News

Seven biofuel organisations have filed an interveners brief in the American Petroleum Institute (API) case against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which challenges the 2012 cellulosic and advanced biofuel requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The groups are defending the EPA's ability to set cellulosic and advance biofuels targets that are based on market data and seek to spur…
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Danish enzymes-for-biofuels producer Novozymes will partner with yeast specialist Terranol to complete final testing on a yeast strain which could accelerate conversion of waste into biofuel. Novozymes will have the right to register and market Terranol’s C5 yeast technology under the agreement. ‘We feel Terranol's C5 yeast is currently one of the best strains developed and, by…
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The Daithi O’Mhurchu Marine Research Station in County Cork, Ireland is set to become the country’s first commercial algae production facility for biofuel. The facility has been experimenting with algae growth for three years and is funded by a Marie Curie grant from the EU. The grant is due to expire next year and has pushed the decision to commercial production to the fore. The…
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France-based aircraft manufacturer Airbus has worked with a Chinese university to complete a sustainability analysis report on converting feedstocks, including cooking oil, into sustainable aviation fuel. Airbus, with researchers from the Tsinghua University, hope the project will show how to support the development of a value chain to speed up aviation biofuel commercialisation. ‘The…
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Biotechnology business Matrix Genetics (MG) will pursue developing biofuels-from-algae after receiving investment from Avista Corp. The value of the investment has not been disclosed but MG CEO Margaret McCormick says it will allow the Seattle-based biotech company to spin out from agricultural biotech firm Targeted Growth, which owns the majority of MG, and continue research far into…
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The first phase of Europe’s first microbial oil pilot plant has been completed according to refining and marketing company Neste Oil. The first phase will enable the growth of oil-producing micro-organisms and subsequent phases will focus on raw material pretreatment and oil recovery. The construction has been on time and on budget. Neste’s goal is to develop the technology so that it…
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Biofuels producer Agri-Source Fuels (ASF) is seeking a buyer for its biodiesel refinery located in Dade City, US. ASF claims the plant is only currently refining glycerine but, although it is producing nearly 2 million gallons per year of 99.7% pure USP, further retrofitting and enhancements are  required to bring over 12 million gallons of bidiesel refining back on line. The refinery is the…
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Algae-based green crude oil producers Sapphire Energy’s first phase of its Green Crude Farm, which it claims is the world’s first commercial demonstration algae-to-energy facility, is now operational. The construction of this first phase began on 1 June last year and was completed on time and on budget. The  facility aims to produce 1.5 million gallons per year of crude oil and…
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Developer of second generation biofuels technology TMO Renewables has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the authorities of Heilongjiang, China. The MoU will see TMO provide long-term large volume biomass feedstock supply for future biofuel production facilities from Heilongjiang State Farm, the largest state owned farming corporation in China. The MoU is also the first step towards…
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The total volume of liquid bulk handled in the Port of Rotterdam rose by 10.6% to 107.5 million tonnes in the first half of 2012. Crude oil incoming trade was close to reaching record levels for the first six months of 2012 after it reached 50.6 million tonnes, a 9.6% increase. The handling of mineral oil was also up – by 13.8% - to 39.9 million tonnes, while fuel oil throughput was…
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Global engineering and technology company Chemtex has won a partnership with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to build a new advanced biofuels plant. Backed by a federal-private partnership and earmarked to open in 2014, the biorefinery will create 315 jobs and produce cellulosic ethanol from energy crops. The location of the site is believed to be Sampson County, North Carolina. The…
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Biofuels and renewable chemicals company Aemetis plans to use technology developed by energy provider Chevron and construction company Chicago Bridge and Iron (CBI) to explore jet fuel and diesel production. The technology, provided by Chevron and CBI joint venture Chevron Lummus Global, uses water to convert plant oils into products that are similar to petroleum crude and can be refined into…
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The Argentinean government has begun to formally accuse the European Union of violating rules set by the World Trade Organisation in regard to biodiesel import restrictions from the South American nation. The move comes following a decision made by Spain this spring that required all imported biodiesel to come only from European producers. The decision effectively ended Argentina’s supply…
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Two German researchers have re-ignited the debate that European-produced biodiesel does not meet the required sustainability targets claimed by Brussels. Gernot Pehnet and Christoph Vietze of the Friedruch Schiller University claim eight of the ten tests on locally-produced rapeseed biodiesel failed to meet the promised 35% of greenhouse gas savings promised. In many cases the results recorded…
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