Field/Orchard/Plantation Crops/Residues

Farm Bureau Details COVID-19 Impact on Ethanol

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Agricultural commodity prices are taking big hits from the COVID-19 emergency, and one of the most hard hit sectors is ethanol, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). … Abiding by travel restrictions, people are driving far less, pushing down demand for both oil and ethanol made from

April 9, 2020 Read Full Article

Indonesia’s Biofuel Plan in Limbo as Problems in Sugarcane Production Mount

by Norman Harsono & Wahyoe Boediwardhana (Jakarta Post) Indonesia’s plan to roll out sugarcane-based biogasoline will miss another deadline this year as upstream problems in the country’s sugarcane heartland remain unsolved. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry issued five years ago a regulation mandating the nationwide use of 10 percent

April 9, 2020 Read Full Article

International Outlook For Biogas, Biomethane

(BioCycle Magazine) A new International Energy Agency (IEA) study provides estimates of the sustainable potential for biogas and biomethane supply based on a detailed assessment of feedstock availability and production costs across all regions of the world. These estimates form the basis of an outlook for biogas and biomethane supply and

April 9, 2020 Read Full Article

VTT to Assess Bio- and Waste-Based Oils Suitable for Power Plants and Ships

(VTT) In a three-year Business Finland BioFlex project, VTT and partners are exploring how suitable fuel oils made from biomass and waste plastics are for power plants and ship diesel engines. The aim is to determine the most ecologically and economically sustainable way to replace fossil fuels. … Internal-combustion engine

April 9, 2020 Read Full Article

Biodiesel, Renewable Diesel Industries’ Vision Sees Hope Amongst COVID-19

by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board/Biofuels Digest) … Once our nation gets through the current uncertainty that is ahead of us in the near term, I believe the future of biodiesel and renewable diesel in America is extremely bright. … Biodiesel, renewable diesel, and renewable jet fuel will be recognized as

April 9, 2020 Read Full Article

Grassley Urging USDA to Aid Ethanol Industry through CCC

(The Hagstrom Report/The Fence Post) Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said today that he will send a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to use the Commodity Credit Corporation to help the ethanol industry. Grassley said he did not know exactly how the ethanol industry should

April 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Bio-Restore Workshop Presentations and Workshop Summary Published

(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has released the “Bio-Restore Workshop Summary Report.” This report summarizes the results of a BETO-sponsored public workshop held at Argonne National Laboratory on September 25–26, 2019. The Bio-Restore Workshop brought together experts to

April 8, 2020 Read Full Article

INSIGHT: Europe Glycerine Spot Prices Post Triple-Digit Rises on Fears of further Biodiesel Output Cuts

by Samantha Wright (Independent Commodity Intelligence Services) European glycerine spot prices faced triple digit increases this week as availability tightened significantly, with players concerned that upstream biodiesel production will fall further through the second quarter. Refined vegetable glycerine prices shot up €130/tonne on the low end and €230/tonne on the high

April 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Article: How COVID-19 Will Affect Global Biofuels Demand

(IHS Markit/FO Licht) There is also early evidence that as restrictions have been lifted in China, more people there are preferring to travel by private cars or taxis rather than taking public transport—it is highly likely this will happen in Europe too. … For the EU-27, diesel demand in 2020

April 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Iowa’s Renewable Energy Portfolio & Opportunity: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to All Things Iowa

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At last week’s Digest webinar, Mark Laurenzo from the Iowa Economic Development Authority shared this illuminating presentation on Iowa’s key value propositions, activity from the biosciences industry in the state where bioscience R&D expenditures per capita is 30% higher than the national figure, how there

April 7, 2020 Read Full Article

4 New Opportunities for Ethanol Facilities, Thanks to Breakthrough Membrane Technology

by Joel Stone (ConVergInce Advisers/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) A unique and affordable membrane technology exhibiting extremely low fouling rates can offer significant benefits to dry mill ethanol operations, especially on streams containing protein and oil components. First opportunity: Recover soluble protein, oil, and insolubles from stillage backset … Second Opportunity:

April 7, 2020 Read Full Article

World Energy Doubles Down on Biodiesel Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) “In our space, on a myopic level, we are so used to getting battered around, we’ll get through this too—but on a broader level the dynamics in which we operate will be substantially different,” said Gene Gebolys, founder and CEO of World Energy, one of the

April 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Bio and Synthetic LNG Offer Viable Pathway towards Decarbonization

(SEA-LNG/NGV Journal) SEA-LNG, the multi-sector industry coalition, has released the latest in its series of independently conducted reports. The CE Delft study analyses the availability and costs of bio-LNG and synthetic-LNG and concludes that both could become available in sufficient quantities to make a contribution towards future decarbonization for the shipping

April 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Making Biofuels Cheaper by Putting Plants to Work

(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Biofuels are an important part of the broader strategy to replace petroleum-based gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels that we use today. However, biofuels have so far not reached cost parity with conventional petroleum fuels. One strategy to make biofuels more competitive is to make plants do some

April 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Dropping Biofuel Mandate Would Be a Toxic Blow for the Industry

by Theodor Goumas (ART Fuels Forum/EurActiv) Last week, a large group of EU-based biofuel producers and associations raised a red flag over reports that some member states are considering or are already dropping the mandates on renewable energy in transport in view of the COVID-19 crisis. Indeed, scrapping these mandates would

April 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Brazil’s Ethanol Distributors, Producers in Crisis Management Mode

by Phillip Herring (S&P Global Platts) Ethanol distributors and producers in Brazil have been adapting to the plunge in domestic demand caused by coronavirus pandemic. Special crisis management teams at each of the largest ethanol firms have been organized to meet on a regular basis to develop and implement strategies to

April 6, 2020 Read Full Article

USGC Engagement Helps US Ethanol Fill Australian Fuel Needs

(Aberdeen News/U.S. Grains Council) U.S. ethanol is helping meet fuel supply needs in Australia — the result of a domestic supply gap and engagement by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and its ethanol industry partners. “U.S. ethanol is not subject to tariffs into Australia, per the terms of the Australia–United States Free

April 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Indonesia’s B40 Stalls Amid Coronavirus

by Lauren Moffitt (Argus Media) Indonesia is delaying implementation of its 40pc biodiesel blending (B40) programme indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. Trials were due to begin in March with a roll-out planned for 2021. The government is eager to push higher blending mandates to reduce reliance on expensive foreign oil and support the

April 6, 2020 Read Full Article

How Badly Is COVID-19 Slamming Biofuels Industry? 30% Reduction of Ethanol Production Capacity, Nearly Half Offline in Coming Weeks?

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … RFA told The Digest that about 4.4 billion gallons of capacity has come offline since March 1, plus what was already idle, the total is about 5.2 billion gallons idle – that’s approximately 30% of the industry’s total. Growth Energy told The Digest

April 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Biofuels Industry Seeks Bailout to Weather ‘Collapsing Demand’

(Reuters/NewsMax Finance) The U.S. biofuel industry has asked the Trump administration for funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation to help it survive a demand slump triggered by the coronavirus outbreak, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The funds could be used to offset a portion

April 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Methanol as a “Future-Proof” Fuel

by Tammy Klein (Future Fuels Strategies) … Recently, I wrote a primer for the Methanol Institute entitled, Methanol: A Future-Proof Fuel. Polygeneration, the ability to scale efficiently and cost-effectively, its versatility in so many products and applications including transportation fuels, its biodegradability and its history of safe production, use and handling

April 3, 2020 Read Full Article

Agriculture and Bioeconomy: EIB Approves €700 Million of Financing under the Investment Plan for Europe Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

(European Investment Bank) Financing is guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and will help make the sector more resilient in light of Covid-19; New financing targets investments by private cooperatives and companies in the agriculture and bioeconomy sector; The EIB programme loan will amount to €700 million and

April 3, 2020 Read Full Article

Reporters’ Notebook: The 10 Most Overlooked Bioeconomy Stories of the Week

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Amidst a tsunami of wall-to-wall ‘Rona coverage, a series of storylines have been lost in the shuffle that will have impacts near and wide-ranging for the bioeconomy, some of them relating directly to testing, scale-up and deployment of health remedies — some in the broader

April 3, 2020 Read Full Article

Researchers Hope New Seed-Based Miscanthus Hybrid Can Be Used as Feedstock for Biochemicals

by Liz Gyekye (BioMarket Insights) “These seeded hybrids are vital to our future business model and the rapid deployment of miscanthus as part of the climate change solution.” — Researchers at the Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS) Aberystwyth University, with funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

April 2, 2020 Read Full Article

‘Tequila’ Powered Biofuels More Efficient than Corn or Sugar: Ethanol from Agave Could Be Used for Biofuels and Hand Sanitiser

by Marcus Storm (University of Sydney) The plant better known for making tequila requires no irrigation and produces comparable or better yields of ethanol than sugar or corn. Economic analysis shows a first-generation crop will need government support to kickstart an industry, researchers say. The agave plant used to make

April 2, 2020 Read Full Article

Ace Approved to Generate D3 RINs from Corn Kernel Fiber Ethanol

(BBI International/Ethanol Producer Magazine) In late March, U.S. EPA approved Ace Ethanol’s Part 80 registration for the new D3MAX facility at Ace Ethanol LLC, in Stanley, Wisconsin. To participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program and generate renewable identification numbers (RINs), renewable fuel producers must meet the registration requirements in

April 2, 2020 Read Full Article

New Capital Investment in Clean Fuels Will Help Drive Canada’s Economic Recovery and Growth

(Advanced Biofuels Canada) Clean Fuel Standard is key to attracting over $12 billion in advanced biofuels projects — … To inform clean fuel sector development, Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC) conducts an annual member survey to capture project-based data on capital investments in advanced biofuels and synthetic fuel production capacity and

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Vegetable Oil Prices under Pressure Due to Coronavirus Pandemic

(UFOP/Biodiesel Magazine) The vegetable oil markets are currently extremely calm. The coronavirus pandemic is creating pressure in the financial and commodities markets and also pulling down spot prices for oilseeds and byproducts. Above all, crude oil has lost substantial ground in the wake of the oil output dispute between OPEC and

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Report: Boost in Consumption of US Biomass-Based Diesel Expected

(The Fuels Institute/Biodiesel Magazine) U.S. biomass-based diesel, comprised of both biodiesel and renewable diesel, has increased rapidly in a relatively short time span to become a leading source of alternative transportation fuel. According a new report released March 26 by the Fuels Institute, “Biomass-Based Diesel: A Market and Performance Analysis,” biomass-based diesel

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Bio-Based Chemicals: A 2020 Update

Ed de Jong, Heinz Stichnothe, Geoff Bell and Henning Jørgensen (EIA Bioenergy) Since the first issue of the IEA Bioenergy Task 42 report on bio-based chemicals in 2011, the importance of a circular economy has become evident. In the transition to a circular economy, chemicals and materials produced from biomass will

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Lower Ethanol Demand Could Impact Planting Decisions

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) USDA’s 2020 Prospective Plantings report released Tuesday estimates planted acres for corn this year at 97.0 million acres, up 8 percent or 7.29 million acres from last year. But when farmers were surveyed a month ago, coronavirus had yet to have the impact it is now having on ethanol

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Neste Expects Global Renewable Diesel Demand to Surge over Next Decade

by Donavan Lim (S&P Global Platts) Finnish refiner and biodiesel producer Neste expects the worldwide demand for renewable diesel to surge in the next decade, driven by increased demand for sustainable road and air transport as well as renewable chemical and polymer products. The global renewable diesel demand is estimated

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

The Crisis Dashboard – Health, Economy, Climate, Energy

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Using the latest data available, The Digest published this “Crisis Dashboard” visual guide showing what’s going on with ethanol retail prices, liquid energy commodity prices, biodiesel operating margins, ethanol operating margins, retail fuel prices, RIN prices and volumes, equities, crop prices, low carbon fuel standard

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Today’s Corn Farmers Leave A Zero Carbon Footprint

(South Dakota Farmer’s Union) In addition to feeding and fueling the world, farmers across the Corn Belt are helping sequester carbon by raising corn for ethanol, livestock feed and Fourth of July barbecues. “Corn is one of only a handful of grasses (C4) which are superior at extracting carbon dioxide from the

March 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Biofuels Industry Tackling Challenges

by Susan Reidy (World-Grain.com) Despite a challenging environment, the global biofuels industry is holding steady and driving ahead with new policies, innovations and legislation to promote more robust growth in the future. In the EU, 2020 marks the deadline for certain greenhouse gas reduction goals, which many nations will struggle to

March 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Biofuels Associations Advise EC Caution over Waivers

by Leonidas Kanonis, Giulia Squadrin and Daniel Mackay (Argus Media) European associations representing the biofuels supply chain have sent a letter today (March 24, 2020) to the European Commission addressing potential waivers for biofuels blending mandates in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The letter, addressed to vice president for the European

March 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Ethanol Plants Could Soon Start Producing for DDGs, Not Ethanol

by Tyne Morgan (Farm Journal AgWeb) Ethanol prices are in a free fall due to fewer people driving and a recent price war. As some ethanol plants shutter production, facilities may start producing for DDGs – not ethanol – to meet the possibility of upcoming Chinese demand. — … “The ethanol

March 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Focus Forward from Challenge to Opportunity: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to RFA’s 2020 Ethanol Industry Outlook

y Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Renewable Fuels Association released its 2020 Ethanol Industry Outlook, an annual publication that provides policymakers, regulators, consumers, the media, and renewable fuel advocates with key statistics, trends, insight, and analysis on the latest developments in the U.S. renewable fuels industry, as well as commentary

March 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Rex Idles NuGen Plant, Explores Carbon Sequestration Project

Rex American Resources Corp. released fiscal fourth quarter financial results on March 26. The company discussed a potential carbon capture and sequestration project under development at its One Earth Energy plant in Illinois and discussed the impact of COVID-19 on plant operations. During an earnings call, Stuart Rose, executive chairman

March 27, 2020 Read Full Article

The Coronavirus and Ethanol Demand Destruction

by Scott Irwin and Todd Hubbs (FarmDocDaily) … One implication of the virus-related restrictions is that people are driving much less than before, which means that gasoline and ethanol use are declining. The impact on the price of ethanol has been swift and severe, as shown in Figure 1. The

March 27, 2020 Read Full Article

US Fuel Ethanol Producer Valero Shuts Two Plants, Declares FM

by Alex Snodgrass (Independent Commodity Intelligence Service) US fuel ethanol producer and refiner Valero is closing two of its ethanol plants and declaring force majeure on shipments of dried distillers grains or corn purchases, according to sources. The force majeure is due to lack of storage availability for corn or ethanol

March 27, 2020 Read Full Article

Biodiesel’s Green Footprint for Fleets: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to the National Biodiesel Board’s Biodiesel Industry – Part 2

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Check out Part 2 of the National Biodiesel Board’s slide guide that focuses on biodiesel’s on-road heavy-duty emission benefits, why they consider biodiesel as “liquid solar energy”, how 3 billion gallons of biodiesel used in the U.S. would reduce carbon emissions by more than 25

March 26, 2020 Read Full Article

Looking beyond the Headlines during COVID-19 Pandemic

by Gerard J. Ostheimer and Douglas L. Faulkner (below50/Leatherstocking LLC/Biofuels Digest) … The 1 – 2 punch of the COVID-19 economic hit and the Saudi – Russian fight over oil markets have combined to collapse the price of oil. Low oil prices obviously do not bode well for the uptake

March 26, 2020 Read Full Article

Biodiesel Production: What Next for Zim?

by Nyasha Kavhiza (The Herald) A technical analysis of the current situation will point to the lack of feedstock as the main problem stalling biodiesel production in Zimbabwe. … Instead of discarding the project all together, the Government and all stakeholders involved ought to glean lessons from the experience and address the

March 25, 2020 Read Full Article

The Secret Sauce: Industry Partnerships Key to Advancing Bio-Based Chemicals and Fuels

by Asanga Padmaperuma (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) … Today, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories study the development of chemicals and fuels with the use of cost-effective, renewable carbon sources, while working closely with the bioenergy industry. In support of the DOE mission, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) experts in

March 25, 2020 Read Full Article

Ethanol Plants to Be Set up at Kawardha, Pandaria, Balod and Ambikapur

(The Pioneer) The state cabinet in a meeting on Tuesday gave nod for establishing ethanol plants at cooperative sugar mills of Kawardha, Pandaria, Balod and Ambikapur. The plants will be set up under a public-private-partnership mode, an official sources said. READ MORE Chhattisgarh state cabinet OKs ethanol plants co-located at four coop

March 25, 2020 Read Full Article

Cielo’s JV Partner Secures 80 Acre Site for Renewable Fuel Facility Near Medicine Hat, Ab

(Cielo) Cielo Waste Solutions Corp. (CMC.CN)(CWSFF) (“CIELO”/”Company”) announces that Renewable U Medicine Hat Inc. (“Renewable U Medicine Hat”) has informed CIELO that it has secured an agreement in principle to purchase 80 acres of land in Cypress County, Alberta, which is near Dunmore, approximately 3 kilometers southeast of Medicine Hat. Renewable

March 25, 2020 Read Full Article

Where’s Biodiesel At? The Diesel Market, Feedstock Options and more: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to the National Biodiesel Board’s Biodiesel Industry – Part 1

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) While things are topsy turvy around the world right now, Part 1 to this visual National Biodiesel Board slide guide takes us on an industry overview, the diesel vehicle market forecast, the U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel market (and yes, they are different!), a look

March 25, 2020 Read Full Article

The Competitive Edge: Vertimass LLC

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass seeks to commercialize novel catalytic technology for low cost conversion of ethanol into hydrocarbon fuels to overcome obstacles that limit ethanol use in gasoline for light duty vehicles and open up new ethanol markets for aircraft and heavy-duty vehicles as well as for chemicals. Vertimass

March 20, 2020 Read Full Article

ICCT: Potential Biomass-Based Diesel Production in the United States by 2032

by Tammy Klein (Future Fuel Strategies) One of the biggest issues I’ve been working on in my consulting practice over the last year is related to the scale up of renewable diesel (RD also known as hydrogenated vegetable oil or HVO). Who is investing? Where are the facilities going to be

March 19, 2020 Read Full Article

Where Are We? March 2020 Digest Data Dashboard, The Bioeconomy, By the Numbers

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The past few weeks have been a roller coaster ride and here are the numbers to visualize what is going on. In today’s Digest, a graphic look at Dow Jones Industrials, biodiesel operating margins, ethanol operating margins, liquid energy commodity prices, retail fuel prices, ethanol retail prices,

March 19, 2020 Read Full Article

Are Biofuels Part of the Carbon Emissions Solution?

by Neil Briscoe (Irish Times) … “Ireland has one million petrol vehicles,” James Cogan, Ethanol Europe’s industry and policy adviser told The Irish Times. “E10 allows that fleet to cut emissions by an amount equivalent to taking 50,000 cars off the road. Or the amount that would be achieved by replacing 100,000 of

March 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Ethanol Prices Hit All-Time Low, Unconfirmed Reports of Plant Shutdowns

by Jerry Perkins (Successful Farming) … The downturn in demand for ethanol, which is blended at a 10% rate in almost every gallon of gasoline consumed in the U.S., is coming at a time when ethanol plants were already economically challenged by the Small Refinery Exemptions granted by the Trump

March 18, 2020 Read Full Article

RFA Calls on Trump Administration to Help Struggling Biofuels Industry

by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) … With many ethanol plants on the verge of shutting down, we implore the Trump Administration to take action that equitably supports all liquid fuel industries—including ethanol producers—during this time of unprecedented market uncertainty and unrest,” RFA CEO Geoff Cooper said in a new release.

March 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Why Raising the Alcohol Content of Europe’s Fuels Could Reduce Carbon Emissions

(Horizon Magazine) By 2030, a fifth of the fuel that motorists put into the petrol tanks of their cars could be alcohol, according to research concluding that new petrol and ethanol blends can reduce carbon emissions from Europe’s transport sector with little additional cost to consumers. … Most petrol now

March 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Oil’s Plunge Is an Existential Threat to a Far Cleaner Biofuel

by Fabiana Batista and Tatiana Freitas (Bloomberg/Yahoo! Finance) … The spectacular plunge in the crude market is sparking unprecedented reverberations across commodities and economies, with Brazil’s corn-ethanol producers standing out as a concentration of the pain.It goes to show how the unraveling in the oil market is threatening production of

March 17, 2020 Read Full Article

COVID-19 Lowers Corn Demand, Ethanol Price

by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A report from University of Illinois Extension shows weak demand for corn for ethanol use, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Production will fall dramatically, it predicts. “Estimates of a 15 to 20 percent reduction in gasoline use seem to be the expectation for

March 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Researchers Building Stronger, Greener Concrete with Biofuel Byproducts

(Kansas State University) Kansas State University civil engineers are developing the right mix to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint and make it stronger. Their innovative ingredient: biofuel byproducts. — “The idea is to use bioethanol production byproducts to produce a material to use in concrete as a partial replacement of cement,” said Feraidon

March 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Jokowi’s Plan to Use B40 Biodiesel by 2021 Difficult to Realize: Experts

(The Jakarta Post) Experts have expressed doubt about President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s plan to increase the palm oil content in biodiesel to 40 percent on a mass scale by next year from 30 percent at present. They say producers may fail to meet the increase in demand and the quality

March 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Blockchain, Ag Futures, CPC Potential for Ethanol Industry: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Ethanol Commodity Plus Carbon

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Commodity Plus Carbon, or CPC can maximize monetization opportunities from the sequestration potential in the agricultural sector. CPC offers synergies between regulated ETS traded carbon credits, voluntary and futures commodity markets and offers a new trading vehicle with the potential to incentivize good agricultural practices

March 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Petrobras Cuts Brazil Gasoline Prices by Near 10%; Sugar Prices Tumble

by Marta Nogueira, Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Brazil’s state-controlled oil company Petrobras cut gasoline prices at refineries in the country by almost 10% on Thursday, the first cut since this week’s oil price collapse, a move that could boost sugar production and reduce ethanol output. … This move makes retail gasoline more

March 16, 2020 Read Full Article

In Kenya, Herders Turn an Invasive Cactus into Biofuel

by Robert Kibet (Deutsch Welle) The prickly pear cactus has taken over thousands of hectares of grazing land in arid parts of Kenya. Now herders, NGOs and scientists are teaming up to fight back against the prickly menance that’s deadly to livestock. … The invasive Opuntia stricta, or prickly pear, was reportedly

March 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Despite Tough Times, Study Finds Ethanol and Biodiesel Production Continues to Power Iowa’s Economy

(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) Economic benefits hampered by RFS exemptions — Today (March 11, 2020) a new study finds despite challenges, Iowa biofuel production continues to have a significant impact on Iowa’s economy, supporting over 48,000 jobs and more than $2.4 billion in household income. The study, authored by John Urbanchuk

March 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Preem Selects HydroFlex™ for Renewable Fuels Plant with Potential to Save 2.5 Million Tons CO2

(Haldor-Topsoe) o Preem has chosen Haldor Topsoe’s HydroFlex™ renewable fuel technology to produce clean renewable diesel and jet fuel at their Gothenburg refinery in Sweden. — o The 16,000 barrels-per-day unit will have a yearly production capacity of approximately one million cubic meters of fuels which corresponds to about 25%

March 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Middle East’s 1st Plant-Based Water Bottle, Biofoams Made from Seafood Waste, Mushrooms, Bamboo Diapers, Biobowls, and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of March 12th

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Abu Dhabi, food and beverage company Agthia Group PJSC is set to launch the Middle East’s first plant-based water bottle made from corn sugar with caps made from sugarcane, and can biodegrade within 80 days. And lots of new biobased packaging solutions are coming out

March 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Can the European Union’s Kerosene Demand Be Met by the Amount of Biomass Produced in the EU?

(nova-Institute) Regarding climate change and tackling its mitigation there is no question that the aviation industry has to reduce its greenhouse gas impact and has to shift to alternative fuels. If the European Union wants to achieve its ambitious climate goals, it needs to uncouple it growing kerosene demand from

March 12, 2020 Read Full Article

Nova Pangaea Partners with Pakistan’s JS Group to Licence Biofuel Technology

(Biofuels International) Teeside, UK-based Nova Pangaea Technologies (NPT) has signed a partnership contract with Pakistan’s JS Group to licence NPT’s technology, which converts waste plant biomass into natural platform chemicals and biofuels. The deal includes a licence for the use of NPT’s REFNOVA end-to-end fractionation process, as well as a

March 12, 2020 Read Full Article

Student Seeking Farmer Perspectives On AD

(BioCycle Magazine) Risa Lewis, an undergraduate in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources program at the University of Connecticut, has focused her senior thesis on on-farm anaerobic digestion in the Northeastern United States. A component of Lewis’ thesis is to conduct a survey titled “Farmer Perspectives & Investment

March 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Promotion of Ethanol to Have Positive Impacts on Energy Security

(The International News) The Embassy of Brazil in Islamabad organised a seminar ‘Sustainable Mobility: Ethanol Talks – Pakistan’, to promote ethanol as a modern and sustainable option for mobility, capable of generating immediate positive impacts on energy security, health, reduction of local air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, says a press

March 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Oil’s Epic Crash Reminds Farmers They’re Also Energy Traders

by Isis Almeida, Michael Hirtzer, and Jen Skerritt (Bloomberg) Oil’s nosedive is sending farmers a stark reminder: they also need to be energy traders. — Growers have become more vulnerable to energy swings over the past decades as nations from the U.S. to Brazil mandated the use of biofuels. About a

March 10, 2020 Read Full Article

Biomass Fuels Can Significantly Mitigate Global Warming

(American Associates/Ben-Gurion University of the Negev/EurekAlert!) Biomass fuels derived from various grasses could significantly mitigate global warming by reducing carbon, according to a long-term field study by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Michigan State University (MSU). In a new paper published in Environmental Science and Technology, the

March 10, 2020 Read Full Article

Recovering Phosphorus from Corn Ethanol Production Can Help Reduce Groundwater Pollution

by Marianne Stein (Illinois Aces) Dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS), a co-product from corn ethanol processing, is commonly used as feed for cattle, swine and poultry. However, DDGS contains more phosphorus than the animals need. The excess ends up in manure and drains into the watershed, promoting algae production and

March 10, 2020 Read Full Article

INA Selects FUTUROL™ Licensed by Axens for Its Project of Advanced Bioethanol Production in Croatia

(Axens) The Croatian oil and gas company INA has awarded Axens a license agreement to supply Futurol™ cellulosic ethanol technology and contract for basic engineering design of an advanced bioethanol production plant in Sisak, Croatia. Supplying INA with its innovative and sustainable Futurol™ technology for the advanced bioethanol production project marks

March 10, 2020 Read Full Article

Project Gaia, Inc. Announces a Donation of 23,000 Liters of Ethanol from ADM for Commercial Scale-Up of Ethanol Stoves in Lagos, Nigeria

(Project Gaia) Project Gaia, Inc. announces a donation of 23,000 liters of ethanol from ADM (NYSE: ADM) to assist with the commercial scale-up of ethanol stoves in Lagos, Nigeria. This commercial scale-up follows a successful pilot study conducted in Lagos in 2018-19 by Project Gaia and Forte Oil, now Ardova

March 10, 2020 Read Full Article

EU Climate Law Falls Short of Expectations — UFOP: Climate Protection by Consensus and Motivating instead of Using the “Crowbar”

(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP)) The climate law presented today by the EU Commission does not meet the expectations of a previously announced, more ambitious climate protection policy. In order to achieve the net zero emissions target 2050, the conditions for achieving the climate protection target

March 9, 2020 Read Full Article

UFOP Questions Straw’s Feedstock Potential for “Advanced” Biofuels

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, UFOP reports that straw is a scarce commodity and not waste, making it a sought-after resource, but that the use of grain straw for biofuels production should take a back seat. UFOP questioned the current political preference in Germany given to biofuels from

March 9, 2020 Read Full Article

Notice of Request for Public Comment on Updates to Technical Guidelines for Quantifying Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and Carbon Sequestration at the Entity-Scale for Agriculture and Forestry COMMENTS DUE April 20, 2020

(U.S. Department of Agriculture/Federal Register) In accordance with Section 2709 of the 2008 Farm Bill, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed technical guidelines and science-based methods to quantify greenhouse gas sources and sinks from the agriculture and forest sectors at the entity-scale. In the report, Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in

March 7, 2020 Read Full Article

B30 Mixed-Fuel to Absorb 9.6-Million KL of Biodiesel in 2020

(Antara News) Implementation of the B30 biodiesel fuel program, a diesel fuel blended with 30-percent palm-based biofuel, is expected to absorb 9.6 million kiloliters (KL) of domestic biodiesel in 2020, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita stated. “The B30 program is expected to absorb 9.6 million kiloliters of domestic biodiesel in

March 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Seaweed-Lined To-Go Containers, Pepsi’s Molded Pulp 6-Pack Rings, Hydrogen-Powered Arctic Station, “Infinite” Toothbrush, and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of March 5th

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sit back and just imagine, hanging out at the new International Arctic Station that runs on solar, wind, and hydrogen power, sipping on a Pepsi 6-pack that came in molded pulp rings, eating lunch from a seaweed lined food container, wearing your cool Skechers kicks made

March 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Rural Climate Action in the U.S. and China

(Wilson Center) In China and the United States–the top two emitters of greenhouse gasses–most climate policies and civil society campaigns have focused on reducing fossil fuels.. At this China Environment Forum (CEF) meeting, speakers will instead shine a light on the need for rural climate action that helps farming communities become

March 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Building a 100 Percent Clean Future Can Drive an Additional $8 Billion a Year to Rural Communities

by Bidisha Bhattacharyya, Ryan Richards, and Rita Cliffton (Center for American Progress) Rural communities face many challenges, and climate change is only making matters worse. Flooding and drought are hitting rural communities hard, causing massive financial losses for farmers, who are also facing low commodity prices and bearing the brunt

March 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Could Biofuels Answer Zimbabwe’s Fuel Headache?

by Shingirai Huni (The Herald) Zimbabwe is facing fuel shortages, with long queues now the order of the day at fuel stations. Many motorists now leave their cars at home and use public transport to save money on fuel as prices keep rising. Yet, adopting bio-fuels can help ease the fuel shortages Zimbabwe

March 5, 2020 Read Full Article

Sharing Ethanol’s Message in India

(U.S. Grains Council/Farm Progress) U.S. Grains Council attends India’s Auto Expo, works with India to dispel myths about ethanol use. — Amid India’s Auto Expo, the U.S. Grains Council and U.S. industry partners invited attendees to learn about the economic, environmental and health benefits of increased ethanol use. The show is

March 5, 2020 Read Full Article

Benson High School Students Tour CVEC

(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Eighteen students from Benson High School toured Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) today to get a closer look at the ethanol production process. During the tour, the students learned about incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, ethanol storage and shipment. “We

March 5, 2020 Read Full Article

Could Government Biofuel Drive Bring £350m Hull Plant Back to Life?

by David Laister (Business Live) Saltend facility was mothballed after 11 years of “inaction” over petrol pump policy — … Vivergo, an employer of 150 at Saltend Chemicals Park, closed in September 2018, with only a skeleton maintenance team remaining. The sprawling plant, owned by AB Sugar, had operated for

March 5, 2020 Read Full Article

FPT Industrial Is Investigating Plant-Based Biofuels

(Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire) FPT Industrial a global powertrain brand of CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI/ MI: CNH), invested in a production plan and tests dedicated to exploring macaúba biodiesel, with a view to developing a potential new source of sustainable fuel. Macaúba, a native palm tree to Brazil, the Caribbean and South Florida

March 5, 2020 Read Full Article

Sunbird Bioenergy Africa Recruits 1 700 Local Farmers in Kawambwa, but Needs More Farmers to Reach Target of 20 000

(Lusaka Times) About 1700 out of the targeted 20,000 cassava out-grower farmers for the 2019/20 farming season have been captured by Sunbird Bioenergy Africa in Kawambwa District. Company Chief Executive Officer Richard Bennett has confirmed, following the launch of the out-grower scheme by President Edgar Lungu last month, adding that his company