News

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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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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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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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 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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The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and other leading biofuels advocates in the US have sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging the White House to “act quickly to prevent actions” at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that ‘threaten jobs in rural America, freeze innovation in advanced biofuels and undermine the energy security goals of America’s Renewable…
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Nordic energy company St1 has signed an engineering design package and licence agreement with Haldor Topsoe for a renewable diesel production unit, which will be integrated with its refinery based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The construction of the plant will be subject to final investment decision after completion of the design in spring 2018 and after obtaining required environmental permit. The…
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US advanced biofuels company Gevo announced that it expects to supply its renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) to the Virgin Australia Group, a well-known Australian airline group.  The Virgin Australia Group will be responsible for coordinating the purchase, supply and blending of the ATJ into the fuel supply system at Brisbane Airport in Queensland, Australia. Gevo’s ATJ is expected…
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The impending trade deal between the EU and Mercosur (South America’s trading block) for an annual quota of ethanol imports from Brazil would be a serious blow to Europe’s farmers and ethanol industry unless measures are taken to ensure a level playing field. “By agreeing to open its markets to Brazilian ethanol, the EU would contradict its own efforts to increase domestic…
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A major breakthrough has been made in the direct conversion of methane and carbon dioxide into liquid fuels and chemicals. Researchers claim that the new process could help industry reduce greenhouse gas emissions while producing vital chemical feedstocks. The researchers from the University of Liverpool have developed a plasma synthesis process for a direct, one-step activation of carbon dioxide…
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A four year, $6 million research project is aiming to determine how the US’ Upper Missouri Basin would be affected if biofuels were produced and carbon capture technologies implemented in the region. Experts from the Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana State Universities will generate economic models to see if changes in commodity and capturing carbon are sustainable, and feasible, in the…
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The future of bioethanol, advanced biofuel developments and an uncertain policy landscape were some of the hot topics discussed at this year’s Biofuels International and Bioenergy Insight conference. The conference took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 4-5th October. Rob Wakely, head of low carbon fuels division, energy technology and international directorate, at the UK’s…
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Researchers in the US have developed a method to convert a biofuel waste product into a ‘usable and valuable commodity’. Published in the journal Bioresources Technology, the research by scientists from Washington State University (WSU) and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) could drastically change the economic viability of algae biofuels. The conversion of algae to…
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