Other News

The Council of the EU has adopted its position on a directive promoting the use of renewable energy across the Union. The announcement could have significant ramifications for the continent’s biofuels industry, and has already sparked controversy. Environment and energy ministers in the Council have agreed renewable energy targets for 2030 ahead of negotiations in 2018 with the European…
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Brazilian President signs biofuels initiative into law The law establishes a national biofuels policy, called RenovaBio, encouraging all biofuels, not just bioethanol and biodiesel. According to a press release, RenovaBio is designed to reduce uncertainty for biofuel producers by establishing mandates to apply over a minimum period of ten years. President Michel Temer signed the bill into law 27…
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4 January, the Government of Finland announced that it is donating €50 million worth of shares to a children’s charity in celebration of a century of independence. The donation reduces their voting rights from 50.1% to 49.7%. Last year Finnish legislators voted to reduce their stake in the company to 33.4%, according to Reuters, the decision was meant to make money available for…
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Alkol Biotech and Bio Refinery Development have signed a letter of intent (LOI) for the sourcing of up to 500 thousand tonnes of non-woody lignocellulosic biomass for what would be Europe’s ‘largest’ biorefinery. UK based Alkol Biotech adapts plant varieties to grow in colder and drier climates, have better resistance to pests and diseases, and higher productivities. Its first…
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E-Fuel has launched its solution for people who want energy independence and to be green about it. The Silicon Valley company introduced its 100% ethanol generator, the Personal Energy System (PES), 8 January. It is intended to give customers full independence from the public power grid. With the smallest version starting at US$96,000, the generators can be purchased with cash or bitcoin. Citing…
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The governments are calling for cooperative research into subjects including cellulosic biofuel, management of waste resources, crop productivity and transgenetic crops. According to the Iranian Ministry of Science Research and Technology, the goal of the programme is to strengthen ties between national scientific communities and to promote the findings of the research in both countries. The…
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Platts analysis of data released by the Korea Customs Service shows that imports have increased year-on-year by 39% to 261,584 megatons (mt). The data was released 11 January and shows a significant decline in Brazilian ethanol, making up only 9% of supply in 2017 from 49% in 2016. America remained the primary exporter of denatured ethanol to the country, with 78% of imports originating from the…
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ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification), has announced details of its upcoming Global Sustainability Conference 2018, set to take place on 20 February in Brussels, Belgium. According to ISCC, the overarching topic of the conference will be the future of bioenergy, a highly topical theme at a time of political and legislative uncertainties such as the RED II negotiations. ISCC…
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US President Donald Trump is set to meet representatives of the oil refining industry and their legislative backers to discuss the US biofuels programme, Reuters reports, citing two sources briefed on the matter. According to Reuters, the White House meeting could set the stage for negotiations over possible legislation to overhaul the US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the 2005 law that obliges…
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Miguel Arias Cañete, the European Union Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, has inaugurated the new phase in the All-Gas project in the El Torno treatment plant in Chiclana, Cadiz. Co-financed by the European Commission with the Seventh Framework Programme, the All-Gas Project aims to demonstrate the large scale production of biofuels and biogas based on the cultivation of low cost…
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Researchers have carried out systematic analysis of the latest scientific evidence on indirect land use change (ILUC) greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of biofuels and bioliquids. Experts from the Biomass Department of CENER (National Renewable Energy Centre of Spain) have coordinated the project, which was initiated by the European Commission Directorate-General for…
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Researchers have gained insights that could be used to improve enzyme performance in breaking down biomass and converting waste plant matter into renewable fuels and products. The scientists from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), have studied how glycosylation – the natural attachment of sugars to proteins – affects a key cellulose…
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In a press release, Catherine McKenna MP gave the framework for the legislation and talked about greater demand for biofuels. The move is a first step in increasing green fuel consumption. The framework will allow legislators and experts to work out the final form of the regulations, which will increase the use of cleaner fuels across the economy. This is Canada’s largest emissions-reducing…
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