Biodiesel provider Gulf Hydrocarbon Partners has partnered with Akash Energy to resume operations at the Houston, Texas-based Lone Star Terminal, which now offers renewable and biodiesel. The Lone Star Terminal has a total capacity of 6.7 million gallons, of which Gulf Hydrocarbon has leased 420,000 gallons of storage for biodiesel. It is hoped this new offering of biodiesel... [Read More]

The financial and industrial arm of the French protein and plant oil industry Sofiprotéol is adjusting the scope of its European activities in biodiesel. Its biodiesel activities are handled by DII, a company split 60% by Sofiprotéol subsidiary Diester Industrie and 40% by Bunge Group subsidiary KBBV. Belgian company Oleon Biodiesel, which was owned by DII,... [Read More]

A research team at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland is hoping to turn seawater into biofuels within the next four years. Named the AccliPhot project, it is backed by €4 million ($5.4 million) of EU funding and involves 12 partners from across the continent. Its aim is to try and understand more fully how plants and microalgae respond to changes in light and other... [Read More]

The CEOs of seven European biofuel producers and airlines launched a new industry-led initiative to speed up the deployment of advanced sustainable biofuels throughout the continent. The initiative, called Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels, is made up of Chemtex, British Airways, BTG, Chemrec, Clariant, Dong Energy and UPM as they seek to ensure market uptake of advanced... [Read More]

Brazil’s energy minister Edison Lobao has said the government could cut taxes on sugarcane derived ethanol to alleviate pressures on the sector. The pressure comes from rising costs that has left biofuels struggling to compete with petrol. Any potential tax relief would bolster, and not replace, the restored mandatory ethanol content in gasoline back up from 20 to... [Read More]

An ethanol plant in Thailand has been ordered to temporarily close after it was discovered to be dumping untreated wastewater on land in a neighbouring district. The plant, operated by AA Ethanol, is situated in Prachin Buri and governor Chitra Promchutima received notice for closure as it failed to repair the wastewater treatment system as required, following a visit... [Read More]

Germany-based biofuels and bioliquid certification body Tüv Süd has obtained further accreditation for the testing of waste and residual materials. The news comes as the 36th Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act now requires EU companies operating in the collection of waste and residual materials to furnish proof of certification... [Read More]

W2 Energy has signed a binding memorandum agreement to purchase 51% of Malayasia-based AM Biofuels. The acquisition, totaled at $5.5 million (€4.1 million), will expand W2 Energy's fuel business in South East Asia as it continues to move forward a business plan focusing on production, blending and distribution of bio- and synthetic fuels. AM Biodiesel's plant, licensed... [Read More]

The US Environmental Protection Agency as approved a new blender pump configuration in regard to the sale of E10 and E15 blended fuel. The configuration was submitted by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and means that petrol stations wishing to dispense E-type fuel from a blender pump with a common nozzle and hose can do so. ‘When two different gasoline-ethanol... [Read More]

International polymer producer Invista Technologies and biotechnology Arzeda  will collaborate on the development of new technologies for bio-derived processes. The agreement will combine the two companies’ technologies in order to further co-develop platforms to ultimately develop new bio-derived processes for a range of products. The initial focus of the collaboration... [Read More]

A biodiesel plant in North Houston, US has reopened this February thanks to a new partnership. Biodiesel provider Gulf Hydrocarbon and Akash Energy will offer biodiesel and renewable diesel from the Lone Star Terminal located near Bush Intercontinental Airport. The terminal has a capacity of 6.7 million gallons, of which Gulf Hydrocarbon has leased 420,000 gallons of storage... [Read More]

Bioethanol producer Abengoa Bioenergy has decided to add an oil separation system to two of its plants in the US. The systems, to be supplied by ICM, will be deployed in Illinois and Indiana with the aim of maximising the recovery of non-food grade bio-oil from emulsion concentrate. ‘We will collaborate with Abengoa to deliver corn oil extraction technology and support... [Read More]

Evogene, a developer of improved plant traits for the industries including biofuels, has launched a model plant validation system for evaluation of candidate genes for monocot crops. Monocot plants have one single embryonic seed leaf and include three of the most economically important food crops in corn, rice and wheat. It claims this system, which uses Brachypodium as... [Read More]

New Zealand-based petrol station brand Z Energy wants to bring a biofuel project in Auckland back online. CEO Mike Bennetts says the company wants to reduce its carbon footprint through creating 20 million litres of biofuel from tallow feedstock, which could then go toward making 400,000 litres of E5 diesel. An earlier attempt at this got to pilot level but a loss... [Read More]