Other News

Abandoned fields in Japan are being considered as a location for sweet sorghum crop plantations by a university interested in making biofuels. A team from Ibaraki University wants to generate ethanol for road transportation potential and cultivated, yet unused, farmland near its location could prove a suitable place to grow its feedstock. ‘After fermentation and purification, juices…
Read More »

A lack of any transport-focused mandate from the European Commission (EC) as it delivered its vision on a long-term energy and climate policy has sparked a reaction from stakeholders in the renewable fuels industry. The EC report, titled A policy framework for climate and energy policy between 2020 to 2030, suggests moves to a mandatory 40% greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, 27% binding renewable…
Read More »

Production of biodiesel in Iowa, US hit record heights in 2013 but the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) believes uncertain federal biodiesel policy could threaten recent growth in lower carbon intensity feedstocks. The IRFA revealed biodiesel production topped 230 million gallons, up 25% on 2012, and the state is expected to account for 13.5% of total US biodiesel production last year. But…
Read More »

Renewable Energy Group has acquired renewable chemical technology developer LS9 for a purchase price of up to $61.5 million (€45 million), consisting of up front and earnout payments, in stock and cash. Most of the LS9 team, including the entire research and development group, will join the newly named REG Life Sciences, which will operate out of LS9’s headquarters in…
Read More »

An idle biodiesel plant in Texas, US is set to restart under new owners as Denton City Council figured out a new lease agreement. American Bio Source will take over the running of the 3 million gallon a year facility, mothballed since 2008, at a reported cost of $1,200 (€878) a month, plus a royalty of around $0.01 per gallon of biodiesel sold. The company is entering its fourth year as a…
Read More »

A fire at a north Mississippi, US, biofuels plant is reported to have been burning since yesterday, after a total of three explosions rocked the facility. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials are quoted as saying that authorities are trying to figure if they should extinguish the fire or let it burn out. No injuries have been reported, though a voluntary evacuation order for about 50…
Read More »

The Maharashtra state government in India has agreed in principle to discuss a move to E10 petrol to help boost the sugar industry. The current ethanol blend is set at 5% but the call has support from local farmer organisations as they could make better yields from sugarcane crops. Sugarcane mills are currently playing farmers IR2500 (€30) per tonne of sugarcane currently, but some believe…
Read More »

'Green diesel' made from oils and fats could be used to fuel aircraft, according to new research by Boeing. The company says green diesel, a renewable fuel used in ground transportation and chemically different to biodiesel, could provide a significant new source of sustainable aviation biofuel that emits at least 50% less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel over its lifecycle. Working with the US…
Read More »

Finnish Customs has levied a penalty payment of around €44 million ($59.9 million) to Neste Oil over the alleged missing of Finnish biofuel mandate requirements in 2009 and 2010. The legislation requires companies distributing liquid fuels to provide the appropriate energy content specified for biofuels in any fuel supplied to customers. The legislation in question is intended to…
Read More »

China New Energy (CNE) has been awarded a contract by Jilin-based New Tian Long Alcohol (NTLA) to provide technology and services for a new second generation biorefinery. The multi-phase contract, with phase one expected to last two years, is said to be worth CNY10 million (€1.2 million). The biorefinery is expected to have a capacity of 50,000 tonnes a year. Phase one of the project…
Read More »

Deinove, a France-based company which designs and develops new industrial production processes based on the exploitation of Deinococcus bacteria, has produced 9% ethanol via its process. The company believes this landmark shows its bacterial process is suitable for converting this type of biomass-to-biofuel and should offer industrial production costs fall in line with market…
Read More »

BF Commodities has revealed it is to build a new second generation biodiesel refinery in Switzerland It is believed the facility will be able to produce over 5,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year and operations are expected to start in June, using cooking oil and tallow feedstocks.  BF state the project will help bring a reduction of over 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Read More »

The European Court of Justice has come to a conclusion on the complaint made by BP North America against the Council of the European Union (EU). Five years ago the European Biodiesel Board (EBB) lodged a complaint against dumped and subsidised biodiesel imports from the US. In March 2009, the European Commission imposed extensive anti-dumping and countervailing measures of imports of US…
Read More »