News

The Biotechnology Industry Organisation (BIO) has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue a final Tier 3 Motor Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards rule that maximizes investment in, and adoption of, advanced biofuels. Brent Erickson, executive VP of BIO’s industrial and environmental section, believes the EPA recognises the most ‘effective and efficient way to achieve…
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The Port of Rotterdam has received the first load of biodiesel ever to be exported from Brazil for commercial purposes. Brazilian biofuel producer BSBios shipped 22 tonnes of biodiesel to the port after it received authorisation from the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels to export the fuel back in 2008. 'BSBios has tried to make partnerships official to export biofuel,'…
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Food manufacturer and marketer Del Monte has joined in a biodiesel project with its clients McDonald’s in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Twenty vehicles from Del Monte’s logistics fleet are running on biodiesel made from McDonald’s UAE’s used vegetable cooking oil, with an aim to get the entire fleet on renewable fuel before 2014. McDonald’s UAE has been powering…
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It has been reported an idle ethanol and sugar plant in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has found a new buyer. Brazilian engineering company Montagens and Projetos Especiais (MPE) is believed to be spending $31.2 million (€24 million) to modernise the Usina Sapucaia sugarcane mill, as well as planting crops too. Local news reports claim Usina Sapucaia filed for bankruptcy three years ago and has not…
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Southeast Asia airline Garuda Indonesia is planning to use biofuels in all its aircraft by 2015. It has been estimated 10 million litres of biofuel it would be needed to at least part power each of its 96 planes. Garuda plans to add another 48 planes to its fleet however, so the project will hinge on logistical aspects. ‘It is estimated that amount of fuel would be currently sufficient…
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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ruled that a giant reed variety, with a high ethanol potential, qualifies as a cellulosic renewable fuel. Arundo donax has been reported as yielding three times as much ethanol per acre as corn and this decision makes it a potential replacement of corn for renewable transportation fuel in the Midwest. Many scientists and environmentalists believe…
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A third round of grant funding aimed to help petrol stations buy ethanol blender pumps has begun in South Dakota, US. The state has put up $500,000 (€389,500) and station owners can apply for up to $25,000 to install a pump for the first time, or up to $10,000 for any additional pumps. Blender pumps allow customers to choose their ethanol blends at the pump at 10, 20, 30 or 85%. South Dakota…
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Local news reports in the Philippines state Brazilian joint venture business Raizen Energia (RE) is set to build a new bioethanol facility with local developers. RE, owned by Royal Dutch Shell and Cosan SA Industria and Commercio, currently produces over 2 billion litres of ethanol from sugarcane in its native country. A source revealed that RE ‘are still at then exploratory stage, looking…
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A pilot plant in Spain is to use municipal wastewater and sunlight for biofuels production via algae. The project, branded as All-Gas and backed by seven European-based partners, is set to cost €12.2 million ($15.7 million) but at least €9 million has been received from the European Union (EU). It will aim to produce 3,000kg of algae a year with an oil content of 20%, enough biodiesel…
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The multi-million pound Vivergo bioethanol plant has officially opened in Hull, UK this July. The facility, a joint venture between Dupont and AB Sugar costing £350 million (€407.1 million), makes Vivergo the biggest bioethanol plant in the UK, as well as the biggest single-source supplier of animal feed. It is believed the plant will pump out 420 million litres of bioethanol a year…
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Algae-based energy is the order of the day for Thailand-based petroleum company PTT and it is working in Australia to achieve that end. PTT is already in early partnership with Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, with the end-goal of developing algae-oil extraction. The venture is currently focusing on fatty acid methyl ether from selected marine algae. ‘Oil extracted from…
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The European Parliament Environment Committee has approved draft legislation which will limit the contribution of first generation biofuels toward EU green transport targets. The Committee’s vote on proposals to deal with possible greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from indirect land use change (ILUC) took place on 11 July. The potential 5.5% cap on transport from all land-based…
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Biodiesel of Las Vegas has become the first producer in Nevada, US to earn a BQ-9000 certification from the country’s National Biodiesel Board. The certification is a voluntary programme hosted by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Programme for producers of BQ-9000 biodiesel. It combines the ASTM D6751 quality standard with a quality systems programme that focuses on things like…
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