News

Brazil is expecting a record-breaking volume of ethanol produced from sugarcane this year, according to a national survey. The country anticipates a total harvest of 629 million tonnes, a 10% increase over 2008, as wider distribution of rainfall and an expanded planted area which reached 7.7 million hectares led to the abundant growth of the crop. The current productivity index of about 81…
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Indian Railways is planning three 20,000 litre a year biodiesel plants to meet its biodiesel requirements. The company is currently the biggest consumer of diesel in the world, and needs about 60,000 litres of biodiesel every day. Together with manufacturer Emami, which is aiming at producing 1,500 litres of edible oil and 300 litres of biodiesel oil per day, Indian Railways is looking at…
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The early bird deadline for the upcoming Biofuels International Canada expo & conference ends on 15th September – register now to receive an extra 10% discount! Not only will you receive a discount, you also get access to two events for the price of one! Biofuels International Canada expo & conference is co-hosted with Tank Storage Canada expo & conference, bringing together all…
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The US Department of Defence has signed a contract with US-based biofuel producer Solazyme to research, develop and demonstrate commercial scale production of biofuel using algae as feedstock. The biofuel has to meet the US Navy’s rigorous specifications for military tactical platforms. Solazyme will use its algal oil production process to provide renewable F-76 Naval Distillate fuel for…
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The prime minister of Iraq has approved a project by an undisclosed UAE-based company to produce biofuel from rotting dates that would otherwise be wasted. Iraq has the world's third largest oil reserves but its crumbling farm sector, which has suffered from decades of sanctions, isolation and war, is the country's leading employer. A long drought has conspired with entrenched…
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A new report has revealed that Australian motorists are rapidly changing their petrol-buying habits with a growing number of them opting for ethanol-blended petrol. Australia’s emerging biofuel sector is currently contributing 290 million litres a year to the country’s national transport fuel supply. This is about 80% of the way towards meeting the 350 million litres target by 2010, set by…
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Mascoma has entered into a feedstock processing and lignin supply agreement with Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV), a division of Chevron U.S.A. CTV will provide various sources of lignocellulosic feedstock to Mascoma, which will then convert the feedstock to cellulosic ethanol through its proprietary process, which produces lignin as a by-product. Mascoma will provide this lignin to CTV for…
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In the US ethanol fuel tanks will be installed at three South Dakota state Department of Transportation regional yards in an effort to increase the use of renewable fuel by the state fleet. Although nearly 40 % of South Dakota’s 3,395 government vehicles are flexible fuel vehicles, state employees have not had access to high ethanol blends, such as E85, at state fuelling facilities. Instead,…
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The upcoming Biofuels International expo & conference, being held in Singapore on 19-20th November is now in association with Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), a platform for international and regional policy makers, industry players, and academics to discuss pertinent energy issues and strategies affecting the world today. SIEW is co-hosted by Energy Market Authority, a statutory…
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Energy secretary Steven Chu has appropriated $300 million (€209 million) from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the Clean Cities programme, which aims to reduce the US’ dependence on fossil fuels and stimulate the development of alternative energy. Final details of the allocation has yet to be decided, but Chu has announced that the cash will help to finance 25 cost-share…
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South African company First In Spec, which was established last year, is to build three biodiesel plants in South Africa in the next four years. The company is to invest R1.5 billion (€135 million) in the construction of three plants to convert waste cooking oil to biodiesel. The first, to be built in the port town of Richards Bay, on the east coast, is projected to cost R350 million and to…
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The national legislature of Cyprus is considering amending a law banning the promotion or use of biofuels produced from genetically modified crops. The European Commission (EC) has approached the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for a ruling on whether the Cypriot law breaches European Law banning unauthorised trade sanctions. If, as widely expected, the ECJ rules against Cyprus, Cyprus could…
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Biodiesel producer Biopetrol has announced a drop in turnover in the first half of 2009 of 50% since the equivalent period in 2008. The company blames increases taxed on biodiesel in Germany and a large volume of indirectly subsidised biodiesel from Argentina. Biopetrol, which underwent major financial restructuring in April, announced that its turnover in the first half of 2009 had been…
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