News

Construction of a cellulosic ethanol plant in Iowa, US, is due to be finalised in the coming months and should be operating by June. Poet-DSM, a joint operation between US ethanol maker POET and Dutch food and chemicals group DSM, cost a reported $250 million (4181.7 million) and will produce 7-12 million gallons of ethanol this year using cobs and other corn stover. Its eventual annual…
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A North Dakota State University (NDSU) professor and project developers are embarking on a project to cultivate industrial beets to use in ethanol production. The team are now on the hunt for growers to support and get their plan for production running. Farmer Claude Richard believes: 'If it's economical to make ethanol out of it, it's going to cut down on oil consumption'. Dave Ripplinger, the…
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A biofuels production fund will receive $3 million (€2.2 million) over the next two years that could help Virginia’s Hopewell plant. The states’ governor Terry McAuliffe, the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate have included provisions to earmark $3 million in competing budget plans. Delegate Riley Ingram sponsored successful legislation that made changes to the biofuels…
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The Scoular Company and Vireol Bio-Industries are in partnership to run the Hopewell facility, in Virginia. Scoular will procure corn, operate the grain facility and market the distiller's grain. The company, who has already started to buy corn and receive contracts, began leasing the grain facility in Hopewell last August, before Vireol confirmed that the plant would open in Hopewell. Hopewell…
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The Clinton Fire Department responded to a fire at 8:05 pm on Thursday 15th May at Darling International's facility at 1423 Beaver Channel Parkway. Firefighters found a vessel used for bagging Darling's product on fire within the plant. Crews remained on scene for approximately 90 minutes to extinguish the fire and hot spots. No injuries have been reported. An investigation into the cause of the…
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Methes Energies, a renewable energy company, has chosen Genscape as its Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) provider for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) verification. In a statement Methes said 'Genscape's robust programme is registered with the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] and ensures our RINs will maintain a high standard for quality and reliability while providing the flexibility to…
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The Indian government has increased the prices of jet fuel and non-subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Rs 16.5 (€0.2) a cylinder. This rise comes after an increase in global oil prices due to the ongoing troubles in Iraq, and directly follows the surge in petrol prices by Rs 1.69 a litre and diesel prices by 50 paise a litre. Oil marketing companies are currently experiencing a daily…
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Following the launch of its new business unit Leaf Technologies, Lesaffre has announced the acquisition of start-up company Butalco. Research company Butalco focuses on yeast technology and the development of yeast strains for second generation biofuels.  The move follows the establishment of Leaf Technologies, which concentrates on the development and sale of fermentation solutions in…
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In the US Energy Information Administration's August issue of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, ethanol production has averaged approximately 940,000 barrels per day over the past three months. This level is amongst the highest monthly levels ever recorded. The highest weekly level ever recorded was 972,000 barrels per day during the week ending June 13. Ethanol production averaged approximately…
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Swedish Taurus Energy has partnered with France-based CIMV, and sent a proposal to the EU Commission detailing the construction of a demonstration plant for the production of ethanol from biomass. The plan is for the demonstration plant will be built in France. Taurus Energy will be responsible for the yeast-based fermentation step in the process and the demonstration plant will be built in…
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Ecuador's government is looking to expand local ethanol distribution throughout the country by 2017 to reduce gas emissions and fuel imports. The mix, which contains locally-produced sugarcane ethanol is expected to replace a type of petrol named extra, and will represent 45% of the national fuel market, after diesel and other types of petrol. The government anticipates private investments of…
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India is planning to increase the promotion of biofuels to reduce its crude oil import bill. Current estimates suggest India has the potential to produce 1,200,000 million tonnes, but at present the country only produces 60,000 tonnes, of which 80% is exported. To lift this figure, the country will encourage the production of non-edible oil seeds that lead to biofuel production. Nitin Godkari,…
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Renewable fuel producer Pacific Ethanol has been awarded $3 million (€2.4 million) to develop grain sorghum as a low-carbon feedstock. The research will take place at its plants in Stockton and Madera in a bid to replace a percentage of the corn that is used. The renewable energy producer's award is part of $7.7 million awarded in grants by the California Energy Commission under the state…
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Owensboro Grain, a fifth-generation family-owned soyabean processor located in Kentucky, US has announced the successful start-up of its Kosher certified glycerin refinery. The facility is located adjacent to the company’s biodiesel and vegetable oil refinery complex and will refine virgin soya-based crude glycerin produced at the biodiesel plant In a statement, the company adds the new…
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