News

India's Hindustan Petroleum Corp Limited (HPCL) has formed a biofuels joint venture with Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CSREDA). The joint venture, CSREDA-HPCL Biofuels Limited (CHBL), would cultivate tree-borne oil (TBO) plants such as jatropha curcas, which serve as feedstock for biodiesel. HPCL would operate CHBL as its subsidiary with a 74% equity stake. The…
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A group of Brazilian companies and industrial organisations will set up a joint venture to finance research in cellulosic ethanol, the Sao Paulo Industry Federation (Fiesp) says. The initiative includes Brazil's leading sugar and ethanol producer, Copersucar, the country's Sugar Cane Industry Association, Unica, and the local subsidiary of commodities giant Bunge. Brazil's…
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French water and waste management group Veolia will launch its first biodiesel plant in France in early 2009 using oil recycled from the restaurant trade. The plant in Limay, near Paris, would be Veolia's first move in the biofuels industry, Laurent Bromet, head of biofuels at the group, says. Bromet anticipates that recycled cooking oil could account in the future for 5-6% of biodiesel…
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Tokyo-based Cosmo Oil will invest 30 million yen (260,000 Euro's) in a bioventure company in eastern Japan to improve its activity to develop bioethanol. Cosmo Oil will acquire a 40% equity stake in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture-based Biomaterial in Tokyo, which has technology to make cellulose-based ethanol. The major oil distributor is aiming to develop technology to produce cellulose-based…
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Malaysia has raised its 2008 biodiesel export forecast to 200,000 tonnes, more than double that of last year's 95,013 tonnes. 'Export of biodiesel is picking up in volume and speed,' Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin states. 'The spread between the selling price of palm methyl ester and the feedstock is allowing biodiesel producers to make some…
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Colombia will have six operational palm biodiesel plants by next year with a plan to increase its share of the biofuels market. The South American country is the leading producer of palm oil in the Americas. Four of these six plants have already begun operating, but production will be stepped up next year and the other two plants will also come on stream. The export markets for palm oil will…
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The US department of Energy (DoE) has awarded funds to promote the build-up of cellulosic ethanol production. Poet, the largest producer of ethanol in the world, will receive $76.3 million (59.5 million Euros) to commercialise cellulosic ethanol production technology. In February 2007, Poet was selected by the DOE for a total award of up to $80 million in federal funding for the construction of…
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Argentina has become the world's third largest biodiesel producer for 2008, tripling its capacity from 2007. On 15 October, the Argentine Renewable Energies Chamber released a summary of its first full analysis of the Argentine biodiesel market, which includes a list of producers, analysis of present and future capacity, as well as recommendations. The Outlook for the Argentine Biodiesel…
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Alternative energy producer Panda Ethanol has restructured the financing of its Hereford ethanol plant, clearing the way for $31.5 million (23 million Euro's) in additional funds to continue construction on the plant, located in the Texas Panhandle. Under the restructuring, senior lenders waived all existing defaults under the original financing agreements. The 115 gallon per year ethanol…
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Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings will delay the opening of its new ethanol plant in Aurora, Nebraska by roughly three months because of cost concerns. The Illinois-based company had planned to open the 113-million-gallon plant next March but is now aiming for June. Aurora Mayor Marlin Seeman says company officials have prioritised another ethanol project in Indiana ahead of the Nebraska…
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The government of Scotland plans to increase the use of biofuels, including biodiesel, for transport. The goal is to increase the use from less than 1-10% by 2020 to contribute towards reducing emissions by 80% by 2050. The government is seeking feedback on the proposal, dubbed the Renewable Energy Framework, through Dec. 1 and plans to take action on the proposal in February, 2009. The 80-by-50…
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Biodiesel producer Natural Fuel plans to start production at the world's largest plant located on Jurong Island, Singapore, by early-November given the recent fall in palm oil prices. 'We are planning to start-up two of our biodiesel lines by either late-October or early-November,' said a source, adding that the company was 'still working on the third line,' and that the…
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US ethanol producer Southridge has announced plans to acquire an ethanol plant in Brazil that would enable it to produce 50 million gallon/year (190 million litres/year) by May 2009, the Texas-based company said. No financial details were available. The plan will be funded by proceeds from an Asian-based investment transaction nearing completion. Brazil is the world's top exporter of…
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