Other News

In Sweden, thanks to a team effort between Kungsbacka Municipality, Halland County, and Renova, the country’s first energy efficient garbage truck has been delivered. It is the first of eight garbage trucks around Sweden to run on biomethane and biodiesel. CEO of Renova, Sweden’s major recycling company Christian Baarlid said: ‘It is largely thanks to the municipality’s “green…
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In the UK REG Bio-Power, a subsidiary of Renewable Energy Generation (REG), has announced two biomass-powered energy projects. REG Bio-Power will start construction of a new oil processing facility at Hockwold in Norfolk, England. This will allow REG Bio-Power to process around 15,000 tonnes of waste vegetable oil 100 a year, enough to operate around 15MW of renewable energy facilities. The…
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In Ione, California, plans are being made to turn a previously coal-powered plant into a generator of green electricity. During a meeting on January 15, the director of Buena Vista Biomass Power (BVBP) Jesus Arredondo said that the refinery could be latest provider of green electricity. The company, having already invested $15 million, is aiming for the plant to reopen by the middle of 2010.…
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The fifth largest utility company in Europe, and the continent’s biggest polluter, is planning to build a biomass facility in the US. Germany-based RWE’s facility will produce wood pellets for burning in the Amercentrale plant owned by its Dutch unit Essent. The coal-burning power company will build a plant in the southern state of Georgia for €120 million to produce 750,000 tonnes of the…
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The 3rd annual Biofuels International expo & conference Europe will be held in Prague, Czech Republic from 5-6 May 2010. With over 400 attendees in 2009 the event promises to be even bigger and better. Another exciting development for Biofuels International expo & conference Europe is the introduction of a third afternoon stream which in addition to the Biodiesel and Bioethanol streams…
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In China’s southern Hainan province, China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) has begun the first government-run project to produce biodiesel using jatropha feedstock. CNOOC is China’s largest offshore oil and gas producer, and got the go ahead from Beijing in July 2008 to use jatropha in its plant. The refinery can produce 60,000 tonnes of biodiesel every year. It is now expected that…
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After the recent success of using camelina for aviation biofuels, two giants of camelina production have announced major aviation projects. In the US, Great Plains will be partnering with BioJet in order to generate 200Mgy of camelina-based biofuels by 2012. These firms will also produce 2.3 million tonnes of camelina meal a year to be used for animal feed. In the meantime, Sustainable Oils…
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The Philippines could soon be home to the largest bioethanol facility in Asia. A South Korea-based energy company signed a joint venture deal with the Central Luzon Bioenergy Corp to build the $300 million (€212.6 million) bioethanol plant in Clark, Philippines, by 2012. Speaking about the plant, Mariz Agbon, president of the Philippine Agribusiness Development and Commercial Corp (PADCC)…
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Illinois, US-based Honeywell International subsidiary UOP has chosen picturesque Hawaii as the site of its biomass plant. UOP will start construction next year at Tesoro Hawaii’s refinery in Kapolei. The plant, which will convert biomass into transportation fuel, is expected to be online in 2014. The company was awarded a $25 million (€17.6 million) grant from the US Department of Energy…
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Greenergy International is to join forces with sugarcane player Bauche Group, to form Greenergy Brazil. With over 15% share of the road fuel market, Greenergy is one of the largest suppliers of bioethanol to the UK. The aim of this partnership is to source and sell sustainable Brazilian bioethanol. Based in Brazil, this new business will not only reduce the cost of bioethanol and strengthen…
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In the US, with the Navy’s plans to cut its use of fossil fuel and convert to using biofuels for ships, aircrafts and everything in between, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Navy. This is a promise between both organisations to work together. The memorandum of understanding has been signed in the hope that this will lead to increased use of…
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A Californian ethanol plant could soon start grinding again. The former $130 million (€92.2 million) Cilion ethanol plant in Keyes is expected to be in operation again by the end of March after AE Biofuels took up the lease. Leasing the 55 mgy plant will cost $250,000 a month and AE Biofuels plans to install its cellulosic ethanol technology so wheat straw, corn stalks and agricultural waste…
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A $308 million (€212 million) bioethanol project will be constructed in Grimsby, northern England, thanks to a partnership between Future Capital Partners, biofuels company Vireol and the engineering group Simon Carves. Vireol will operate the ethanol plant once it has been completed, while Future Capital plans to sell or offer shares in its percentage within six years. A contract worth a…
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