Other News

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus will work with China’s state-run oil and gas company Sinopec to develop a new type of biofuel. The project is named “1# biojet fuel” and will be produced at a new Sinopec refinery based in Hangzhou, which has a capacity to produce aviation fuel from biomass on a large scale. ‘Biojet fuel is becoming increasingly important in aviation and the…
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Thailand-based oil refiner Bangchak Petroleum’s president Anusorn Sangnimnuan says it is set to invest heavily into two biodiesel projects. Sangimnuan revealed that Bangchak will invest THB1.2 billion (€30.2 million) and double its capacity of pure biodiesel, or methyl ester, to 600,000 litres per day at its Ayutthaya plant. That move is set to cost THB800 million and the remaining…
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A fire broke out at a biodiesel production in Südlohn-Oeding, Germany on 23 September. It started in a side production line of the Petrotec-owned facility’s biodiesel production process. Petrotec claims the main biodiesel production line was not damaged and suffered no halt of production. Petrotec also reports that, as a result of the disturbance, biodiesel production throughput may be…
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An agricultural project in Abu Dhabi, with the view of producing sustainable jet fuel, is getting closer to fruition. A demonstration farm required by scientists at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) is closer to finding a home. In collaboration with both the Abu Dhabi Urban Council and the Western Region Municipality, MIST is evaluating several options to acquire a necessary…
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Biofuels production could be potentially capped in the near future in France following a cabinet meeting this September. Agriculture minister Stephane Le Foll mentioned that France should reconsider its plans to further develop the use of biofuel during the meeting. Le Foll was quoted as saying that France’s targets for incorporating biofuel elements into traditional fuel…
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A number of sites across the mid-west of Western Australia and Pilbara areas have been identified as capable of producing large quantities of commercial biofuel from microalgae. University of Western Australia’s assistant professor Bryan Boruff studied over 2,000km of coastline and 170km inland areas on behalf of the university’s School of Earth and Environment. ‘Algal biofuels…
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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to establish the amount of bio-diesel products required to be included in diesel fuel markets in 2013. EPA’s action sets the 2013 volume at 1.28 billion gallons under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) which established the second phase of the Renewable Fuel Standards programme. EISA specifies a one billion…
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Funds provided by the National Science Foundation will go towards the assessment of bioenergy projects in both North and South America over the next five years. The $4.81 million (€3.67 million) grant will fund a team of researchers, led by Michigan Tech University professor Kathy Halvorsen, which will visit bioenergy projects in Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and Michigan for the first three…
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Construction of fuel company Citgo's proposed biodiesel storage tank will not begin yet, after members of the Planning Board voted to continue the request until November. Citgo plans to build a new steel tank at its 57 million gallon Quincy Avenue terminal in Braintree, Massachusetts to hold just under 270,000 gallons of biodiesel made from animal and vegetable fats. Citgo currently mixes…
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Magellan Midstream Partners' biodiesel storage and blending terminal is now operational in Des Moines, Iowa. The facility can store and mix 5,000 barrels of 2%, 5%, 10% and 20% biodiesel blends. The 5,000 barrel storage tank is heated and insulated, and features an accompanying pipeline network to the track rack that is also heated and insulated. 'This state-of-the-art system offers our customers…
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US-based biofuels producer Joule has signed a partnership with car manufacturer Audi to aid with its future production. The car brand will test and validate Joule’s future biofuels production with a view to moving towards carbon-neutral driving. The producer has also commissioned a demonstration plant in New Mexico which will use sunlight and CO₂ to create ethanol. ‘Joule and the…
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Odec Tankstorage is increasing its storage capacity in a bid to handle more biofuels. Last month the company acquired a 9,130m3 terminal area in Södertälje oil harbour, Sweden. The terminal is now under development and, upon completion, will feature four new tanks for biofuels storage. Phase 1 of this project is slated to begin at the end of this year and includes a 6,000m3 insulated…
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Utah State University (USU) students have earned a world record after building a one litre, two-cylinder engine biofuelled car. The Aggie A-Salt Streamliner runs on yeast biodiesel and topped out at 65.3mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, a new world record for that type of engine. It also matched the speed it obtained when using petroleum diesel. It has taken over a year for the students and…
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