News

Scientists from the University of Liverpool are taking part in an international research project to apply the properties of drought-adapted desert plants to biofuel crops. The  £8.6million ($13.9 million) project, funded by the US Department of Energy, aims to explore the photosynthetic mechanisms of drought-tolerant desert plants like agave and introduce these into poplar trees,…
Read More »

Italian energy company Eni will invest €100 million ($128.7 million) into converting a conventional refinery located in Venice to biofuels. The process will start with an initial conversion of existing facilities which will be launched in the second quarter of 2013 and be completed by December. ‘It will make the Venice site a model of technological excellence and will represent a solid…
Read More »

A fire broke out at a biodiesel production in Südlohn-Oeding, Germany on 23 September. It started in a side production line of the Petrotec-owned facility’s biodiesel production process. Petrotec claims the main biodiesel production line was not damaged and suffered no halt of production. Petrotec also reports that, as a result of the disturbance, biodiesel production throughput may be…
Read More »

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus will work with China’s state-run oil and gas company Sinopec to develop a new type of biofuel. The project is named “1# biojet fuel” and will be produced at a new Sinopec refinery based in Hangzhou, which has a capacity to produce aviation fuel from biomass on a large scale. ‘Biojet fuel is becoming increasingly important in aviation and the…
Read More »

A partnership that will use the by-products from whisky making in Scotland to make butanol for transportation has been signed. The Tullibardine distillery in Perthshire has signed a MoU with Celtic Renewables, an off-shoot of Napier University, to allow bacteria to feed on its draff and pot ale by-products which are high in sugar content. ‘This partnership is an important step in the…
Read More »

Biodiesel producers in Argentina were happy to hear the country will start to employ a sliding-scale on its multi-billion dollar export industry. President Cristina Fernandez announced the modification of a recent tax levy, from 20% to 32% on biodiesel exports, as it drew strong opposition from local producers. In light of the global price plunge for biodiesel the government were seemingly forced…
Read More »

Petrochemical supplier and technology licensor Honeywell UOP has won a 15 month contract to work on biofuels for the US Air Force. The Defence Department awarded the $17.3 million (€13.4 million) contract for the creation of an economically viable refinery to produce advanced drop-in biofuels. The deal will be structured as a Technology Investment Agreement, meaning bidders will have to…
Read More »

German bioethanol association BDBE has hit back that rising country bioethanol output is contributing to higher global food prices. Since the German government raised the allowed amount of bioethanol blended in petrol from five to 10% in 2011, overall output for the first half of 2012 was 295,000 metric tonnes (a 21% rise). But Germany’s development minister Dirk Niebel claimed the…
Read More »

Clean energy company General Biofuels Georgia is set to construct a new wood pellet plant in Washington County, Georgia to aid biofuels production. The facility is set to cost around $60 million (€46 million) and the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDED) is hopeful it will open in early 2014. Georgia timberlands and local lumber producers will provide feedstock and produce will…
Read More »

German airline Lufthansa is set to work with Australian biofuels company Algae Tec to build a large-scale plant looking to produce green aviation fuel from algae. The site of the new plant is yet to be decided but it is believed a country in Europe with a large CO₂ source will eventually be named as host. ‘Lufthansa will arrange 100% funding for the project, while we will receive licence…
Read More »

Utah State University (USU) students have earned a world record after building a one litre, two-cylinder engine biofuelled car. The Aggie A-Salt Streamliner runs on yeast biodiesel and topped out at 65.3mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, a new world record for that type of engine. It also matched the speed it obtained when using petroleum diesel. It has taken over a year for the students and…
Read More »

US-based biofuels producer Joule has signed a partnership with car manufacturer Audi to aid with its future production. The car brand will test and validate Joule’s future biofuels production with a view to moving towards carbon-neutral driving. The producer has also commissioned a demonstration plant in New Mexico which will use sunlight and CO₂ to create ethanol. ‘Joule and the…
Read More »

Odec Tankstorage is increasing its storage capacity in a bid to handle more biofuels. Last month the company acquired a 9,130m3 terminal area in Södertälje oil harbour, Sweden. The terminal is now under development and, upon completion, will feature four new tanks for biofuels storage. Phase 1 of this project is slated to begin at the end of this year and includes a 6,000m3 insulated…
Read More »

Magellan Midstream Partners' biodiesel storage and blending terminal is now operational in Des Moines, Iowa. The facility can store and mix 5,000 barrels of 2%, 5%, 10% and 20% biodiesel blends. The 5,000 barrel storage tank is heated and insulated, and features an accompanying pipeline network to the track rack that is also heated and insulated. 'This state-of-the-art system offers our customers…
Read More »