News

Waste from dairy farms and beer breweries could provide the necessary ingredients to grow algae-based biofuels say the leaders of a project based in Vermont, US. The US Department of Agriculture awarded the association, which includes the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), a $51,000 (€37,000) grant to research biofuels technology using algae during a news conference at…
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Hong Kong-based ASB Biodiesel is to start generating biodiesel at its processing plant in November. Located at the Tseung Kwan O industrial estate and expected to start in November, ASB is excepting to produce around 100,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year. The plant, to reach that figure of B100 blends, is expecting to use 200,750 tonnes of grease trap waste as feedstock. The bulk of initial…
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Butamax Advanced Biofuels, a biobutanol technology company, and Highwater Ethanol, a first generation ethanol producer, have begun to retrofit Highwater's ethanol plant in Minnesota, US for the production of biobutanol. The pair have entered into definitive agreements for license of Butamax's patented corn oil separation technology, and installation of system has already commenced with commercial…
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Alternative fuel company Primus Green Energy is to commission a 100,000 gallon a year natural gas to petrol pre-commercial demonstration plant at its New Jersey, US facility. The demo plant will use Primus’ proprietary technology, a four reactor catalytic process which converts syngas derived from natural gas or other feedstocks to petrol, jet fuel, diesel or aromatic chemicals without, it…
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The Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have announced a move to a B10 biodiesel mandate after certain conditions were met. All departments are required to determine whether four statutory conditions had been met before increasing the minimum biodiesel content mandate to B10, which was originally due in 2012, before next moving to B20 in…
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BlueFire Renewables, a renewable fuels company, is to integrate a wood pellet production plant with its ethanol facility in Mississippi, US. The reconfigured design will see a 400,000 tonne per year wood pellet factory integrated with the company's existing 9 million gallon per year ethanol plant in Fulton. The pellets will be sold under long-term contracts into the European mandated renewable…
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As butanol continues to show strong potential as a biofuel, a new ASTM International standard has been introduced covering butanol intended to be blended with petrol at 1 to 12.5% volume for use as an automotive spark-ignition engine fuel. ASTM D7862-13, the specification for Butanol for Blending with Petrol for Use as Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel, was developed by a subcommittee of ASTM…
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A new report produced for the Greater London Authority (GLA) by LRS Consultancy has sparked further support from the Mayor of London to entice the biodiesel industry into the capital. After reviewing The market for biodiesel production from used cooking oils and fats, oils and greases in London, Mayor of London Boris Johnson says: ‘By capturing used cooking oil right here in London and…
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A new investment will be made into Mustard 21 Canada to help it continue research and development of the crop as an industrial feedstock for the emerging biofuels sector, among others. Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz has announced an investment of CN$4.9 million (€3.4 million) to the non-profit organisation to go towards helping mustard producers ‘increase their competitiveness and…
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Evogene, a plant genomics company, says subsidiary Evofuel has completed three years of successful field trials in Brazil for the development of castor bean as an alternative feedstock for production of biodiesel and other industrial uses. The field trials were conducted in cooperation with agriculture business SLC Agrícola, one of Brazil’s largest landowners, and demonstrated strong…
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It has been reported Malaysia, the world’s second largest palm oil producer, is to launch its own certification standard for next year. The aim of this move is to differentiate homemade palm oil to that produced overseas and to offer a less stringent alternative to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification (RSPO). ‘The RSPO is more of a burden to the industry. It has…
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Biotechnology business Novozymes will enter into a collaboration agreement with Raizen Energia, Brazil’s largest sugarcane crusher. As part of the agreement, Novozymes will supply enzyme technology to Raízen’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Brazil, scheduled to be operational by end 2014. The plant will be a bolt-on facility to Raízen’s…
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The US Grains Council (USGC) has made its first high-value import into Algeria this September since successfully removing the value added and custom taxes on all feed imports to the country last year. It was Sarl Nutrimag, an Algerian commercial importer, which has made the first ever purchase of US distiller's dried grains (DDGS) and corn gluten feed (CGF).  According to Cary Sifferath,…
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