Other News

With a vision to become a key player within the biofuels industry Brazil-based oil firm Petrobras is to invest $240 million (€195.7 million) in the Sao Martinho Group. The investment is part of a $2.4 billion expansion plan by Petrobras. Investing the funds through a joint venture called PBio Petrobras will acquire a 49% stake in two of Sao Martinho’s ethanol-producing facilities; the Boa…
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In the US car producers are apparently meeting targets that will soon see an increase of ethanol-fuelled vehicles on US roads. There are currently around 8 million flex-fuel vehicles in operation and, although not as efficient as petrol, E85 is cheaper due to the subsidies awarded by the government. These total around $6 billion a year. According to General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and…
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In San Francisco, US, the Green Party is fighting against a proposed biofuel plant, claiming that the fossil fuel alternative has a negative effect on the environment. Texas-based Darling International, a provider of rendering, recycling and recovery solutions to the food industry, owns the site, which currently converts the bones and fat from slaughtered animals into oils, is now looking to…
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On 2 September 2010 Verenium, dedicated to the development and commercialisation of industrial enzyme solutions, announced the closing sale of its cellulosic biofuels business to BP Biofuels North America for $98.3 million (€76.3 million). Following the closure of this deal, BP is now the sole owner of Verenium’s facilities in Jennings, LA, US, including the pilot plant and the…
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Kenya’s Mumias Sugar Company plans to start production of ethanol from sugarcane by the end of 2011. The plant is expected to produce about 22 million litres of ethanol a year to be sold primarily to the East African Community and COMESA member states. The project includes electricity co-generation, and the company is currently working on a carbon trading initiative. Funding for the $64.5…
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UK-based renewable energy firm Living Fuels has opened its new biofuels processing plant in Hockwold, near Thetford. Part of the Renewable Energy Generation Group, Living Fuels produces biofuel from used cooking oil (UCO) collected from over 270 recycling centres located in the UK. This fuel, known as LF100, is then used by the company to generate electricity and heat in CHP units across the…
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Renewable energy and green tech company GreenGold Ray Energies has announced its revenue forecast for the next five years’ cumulative sales for jatropha-based biodiesel. Based on today’s jatropha biodiesel prices GreenGold has estimated that its revenue should reach $178 million (€129.5 million) by year five, whereby a cumulative sales of $356 million are expected. This would make the…
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In California, the US, Mendota Bioenergy has become the latest company to receive a grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) in a bid to develop more renewable energy projects in the region. The $1.5 million (€1.12 million) grant will see Mendota Bioenergy test the feasibility of converting sugar beets and agricultural waste into ethanol and other forms of clean energy, Should the…
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In southern Queensland, Australia, the Dalby Bio-Refinery, Australia’s first grain-to-ethanol production facility, has been forced into temporary closure following severe flooding in the area. According to Kevin Endres, chief executive of Dalby Bio-Refinery, it is not safe for employees to travel to and from the site. ‘The heavy rains and flooding has resulted in disruption to grain…
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Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act $78 million (€53.8 million) will be invested in two biofuels associations: National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) and National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC). NAABB will receive $44 million to develop a method for producing a sustainable supply of algal biofuel which can then be used for renewable petrol, diesel and…
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In Kansas, a combined cellulosic ethanol and power refinery comes one step closer to construction thanks to the largest European producer of ethanol. Based in Spain, Abengoa Bioenergy, also a large producer of ethanol in the US, has signed an agreement regarding a proposal between these two plants. Mid-Kansas Electric is a collection of five rural electric companies. It has agreed to purchase…
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In Ireland, the government is thought to be putting a stop to taxes applied to regularly consumed biofuels by changing the carbon tax legislation. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has confirmed that tax on biofuels is being revised. While pure biofuels are not taxed, mixed fuels containing less than 10% biofuel are. The most common biofuel blends, containing…
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Antti Pasanen, managing director of St1 Biofuels Oy, is the latest addition to the impressive line-up of speakers at the upcoming Bioenergy International expo & conference in Prague on 5-6 May. St1 Biofuels Oy was established in 2006 and its first small-scale plant in Finland is the first anywhere to produce ethanol from waste for commercial use on motor fuel. While St1’s current…
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As with many countries reduced demand for diesel in the past few months has had an impact on the sector in the Czech Republic. And added to this future blend rates are not yet set. Total production capacity in the Czech Republic is about 300,000 tonnes a year but use is only around 40%. The government proposal which has been sent to the Czech Parliament suggests a change to the Air Protection…
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