpqua Bank to fund further capital expenditures and improvements for its 100 million gallon nameplate biodiesel refinery. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Renewable Energy Group (REG) and also has terminal operations at the Port of Grays Harbor near... [Read More]

Brazilian oil and gas heavyweight Petrobras announced that it will cease production activities at its biodiesel Petrobras Biocombustivel plant in Ceará state, due to low profitability. This decision is in line with the company's strategy to fully leave the biofuel sector. The process will start on 1 November, 2016, and should take around six months.... [Read More]

The Indian government’s economic committee has today approved a mechanism to lower the price of ethanol sold to its ethanol blending programme to 39 rupees (€0.53) per little. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a mechanism for revising ethanol prices to enable public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) carry out the Ethanol Blended... [Read More]

The US ethanol industry trade association Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will be a co-title sponsor of the Crappie Masters Tournament Trail fishing competition this year with Bass Pro Shops. The sponsorship comes in an effort to educate boaters, conservation enthusiasts, and consumers about ethanol’s benefits and its use in boats and other marine applications. Crappie... [Read More]

US gasoline retail specialist RaceTrac will expand its fuel offering this year with the debut of E15 fuel at its convenience stores throughout the south of the US. The chain will add E15 later this year and ultimately offer it at more than 100 locations. The 88-octane fuel is a combination of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. "RaceTrac's mission is to make people's lives simpler... [Read More]

Germany-headquarted bioethanol producer CropEnergies has reported revenues of €350 million for the first half of financial year 2016/17, compared to €390m the same period last year, due to lower trade volumes and lower ethanol prices. Even though revenues in second quarter of 2016/17, at €182 million (previous year: €193m), did not quite reach the previous... [Read More]

US-based biotechnology company Microvi has been awarded a grant from the US Department of Energy for a new biocatalytic technology that converts methane and carbon dioxide in biogas into liquid chemicals. The new technology, based on Microvi’s MicroNiche Engineering Platform Technology, can convert biogas that is created at facilities like landfills and wastewater... [Read More]

Gevo has completed production of 1,000 gallons of the world's first cellulosic renewable jet fuel that is specified for commercial flights. Gevo successfully adapted its patented technologies to convert cellulosic sugars derived from wood waste into renewable isobutanol, which was then further converted into Gevo's Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) fuel., which meets the ASTM D7566... [Read More]