News

Fulcrum BioEnergy began site construction for phase 2 of its first waste-to-fuels project, the Sierra BioFuels Plant (Sierra), on 16 May. Sierra will be ‘the US' first’ commercial-scale plant converting a municipal solid waste feedstock that would otherwise be landfilled, into a low-carbon, renewable transportation fuel product. "Launching the final construction phase of Sierra is…
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India’s Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the 2018 National Policy on Biofuels. Reduced dependency of imports and environmental benefits are among the goals for the legislation. The policy differentiates between ‘basic biofuels’ and ‘advanced biofuels’: the former covering first generation bioethanol and biodiesel, the latter…
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The company says the 410 horsepower vehicle can enable CO2 reductions of up to 90%. Scania has released an alternative fuel engine option for the new truck generation and Euro 6 emissions standard. The new bioethanol engine delivers 2,150 Nm, equal to that of its diesel counterpart. The fuel consumption is also on a par with a conventional diesel engine. The truck uses compression ignition…
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Congressman Austin Scott of Georgia and Congresswoman Lois Frankel of Florida, members of the Congressional Boating Caucus, introduced the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018 on 16 May. The legislation would ‘more clearly’ label E15 ethanol blended gasoline, which they say is ‘harmful and corrosive’, at pumps across the US. The aim of the bill is to…
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Following the introduction of a bill to warn consumers about the perceived dangers of E15 in small engines, representatives from the ethanol industry have questioned the rationale for the legislation. The biofuel proponents say that the new rules are designed to create confusion for consumers and reduce the use of higher-blend fuels, rather than offer any kind of clarity. American Coalition for…
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Researchers have developed new technologies that can be used to convert industrial plants to produce fossil-free heat, electricity, fuel, chemicals and materials. They say the technical potential is enormous: using only Sweden's currently existing power plants, renewable fuels equivalent to 10% of the world's aviation fuel could be produced. The study offers a chance to switch to renewable…
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The City of San Leandro, a suburban city in Alameda County, California has switched all municipal vehicles from using petroleum diesel to only running on Neste MY Renewable Diesel. Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a low-carbon fuel produced from renewable and sustainable raw materials. Neste says its diesel cuts greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% while enhancing fleet performance. Neste MY…
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Reuters is reporting that Marathon Petroleum, the second biggest refiner in the United States, has asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to waive their ethanol blending obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). RFS waivers can save companies tens of millions of dollars. The request came in the form of a ‘hardship waiver’ application. These waivers are meant to…
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Reuters is reporting that Indonesia is planning increase its biodiesel mandate from its current rate of 20% to 25% from 2019. The move is meant to increase palm oil consumption and cut fuel imports. According to 2015 legislation, Indonesia is to increase its biofuel mandate to 30% in 2020. Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of palm oil, a product that features in dozens of consumer…
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The new pre-treatment unit passes first production tests required to supply BP Singapore under a three-year feedstock supply agreement.   Aemetis announced 25 April that its subsidiary Universal Biofuels has completed the production of high quality, distilled biodiesel from lower quality, high free fatty acid (FFA) waste feedstock using its recently constructed pre-treatment unit at a…
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Reuters is reporting that a refinery owned by billionaire and former Trump advisor Carl Icahn has received a waiver freeing it from its obligations under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The waiver will allow the refinery to save millions of dollars on what would otherwise be used to blend biofuels into its products or buy renewable identification numbers (RINs) from those who do to…
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Reuters is reporting that Poet has overtaken the grain merchant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in global fuel ethanol production. While both companies had production capacities around 1.8 billion gallons previously, Poet has grown its capacity to 1.9 billion and ADM has reduced to 1.6 billion. The wire service says that the change reflects the companies’ diverging strategies to address…
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The Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA) has asked the US Court of Appeals in Washington DC to decide whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law by granting Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers to an increasing number of small refineries. The petition specifically called for a review of the EPA’s “decision to modify the criteria or lower the threshold by which…
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