Other News

Brazil's state-owned oil company Petrobras and Galp Energia SGPS have signed an investment agreement to create a joint-venture to develop a biofuel production and marketing project. The agreement is the outcome of a Memorandum of Understanding the companies signed last May, which was aimed at studying the feasibility of joint biodiesel production, marketing and distribution projects in the…
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The government of Scotland plans to increase the use of biofuels, including biodiesel, for transport. The goal is to increase the use from less than 1-10% by 2020 to contribute towards reducing emissions by 80% by 2050. The government is seeking feedback on the proposal, dubbed the Renewable Energy Framework, through Dec. 1 and plans to take action on the proposal in February, 2009. The 80-by-50…
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US-based Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMP) has announced successful ethanol movements through its Central Florida pipeline system and has begun tests to assess transporting biodiesel through its pipelines on a commercial basis. The company is conducting a test movement of blended B5 biodiesel in a segment of the Plantation Pipe Line system that transports petrol and diesel from Collins,…
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Biodiesel producer Natural Fuel plans to start production at the world's largest plant located on Jurong Island, Singapore, by early-November given the recent fall in palm oil prices. 'We are planning to start-up two of our biodiesel lines by either late-October or early-November,' said a source, adding that the company was 'still working on the third line,' and that the…
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The Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation (PetroVietnam) will invest $120 million (93 million Euro's) to set up a bioethanol plant in the Dung Quat economic zone in central Ngai province. The Deputy Minister of Sciences and Technology Nguyen Van Lang says Vietnam has an urgent need to develop biofuels to meet its energy demands. The country is placing a high priority on investment and…
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US ethanol producer Southridge has announced plans to acquire an ethanol plant in Brazil that would enable it to produce 50 million gallon/year (190 million litres/year) by May 2009, the Texas-based company said. No financial details were available. The plan will be funded by proceeds from an Asian-based investment transaction nearing completion. Brazil is the world's top exporter of…
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India's Hindustan Petroleum Corp Limited (HPCL) has formed a biofuels joint venture with Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CSREDA). The joint venture, CSREDA-HPCL Biofuels Limited (CHBL), would cultivate tree-borne oil (TBO) plants such as jatropha curcas, which serve as feedstock for biodiesel. HPCL would operate CHBL as its subsidiary with a 74% equity stake. The…
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The UK has beaten its 2.5% target for the use of biofuels in motor fuel, but fell short of targets for environmental sustainability, according to a government agency. Biofuels accounted for 2.61% of UK motor fuel in the first quarter, 84% in the form of biodiesel and 16% supplied as bioethanol, the Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) said in a statement. 'These early figures demonstrate that some…
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A group of Brazilian companies and industrial organisations will set up a joint venture to finance research in cellulosic ethanol, the Sao Paulo Industry Federation (Fiesp) says. The initiative includes Brazil's leading sugar and ethanol producer, Copersucar, the country's Sugar Cane Industry Association, Unica, and the local subsidiary of commodities giant Bunge. Brazil's…
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French water and waste management group Veolia will launch its first biodiesel plant in France in early 2009 using oil recycled from the restaurant trade. The plant in Limay, near Paris, would be Veolia's first move in the biofuels industry, Laurent Bromet, head of biofuels at the group, says. Bromet anticipates that recycled cooking oil could account in the future for 5-6% of biodiesel…
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Tokyo-based Cosmo Oil will invest 30 million yen (260,000 Euro's) in a bioventure company in eastern Japan to improve its activity to develop bioethanol. Cosmo Oil will acquire a 40% equity stake in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture-based Biomaterial in Tokyo, which has technology to make cellulose-based ethanol. The major oil distributor is aiming to develop technology to produce cellulose-based…
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Malaysia has raised its 2008 biodiesel export forecast to 200,000 tonnes, more than double that of last year's 95,013 tonnes. 'Export of biodiesel is picking up in volume and speed,' Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin states. 'The spread between the selling price of palm methyl ester and the feedstock is allowing biodiesel producers to make some…
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Colombia will have six operational palm biodiesel plants by next year with a plan to increase its share of the biofuels market. The South American country is the leading producer of palm oil in the Americas. Four of these six plants have already begun operating, but production will be stepped up next year and the other two plants will also come on stream. The export markets for palm oil will…
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