News

Texas-based fuel producer Benefuel announced that they have begun a site search in Canada after British Columbia’s recently publicised climate change plan included an expanded ‘Low Carbon Fuel Standard’ incentivising biofuel producers. According to a press release, the initiative has ‘assisted’ Benefuel in prioritising its expansion efforts, given that British…
Read More »

Platts analysis of data released by the Korea Customs Service shows that imports have increased year-on-year by 39% to 261,584 megatons (mt). The data was released 11 January and shows a significant decline in Brazilian ethanol, making up only 9% of supply in 2017 from 49% in 2016. America remained the primary exporter of denatured ethanol to the country, with 78% of imports originating from the…
Read More »

A controversial study is claiming that the European Commission has wasted around €2 billion in ‘failed’ advanced biofuel plants. Conducted by Ethanol Europe Renewables (EERL), the operator of Europe’s ‘largest’ ethanol production facility - the Pannonia plant in Hungary, the research argues that “Less than 1% of announced advanced biofuel capacity has…
Read More »

A representative from the US biodiesel industry has testified before the Ways and Means Subcommittee on the need to renew the biodiesel blender’s tax incentive through to at least 2018. Cal Meyer, CEO of Ag Processing, was acting as witness for the National Biodiesel Board (of which Ag Processing is a member). As well as urging Congress to renew the blender’s credit, he advocated…
Read More »

A project called Biogo-for-Production has developed new nanocatalysts to create an integrated modular and highly efficient process for producing fuels from renewable energy sources. The researchers focused on the development of advanced nanocatalysts, coupled with advanced reactor concepts to realise modular, highly efficient, integrated processes for the production of fuels from renewable…
Read More »

Edmonton International Airport (EIA) and NextStep Renewable Energy (NSRE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bring low-carbon renewable fuels into the aviation and airport sectors. The pair hopes to create jobs, diversify the economy and encourage economic growth. “We look forward to working with NSRE as we take the Edmonton Metro Region and Alberta forward in developing…
Read More »

Scientists from Imperial College London claim to have developed a solution which could lead to cheaper and more environmentally friendly biofuel production. According to the researchers, the breakthrough means they can break down plant-based biomass ’30 times faster than currently possible.’ Dr Alex Brogan, of Imperial’s Department of Chemical Engineering, and colleagues…
Read More »

The US Department of Energy has announced a $1.1 million (€940,000) grant for research into sorghum disease resistance led by the University of Illinois, reflecting the growing interest in the crop as a feedstock for renewable fuel and energy. Earlier this year, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a variety of pathways for renewable fuel derived from sorghum as part of the…
Read More »

An Austrian university of technology, TU Wien (TUW), announced in a public release that it has developed a diesel engine that utilises over 70% bioethanol. TUW detailed the technology used in the development of the engine, which uses both diesel and bioethanol in a ‘special’ dual-fuel combustion process which allegedly enables the use of a large portion of bioethanol in diesel…
Read More »

Reuters reports that on the 26th of November Malaysia announced that it intends to start phasing in a higher biodiesel mandate starting from next month. The new rule will be officially put into place from February 2019 as the country hopes that this will bolster palm oil prices. The provisionally named B10 biodiesel programme intends to raise the minimum bio-content that local producers are meant…
Read More »

Indonesia introduced the case to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2014, a year after the anti-dumping taxes on Indonesia and Argentina were introduced. The EU’s taxes were a reaction to what they saw as the unfairly low prices (also known as ‘dumping’) of the two countries’ biofuel exports. According to Reuters, Indonesia and Argentina called the tariffs…
Read More »

A consortium of companies, including Canadian advanced biofuel producer Enerkem, have signed a project development agreement for an advanced waste-to-chemistry facility in Rotterdam. According to a statement, the new facility will be the first of its kind in Europe. It will provide a sustainable alternative solution for non-recyclable waste, allowing plastics and other mixed wastes to be…
Read More »

A bipartisan plan is to be unveiled March 28 for support biofuels at a national level to address the country’s increasingly pressing energy security concerns and to systemically promote the development, production and use of biofuels. The industry body Bioenergy Australia is throwing its weight behind Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and the Shadow Minister for…
Read More »

British MPs from across the political spectrum have written to government ministers demanding action on the introduction of ‘a more environmentally friendly petrol which also supports British industry and farming.’ Specifically, the letter calls for action on E10 – regular unleaded petrol blended with 10% bioethanol. Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Transport Secretary…
Read More »