News

Pacific Coast Canola, a subsidiary of US-based crop processor Legumex Walker, has signed a six-month contract to deliver canola oil to biofuels company Imperium Renewables. The so-called ‘super degummed’ feedstock will be delivered by truck to Imperium’s refinery in Hoquiam. ‘The biofuel industry is an important complementary market for our canola oil, and crush margins…
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Construction of a new bioethanol facility has begun this January in the Ukraine via research and development company Zarya. The project is reported to cost UAH470 million (€41.4 million) and will produce bioethanol with an ethanol concentration of 99%. The facility will provide carbon dioxide and DDGS as by-products. ‘Researchers have studied both bioethanol  production methods…
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Etihad Airways, the state-owned carrier of Abu Dhabi, is joining with French energy firm Total and US aircraft maker Boeing to develop biofuels in the emirate, company officials have announced. Though Abu Dhabi has huge oil reserves and access to cheap jet fuel, it says it wants to develop sustainable energy sources to diversify its economy. Biofuels could also help Etihad meet targets in the…
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Novozymes, a producer of industrial enzymes, says 2013 financial results saw organic sales grow by 7% (DKK 5%, LCY 8%), EBIT by 6% and net profit by 9%. The EBIT margin increased by 0.3% to 24.7% compared with 2012. The company is confident 2014 will show a continuation of these upward trends, an outlook which includes the expected financial impact from its BioAg Alliance with US-based chemical…
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US biodiesel producer Blue Sun Energy has implemented a new enzymatic processing technology into its 30 million gallon per year St. Joe refinery in Missouri. This new process uses the Callera Trans L enzyme, provided by Blue Sun’s project partner Novozymes, and is being heralded by Blue Sun as ‘the most advanced biodiesel production facility in the world’. 'The process developed…
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France-based renewable hydrocarbon provider Global Bioenergies (GB) is to collaborate with German car manufacturer Audi on the development of isobutene-derived isooctane, a high performance biofuel for petrol engines. One of GB’s in-house programmes concerns the production of bio-isobutene, a molecule which can transform into isooctane, a 100% drop-in fuel that can be used in any blending…
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A lack of any transport-focused mandate from the European Commission (EC) as it delivered its vision on a long-term energy and climate policy has sparked a reaction from stakeholders in the renewable fuels industry. The EC report, titled A policy framework for climate and energy policy between 2020 to 2030, suggests moves to a mandatory 40% greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, 27% binding renewable…
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Renewable Energy Group has acquired renewable chemical technology developer LS9 for a purchase price of up to $61.5 million (€45 million), consisting of up front and earnout payments, in stock and cash. Most of the LS9 team, including the entire research and development group, will join the newly named REG Life Sciences, which will operate out of LS9’s headquarters in…
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A fire at a north Mississippi, US, biofuels plant is reported to have been burning since yesterday, after a total of three explosions rocked the facility. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials are quoted as saying that authorities are trying to figure if they should extinguish the fire or let it burn out. No injuries have been reported, though a voluntary evacuation order for about 50…
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Australia-based research company Actinogen, which works with a group of environmental bacteria known as actinomycetes, is to collaborate with Leaf Energy on its glycerol pre-treatment process. Leaf will spend up to AU$100,000 (€65,800) to further fund studies on bioethanol with Actinogen, as certain strains of actinomycetes produce enzymes which can break down cellulose from industrial…
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US-based Heliae, a developer of advanced algae production technologies, commenced operations at its first commercial facility in Arizona late last year. Using its Volaris-brand platform, the commercial facility will initially operate at 33% of its capacity to produce high-value algae products for nutraceutical and personal care products but biofuels represents another business avenue for…
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Seven universities in the US are to share a multi-million federal research grant to develop non-food feedstocks for biofuels. The educational bodies, based in Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Georgia, Indiana and North Carolina, will split a reported $8 million (€5.8 million) to conduct research on improving biofuel-related aspects coming from trees and grasses. The grants come from the…
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US-based petroleum-related business Ergon has acquired, through its Ergon Ethanol subsidiary, Bunge North America's interest in a previously joint-owned biofuels facility in Mississippi. The move means Ergon Ethanol now owns 100% of the Bunge-Ergon Vicksburg plant and, as of 31 December 2013, it was renamed Ergon BioFuels. Financial terms were not disclosed but the move ends a six year…
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