Other News

Biodiesel producer Methes Energies Canada's newly retrofitted biodiesel plant will be officially opened on 10 August – International Biodiesel Day. The Sombra, Ontario-based plant is able to produce 13 million gallons a year of biodiesel from mostly cooking oil and animal fat, although it is able to handle a variety of different feedstocks. Methes Energies began retrofitting the plant after…
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France-based aircraft manufacturer Airbus has worked with a Chinese university to complete a sustainability analysis report on converting feedstocks, including cooking oil, into sustainable aviation fuel. Airbus, with researchers from the Tsinghua University, hope the project will show how to support the development of a value chain to speed up aviation biofuel commercialisation. ‘The…
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Scientists from the University of Liverpool are taking part in an international research project to apply the properties of drought-adapted desert plants to biofuel crops. The  £8.6million ($13.9 million) project, funded by the US Department of Energy, aims to explore the photosynthetic mechanisms of drought-tolerant desert plants like agave and introduce these into poplar trees,…
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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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A new Scottish biofuel programme officially launched this month after securing over a million pounds worth of investment. The programme is a partnership between five Scottish universities and research institutions, with the £1.6 million ($2.5 million) funding coming via the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise. ‘We are mandated by the…
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Renewable energy and agriculture technology provider ICM has completed a test of its 1.5 generation integrated fibre to cellulosic ethanol technology. ICM engineered a 1,000 hour test run at its pilot plant in Missouri, US and believes it can now save on both operating costs and expenditure over traditional cellulosic ethanol production. Feedstocks used in the test included corn stover and fibre,…
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Biodiesel production in Europe dropped last year and illegal imports from countries such as Argentina and Malaysia are being blamed. Biodiesel production has fallen for the first time in Europe, even though consumption figures have remained stagnant. Although 2010 showed that the production of biodiesel had risen by 5.5% when compared to the previous year, latest figures show that in 2011…
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Analysis company Bloomberg New Energy Finance have published forecasts suggesting that, if production efficiency continues to improve, the cost of some biofuels could be similar to that of conventional jet fuel by 2018. However, the study also showed that airlines might end up using only a modest proportion of biofuels (2% or less) in their fuel mix in the next few years. ‘The problem is…
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Brazilian ethanol producer, Usina de Acucar Santa Terezinha, is to invest 500 million reais (€215.56 million) in sugar-cane plantations and a mill. The first phase of a cane project situated in the state of Mato Grosso is expected to be completed by 2015. The company will also be investing in its 8 existing mills, developing plantations for each. This project, which initially was going…
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Ventura, which is a subsidy of biodiesel company Biodico, has been given a $2 million (€1.5 million) grant from the California Energy Commission and will use the funds to produce renewable energy and biodiesel at Biodico’s 10 million gallon a year facility which is being built in Port Hueneme, California. At the facility, process heat and power will be generated through the use of…
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Global biobutanol technology development company Butamax Advanced Biofuels, has announced that a further two ethanol producers have joined their Early Adopters Group (EAG). The EAG is an association of leading ethanol production companies that are interested in adopting Butamax biobutanol technology for transportation fuel. It was announced in December 2011 with Minnesota-based Highwater Ethanol…
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US-based clean energy technology provider Zere Energy and Biofuels has been awarded nearly $1 million (€796,000) to demonstrate a ‘near zero emissions’ fuel flexible combined heat and power system. The money has come from the California Energy Commission and Zere will design and build a system prototype which employs a ‘near zero emissions’ oxidation process. It will…
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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…
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A new pilot plant in Ontario, Canada is due to demonstrate how spent solvent and waste water converter KMX’s technology can reduce operational costs for biofuels and green chemical manufacturers. KMX believes pathways to cellulosic ethanol and biobutanol can be aided by its hydrophobic and hydrophilic membrane technology. The pilot plant will show how it can capture and dehydrate small…
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