News

As reported by Vietnamese news outlet, Vietnam News, the country’s consumption of the biofuel E5 RON 92 topped 1.78 million cubic meters during the first half of the year. This is a dramatic 31% increase from the last year, accounting for over 40% of all total petrol consumption in Vietnam. In 2017, the biofuel E5 RON 92 had only accounted for 9% of the total petrol consumption, according…
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In an official statement, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) claims that Indonesia’s expansion of 20% biodiesel fuel (B20) has reached 80% of its target. The expansion involves the mandatory use of B20 as part of an effort to reduce the export of crude oil, which the ministry claims is a major factor of the festering current account deficit and the nation’s weak…
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Wilmar International has said that the implementation of the biodiesel programme in Indonesia has proven that there should be no concern that the use of biodiesel will affect vehicle engines.   After concerns were raised by Malaysian hauliers and automotive manufacturers on the implementation of the biodiesel programme in Malaysia, Wilmar International’s country head in Indonesia,…
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Prominent US ethanol producer Green Plains has planned the closure of two plants in Iowa. According to Reuters, the plants are to be shut due to low profit margins. Green Plains is the number 3 ethanol producer in the United States and has an annual ethanol production capacity of around 1.48 billion gallons. It has also invested in vinegar production and cattle feedlots in an attempt to branch…
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The Chamber of Commerce in Brazil published an article detailing a public hearing where the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) will discuss the schedule for raising the mandatory ratio of biodiesel to diesel. It is outlined that the government will be intending to understand whether the changes in ratio should be accelerated or kept to a slower pace. In March 2018, it was decided that the…
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$4 million AUD (€2.5 million) in funding is set to be provided to Australia’s Southern Oil Refining for a pilot plant which will turn biosolids from sewage to crude oil. According to a statement, the demonstration plant will be the first step towards developing biosolid waste to renewable fuels plants at sewage treatment facilities in Australia. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency…
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The US National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has filled an opening brief in its lawsuit objecting to EPA’s methodology for establishing the 2018 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS). Significantly, NBB’s brief is the first to hit US courts arguing that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must account for all small refinery ‘hardship’ exemptions, including retroactively granted…
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The US Department of Agriculture has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the environmental assessment report for Velocys’ planned Bayou Fuels biorefinery in Natchez, Mississippi. Velocys is describing the FONSI as a significant step towards the permitting of the Bayou Fuels facility. It was issued as part of the company’s ongoing development of the 100-acre…
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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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Major US biodiesel producer Renewable Energy Group has published its financial results for the second quarter 2018. The figures cover the quarter ended 30 June, and they reveal a dramatic year on year improvement for the company. Net income per diluted share was $33 million over the period, compared to a net loss of $34.8 million in the second quarter of 2017. Adjusted net income was $23.5…
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Researchers claim to have found a way to protect yeast from damage inflicted by pretreatment chemicals in the biofuel production process. Pretreatment chemicals are used in biofuel facilities to accelerate the breakdown of plant material, however, these chemical are sometimes poisonous to the yeasts that turn the plant sugars into fuel. In a study published in the journal Genetics, a team from…
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US biofuel producer Hero BX is aiming to drastically boost the capacity of a shutdown biodiesel facility it recently purchased in South Roxana, Illinois.   As reported by Biodiesel Magazine, the acquisition of the 12MGY facility was made in an auction held by Maas Companies, which closed on 24 July 2018. Financial terms for the acquisition of the former Midwest Biodiesel Products facility…
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Biotechnology company Novozymes has published its results for the first half of 2018. The Denmark headquartered company produces enzymes for biofuel production among its range of products. The company reports an overall organic sales growth of 4% in the first half of the year, and net profit growth of +5%. “Overall, I’m satisfied with our performance in the first half year”,…
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