French biofuels producer Avril has opened a 100,000 tpy biodiesel plant to meet the higher blending levels issued by the French government. The new plant, located at Sete on France’s Mediterranean coast, will raise the company’s biodiesel production capacity to 1.7 million tonnes. Earlier in 2013 Avril shut down its two northern France facilities in the aftermath... [Read More]

The German Bioethanol Industry Association (BDBe) has published updated versions of the two European Directives 2009/28/EC 'Renewable Energies' and 98/70/EC 'Fuel Quality' in German and English. The Directive 2015/1513/EU was adopted by the EU Council of Minsters on 13 July this year to amend these directives. The amending directive was published in the Official Journal... [Read More]

The Brazilian government wants to increase the share of biodiesel in mineral diesel in order to hit the country’s greenhouse gas reduction targets. Ricardo Dornelles, the head of the Energy Ministry’s biofuels department, made the announcement while talking at the International Biodiesel Conference in Sao Paulo. The measure is part of the proposals Brazil's... [Read More]

Following the acquisition of biotechnology company Virdia last year, Stora Enso is building a demonstration and market development plant at Raceland, Louisiana, US. The new plant will become the Stora Enso Biomaterials divisions' US headquarters. It uses technology developed by Virdia and enables cellulosic biomass, such as wood or agricultural waste, to be converted into... [Read More]

The European Union is on track towards meeting and overachieving its 2020 target for reducing greenhouse emissions (GHGs) by 20%, according to a report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The Trends and projections in Europe 2015 report reveals that GHGs in Europe decreased by 23% between 1990 and 2014 and reached the lowest levels on record. Latest projections... [Read More]

In the US, Green Plains has acquired an ethanol production facility located in Hopewell, Virginia, from FutureFuels. Operating at full capacity, Green Plains says the dry mill ethanol plant will increase its annual production capacity by approximately 60 million gallons to nearly 1.1 billion gallons per year. 'We are confident in our ability to significantly improve the... [Read More]

Biological solutions provider Novozymes has launched Avantec Amp, an advanced enzyme product that improves yield and throughput in corn ethanol production, while increasing corn oil extraction and reducing the need for several harsh chemicals used in ethanol production. By switching from standard enzyme technology to Avantec Amp, a typical ethanol plant with a capacity... [Read More]

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is considering a loan of €38 million to a private investor for the construction and operation of a biodiesel plant in Croatia. The project, whose funders have so far remained anonymous, spans the construction and running of a biodiesel plant using waste, used cooking oil, and animal fat as feedstock, an EIB statement says. The total... [Read More]

Costa Rica’s first gas station selling biodiesel has opened in Ochomogo. The fuel is supplied by Energías Biodegradables de Costa Rica, who has been producing biodiesel for more than 11 years. The gas station is also planning to install solar panels to operate the facility and is installing software allowing fleets to track their consumption and fuel cost... [Read More]

The US federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and its overreliance on corn ethanol has created additional environmental problems in its 10-year history, claims a recent study by University of Tennessee (UT). The study states that the current US biofuels policy has resulted in unmet targets for cutting air pollution, water contamination, and soil erosion. The authors –... [Read More]

In Finland, UPM will start field tests of its wood-based BioVerno diesel fuel in urban buses together with Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) and the VTT Technical Research Centre. The field tests are also supported by the St1 petrol station chain, the auto manufacturer Volvo, and the transportation company Transdev Finland. The new round of tests with UPM BioVerno fuel will... [Read More]

A researcher at the University of Texas at Austin (UTA) will receive two grants totalling $15 million (€13.2 million) to study a native prairie grass, including how it can become a sustainable source of biofuel. Tom Juenger, a professor of integrative biology, will lead scientists from multiple institutions — including federal agencies, universities, and the... [Read More]

In the US, Philadelphia-based bioenergy company SG Preston and IHI E&C – a Houston-based engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) subsidiary of IHI Corporation – have entered into an agreement to develop and construct a series of commercial volume biofuel plants. The plants, to be constructed in Midwest US and Canada, will use commercial scale technologies... [Read More]

UK-based Sunbird Bioenergy has entered into an agreement with the Republic of Zimbabwe to develop a 120 million litre cassava-to-bioethanol plant in the country.    Announcing the agreement on Friday, biorefineries builder China New Energy (CNE) said it expected to shortly sign a memorandum of understanding with Sunbird, with which it is partnering on projects... [Read More]

LT Group, owned by the tobacco and airline tycoon Lucio Tan, is set to expand its investment in the renewable energy sector with the opening of a new bioethanol facility in Lian, Philippines. The 30 million litre capacity plant will be a part of LT Group’s Absolut Distillers (ADI) project. The ceremony for the opening of the bioethanol facility is expected... [Read More]

In California, US, the city of Oakland has started filling up its vehicles with Neste's NEXBTL renewable diesel in order to reduce the emissions of its municipal fleet. Oakland is the first major US city to convert its entire fleet to renewable diesel. The switch from petroleum diesel took place in the beginning of October 2015. Reduced emissions resulting from the use... [Read More]