Other News

In an effort to reduce reliance on petroleum-based fuel in Jamaica its government is seeking billions of dollars for biofuels investment. Phillip Paulwell , the minister of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining, was quoted by local news sources as saying that a ‘biofuel energy source, if developed, could attract investments and create job opportunities’. ‘I think we are now on…
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US-based Red Rock Biofuels has won a multi-million dollar contract to produce biofuels for the US military. The company was one of four to have private investments matched by funds from the Defence Production Act under the Advanced Biofuels Production Project. This project is hoped to produce military-grade fuels under $4 (€3) a gallon within three years. RRB’s government award will by…
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Indonesia-based Waterland will receive its new green biodiesel plant in Bali later this month. It is scheduled to open in September. The plant, which will produce biodiesel from camelina with the aid of enzymes and ethanol, is being developed and delivered by Dutch company FirmTec. Once operational the plant will make biodiesel to power generators for the production of electricity. This novel…
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Dutch company Firmtec, which provides vegetable oil processing systems, is set to deliver what it calls the ‘first ever plant capable of producing 100% green biodiesel’. The facility will be owned and operated by Indonesian company Waterland and will make the biodiesel via enzymes and ethanol, using oil from the Camelina sativa plant. The biodiesel plant will be based in Bali and aims…
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The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working to demonstrate that jet fuel can be manufactured economically and in large volumes from biomass materials such as switchgrass and has partnered with Cobalt Technology, the US Navy and Show Me Energy for the project. The results of these tests will help decipher whether the process can be ramped up for commercial…
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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make up to $98.6 million (€75.6 million) available to support advanced biofuels production. Eligible producers can submit applications to obtain a share of the pot, including those that did not apply during the last window in October 2012 ‘The US is on the path to a cleaner, more secure energy future,’ US agriculture secretary Tom…
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Renewable fuel producer Pacific Ethanol has begun commercial production of corn oil at its ethanol plant in Idaho, US. The unrefined end product is believed to be used for biodiesel and animal feed. ‘Corn oil is a high value co-product with multiple markets including biodiesel,’ says Pacific Ethanol CEO Neil Koehler. ‘Corn oil sales at our Idaho plant diversifies our…
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Specialty chemicals company Clariant will expand the raw materials used at its demonstration plant in Germany after new findings show that corn stover and sugarcane bagasse can also be used. The company's demo plant is converting agricultural residues into bioethanol using its Sunliquid technology. Following the opening of the facility in July 2012, Clariant now has new findings which show that…
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It has been reported Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) is to purchase a Nebraska ethanol plant, loading and storage facility. The plant has been idle for 12 months but GPRE will purchase it for $15 million (€11.4 million) and hopes to restart it before August. The Omaha-based ethanol producer has signed a purchase agreement to buy the membership interests of Choice Ethanol Holdings, which…
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LCTI Low Carbon Technologies International, which focuses on clean-tech, environmental and energy efficiency sectors has signed a joint venture with US-based Sunthenoil. The two want to develop a 1,000 acre algae-to-oil project located on a LCTI site using a technology sub-licensed through Sunthenoil from SunEco Energy of California. The project aims to produce around 33 million gallons of…
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AltAir Fuels is to turn part of an existing petroleum refinery into a 30 million gallon biofuel production facility near Los Angeles, California and has finalised a purchase agreement with United Airlines for the fuel. Under the partnership, United has agreed to buy 15 million gallons of biojet from AltAir over a three-year period, with the option to purchase more. AltAir says it expects to begin…
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South African sugar producer Tongaat Hulett (TH) has revealed biofuel and renewable energy production is becoming more of a concern for its future. TH aims to complete a bid for an 80MW power plant this year as environmental impact assessments and construction contracting advance. This follows a decree at ministerial level to provide the country with 800MW of cogeneration power issued last…
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Bioinnovation company Novozymes has designed two new enzyme technologies to increase ethanol and corn oil yields for improved profits. Two new fermentation solutions will join with the company’s Avantec brand, which is an advanced yield-enhancing liquefaction solution. Results from industry-scale trials, which deployed all three technologies, could mean additional profits for ethanol…
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