News

A collaborative project to map open access pilot and demonstration infrastructure for bio-based industries across Europe has been launched. The Pilots4U project is funded by the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Launched when the eight project partners came together in Ghent, Belgium, to discuss future action,…
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Danish biotechnology company Novozymes has published its third quarter results, revealing better than expected growth from the company, including a strong showing from its “Bioenergy” division. Earnings before interest tax  (EBIT)increased by 5% to DKK 3,032 million (€407m) , up from DKK 2,884 million from the first nine  months of 2016, and the EBIT margin at 27.9% was…
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A plan to boost biofuel use in Brazil has been put on hold, according to Reuters, as the government assesses the potential impact on the economy and industry. Dubbed RenovaBio, the Brazilian government-led programme would boost the market share of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. This would be achieved through mandates for fuel distributors which would obligate them to progressively…
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The US Department of Commerce has imposed preliminary anti-dumping duties on biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia ranging from around 50 to 70%. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition is claiming victory on the news. The Commerce Department found that biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia are sold into the United States below fair value, and they imposed preliminary…
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Policymakers in the European Parliament’s environment committee (ENVI) have voted in support of a proposal for a total phase out of crop-based biofuels by 2030 and have backed the use of biomass for electricity production. The ENVI vote on the revised Renewable Energy Directive, dubbed RED II, happened yesterday evening (23 October). RED establishes an overall policy for the production…
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A new charge which will see owners of the most polluting vehicles pay a daily fee of £21.50 to drive in London, has come into effect. Under the new scheme, brought in by Mayor Sadiq Khan in order to improve air quality in the UK capital, drivers of older, more polluting petrol and diesel vehicles will be liable for the £10 T-charge. This is on top of the congestion charge of…
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New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS NYC) is ‘pushing back’ against proposed changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which it labels in a statement ‘threats to reduce environmental standards’. On 19 October DCAS NYC submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protesting any roll-back of the RFS, the…
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Renewable fuels company Velocys has confirmed the location for its first biorefinery in the US. The company has signed a site option agreement with Adams County in the State of Mississippi for the new facility to be built in the city of Natchez. Adams County has offered Velocys economic incentives estimated to be worth the equivalent of $42 million (€35.8 million). According to a statement…
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Member states of the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) have agreed on a new 2050 Vision for sustainable aviation fuels, which will help to ensure that conventional jet fuels are substituted with sustainable alternatives ‘to a significant percentage’ by 2050. The decision was formalised on 13 October at the Second ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels, in Mexico…
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New ethanol market developments, legislation and trading were just some of the themes analysed at this year’s Argus Biofuels conference. The conference, which is taking place in London at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower over three days, focused on the topic of ethanol on 17 October, 2017. Mark Chesworth, CEO at UK-based bioethanol producer Vivergo Fuels, gave an overview of the global markets in…
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The US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded a five-year grant worth up to $15 million to the University of Arizona (UA) to lead a new centre focusing on the mass production of biofuels and bioproducts in the Southwestern US. According to a statement from UA, the goals of the new Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions Centre will be to address…
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Four Republican governors have sent a letter to US President Trump expressing concern over the changes recently proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency to the US’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “The renewable fuels industry in our states, and others, is poised to grow if the EPA sends positive and consistent market signals through increases in the required volumes. That will…
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A general ban on palm oil in biofuels in Europe punishes the wrong producers while having little impact on reducing deforestation, according to Jaboury Ghazoul, a professor of ecosystem management at ETH Zurich. He claims in an article published by the university that banning palm oil actually blocks good practice. In April 2017, the European Parliament voted to ban the use of palm oil in…
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Through increased use of biofuels in the transport sector, Uruguay has achieved a 7% annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, according to a statement from the South American country’s government. In addition to using biodiesel and bioethanol as a substitute for gasoil and naphtha, emissions are reduced by 60-70%. The figures come from a study commissioned by Alcoholes de Uruguay…
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