News

Biodiesel is known for powering vehicles across the country—but it also works for poultry and livestock farmers by powering their profitability. That was the message at Western Dubuque Biodiesel’s plant, where soyabean groups hosted a tour of the biodiesel facility and gave an economic presentation to members of the state livestock industry. The United Soybean Board (USB), Iowa…
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North American advanced biofuels producer and developer of renewable chemicals Renewable Energy Group (REG) has expanded its line of credit agreement with Wells Fargo Capital Finance, from $40 million to $60 million (€36.5 million to €54.5 million). In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, REG disclosed that two wholly owned subsidiaries exercised their option to expand…
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Pacific Ethanol, a producer and marketer of low-carbon renewable fuels in the US, has begun commercial production of corn oil utilising Valicor's corn oil recovery system at its Columbia ethanol plant located in Boardman, Oregon. With the completion of this two-year initiative, all four of the western Pacific Ethanol plants are now producing corn oil. Neil Koehler, the company's president and…
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The Rural Business Cooperative Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued an interim final rule making changes to the USDA's Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program. Formerly referred to as the Biorefinery Assistance Program, the programme provides loan guarantees of up to $250 million (€228 million) of senior debt for the…
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The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen its proposal for biodiesel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In its comments submitted to the agency on the pending RFS rule, NBB cited compelling benefits of increased biodiesel production and significant additional capacity for growth in the industry. 'The growth and expansion…
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A research team from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a multi-program US security laboratory, has received an additional $1 million (appr. €907,000) to protect algal crops by developing ‘probiotic’ bacteria to combat pond infestation and increase ecosystem function and resilience. Algal biomass can be converted to advanced biofuels that offer promising alternatives to…
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Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff launched Iogen Energy's cellulosic ethanol technology at the official opening of Raizen's newly expanded Costa Pinto sugar cane mill in Piracicaba, Brazil. Iogen, a cellulosic biofuel technology developer, and Raizen, one of the world's largest producers of sugarcane ethanol, completed construction of the $105 million (appr. €95 million) advanced biofuel…
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Bank of America (BoA) has pledged to increase the company’s current environmental business initiative from $50 billion to $125 billion (appr. €45 billion to €112.5 billion) in low-carbon business by 2025 through lending, investing, capital raising, advisory services, and developing financing solutions for clients around the world. BoA’s initiative and commitment focus on…
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Rennovia, a privately held company that develops novel catalysts and processes for the cost advantaged production of chemical products from renewable feedstocks, and Johnson Matthey Process Technologies, a global provider of advanced process technologies, have started-up a mini-plant for production of glucaric acid from glucose using jointly developed technology. In March 2014, Johnson Matthey…
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In the US, renewable biofuels company Red Rock Biofuels says it will produce approximately 3 million gallons a year of renewable jet fuel for FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. The agreement runs through 2024, with first delivery expected in 2017. FedEx joins Southwest Airlines in purchasing Red Rock's total available volume of jet fuel. Red Rock's first refinery, funded in part by a $70…
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Blume Distillation, a biorefinery systems provider for bioethanol production, has announced the sale of its first Africa-based biorefinery. The Blume biorefinery system has been purchased by Numbitrax, based in Touwsriver, Western Cape, South Africa, which has completed a purchase agreement and fund transfer. The purchase represents an investment worth several million euros for Numbitrax, which…
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Biobased chemical company GF Biochemicals has started commercial production at its 10,000 MT/a capacity levulinic acid plant in Caserta, Italy. GF Biochemicals is the first company to produce levulinic acid at commercial scale directly from biomass. Levulinic acid can be used to produce potential biofuels, including methyltetrahydofuran, valerolactone, and ethyl levulinate. ‘A fundamentally…
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A group of 36 US senators from both major parties have sent an open letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging it to increase the biodiesel production volumes proposed under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The letter comes in the aftermath of EPA setting a lower limit on biodiesel production than originally envisioned by the US Congress, which has drawn heavy criticism from…
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The Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC), an advanced and cellulosic ethanol producers and technology providers’ advocate group, is expanding its organizational charter to include other types of advanced biofuels. The new group, called the Advanced Biofuels Business Council (ABBC), has also announced new corporate and board members. ‘The Council is already taking a collaborative approach to…
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