News

The EU’s biofuels industry is continuing to react to the news last week that an informal agreement has been made on the revised Renewable Energy Directive (REDII). On 14 June it was announced that the European Parliament, Commission and Council had reached a preliminary agreement on REDII. The deal sets out a path for Europe’s renewable energy sector post 2020. Key components of the…
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A public school district in San Diego, California, has switched its fleet of 53 school buses to run on Finnish company Neste’s renewable diesel. The Vista Unified School District (VUSD) is the fourth largest in San Diego County, comprising 32 schools with programmes ranging from kindergarten through to adult educational facilities. The district serves more than 23,000 primary to high school…
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Scientists at Michigan State University have revealed a way to enhance oil production and harvest using ‘sea sludge’. The biofuel production platform that uses two species of marine algae and soil fungi has been published in Biotechnology for Biofuels. That platform lowers the costs of cultivation and harvesting whilst increasing productivity. These two factors are currently holding…
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The European Union’s ‘largest’ biodiesel producer Avril has launched France’s first biodiesel-only fuel, according to Reuters. Biodiesel is usually a blend mixed with fossil fuels but Avril claims that the ‘pure’ product, named Oleo 100, is less polluting and is built from French renewable crops. According to Avril’s chief executive Jean-Philippe Puig,…
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Oil and gas company Shell announced that its aviation division, alongside Dutch jet fuel firm SkyNRG, has commenced the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to international airlines KML, SAS and Finnair at San Francisco Airport (SFO) in California. “With our focus on achieving zero net energy, carbon neutrality and zero waste, we are setting bold goals for our airport, and our…
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E-Fuel has launched its solution for people who want energy independence and to be green about it. The Silicon Valley company introduced its 100% ethanol generator, the Personal Energy System (PES), 8 January. It is intended to give customers full independence from the public power grid. With the smallest version starting at US$96,000, the generators can be purchased with cash or bitcoin. Citing…
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Agrisoma Biosciences and Nuseed are in discussions over a distribution agreement for carinata seed, a biofuel feedstock that seems to be taking on an increasingly important role in the industry. A non-food grade mustard seed, carinata is believed to be well suited to being grown in Australia. It’s also playing a key role in developing a sustainable aviation industry. Earlier this year,…
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Stakeholders in the US biodiesel industry have called for the biodiesel tax credit to be extended until 2018 “as soon as possible”. The call comes in a letter from the US National Biodiesel Board, addressed to a range of high-ranking US politicians including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Democrat House Leader Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “Tens of thousands…
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The biofuels industry applauded Japan’s decision to open up imports of corn-based ethanol from the US and expects demand from new market to reach almost 100 million gallons. The Japanese government has increased the mandated emission savings required of ethanol from 50% to 55% compared to gasoline. The policy also recognises US ethanol as a method for meeting this target. Previously,…
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SCG Chemicals, an integrated petrochemical company in Thailand, has entered into a memorandum of understanding for research and development collaboration on the CAT-REAC Industrial Project with Chulalongkorn University and the Thailand Research Fund (TRF), a state-sponsored fund that offers research grants and research management assistance. The MoU was also signed by founding partners from five…
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A recent survey among vehicle manufacturers shows that the widespread use of biodiesel in the commercial vehicle sector is ‘technically possible’, according to the Association Quality Management Biodiesel (AGQM). AGQM, along with the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) and the Association of the German Biofuel Industry (VDB) has published an approval list for…
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The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced up to AUD$500,000 (€311,719) in funding will be awarded to Boral Timber to investigate the feasibility of building a biorefinery capable of producing biodiesel from sawmill residues. If the facility at Boral Timber’s Hardwood Sawmill at Herons Creek near Port Macquarie, New South Wales, goes ahead, it will be the first of its…
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According to the Aiken Standard a 36,000 square foot recycling facility is to be built by Green Energy Biofuel in Warrenville, Illinois. The plant is expected to provide more than 40 new jobs over the next five years and is scheduled to be up and running by December 2018. Green Energy Biofuels refines and recycles used cooking oil as well as other food products that are sourced from kitchens and…
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Biorefineries are indispensable for hitting zero CO2 emissions, writes Novozymes’ Thomas Schrøder This article originally appears in the November/December issue of Biofuels International. Sign-up for a free copy here. The world has been discussing climate change for years. In the meantime, global temperatures have continued to rise at an alarming pace. Scientists now say[1] the world…
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