News

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has cut its 2013 target for the use of cellulosic biofuel to less than a million gallons. The agency lowered the mandate to 810,185 gallons in a new rule, after the industry failed to meet goals for the fuel's production last year. The figure is significantly below the 6 million gallons required in the proposal it finalised last summer and is a small…
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The Navy plans to create two new acquisition vehicles this year to ensure it has a consistent supply of advanced biofuels. As an indication of their development, the service says the biofuels will not be any more expensive than the petroleum-based diesel and jet fuels that it has been buying for decades. By using the Defence Production Act, the Navy are able to send money to companies that supply…
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Avianca Brasil and Byogy Renewables have unveiled an initiative to develop the world's first biofuel that does not require blending with a traditional fuel. The duo suggests that Byogy's proprietary ATJ process harvests biofuel that is in some ways 'better than jet fuel produced from oil'. The advanced biofuel producer's platform converts any source of ethanol, butanol, mixed alcohols, or related…
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Lufthansa is testing a new type of biofuel for use in aircraft to increase its efforts to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. The aircraft carrier is teaming up with Gevo to research the blending of Gevo's ATJ with conventional kerosene for aircraft use. The alcohol-to-jet fuel producer uses fermented plant waste from a range of sources to produce isobutanol, a form of alcohol which can then be…
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The South African government shows support for Mabele Fuels' biofuel programme with a potential investment. Mabele Fuels, a clean energy company, has been awaiting subsidy approval from the government to build South Africa's largest biofuels refinery. Ben Martins, the South African minister of energy, reports that the final biofuels position paper will be published in May 2014. A 2% blend of…
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Springboard Biodiesel, a clean-technology manufacturer, launches a fully automated, zero-waste biodiesel production plant in Chico, California, designed for low-cost production of multiple feedstocks. The model processing facility, which will open on 1 May and is capable of producing up to 1,500 gallons per day, processes locally collected UCO feedstock and converts it into ASTM-grade B-100…
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W2 Energy, a green technology company, has started production at its biofuel plant in Cambridge, Ontario. The company's production will start on a batch basis and, after testing various small batches of fuel, are confident the plant will produce ASTM specification fuel on a consistent basis. Michael McLaren, CEO of W2 Energy, says: 'Our current plan is to ramp up production with our system to…
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The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) has released its 2020 vision. Its 19 page Evolution and Growth document, which establishes a plan to take the industry through to 2020, includes six recommendations for provincial and federal governments on how they can support the biofuel sector. Scott Thurlow, CRFA president, says: 'These are the pivot points that we think will be important for…
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The Turku region of Finland is investing over $350 million (€253 million) in a plant that will run mainly on local wood chips. TSE, the Turku region's energy consortium, will replace a 50-year-old coal plant in Naantali with a multi-fuel facility, fuelled by 100% biomass and waste. The facility is expected to burn between 915,000 and 1.57 million cubic yards per year of chips. Construction…
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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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Stanford University scientists have found a unique liquid ethanol production method that uses carbon monoxide gas. The scientists hope this new discovery will provide an eco-friendly, efficient alternative to conventional ethanol production from corn and other crops. Results from the study are published in the advanced online edition of the journal Nature, released on April 9. Matthew Kanan, an…
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Vireol Bio Energy LLC will commission the Hopewell plant, formerly owned by Osage Bio Energy facility to begin ethanol production. Governor Terry McAuliffe announced on Wednesday April 9 that the company, which will produce ethanol from corn, barley and other small grains, will invest more than $26.2 million (€19 million) to begin production at the plant. The plant will be the largest…
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Royal DSM and Poet have collaborated on a cellulosic ethanol producing plant, located in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The joint venture will see the two companies oversee ethanol production at the $250 million (€180 million) plant, which will produce about 12 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol this year alone, DSM chief executive Feike Sijbesma says. Cellulosic ethanol production should start at the…
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Brazil forecasts growth in its cane harvest and sugar output, despite the drought in its main sugar-producing region. In its first estimates, Brazil's Conab crop bureau anticipates the country's cane, ethanol and sugar output in 2014-2015 to reach 672 million tonnes, a 2% increase year on year. Ethanol output will rise by 1.5% to 412 million litres and sugar production will rise by 4.2% to 40…
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