News

 A campaign calling on the UK government to support the introduction of E10 blended petrol has been launched. The #BE10%Good campaign is being heavily backed by the UK’s bioethanol industry. According to a statement, it will run across PR, digital and social media channels. It is lobbying for the Government to introduce E10 in the UK to tackle transport emissions. “It aims to…
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According to a new poll, US consumers feel that E15 should be available year-round at the pump, scrapping the summer barrier on the fuel. Each summer, from 1 June to 15 September, fuel stations across the US are forced to stop sales of E15 fuel blends. This is part of EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) attempts to regulate ozone emissions. Earlier this year, 18 US Senators signed a letter…
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Total’s La Mede biodiesel refinery is facing controversy, with France’s largest farmer’s union calling for a nationwide blockade of oil refineries in response to the facility’s intention to use imported palm oil. Last week the French government allowed limited use of palm oil feedstock at the oil and gas giant’s biodiesel facility in Southern France, according to…
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Polls sponsored by the US National Biodiesel Board show that voters in three Midwestern states think it is important that President Donald Trump keeps his campaign promise to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard. While campaigning to be president, Trump told the January 2016 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit: “The RFS… is an important tool in the mission to achieve energy independence for…
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In Porto Marghera, Italy, Eni has started collecting used cooking oil (UCO) from the homes of its employees to be used as feedstock for advanced biofuels. According to the Italian oil and gas giant, it is the first company in the world to take a traditional refinery and successfully transform it into a biorefinery using proprietary technology. The move to start collecting UCO forms part of a…
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Shell Aviation and SkyNRG have announced a long term strategic collaboration aimed at promoting and developing the use of sustainable fuel in aviation supply chains. In the agreement, Shell Aviation and SkyNRG will work to develop ‘long-term opportunities for low-carbon solutions.’ These efforts will, according to a statement announcing the new collaboration, be supported by funding…
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LanzaTech and Shougang Group have announced the successful start-up of what they claim to be the world’s first commercial facility converting industrial emissions to sustainable ethanol. Carbon recycling company Lanzatech and Chinese iron and still producer Shougang created the facility in a joint venture. The facility is located at the Jingtang Steel Mill in Caofeidian, Hebei Province.…
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A series of engineered proteins could improve biomanufacturing processes for the production of biofuels and other products including pharmaceuticals and commodity chemicals, according to researchers. Kevin Solomon, an assistant professor in Purdue University’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and colleagues have developed a series of engineered proteins derived from…
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BASF Enzymes and Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS) have formally entered into a marketing and sales collaboration agreement with the aim to ‘maximise value to customers in the ethanol market in the United States.’ In the collaboration, BASF’s enzyme portfolio will be used for applications in liquefaction and fermentation to improve fermentation performance. LBDS…
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The US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and its industrial partner LanzaTech claim that their new technology is helping clear the way to ethanol derived jet fuel. In April, the ASTM International revised ASTM D7566 Annex 15 – the Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesised Hydrocarbons – to add ethanol as an approved…
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Finland’s government has sold 5% of its stake in Neste, Reuters reports. The Government, described by Reuters as ‘centre-right’, sold the 5% stake in the oil refiner and biofuel company for €861 million. The Finnish state’s stake in Neste has now fallen to 44.7%. Opposition parties have apparently criticised the decision, saying that it gives up too much control in…
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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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