Other News

State-owned Vietnam Oil and Gas Company (Petrovietnam) has started construction on a second bioethanol plant in the central province of Quang Ngai. The $80 million (€56 million) plant which will use cassava as feedstock, is expected to open in 18 months with annual capacity of 100,000m³. The project is the second of three planned biofuel plants in Vietnam, each costing $80 million, the…
Read More »

US-based Fulcrum BioEnergy has announced that it has successfully demonstrated the ability to economically produce renewable ethanol, using ordinary household waste as feedstock. This milestone, achieved at the Turning Point Ethanol Demonstration Plant, confirms construction of the Sierra BioFuels Plant in Nevada in July. The facility is scheduled to begin operations in 2011, and will turn…
Read More »

The Government of Canada is investing CA$13.72 million (€8.9 million) over seven years in NorAmera BioEnergy’s bioethanol plant in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, as part of a new EcoEnergy for Biofuels initiative. ‘By investing in this project, we are helping to create and sustain local jobs and economic opportunities while encouraging a healthier environment for all Canadians,’ said Ed…
Read More »

Profits from biofuels are hard to come by at the best of times, but one biofuels company’s ex-CEO has been selling green property on the black market. The former CEO of biofuel company Alabama-based American Bio-Fuels has been charged for felony first-degree theft of property after selling illegal Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). The charge was a result of a report made by an owner…
Read More »

One of India’s largest transport and energy groups is planning to make the largest investment into green fuels on the eastern seaboard of Australia. An Indian consortium which includes the Bhoruka Group plans to invest AUD$63 million (€37.6 million) to produce edible oils and eventually biodiesel in NSW. The venture will be named Riverina Oils & Bio Energy (ROBE). Three partners Dhruv…
Read More »

Following an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariff on US biodiesel in March, the EU is receiving greater imports of Argentinean biodiesel. Switzerland-based biodiesel producer Biopetrol says European biodiesel producers are calling for an investigation into cheap biodiesel exports, which they say are edging them out of the market. European producers say they suspect biodiesel is being…
Read More »

Brazil is expecting a record-breaking volume of ethanol produced from sugarcane this year, according to a national survey. The country anticipates a total harvest of 629 million tonnes, a 10% increase over 2008, as wider distribution of rainfall and an expanded planted area which reached 7.7 million hectares led to the abundant growth of the crop. The current productivity index of about 81…
Read More »

Indian Railways is planning three 20,000 litre a year biodiesel plants to meet its biodiesel requirements. The company is currently the biggest consumer of diesel in the world, and needs about 60,000 litres of biodiesel every day. Together with manufacturer Emami, which is aiming at producing 1,500 litres of edible oil and 300 litres of biodiesel oil per day, Indian Railways is looking at…
Read More »

The early bird deadline for the upcoming Biofuels International Canada expo & conference ends on 15th September – register now to receive an extra 10% discount! Not only will you receive a discount, you also get access to two events for the price of one! Biofuels International Canada expo & conference is co-hosted with Tank Storage Canada expo & conference, bringing together all…
Read More »

The US Department of Defence has signed a contract with US-based biofuel producer Solazyme to research, develop and demonstrate commercial scale production of biofuel using algae as feedstock. The biofuel has to meet the US Navy’s rigorous specifications for military tactical platforms. Solazyme will use its algal oil production process to provide renewable F-76 Naval Distillate fuel for…
Read More »

Just south of the US ethanol power-house, Mexico is looking to ramp-up its own renewable fuel production. Mexico’s state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) will invite tenders next month for a contract to produce 176 million litres a year of ethanol. The bidding round, which will be concluded in December, aims to promote ethanol as a transportation fuel as part of a wider plan by the…
Read More »

The prime minister of Iraq has approved a project by an undisclosed UAE-based company to produce biofuel from rotting dates that would otherwise be wasted. Iraq has the world's third largest oil reserves but its crumbling farm sector, which has suffered from decades of sanctions, isolation and war, is the country's leading employer. A long drought has conspired with entrenched…
Read More »

Vancouver-based Northwest Renewables is planning to build a 24MW biomass direct combustion electric power plant. Construction on the $72.5 million (€50.7 million) facility will begin next year. Various wood-waste sources, including wood chips and hog fuel, would be burned to generate steam. The high pressure steam would drive a turbine to churn out power. The company which is owned by U.S.…
Read More »