News

Although renewables accounted for the vast majority of new EU power capacity in 2016, there are signs that the transition away from fossil fuels has lost some momentum in the past two years. Biofuels makes up the bulk of renewable energy use in the transport sector, according to newly released European Environment Agency (EEA) figures. Progress in that sector as a whole has been slow however,…
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The Council of the EU has adopted its position on a directive promoting the use of renewable energy across the Union. The announcement could have significant ramifications for the continent’s biofuels industry, and has already sparked controversy. Environment and energy ministers in the Council have agreed renewable energy targets for 2030 ahead of negotiations in 2018 with the European…
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The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has joined with other associations, calling for a retroactive renewal of biodiesel tax credits and tax breaks. The 19 December letters call for “retroactive, multi-year extension of the biodiesel tax incentive” and a “seamless, multi‐year extension of the tax extenders” respectively. As the Republican Congress focuses on their tax…
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This season’s harvest of sugar is up 30% from last year, according to the Indian Sugar Mills Association. The price of sugar is also likely to rise, after the government rescinded a 2016 order to limit stockholding of the commodity. Reuters is reporting that India’s ethanol supply will follow the increased sugar output. A 5% ethanol mandate is in effect in India, but whether this is…
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The abundance of croton trees in Kenya and the nuts’ potential use in biofuels present promising opportunity for local farmers. An article from the College of Agricultural science, published in Forest Policy and Economics, found that croton trees are readily available to most farmers. However, seed price and tree maturity periods were a concern for some. Although their resources are…
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The project aims to raise awareness of alternate fuels for the industry. According to World Bank statistics, 3.6 billion people travelled by air in 2016. In a survey conducted by Neste, 53% of European passengers are concerned by the environmental impact of air travel and over 50% would be willing to pay more for a flight that used renewable fuel. In November, a Dutch study found that with…
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19 December, the EPA published a proposed rule that would classify the fuels as ‘advanced biofuel’ in the Renewable Fuels Standard. If approved, the EPA would set out a new fuel pathway for the distilling of the oil into fuel. The provisional rule is to be released onto regulations.gov for comment. The document stems from an EPA assessment of lifecycle GHG emissions in grain sorghum…
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A new study suggests that by suppressing a gene that stiffens cell walls, biorefineries would have access to 60% more sugar than they would otherwise from the same amount of feedstock. The researchers from the UK, Brazil and the US announced the discovery in New Phytologist. Cell wall stiffening evolved in grass as a method to impede digestion by grazers. By reducing the effect of the gene both…
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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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The governments are calling for cooperative research into subjects including cellulosic biofuel, management of waste resources, crop productivity and transgenetic crops. According to the Iranian Ministry of Science Research and Technology, the goal of the programme is to strengthen ties between national scientific communities and to promote the findings of the research in both countries. The…
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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…
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UPM Biofuels has received a RSB sustainability certificate for the cultivation of the Brassica carinata crop, a new feedstock for biofuel production. It is the first time an RSB (Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) certificate has been issued in Uruguay. "RSB certification acknowledges our strong commitment to sustainability in all operations, now also in biofuel feedstock production with…
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The company has submitted a fuel pathway petition to the EPA to certify that it has met lifetime emissions targets for its Oklahoma City gas-to-liquids plant. The company expects that the gas-to-liquid plant, which is run by a joint venture called ENVIA energy, will qualify for the most valuable renewable identification number (RIN): D7 cellulosic biofuel or biomass-based diesel. These numbers…
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ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification), has announced details of its upcoming Global Sustainability Conference 2018, set to take place on 20 February in Brussels, Belgium. According to ISCC, the overarching topic of the conference will be the future of bioenergy, a highly topical theme at a time of political and legislative uncertainties such as the RED II negotiations. ISCC…
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