News

Kansas could become home to one of the first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol refineries in the US. The global energy company Abengoa Bioenergy, aims to open what could be the first ethanol plant of this scale, in Hugoton, in 2013. It is expected to create 300 construction jobs, 65 permanent jobs and generate an annual payroll of almost $5 million (€3.8 million).…
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OriginOil, a developer of next-generation algae oil technologies for transportation fuel, chemicals and foods markets, has appointed Melbourne-based Frontline Engineering Australia as its first Certified Support Partner. Frontline will help algae producers and integrators, install, engineer and operate OriginOil systems in Australia and also the Asia-Pacific region. Ken Reynolds, OriginOil…
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Aeternum Capital has successfully recommissioned its biodiesel, bioliquids and biolubricants manufacturing plant at Bromborough, near Liverpool. A £12 million (€14.32 million) investment last year allowed for commercial biodiesel production to begin. Biolubricants are set to go into production when the Automatic Batch Blending (ABB) unit progresses through final performance…
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Chemical engineers at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst have discovered a 'mini-cellulose' molecule that behaves in the same way as cellulose when heated to a high temperature. Complex chemical reactions that take place during high-temperature biofuel processes such as pyrolysis or gasification, have remained unknown, as wood molecules are too large, and the reactions are too complicated…
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The Environmental Protection Agency has approved the voluntary use of E15 in all autos and light trucks built since 2001, equalling over 70% of US on-road vehicles. An evaluation of E15's health effects as part of Growth Energy's three-year petition to approve sales of the mid-level ethanol blend has been issued and whilst the EPA must approve individual fuel blends, Tom Buis of Growth…
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LanzaTech has bought a failing ethanol plant in Soperton, middle Georgia, with plans in motion to breathe new life into the 280-acre industrial site. After buying the plant for $5.1 million (€3.85 million) at a foreclosure sale, LanzaTech has subsequently met with suppliers and state officials, pushing forward with plans to resume ethanol production. The company intends to re-hire employees…
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Magellan Midstream Partners LP has announced that it will offer ethanol storage, blending and distribution at its facility in Mount Pleasant, Texas, next month. At a cost of $2 million (€1.51 million), Magellan plans to convert a 17,000-barrel tank and add a new sequential blending system. Jeff Selvidge, senior vice president of transportation and terminals says, "We now offer ethanol…
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Locally manufactured, fuel grade ethanol from Chisumbanje, is causing Zimbabwean fuel prices to decrease. This price drop sits somewhat out of sink with other countries in the region that have seen increased prices as a result of global market developments. A litre of blended fuel ranges from $1.32 (€0.1) - $1.36 (1.03), and unleaded petrol has dropped from $1.44 (1.09) per litre to…
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Finnish paper producer UPM is to build a biorefinery that will produce biofuels from crude tall oil derived from pulp in Lappeenranta, Finland. The facility will be commercial size and produce about 100,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year to be used as vehicle fuel. The biodiesel is called BioVerno and produces 80% less greenhouse gases than traditional fossil fuels. Construction on the biorefinery is…
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Novozymes has formed a joint venture with Sea6 Energy, an Indian company, to develop a method of turning seaweed into biofuels. Through the research, enzymes will be used to convert the seaweed-based carbohydrates into sugar, which can then be turned into ethanol through fermentation. Sea6 Energy will contribute its offshore seaweed cultivation technology to the partnership, whilst Novozymes will…
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Consulting company Lee Enterprises has developed a RIN verification programme called RIN 9000 which will help biodiesel blenders, producers and others involved to make sure he RINs being sold or bought are legitimate. Lee’s owner, Wayne Lee, as well as Jess Hewitt from Gulf Hydrocarbon and biodiesel engineering group Agri-Process Innovations, helped to create the programme. Recently there…
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The Green Investment Bank (GIB), a world first initiative to encourage private investment into green energy projects, has received 32 bids from cities in the UK willing to host the bank. The city that wins the bid would need to be able to recruit and retain the staff, work closely with other parties involved in order to further develop investment projects, and ensure that the bank is cost…
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Algae producer Aquaviridis has joined forces with OriginOil to develop a new technology that extracts oil from the algae and will develop this multi-phase production at its Mexicali site in Mexico. Through the North American Free Trade Agreement, a region in the country has been put aside for such developments and OriginOil will help by harvesting and developing its algae cultivation…
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