News

VTT Vasiliko, the company which aims to build a private oil storage terminal in Cyprus with an investment of €220 million, said it would take a positive view if the state wished to use its facilities. According to the company, this would save up to €50 million in investment for the Republic of Cyprus, a saving which could be passed onto the Cyprus tax payer. It also said the VTT…
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Kappa Ethanol in Nebraska, US is expanding its transportation infrastructure with the addition of more than four miles of rail track. This will result in Kappa being able to transport 96 rail cars of ethanol to destinations such as California and Texas, instead of just one. Construction on the new infrastructure commenced in October and it is slated for completion by 31 December.
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Drop-in biofuels company Sundrop Fuels has selected a site for its first cellulosic ethanol production plant after acquiring over 1,000 acres of land in Louisiana, US. Costing between $450 and $500 million (€336-373 million) to build, the inaugural plant will be located near Alexandria on a 1,200-acre site. The plant will produce up to 50 million gallons a year of biofuel from forestry waste…
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Test results have demonstrated the potential of Gevo's isobutanol for use in the marine sector. The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has carried out two studies to assess the effects of fuel containing butanol in marine environments. The project, set up to compare isobutanol and ethanol blends and their impacts on the boating industry, included an emissions test and a product…
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Environmentally conscious London-based car-hire group greentomatocars has added biofuel-powered vehicles to its existing 200-strong fleet. The company, which launched five and a half years ago, utilises mainly Toyota Prius'. However, customer feedback highlighted the need for different vehicles to provide a more luxurious experience and transport larger groups of people. With this in mind,…
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A biomass plant proposed by Schneider Electric and Clarke County has been officially blocked following a six-week battle with locals. Residents of downtown Vancouver in Washington, US, opposed the plans claiming the facility did not fit in with the existing buildings in the area. But Schneider Electric and Clarke County appealed against this, explaining that the proposed plant was no different to…
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Blue Sun Biodiesel will sell its biodiesel at the Cummins Terminal located in Knoxville, Tennessee ‘We’re glad to be bringing our biodiesel, and our way of doing business to Knoxville and the Cummins Terminal,’ says Blue Sun CEO Leigh Freeman. ‘Locating at the Cummins Terminal will give our customers a very convenient and efficient way to meet their biodiesel blending…
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Belgium-based tradeshow operator easyFairs has acquired the market leading bulk liquid storage conference and exhibition, StocExpo. easyFairs will take over the organisation of the 2012 event with immediate effect. International sales manager, Sharé Mason, has transferred to the UK offices of easyFairs in Twickenham and will continue in the success of the 2012 event. UK-based StocExpo…
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Adair Turner, chairman of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), has acknowledged that the aviation sector may be an area in which fossil fuels have to be used, highlighting that we are looking to achieve a 'low carbon economy' and not a 'zero-carbon economy'. At present the UK and EU government budgets for cutting carbon emissions do not stretch to the aviation sector. However, this looks set to…
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In the US, oil major Total and Amyris, a renewable products company, have signed an agreement to expand their current R&D partnerships and form a joint venture that will develop, produce and commercialise renewable fuels. Under the new agreement the two companies will continue to work to develop renewable diesel from a plant sugar-based molecule, Biofene. Total will contribute $105 million…
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Biofuels company BioAmber and chemicals business Mitsui have joined forces to build a manufacturing facility in Ontario, Canada. The first phase of the development will produce 17,000 tonnes of biosuccinic acid and is due to open in 2013. The companies plan to expand the facility, adding a further 35,000 tonnes of succinic acid and then increase the size of the facility to include facilities for…
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The first US commercial flight to be powered by biofuels derived from algae has flown from Houston’s IAH airport to Chicago’s O’Hare airport. The microbially-derived biofuel, called Solajet, was manufactured by Solazyme and is a 60% petroleum-derived jet fuel. Solazyme has signed a letter of intent with United Airlines to produce 500,000 tonnes of renewable fuel by 2015, and to…
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Alaska Airlines has powered its first flights using a blend of biofuels derived from used cooking oil. The airline, along with its sister company, Horizon Air, says they will operate 75 flights between Seattle and Washington DC over the next three weeks using the fuel. The blend, which consists of 20% biofuels, will cut greenhouse gases by about 10% over the 75 flights, which Alaska says is the…
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