Other News

The executive VP of the Biotechnology Industry Organisation’s (BIO) Industrial and Environmental Section, Brent Erickson, has issued a statement in response to what he called ‘false claims’ made by the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) president Charles Drevna in regard to cellulosic biofuels. Erickson’s statement was sent to the House Energy and…
Read More »

After successful demonstration of its catalytic process for making jet fuel, diesel and high octane gasoline from renewable energy sources AliphaJet is taking the project to the next level. AliphaJet used plant oil and animal fat to produce its biofuels and is now launching a programme to build a demonstration scale facility with an annual capacity of 500,000 gallons a year, due for completion…
Read More »

Vivergo Fuels has confirmed that the start-up its proposed new biorefinery in eastern England will be delayed until towards the end of 2012. The biorefinery, claimed to be one of the biggest in Europe upon its completion and based near Hull, is set to use over one million tonnes of feed wheat to produce 420 million litres of bioethanol a year. An approximate by product of 500,000 tonnes of…
Read More »

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has closed public comment on the approval of grain sorghum as an advanced biofuel under the renewable Fuels Standard. The period for comments has been open for over a month and been championed by sorghum producers country-wide, with National Farmer’s Union president Roger Johnson supportive from the beginning. Johnson was quoted as saying:…
Read More »

A team of researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Science Centre believes it has identified key new proteins which could aid in the production of next generation biofuels. Analysis of eight species of heat-loving bacteria from the genus Caldicellulosiruptor has revealed it may be possible to break down complex plant material, like switchgrass, using those instead of having to…
Read More »

Production developer of biofuels and bio-based chemicals Codexis has signed an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement with Shell. Shell has agreed to negotiate exclusively with Codexis and would grant the company certain rights and licenses in the biofuels field to develop and sell cellulase enzymes to third parties on a worldwide basis, except Brazil. Codexis has exclusive rights to commercialise its…
Read More »

Australian-based sugar refiner and renewable energy provider Sucrogen has agreed to support the Townsville 400 V8 Supercars event with bioethanol fuel and sponsorship for the next two years. Sucrogen Bioethanol’s (SB) 85% ethanol blend fuels the cars at every event and is made from molasses, a by-product of its sugar production. ‘We are delighted that E85 has been embraced with…
Read More »

Ethanol producer Poet is now producing corn oil, as well as ethanol at its refinery in Groton, South Dakota. ‘It is one more value-added product we can produce from a kernel of corn,’ says Kelly Kjelden, general manager. ‘Poet is always looking for the next step to add value, to be more efficient and to make the plant more viable and profitable. Being able to extract corn oil…
Read More »

New Jersey-based alternative fuel producer Primus Green Energy has started building its new $7 million (€5.6 million) demonstration plant. It is slated for completion in late 2012 and is designed to produce 33 litres of petrol per hour. The facility will serve as the proving ground for the company’s first commercial plant, which it hopes to break ground on next year. Primus is making…
Read More »

Leading renewable chemical producer Gevo has announced a collaboration with US-based ethanol producer BioFuel Energy to explore high-volume production of isobutanol. ‘The capacity of BioFuel's plants would allow us to begin delivering isobutanol at the scale that refinery customers are likely to demand,’ says Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo. ‘BioFuel Energy has agreed to explore a…
Read More »

The South African Department of Energy (SA DoE) will publish its final set of mandatory regulations concerning blended biofuels use next month. As well as revealing the initial ratio of blended fuels using bioethanol and biodiesel, the regulations will also define who, from cane farmer to dispenser, gets paid what in its production. The SA DoE issued draft regulations a year ago and has reviewing…
Read More »

US-based oil refiners Valero Energy (VE) and ethanol producers Nedak Ethanol (NE) have both temporarily closed their ethanol plants in Nebraska recently. VE spokesman Bill Day cited ‘poor profit margins’ returned by its facility, which produces up to 110 million gallons of biofuel annually, as the reason behind the suspension. There were no signs that VE’s other nine ethanol…
Read More »

Experienced energy advocates In Thailand have called for the country to step up its development on biodiesel and ethanol production by working with nearby countries. Former executive director of the Petroleum Institute of Thailand, Khunying Thongtip Ratanarat, believes joint development programmes with the likes of Indonesia and Malaysia would help reduce Thailand’s reliance on oil…
Read More »