India is aiming to promote the production of ethanol made from biomass like wheat, cotton and rice straw, according to media reports. The Times of India reported that India’s union minister for surface transport Nitin Gadkari will be making the move to promote ethanol production in the next couple of weeks. The development comes in the wake of the government announcing... [Read More]

New Energy Investors, a clean energy investment firm, is planning to develop a new cellulosic ethanol plant in North Dakota, US, according to media reports. The plant will produce 13 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year, the Bismarck Tribune reported. "What attracts us here is we believe North Dakota has good policy to support us," Thomas Corle, New Energy co-founder... [Read More]

Scientists from the US-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have discovered why the cyanobacteria called Synechococcus 7002 can produce high concentrations of biofuels. The organism, commonly called a blue-green algae, triples in size to accommodate a rapid expansion of the cellular machinery it uses to build proteins, the workhorses of cells, according to... [Read More]

The University of West England is working with waste-to-energy specialist Recycling Technologies to test if a fuel, called Plaxx,  made from mixed plastic waste can be used to power ship engines.  The UK-based research, funded by Innovate UK and ESPRC will be led by Associate Professor Farid Dailami, Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL), in partnership with Recycling... [Read More]

Production of biofuels has been a key factor behind the growth of food commodity demand over the past decade, according to a new report from the World Bank. The World Bank recently unveiled its Commodity Markets Outlook report, looking at energy and food prices. The report maintains that global energy prices declined 45% in 2015 and are projected to drop another 16% in... [Read More]

Renewable diesel producer Neste has been selected as the environmental partner for Finland’s Flow Festival for the third year running. The Finnish company will provide its green fuel, named Neste Renewable Diesel, made from wastes and residues, to the festival. The diesel will be used to create electricity. Most of the electricity required for the festival will come... [Read More]

Independent refiner Valero Energy Corp. said its biofuel blending costs more than tripled to $173 million (€157m) for the second quarter of 2016, primarily due to its purchase of Renewable Identification Numbers (RIN) credits. The group announced the statement in its second-quarter 2016 results. The US-based RFS programme requires oil refiners and importers to blend... [Read More]

Renewable energy technology provider China New Energy (CNE) announced that Sunbird Bioenergy Africa and the Zambian Development Agency have signed official documents to move its Zambian bioethanol project forward. The AIM-listed company said the signing  of the investment promotional agreement was the first milestone in the Zambian project but that... [Read More]

Industry giants such as GE Marine, Mitsubishi Corporation and Shell have launched a new cross-industry initiative to accelerate the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel. Other coalition members of SEALNG are the Port of Rotterdam, Carnival Corporation & plc, DNV GL, ENGIE, ENN, GTT, Lloyd’s Register, NYK Line, Qatargas, TOTE Inc... [Read More]

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking applications for funding to help support the development of advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals and bio-based products, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced. "The bioeconomy is a catalyst for economic development in rural America, creating new jobs and providing new markets for farmers and ranchers," Vilsack... [Read More]

A new project to develop technology to drive forward an algae-based biorefinery which aims to develop and validate technological processes designed to obtain biodiesel through algae cultivation has been launched with €1.4 million of European funding. A consortium of six R&D centres in the Basque Autonomous Community, Navarre and France -NEIKER-Tecnalia, National... [Read More]

There are a number of gaps in the European Commission’s existing biofuels sustainability certification framework and this could undermine the basis of the EU’s 2020 targets for renewable energy in transport, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors. Under the Renewable Energy Directive, EU Member States can only use biofuels certified as... [Read More]

In the US, a bipartisan group of 40 senators are calling for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase the biodiesel targets in the newest Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) proposal. The group, including Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.), EPA administrator Gina McCarthy a letter calling on the EPA to raise the... [Read More]

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) says plans are underway to set up a renewable energy plant that will use agri products to generate energy. According to the NNPC renewable energy division general manager Rabiu Suleiman, the project, which would cost about $300 million dollars (€272,), would be financed through joint partnership with foreign partners. The... [Read More]

Terra Biodiesel Holding has closed the sale of its Missouri, US, biodiesel plant to an undisclosed strategic buyer, with Ocean Park Advisors (OPA) acting as an exclusive advisor. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed for the St. Joseph-based biodiesel refinery situated on an approximately 13 acre parcel of land. The sale also includes a license agreement for certain... [Read More]

The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) has welcomed the European Commissions’ report on low-emission mobility. The report, which was published yesterday (20th July), explores policy options to decarbonise transport beyond 2020.  ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert said: "The automobile industry is fully committed to continue reducing... [Read More]