Other News

Europe’s renewable energy policy needs more of a “realistic mix of renewable energy solutions” and needs to move away from depending on oil if it wants to achieve its goal of decarbonising EU transport, according to speakers at a recent debate. Experts from the ethanol industry and the energy sector attended the POLITICO conference -   Decarbonising Europe’s…
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 The number of cars made in the UK reached a 17-year high last year, according to the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) About 1.7 million cars rolled off production lines in 2016, a rise of 8.5% on the year before. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) added that exports rose 10.3% to 1.35 million vehicles, a record for the second consecutive…
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Britain is falling behind on its commitments to meet its 2020 renewable energy targets, while the European Union overall remains on track, according to a report by Reuters this morning. Other nations identified by the Commission as falling behind are Luxembourg and Ireland. Targets are set by the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED), introduced in 2009. The United Kingdom is expected to…
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Chinese and Cuban firms have teamed up to sign agreements in order to strengthen renewable energy ties. The agreements were inked at a three-day renewable energy forum, which took place in Cuba. According to Xinhua.com, the form analysed cooperation strategies to expand the development of renewable energy in Cuba. Both countries are interested in developing the renewable energy industry as it is…
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A UK sustainable energy company is the first ever to have successfully converted actual landfill gas into usable diesel fuel with no fossil fuel additives, during recent trials. Renovare Fuels, which has its headquarters in London, claims to have developed technology to produce middle distillate hydrocarbons with a selectivity of 55%.  The bi-products of flue gas and water not used to…
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Roberto Rinaldi FRSC, a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant to fund his world-leading work on lignin valorisation. According to Imperial College, these highly competitive grants are awarded to “outstanding early career researchers” to help them consolidate their…
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In her most important speech as UK Prime Minister yet, Theresa May has said that the final Brexit deal with the EU will mean the UK leaving the European single market. May said the UK’s Brexit plans "cannot mean membership of the single market". She said: "Being out of the EU but a member of the Single Market would mean complying with the EU's rules and regulations that implement those…
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Velocys, a UK-based gas-to-liquids (GTL) company, that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) establishing a strategic alliance with Morimatsu Jiangsu Heavy Industry, a subsidiary of Morimatsu Industry Co. The AIM-traded firm said Morimatsu will be its preferred supplier of module engineering and fabrication services for its plants. It said the agreement will drive down costs for…
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US renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company Gevo has announced that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the pathway for isobutanol produced at Gevo's Luverne, Minnesota plant to be an advanced biofuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Programme. This is the first time that the EPA has approved a pathway for an advanced biofuel that uses starch from…
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Neste and Bioenergy La Tuque have started R&D cooperation with the objective of studying the potential of using forest residues as a raw material in biofuel production. Based in La Tuque, Canada, the cooperation supports Neste's goals to expand the raw material selection available and increase the use of waste and residues. Currently, the company is capable of using more than 10 different raw…
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The Prince of Wales has urged world leaders that the strategy to address climate change “must be urgently scaled up, and scaled up now”. In the foreword for a new Ladybird book that he has co-authored on the subject, he said that long-term weather patterns were the greatest threat to the planet. The Penguin-produced book entitled Climate Change will be published next week.  In…
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UK-based Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has secured funding of £896,000 (€1m) for state of the art equipment to be installed within the industrial biotechnology and biorefinery facilities at Wilton, UK.  The targeted investment of £538K from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is matched with £358K of UK Catapult funding to stimulate regional economic…
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A Philippine-based institute has called for increased research into genomics to help improve the variety and yield of the country’s sugarcane, particularly by increasing its resistance to common diseases. To sustain the industry’s growth, new and superior varieties of sugarcane should be developed, Dr. Liwayway M. Engle of the Philippine Sugar Research Institute (PhilSURIN) told…
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