Other News

Grain merchandiser KAAPA Grains plans to develop its existing grain storage and drying facilities at Elm Creek, Nebraska, US. The expansion, expected to cost around $10.3 million (€7.5 million), will include a 300-by-475 foot steel grain warehouse that will have an estimated capacity of 4.2 bushels of grain. It will take six months to build and construction will begin when the weather…
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In March Stockton Borough Council in the UK will decide whether to give a multi-million pound green energy plant the go-ahead. The £150 million (€165 million) renewable energy refinery would burn around 400,000 tonnes of pine kernel to produce 49MW of power annually. The electricity generated will be exported to the National Grid via a sub-station at North Tees and provide enough power for…
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After working closely with racing team Scuderia Ferrari since the middle of 2009, Shell has developed an advanced biofuels blend for the 2010 racing season. During the 2010 Formula One season Scuderia Ferrari will be using an advanced biofuels component derived from cellulosic ethanol. The fuel meets the new FIA regulations without compromising Ferrari’s performance. The cellulosic ethanol is…
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Shipping giants Maersk and Lloyd’s Register are joining forces with the Dutch government and other specialist contractors to test the performance of a mix of biodiesel in marine engines in a number of trials. The trials will test for possible difficulties that could be encountered by the liners. Processed from renewable sources that can be grown in temperate climates, fatty acid methyl esters…
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According to Bio Base Europe the first crop of genetically modified poplar plants will be converted into ethanol in a Flemish-Dutch pilot installation. The poplars were planted in May 2009 in an outside field in Ghent, Belgium. The crop has now been harvested and is ready to be converted into ethanol at the Bio Base Europe pilot plant. Located in Ghent, the plant converts agricultural…
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Legal charges have been brought against the European Union’s executive as documents linked to biofuels and their detrimental effect on the environment have been kept under wraps. The four environmental groups responsible for the suing say that these reports will add to a growing portfolio of evidence damning biofuels. The groups, ClientEarth, Transport and Environment, the European…
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The state of Iowa, US, has been awarded funding from The Department of Agriculture to help develop biofuels and replace fossil fuels. US senator Chuck Grassley claimed that the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels would distribute the sum of $1.6 million (€1.2 million) to the state. Grassley said it was highly encouraging to witness The Department of Agriculture and biofuel companies in…
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Petrobras Biocombustiveis, the biofuel subsidiary created by Brazil's state-run energy company Petrobras, has experienced losses of BLR 92 million (€38.1 million)in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2009. The company's first year in operations went poorly. Its three biodiesel plants, with 326 million litres a year combined capacity, went on stream late in Q2 2009 to a market of…
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Wisconsin, US-based wind farm operator We Energies is looking to build a biomass plant. The company has filed an application with state regulators to build a $255 million (€185 million) biomass power plant near Wausau. The project would supply steam to Domtar’s paper mill in Rothschild and create up to 150 jobs. The 50MW power plant would generate enough power to supply 40,000 typical…
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The Australian Government will make changes to the country's Renewable Energy Target plan. Starting in January 2011, the existing scheme will include two parts – the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) and the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET). These revised arrangements will deliver on the Government’s 20% by 2020 Renewable Energy Target (RET) and are expected to…
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A plant proposed for the city of Gretna, Florida, US, has been suspended for a period of six months. The proposal was filed by Adage and the company has requested for the state Department of Environmental Protection to delay working on its application. Work has halted work on the Gretna project. Proposal for the refinery was submitted in December 2009 but received negative reactions from over…
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In California, US, Golden State Biofuel has chosen Riverside County, Indio, to be the location for its first advanced biofuels refinery. Once built the facility will produce 1 million gallons of biofuels from a variety of different feedstocks every year and will serve California, the High Desert, Inland Empire, Orange County and San Diego. A blending terminal and a used cooking oil feedstock…
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On 4 March Brazil constructed its 10 millionth flex-fuel vehicle according to Anfavea, the country’s National Association of Vehicle Manufacturers. This accomplishment is a milestone for the industry and Brazil as a country, and the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) hopes its success will encourage automakers to invest more in the global dissemination of what has been…
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