Etihad Airways, the state-owned carrier of Abu Dhabi, is joining with French energy firm Total and US aircraft maker Boeing to develop biofuels in the emirate, company officials have announced. Though Abu Dhabi has huge oil reserves and access to cheap jet fuel, it says it wants to develop sustainable energy sources to diversify its economy. Biofuels could also help Etihad... [Read More]

Pacific Coast Canola, a subsidiary of US-based crop processor Legumex Walker, has signed a six-month contract to deliver canola oil to biofuels company Imperium Renewables. The so-called ‘super degummed’ feedstock will be delivered by truck to Imperium’s refinery in Hoquiam. ‘The biofuel industry is an important complementary market for our canola... [Read More]

Construction of a new bioethanol facility has begun this January in the Ukraine via research and development company Zarya. The project is reported to cost UAH470 million (€41.4 million) and will produce bioethanol with an ethanol concentration of 99%. The facility will provide carbon dioxide and DDGS as by-products. ‘Researchers have studied both bioethanol... [Read More]

The European Court of Justice has come to a conclusion on the complaint made by BP North America against the Council of the European Union (EU). Five years ago the European Biodiesel Board (EBB) lodged a complaint against dumped and subsidised biodiesel imports from the US. In March 2009, the European Commission imposed extensive anti-dumping and countervailing measures... [Read More]

BF Commodities has revealed it is to build a new second generation biodiesel refinery in Switzerland It is believed the facility will be able to produce over 5,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year and operations are expected to start in June, using cooking oil and tallow feedstocks.  BF state the project will help bring a reduction of over 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.... [Read More]

Deinove, a France-based company which designs and develops new industrial production processes based on the exploitation of Deinococcus bacteria, has produced 9% ethanol via its process. The company believes this landmark shows its bacterial process is suitable for converting this type of biomass-to-biofuel and should offer industrial production costs fall in line with... [Read More]

China New Energy (CNE) has been awarded a contract by Jilin-based New Tian Long Alcohol (NTLA) to provide technology and services for a new second generation biorefinery. The multi-phase contract, with phase one expected to last two years, is said to be worth CNY10 million (€1.2 million). The biorefinery is expected to have a capacity of 50,000 tonnes a year. Phase... [Read More]

Finnish Customs has levied a penalty payment of around €44 million ($59.9 million) to Neste Oil over the alleged missing of Finnish biofuel mandate requirements in 2009 and 2010. The legislation requires companies distributing liquid fuels to provide the appropriate energy content specified for biofuels in any fuel supplied to customers. The legislation in question... [Read More]

'Green diesel' made from oils and fats could be used to fuel aircraft, according to new research by Boeing. The company says green diesel, a renewable fuel used in ground transportation and chemically different to biodiesel, could provide a significant new source of sustainable aviation biofuel that emits at least 50% less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel over its lifecycle. Working... [Read More]

The Maharashtra state government in India has agreed in principle to discuss a move to E10 petrol to help boost the sugar industry. The current ethanol blend is set at 5% but the call has support from local farmer organisations as they could make better yields from sugarcane crops. Sugarcane mills are currently playing farmers IR2500 (€30) per tonne of sugarcane currently,... [Read More]

An idle biodiesel plant in Texas, US is set to restart under new owners as Denton City Council figured out a new lease agreement. American Bio Source will take over the running of the 3 million gallon a year facility, mothballed since 2008, at a reported cost of $1,200 (€878) a month, plus a royalty of around $0.01 per gallon of biodiesel sold. The company is entering... [Read More]

Production of biodiesel in Iowa, US hit record heights in 2013 but the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) believes uncertain federal biodiesel policy could threaten recent growth in lower carbon intensity feedstocks. The IRFA revealed biodiesel production topped 230 million gallons, up 25% on 2012, and the state is expected to account for 13.5% of total US biodiesel... [Read More]

Residents of the city of Wheaton in Chicago, US have been encouraged to keep turning their used cooking oil over to the city following what it calls 'a successful trial'. The public were asked to deliver cooking oil and bacon grease to an allotted storage yard throughout November 2013, which the city would then use to make biofuels. City officials say, as well as... [Read More]

Abandoned fields in Japan are being considered as a location for sweet sorghum crop plantations by a university interested in making biofuels. A team from Ibaraki University wants to generate ethanol for road transportation potential and cultivated, yet unused, farmland near its location could prove a suitable place to grow its feedstock. ‘After fermentation and... [Read More]

Firefighting crews were called out in early January to deal with a leaky 30,000 gallon tanker containing ethanol in Arizona, US. Employees of Union Pacific Railroad noticed the leak at a train yard in Phoenix and, upon arrival, firefighters estimated the tanker had been releasing ethanol at a rate of 100 gallons an hour. The remaining product was offloaded over several... [Read More]

US-based petroleum-related business Ergon has acquired, through its Ergon Ethanol subsidiary, Bunge North America's interest in a previously joint-owned biofuels facility in Mississippi. The move means Ergon Ethanol now owns 100% of the Bunge-Ergon Vicksburg plant and, as of 31 December 2013, it was renamed Ergon BioFuels. Financial terms were not disclosed but the move... [Read More]