Other News

Engineering and technology provider Praj Industries is to move into India as it further explores second generation biofuels. A 10 million litres a year demonstration commercial plant represents a continuation of Praj’s lignocellulose to ethanol programme as it seeks ways to produce ethanol from non-food based feedstock. Praj will use the plant to demonstrate technical and commercial…
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The US state of Nebraska has had its first sales of E15 blended fuel this October. A service station in Lexington had blender pumps installed on 16 October and confirmed sales by the end of that weekend. The station owner, Neal Hoff, utilised a blender pump grant from the Nebraska Corn Board to get started. Hoff was quoted as saying that E15 ‘was the fuel of the future for…
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Fuel giant British Petroleum (BP) has backed out of plans to construct a $300 million (€232 million) ethanol plant which would have been based in Florida, US. BP is confident in the effectiveness of its technology to convert energy crops into advanced cellulosic ethanol, but that it could earn better returns pursuing other avenues. The news has caused many to call this a ‘huge…
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Canada-based waste to biofuels company Enerkem is hiring new employees as construction on its new plant gathers pace. The facility, situated in Edmonton, Alberta, is among the first small-scale advanced biofuels plants being built in North America. It will utilise the City of Edmonton’s landfill-based waste to create renewable fuels and other chemicals. ‘Construction of our new plant…
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Industrial enzymes producer Novozymes believes it has a new product that could improve the profitability and efficiency of biofuel production. The product, named Avantec,  is said to allow corn ethanol producers the ability to get a further 2.5% ethanol out of the feedstock. ‘Corn is the single biggest input cost for an ethanol producer and, as prices have gone up, profits have…
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Next generation bio-based chemicals producer Cobalt Technologies is set to work closely with a subsidiary of agribusiness and food company Bunge. Bunge Global Innovation ‘s investment into Cobalt, along with chemicals business Rhodia Poliamida e Especialidades, means it will operate a pilot plant demonstrating the production of n-butanol using sugarcane bagasse as feedstock in…
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Almost 86 million gallons of biodiesel were produced in the US throughout September, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported. Almost 843 million gallons of biodiesel have been produced since the beginning of the year. The amount of biodiesel produced goes towards the Renewable Fuels Standard's (RFS) 'biomass-based diesel' category. The amount of biodiesel, including renewable diesel,…
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International trading company PFP Group has acquired an idle biodiesel plant located in Brescia, Italy. The plant in Castenedolo, with an annual production capacity of 70,000 metric tonnes, is set to be revamped and adapted to be able to process low-quality and second generation feedstock like used cooking oils, animal fats and other residues. The plant is also set to be equipped with a…
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Technology supplier Metso is to provide a Swedish combined heat and power plant with a biofuel-fired boiler. The plant, based in Torsvik and owned by Jönköping Energi (JE), is expanding and the new 100MW unit will serve to help meet district heating and electric power needs of Jönköping municipality. The expansion the CHP plant represents a significant investment for the…
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Germany-based bioethanol manufacturer CropEnergies has posted a new record level for its first half of this financial year. The final figure announced by the company was €319.9 million ($412 million), which was an increase of 16% during March and August compared to 2011. Its operating profit improved by 28% to €37.2 million and its net financial debt has been reduced by €37.3…
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Biorefineries operator Biodico has agreed to develop renewable fuel and technologies with the US Navy on behalf of the US Department of Defence (DoD). Both US Naval and DoD facilities across the globe will benefit from the partnership as it seeks to optimise the operation of sustainable biorefineries that would produce biofuels, energy using renewable resources and other bio-based…
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US-based ethanol plant Heron Lake Bioenergy has been working with an energy company to cut its running costs. Interstate Power and Light, a division of Alliant Energy, has worked with Heron to convert a coal-fired boiler system to natural gas, plus installing a new fan system at the same time. The plant will see a drop in internal electricity usage of approximately 4.5MKW/h per year, which…
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Biofuels and chemicals company Advanced Bioenergy is expected to sell its Nebraska, US ethanol plant by the end of the year to Flint Hills Resources. The news comes after Advanced Bioenergy wanted to see how much interest would come from a sale after receiving interest from another potential buyer earlier this year. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval. The Fairmont-based plant opened…
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