Other News

In the US the Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is putting together a DDGS survey. The Distillers' By-products Survey, which will focus on the use of distiller's grains and by-products, will be distributed across 48 states and the NASS is currently calling for input from stakeholders as it works to develop the survey. NASS hopes to begin collecting the…
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Biodiesel producer Sirona Fuels began selling biodiesel produced from locally-grown feedstocks on 22 April 2011. The move will see its customers purchase the fuel for $0.25 (€0.17) less per gallon than the cost of fossil diesel. In addition, when local businesses give their used cooking oil to the Sircona facility, 20% of what the biodiesel sells for will be donated to The Sircona Cares…
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The US Department of Energy (USDA) has accepted a cooperative's proposal for a Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) area designation. Named 'Plant, Baby, Plant', the designation was accepted by the USDA on 4 May 2011. This designation of land will see 30 western Missouri counties and eight counties in Kansas form a 'fuel shed' in which the farmers will grow energy crops on land unusable for…
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Since E5 became commercially available in Vietnam almost 12 months ago, the numbers of sales are below expected volumes. Now, experts are calling for more support to be given to the nation's biofuel manufacturers and traders. In 2010 PV Oil was selling the 5% ethanol blend from 30 petrol stations and at the end of the year shifted 4.2 million litres of the fuel. However, according to the deputy…
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In the US, Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) and Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) will partner for the cultivation of energy crops. Between them, DTW and another airport operated by the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA), Willow Run, have around 1,700 acres of land suitable for growing energy crops. MSUE is currently growing canola and oriental mustard seed on 3 acres of WCAA land. These…
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Petrobras approved its 2011-2015 Business Plan on 22 July 2011. Under the new plan, the Brazilian energy company's total energy investments during this period will reach $224.7 billion (€155 billion). This is the largest business plan in the oil and gas industry, in addition to the largest investment made by a single company. The company's share in the exploration and production (E&P)…
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In the Philippines, the minimum percentage of coconut oil as a biodiesel feedstock could be increased, as the government works to reduce the nation's reliance on imported fuels. The minimum blend for biodiesel derived from coconut oil (coco-diesel) currently stands at 2%. An exact date for when this higher blend mandate will be introduced is not yet known, however the Philippine Information…
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Since relocating from Shiremanstown, Pennsylvania, US, to Lower Allen Township earlier this year, biodiesel producer Keystone BioFuels is expanding its operations, driven mainly by government mandates. The company is increasing its workforce by 14 additional staff, expanding its space and increasing production tenfold. Keystone converts soyabean oil, used cooking oil and animal tallow into…
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Biomethanol producer BioMCN and petrochemical company Sabic have been awarded International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) for second generation biofuels. Dekra conducted the certification process. 'Dekra has extensive experience in ISCC auditing, particularly in Germany, but this is the first ISCC certification for the Dutch market,' says Dekra sales manager Eric Evers. Earlier…
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Operations have begun at Futurol's demonstration-scale bioethanol plant, located in Pomade and Bazancourt, France. The facility required a $104.5 million investment (€75 million), 40% of which was supplied by the National Innovation Agency, as well as partnerships with both public and private organisations, such as the National Agricultural Research Institute. Development of the project…
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Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is to construct a biodiesel plant in Canada to help fulfil the nation's renewable diesel mandate. In response to the B2 blending mandate that came into effect on 1 July this year, the new plant will be designed to produce 265 million litres a year of biodiesel from canola. It will be located in Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada, adjacent to ADM's existing canola crushing…
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Shipping company Maersk and the US navy are working together to test biofuels derived from algae by fuelling a container ship with the alternative fuel for a journey from the north of Europe to India. The ship, called Maersk Kalmar, was chosen for the tests because it features an engine that has been specifically designed for auxiliary testing, meaning risk of damage on the voyage is reduced. The…
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In the European Commission’s report on indirect land use change (ILUC) relating to biofuels and bioliquids, the Commision recognises that GHG emissions savings with regards to biofuels are in fact reduced by ILUC. However the Commission also points out that there are uncertainties with the existing models for the impact of biomass on agricultural markets. According to the report, it is now to…
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Italy is one of the key producers of biodiesel in the EU. However the nation's output capacity has been hurt due to a rise in the importation of cheaper biodiesel. The biofuel is most commonly made from palm oil and rapeseed oil in Italy, however it is thought that the imported fuel can cost less than these feedstocks. In the first nine months of 2010, 410,000 tonnes of biodiesel were made in…
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