by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ‘Essential Energy,’ the theme of the upcoming National Ethanol Conference, is inspired by the inclusion of U.S. biofuel producers on the Department of Homeland Security’s list of critical and essential industries during the onset of the pandemic. As states across the country
Funding/Financing/Investing
(Total) Total and Engie have signed a cooperation agreement to design, develop, build and operate the Masshylia project, France’s largest renewable hydrogen production site at Châteauneuf-les-Martigues in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur South region. Located at the heart of Total’s La Mède biorefinery and powered by solar farms with a total capacity of
(Food and Agriculture Organization) The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) have today underscored their continued commitment to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technologies in agri-food, fisheries and forestry chains and sustainable bioenergy through the signature of a collaboration agreement.
(FinExtra/Mirova) HSBC Pollination Climate Asset Management, Lombard Odier and Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, are the three founding partners of the Natural Capital Investment Alliance (‘The Alliance’), established by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales under his Sustainable Markets Initiative. The Alliance aims to accelerate the development of
(Business Wire) RNG supply will be dedicated to NW Natural Oregon customers — NW Natural, a subsidiary of NW Natural Holding Company (NYSE: NWN), is partnering with BioCarbN, a developer and operator of sustainable infrastructure projects, to convert methane from some of Tyson Foods facilities into renewable natural gas (RNG) to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … We are adding value to biological by-products through our 5 core competencies: Product and Application Expertise, International Sales & Marketing, Legal Compliance, Sustainability and Supply Chain Management. … We offer a wide variety of specialist services, including by-product and waste collection and handling, as
(Reuters/Energy Market Price) A consortium that includes oil majors Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil has requested a total of 2.1 billion euros ($2.55 billion) in subsidies for a project to store CO2 gasses in empty Dutch gas fields in the North Sea, the Dutch Economy ministry said on Thursday. The subsidies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Taking trash to treasure to a new level, renewable Dimethyl Ethercan be made from animal manure, food and agriculture waste, landfill gas and wood. Oberon Fuels’ President, Rebecca Boudreaux, PhD shared this illuminating slide guide that dives into Oberon’s small-scale production process, the 1st fuel-grade
(Smithfield Foods/Biomass Magazine) Dominion Energy and Smithfield Foods Inc., announced on Dec. 9 they have completed the first renewable natural gas (RNG) project through their joint venture, Align Renewable Natural Gas. Located in Milford in southwestern Utah, the project is now producing RNG from a network of 26 family farms that
(Honeywell UOP) Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ single-stage process produces cleaner-burning high-cetane transportation fuels chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel — Honeywell today announced that it has introduced a single-stage UOP Ecofining™ technology offering for the production of renewable diesel fuel. The new single-stage technology is a fast-to-market, low capital cost solution that is
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (“Gevo”) (NASDAQ: GEVO), announces the concept of Net-Zero Projects for the production of energy dense liquid hydrocarbons using renewable energy and Gevo’s proprietary technology. The concept of a Net-Zero Project is to convert renewable energy (photosynthetic, wind, renewable natural gas, biogas) from a variety of sources into energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The agriculture and waste revolution continues — these are not your Dad’s inputs, or Dad’s outputs either. If you missed last week’s DigestConnect, check out this slide guide from Vanguard Renewables CEO John Hanselman that takes a look at their newest biogas and renewable natural
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It was styled as a biofuels and biochemical producer, founded back in the heady days of the Recovery Act in February 2009, focused on developing high value oils and animal feeds by fermentation of low cost substrates. The business, as former CEO Colin South once described
(TruStar Energy/BusinessWire) TruStar Energy, a market leader in renewable natural gas (RNG) fuel supply for the transportation sector, today announced a successful 2020 and aggressive growth plans to continue transitioning heavy duty United States transportation from diesel to lower cost, cleaner alternatives. “The future of renewable heavy-duty transportation is here now,
by Zhaki Abdullah (Channel News Asia) … Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will play a major role in this new normal for aviation, said Jonathan Wood, Neste’s Europe and Asia-Pacific vice president for renewable aviation. The term refers to biofuels that can be derived from a variety of sources, ranging from used
(Florida Public Service Commission/EIN Presswire) The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) today approved a new Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Service tariff for Florida City Gas (FCG). FCG can now offer services to convert biogas into usable renewable natural gas, and receive and transport RNG through its distribution system on behalf
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Red Rock Biofuels’ 8-year offtake agreements with FedEx and Southwest Airlines are driving the advanced biofuels production facility to convert waste woody biomass into renewable drop-in jet, diesel and gasoline blendstock fuels at a conversion rate of about 166,000 BDT/year of woody biomass into about
(SeeNews/Renewables Now) – French microalgae firm Fermentalg (EPA:FALG) saw its shares jump 35% on Tuesday after it announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with domestic waste management company Suez SA (EPA:SEV) to create an equally-owned joint venture for carbon capture through the development of algae photobioreactors. The

To find out how to attract finance for biomethane projects from global thought leaders, make sure you join our upcoming webinar on January 27 with the Vice President of Gas, Renewables & Power (Biogas Division) for Total. Thought leaders joining the discussion include: Olivier Guerrini, Vice President, Gas, Renewables &
(SkyNRG) Sustainable aviation fuel produced from waste-based ethanol resources — The FLITE consortium, led by SkyNRG and with LanzaTech as the technology provider, will build the first-of-its-kind LanzaJetTM Alcohol to Jet (AtJ) facility. The facility will convert waste-based ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a scale of over 30,000 tons/yr. The
(Electric Energy Online) TMB has selected the company to build a hydrogen plant on the Zona Franca industrial area, the first public facility of its kind in the country, and to operate it for the next ten years; The company is carrying out projects that will put Spain at the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable Energy Group is the largest operator of renewable diesel and biodiesel plants in the US, with 12 refineries and a fast-growing capacity, especially in red-hot renewable diesel. In today’s Digest, we take a DigestData DeepDive™ with Actionable, Relational, Granular, Global Hard Data on REG’s Bioeconomy
by John Fialka (E&E News) … “Can we afford not to do this?” was the way Steve Oldham, the CEO of Carbon Engineering, headquartered in Squamish, British Columbia, put it in a recent TED Talk. He estimated that climate-related damages will eventually cost the U.S. over $500 billion a year “if
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A mere “The Year in Rewind” as we sail into 2021? Not the good ship Digest! Instead, we dust off our crystal ball and offer our predictions for the year ahead. As the sunset of 2020 gives way to the dawn of 2021, once again
(Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition/CISION) The Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition (“AFCC”) worked closely with policy makers and appropriators this year to provide changes to the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”)’s Title XVII Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program (the “Title XVII Program”), which were realized through the recent enactment of
(Malay Mail) A nimble push into higher biodiesel blends such as B40 — 40 per cent blend of palm oil-derived biodiesel — by Indonesia and B30 by Malaysia will help to mitigate the negative effects of the European Union’s (EU) lower palm oil demand for biofuel, the Malaysian Biodiesel Association said.
(Bioenergy Insight) Lightweight railcars powered by biomethane derived from human, farm, and food waste could be introduced in the UK. Ultra Light Rail Partners has received a £60,000 (€66,700) Innovate UK grant to develop a feasibility study and design for a 120-passenger biomethane-powered lightweight railcar for introduction in the West
(Algae Biomass Organization) … Our collective effort has resulted in record-breaking policy support, including: $70 million for algae industry research, development, and demonstration in 2020 Congressional appropriations for DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office, Office of Fossil Energy, and Office of Science. $110 million has been proposed in the US House of Representatives for
by Brendan Gibbons (San Antonio Report) Enough methane from decaying waste in a private San Antonio landfill can be harvested to offset the need for fossil fuel use by most of VIA Metropolitan Transit’s bus fleet, officials say. CPS Energy, VIA, and energy company EDL are working on an initiative that will provide
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As we look to the future with a new year, Deloitte and Ballard are looking at fueling the future of mobility with hydrogen and fuel cells, which makes sense considering hydrogen is the single most abundant substance in the universe. Their white paper dives into
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Biden, who oversaw the Obama administration’s stimulus work as vice president, could utilize a pot of $40 billion in unused Energy Department loan authority awarded under the 2009 stimulus to kick start his climate and infrastructure plan, POLITICO’s Zack Colman reports. DOE’s loan program helped a
(Mitchell & Webber) Mitchell & Webber are proud to be the first in country to trial a new fossil-free liquid fuel (HVO) in a property and Tractor — This could revolutionise the agriculture and domestic heating markets. The fossil-free renewable fuel, called Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO), is produced from certified waste
by Keith O’Connor (The Business Desk) Renewable bioenergy and carbon reduction specialists, Fleetsolve is looking to triple its workforce with the creation of an additional 70 jobs over the next six months. Fleetsolve, part of the SIMEC Group, announced its new recruitment drive as part of its £150m growth plan over
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the 2021 50 Hottest Companies inAgriculture and Nutrition was published today (December 31, 2020), as voted by invited international Selectors and subscribers of The Daily Digest, the world’s most widely-read bioeconomy daily. The annual rankings recognize innovation and achievement in fuel, chemicals, materials, advanced
by Lauren Moffitt (Argus Media) Weaker crude oil prices have eroded the competitiveness of biofuels as a transport fuel in a global economy battered by Covid-19, leaving any expansion of ethanol-gasoline blending in Asia-Pacific tightly tied to domestic feedstock availability in 2021. India may boost fuel ethanol production to record levels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the 2021 50 Hottest Companies in Renewable Fuels, Chemicals & Biomaterials was published today (December 30, 2020), as voted by invited international Selectors and subscribers of The Daily Digest, the world’s most widely-read bioeconomy daily. One theme that stood out was deployment at commercial-scale. 9
by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences, building on years of success with its high-yield, GA-expressing yeasts, is making the previously divergent characteristics of high yield and superior robustness—packaged together—a reality. “What we’ve seen in this industry is that you’re either going after yield or robustness,”
by Alex Tiller (Carbonvert Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) The road to qualifying for the 45Q tax credit can be confusing, with strict limitations on project phases and what constitutes start of construction. But, navigated properly, the credit is a promising opportunity. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) presents a tremendous financial opportunity
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Novozymes has released a platform to convert more fiber to ethanol, giving producers an attractive ‘D3 lift.’ The company is also helping its customers navigate the low-carbon fuels marketplace, streamlining certification and assisting where it can. … Novozymes has released its Fiberex platform, for
(Economic Times) Bhoramdeo Sahakari Sakhar Utpadak Karkhana Maryadit (BSSUK), a cooperative sugar mill in Chhattisgarh, has signed a pact with NKJ Biofuel Ltd to set up an ethanol production unit on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis in the state’s Kabirdham district, a public relations department official said on Wednesday. As
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) … In this edition of the Ethanol Report, we take a ride back through the year starting with the high hopes for a great year in January and February, into the devastating impact of COVID-19 restrictions on travel in the spring, the continuing saga of small
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) As 2020 comes to a close, Renewable Energy Group Inc., North America’s largest biodiesel producer, is celebrating a quarter-century in soybean oil refinement and biodiesel production. Back in 1995, the company from which REG would be formed several years later—West Central Cooperative—made its first investment
(Bio-Based Diesel Daily/Green Energy Biofuel) Green Energy Biofuel stands ready to provide waste recycling solutions for a variety of businesses and industries in the Southeast by turning costly liabilities into savings. Companies can leverage Green Energy Biofuel to help meet their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) goals by no longer
(This Day) … The Government of Plateau State in North Central region of Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CONTEC Global Limited to establish a cassava biofuel plant in the state. At the signing ceremony during the weekend in Jos, the Capital of Plateau State, the Governor of
(European Investment Bank) … The SEK 1.2bn financing operation facilitates the acquisition of 297 electric and biofuel buses being leased to Transdev for its use on five concessions in Gothenburg, starting from December 2020. In March 2019, Transdev won five 10-year contracts to operate bus services as from December 2020 in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … In today’s Digest, we look at the HOTTEST Digest Slide Guides like Corbion’s biobased Poly Lactic Acid (PLA), Gevo’s low carbon drop-in transportation fuels, Neste, an exclusive Digest Q&A with Clariant, and even some hydrogen. Check out what YOU, the readers, found the most
(OPIS/Business Wire) OPIS, an IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO) company and the leading benchmark provider for emissions and carbon markets data, will launch today the world’s first comprehensive daily pricing suite for global voluntary carbon offset credits to advance the global initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The OPIS Global Carbon Offsets Report will
by Martin Tomlinson (Volvo Trucks) Asda is taking delivery of 202 Volvo FH LNG tractor units in the run-up to Christmas peak trading, in what is believed to be the single largest order ever placed in the UK for heavy trucks running on renewable fuels. The supermarket has ambitions to
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) 2020 showed us a lot of things, but one thing it emphasized bigtime is that we are all connected on this planet. A virus spread like wildfire because of our connectedness with each other. If you had predicted we’d be in a global pandemic fighting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed Kurt Kovarik, National Biodiesel Board’s VP of Federal Affairs, at ABLC this summer, check out this slide guide where he outlines NBB’s vision, their new mission of 15 billion gallons of biodiesel by 2050, trends behind those numbers and growth, a look
(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP) ) … German government agreed last Friday on key points for the national implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). In addition to the gradual increase of the GHG quota to 22 percent in 2030, it includes the setting
(Aemetis/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … High-capacity electric vehicles (HCEV’s) from Nevo Motors are designed for heavy cargo and long range by using on-board range extender generators powered by renewable natural gas (RNG), with future electric truck models designed to use patented hydrogen and ethanol range extenders. The goal is to achieve major
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NextChem is focused on 3 solutions that all tie in together – cleaner hydrogen, biofuels and a circular economy. Find out why and how in this exclusive ABLC slide guide that dives into their low-carbon hydrogen production, biofuels from used cooking oil, animal fats, vegetable
(Biofuels International) Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla, confirmed new installations will be completed in the next three months with at least 10 additional systems anticipated before the end of 2021. Chicago, New Orleans, Austin and Jacksonville will have the first Greasezilla systems to come online building upon the
(Energy Vision / Biomass Magazine) Sustainable energy NGO Energy Vision has released its most recent joint assessment of the U.S. renewable natural gas (RNG) industry, performed on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. The assessment, which consists of a database of current and projected RNG projects, shows
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Renewable Energy Group and Optimus Technologies recently partnered to help Ames, Iowa grow its fleet of sustainable vehicles. The City of Ames is adding seven new all-purpose dump trucks to their fleet that have the Optimus Technologies advanced fuel system integrated into their new vehicle specification. The Optimus
by Erin Chan (Burns & McDonnell) As refiners consider renewable, low-carbon alternatives, renewable diesel — refined from agricultural products using petroleum refinery processes — is gaining traction. Rather than constructing new grassroots renewable diesel production units, refineries with existing hydroprocessing units may be able to increase their speed to market
(LaTrobe University) A cropping trial is now in the ground at Katunga as a forerunner to a $1 billion renewable fuel development. Investment company, AgBioEn, is planning a massive biofuel plant on a 40 ha former dairy farm, which will use agricultural waste. The company is looking for ways of generating the bio-mass as
(Braskem) Agilyx Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Agilyx AS (Euronext Growth (Oslo): (“AGLX”), a pioneer in the advanced recycling of post-use plastics, and Braskem (B3: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX: XBRK), the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas and leading producer of biopolymers in the world, today announced the initiation
(Neste) Neste has a target to process annually over 1 million tons of waste plastic from 2030 onwards. The company plans to use liquefied plastic waste as a raw material at its fossil oil refinery to upgrade it into high-quality drop-in feedstock for the production of new plastics. Neste successfully processed
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wastewater treatment is a huge problem with about 30 billion gallons per day in the U.S. You’ve got pathogens in the water that could reach drinking water supplies. You’ve got nutrients causing excess algae growth. You’ve got organic matter causing low dissolved oxygen. But MicroBio
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The $1.4 trillion spending package includes appropriation for Fiscal Year 2021, the COVID stimulus package, extensions of popular tax credits that otherwise expired on December 31st, and the Energy Act of 2020, a $35B version of a larger energy bill that has been drifting around
(Haldoe Topsoe) The world’s first podcast about renewables for the refinery industry season two. This time, Sylvain Verdier and Mikala Grubb from Topsoe look into some of the most pressing topics in renewables and the refining industry, including trends in advanced biofuels and hydrogen, pyrolysis and its challenges and opportunities,
by Ron Kotrba (Bio-based Diesel Daily) Multinational oil, gas and petrochemical company based in Vienna, Austria, is investing 200 million euros at its Schwechat refinery southeast of Vienna to co-process up to 160,000 metric tons of vegetable oils—including used cooking oil and “advanced feedstocks”—into renewable diesel. The investment in the Schwechat
by Kristin Toussaint (Fast Company) Instead of having more carbon go into the atmosphere, making our planet warmer and speeding up the effects of climate change, you might soon be able to eat those emissions. Biotech company LanzaTech has successfully turned CO2 emissions into lipids and omega-3 fatty acids as
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee announced the food and agriculture provisions of the latest COVID relief deal moving through the House and Senate this week include payments to producers of advanced biofuel, biomass-based diesel, cellulosic biofuel, conventional biofuel, or renewable fuels with
(ENI) The President of the Republic of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta has met today in Nairobi the Chief Executive Officer of Eni Claudio Descalzi to discuss potential green initiatives to be developed in the country, in order to provide local communities with efficient and sustainable access to energy resources. The parties discussed
(Neste) Neste, the world’s leading provider of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has signed an agreement to supply SAF to DHL Express, the express service arm of Deutsche Post DHL Group, world’s leading mail and logistics company. The Group is renowned as a pioneer of green logistics, utilising its
(OMV) The test run of the world’s largest bioethanol plant based on wood has proven successful; OMV and AustroCel start cooperation with second-generation bioethanol; 1.5 million liters a month of the advanced biofuel will be delivered from January 2021; Substituting biofuel for fossil fuel will save around 45,000 metric tons
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In China, LanzaTech’s Shougang commercial carbon recycling facility reached 150 days of full capacity continuous operation in November, a significant achievement for a first of a kind technology at scale. Production at the site itself has exceeded 20 million gallons of ethanol since startup which
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, let’s look at an alternative to carpet-bombing Midwestern corn fields with around 150 pounds per acre of nitrogen fertilizer, in hopes that the plants will take up about half of that, en route to a big corn yield. Leaving aside the debate over what happens
by Matthew Mercure (NGT News) Clean Energy Fuels Corp., a provider of renewable natural gas (RNG) as a transportation fuel in the U.S. and Canada, and Total S.E. have entered a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to create a 50/50 joint venture to develop carbon-negative renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities
by Dave Collings (1898 & Co./Burns & McDonnell) Renewable diesel — also known as green diesel, hydrotreated vegetable oil, or hydrotreated esters and fatty acids — has now gained widespread attention throughout the world. This growing interest is turning into action as existing renewable fuels companies build grassroots facilities and
by Dave Collings (1898 & Co./Burns & McDonnell) As developers, investors and plant operators explore options to increase production and market share of renewable fuels, the concept of carbon intensity (CI) must be well-understood. It might be the deciding factor that determines economic viability of your biofuels project. In California and
by Dave Collings (1898 & Co./Burns & McDonnell) For organizations looking to develop, construct and commission a new renewable diesel plant, it’s important to understand the various market conditions at play to avoid poorly made investments and the pitfalls of lost future opportunities. Since 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) continued
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … In today’s Digest, United Airlines ambitious goal by investing in sustainable fuels and new tech – NOT buying carbon offsets – to reduce GHG emissions by 100% by 2050, Gevo’s SAF delivered for the Pacific Northwest region, Boeing, Etihad and World Energy using
(Maersk) A.P. Moller – Maersk today announced the signing of a logistics agreement with Novo Nordisk from 2021. The three-year agreement on cold chain logistics covers transportation including ocean services and inland logistics. “We are proud to be chosen as one of Novo Nordisk´s main logistic companies. Transporting pharmaceuticals on
(Carbon Clean) Carbon Clean, a leader in low-cost carbon dioxide capture and separation technology, announced today that it has joined forces with Veolia, the global leader for optimised resource management, to exclusively develop multiple green projects in India. The newly established company Veolia Carbon Clean will first develop two carbon capture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cracking the high end markets is what DigestConnect was all about last week, but if you missed it, check out popular F&F expert Scott Chaplin’s slide guide with answers to all our questions on flavors, fragrances and cannabinoid markets, how to crack the exploding markets
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) “Think of the children” who won’t know that meat comes from life, not from labs, says the France ag minister who poo-poo’d cultivated meat, yet Israel’s prime minister championed cultivated meat calling it a “powerhouse” and a way to save the cows. While that debate
by Alex Kimani (OilPrice.com) After decades of stagnation and multiple false dawns, the hydrogen economy appears primed for a major takeoff. A growing number of countries and industries are proactively investing in hydrogen technologies, with hydrogen being touted as the ‘fuel of the future.’ Meanwhile, industry experts are predicting that hydrogen could become a globally traded
by Lena Nordgren (SEKAB) The second webinar by the EU project REWOFUEL – REsidual soft WOod conversion to high characteristics drop-in bioFUELs, was held in the beginning of December. The specific topic of the webinar was to address the sustainability aspects in the value chain focusing on “Application of LCA on innovative biorefinery concepts –
(NGV Journal/Fortistar) Fortistar and the New River Solid Waste Association (NRSWA) in Raiford, Florida, announced the construction of a facility that will capture and convert approximately 1,900 dekatherms per day of landfill methane to renewable natural gas, which is enough to offset emissions from 7,500 passenger cars. The New River RNG
by Linda Baker (FreightWaves) Renewable natural gas volumes and carbon benefits are on the rise — … FreightWaves spoke to Gladstein (Cliff Gladstein, president of Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA)) about how the California LCFS program works, the latest carbon negative stats and why the state should dedicate more resources
by Máté Petrány (The Drive) Second-generation biofuels are made from biowaste, not food crops. — Formula 1 is speeding up its environmental efforts, pushing for a much bigger step change on this front together with its governing body, the FIA. With the ambitious plan of becoming carbon neutral from 2021
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed last week’s DigestConnect, have no fear, check out the Whitefox slide guide here! Whitefox CTO Stephan Blum, advisor Bill Lee, Process Engineer Virginia Andrade and Field Engineer Sean Lorimer shared all about improved plant operations membrane technology, revolutionizing membranes for product diversity, where
by Chris Cooper (Aviation Pros/Neste North America) … Globally, more than 40 airlines now have already implemented SAF at some level, with an estimated 200,000 commercial flights using SAF since 2011 and 1.6 billion gallons of SAF committed to forward purchase agreements. Put another way, sustainable aviation fuel is already here.
by Hannah DelSordo* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The December 15th webinar discussed how natural gas utilities are developing the renewable natural gas (RNG) market in a decarbonizing world. This event featured speaker Philip Sheehy, the technical director of transportation and energy at ICF, Josh Linton strategic planning analyst at ONE Gas,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Yara announces plans to fully electrify its ammonia plant in Porsgrunn, Norway with the potential to cut 800,000 tons of CO2 per annum, equivalent to the emissions from 300,000 passenger cars. … Yara’s the world’s largest ammonia fertilizer company, has 16,000 employees and operations in over
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There’s greenwashing and then there’s proof of sustainability. So what’s the difference? Check out RSB’s slide guide on how they help ensure sustainable aviation fuel or SAF is actually sustainable. From their involvement in the aviation sector to examples of biobased and recycled carbon feedstocks
(Bioenergy Insight) Gasum has received €30 million from Klimatklivet to establish two new biogas plants in Sweden. Klimatklivet, or Climate Leap, is a programme for investment grants from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The two biogas plants will be built in Dalarna and Kalmar Counties. The Borlänge, Dalarna plant will
(Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.) Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Junichiro Ikeda) and euglena Co., Ltd. (Euglena; President: Mitsuru Izumo; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) today announced a successful sea trial in the Port of Nagoya of the MOL Group-operated tugboat 13 Tamashio using next-generation renewable biodiesel fuel developed by
(California Ethanol + Power) Minnesota Firm to Market and Sell 68 Million Gallons Annually of Essential EthanolTM to Be Produced at Sugar Valley Energy Campus near Brawley, CA — California Ethanol + Power announced today an exclusive 15-year contract was awarded to CHS Inc. to market and sell the 68
(Scania) Scania’s cab production plant in Oskarshamn, Sweden, enters 2021 as fully fossil free. It will thereby be the first of its major production plants around the world to successfully phase out carbon emitting production elements. — Scania has made a firm commitment, in line with the Science Based Target initiative,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … After all, it’s not every day of the week that a 900 million gallons renewable diesel project can be described as “phase one of a much bigger project”, but that’s the story with Fidelis Infrastructure and Gron Fuels’ plan to build, over nine years,
by Tyne Morgan (Farm Journal AgWeb) As a possible policy shift may put sustainable farming practices in the spotlight, companies are already paying farmers to shift to more “climate smart farming” like utilizing no-till as a production method. — … “Tom Vilsack will be integral to President-Elect Biden on climate change,
(U.S. Department of Energy) On Monday, December 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released its FY 2021 Phase I Release 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). Eligible small businesses can apply to receive up to $200,000 to test their innovative
(United Airlines) United will meet this ambitious goal by making industry-leading investments in new technology and sustainable fuels – not from buying carbon offsets — United Airlines today (December 10, 2020) is taking its most ambitious step yet in leading the fight against climate change: pledging to become 100% green
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the World Economic Forum doing to help aviation meet net zero goals? First, they recognize that the most immediate action to achieve carbon-neutral flying is the investment in, and rapid scale-up, of sustainable aviation fuel production and use. Their latest report demonstrates the
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Briefing Series: By Air, Land, and Sea: Navigating the Climate Future — The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing series on climate mitigation and adaptation in the transportation sector. The series covered ports, aviation, and public transit. As commercial aviation recovers from the COVID-19 contraction, it will
by Jack Ellis (Ag Funder News) … He (FarmLab co-founder and CEO Sam Duncan) started FarmLab with co-founder and chief technology officer Shahriar Jamshidi in 2016 with the aim of making sampling on farms more efficient and wallet-friendly. Back then, it was still a largely paper-based process, requiring agronomists to trek
by Sean Pratt (Western Producer) Industry thinks the proposed Clean Fuel Standard could unleash demand that would require two or three new crushers — Canada could see a second wave of canola crush plant construction if Ottawa gets its proposed Clean Fuel Standard right, says an industry spokesperson. Chris Vervaet,
(Renewable Fuels Association) With COVID-19 cases on the rise again, state and local governments are taking additional actions to limit travel and promote social distancing. In turn, consumption of ethanol-blended gasoline is rapidly falling again, threatening to derail an already tenuous economic recovery in the ethanol industry. Through November, U.S. ethanol
(TFG Marine) TFG Marine, (“TFG”), the global marine fuel supply and procurement joint venture company created by Trafigura and shipping firms Frontline and Golden Ocean, announces major milestones in its strategy to grow and improve transparency in new markets and provide customers with more sustainable marine fuels. TFG Marine will extend
(Volkswagen) Achieving carbon neutral operations a key pillar of Bentley’s recently launched Beyond100 commitment to becoming end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030; Manufacturing team developing industry-leading vision for supply chain design and sustainable manufacturing; Reduce, avoid and compensate ethos informed strategy to use ultra-low emission renewable alternative for in-house logistics vehicles;
(The Hindu Business Line) Must make ethanol from corn, sugarcane, biomass and rice husk, says Road Transport Minister — Farmers in Bihar should diversify to produce biofuel in order to increase their earning potential, said Nitin Gadkari Minister for Road Transport and Highways. He was inaugurating a national highway bridge
by Matthew Mercure (NGT News) Carson, a company that specializes in the fuel, lubricant, trucking and vehicle industries, has extended its renewable diesel agreement with Neste, a producer of renewable fuels, into a multi-year contract. Through this partnership, Carson will be able to continue to provide its government and commercial customer base
(NextantECA) This report examines the technical, economic and business aspects of thermolysis (i.e., pyrolysis and gasification) of mixed plastics waste. Analyses of the mixed plastics waste and the thermolysis plant location are included in the report. Selected developers of pyrolysis and gasification technologies are profiled and ranked under different criteria.
(Office of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers) Gov. Tony Evers today announced that Wisconsin will be making up to $3.25 million of federal Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding available to Wisconsin’s nine ethanol producers. The support aims to help offset some of the significant losses experienced by
(Enel Green Power) The MoU is related to a project for the production of green hydrogen via electrolysis using renewable energy from an Enel Green Power solar plant in the United States; The project, which is expected to be operational in 2023, will supply the green hydrogen produced to a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Anyone facing a carbon target or price wants to capture carbon. The advanced players are turning towards carbon capture and use — as a way to pay for carbon capture and a place to put it for the long-term. What’s working, how, where and why? Peter
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Europe comes news that major hydrogen project developers including ACWA Power, CWP Renewables, Envision, Iberdrola, Ørsted, Snam, and Yara have joined hands to scale-up green hydrogen production 50-fold in 6 years in a bid to slash the production cost to below $2 per kilo. This report
(BioCycle Magazine) … The (Los Angeles County) Sanitation Districts recently started up its biogas purification system, supplied by Unison Solutions and designed and installed by TetraTech. “With this new biogas purification system, we now produce renewable natural gas (RNG) that is used to fuel vehicles like cars, buses and trucks,” noted
(Renewable Energy Group/BusinessWire) Municipal Fleet Adds Seven Additional Heavy-Duty Trucks Running on 100% Biodiesel — The City of Ames is adding seven new all-purpose dump trucks to their fleet that have the Optimus Technologies advanced fuel system integrated into their new vehicle specification. The Optimus system enables the engines to operate
(DFDS) DFDS invested in the start-up biofuel company MASH Energy in 2019 because we want to replace fossil fuels with sustainable ones. B11 blend biofuel now ready to be tested at our partner’s Alfa Laval’s facility in Aalborg, Denmark. We invested in the start-up biofuel company MASH Energy in 2019
(CalPortland/NGV Journal) CalPortland® Company has launched its CNG powered bulk hauler truck fleet, which will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and smog-causing emissions. The company commissioned 24 new “Near-Zero Emission” trucks that will transport cement to customers in Southern California. The green vehicles will be fueled with Clean Energy’s Redeem renewable fuel
by Rachael Z. Ardanuy, Esq. (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, authorized the production of hemp pursuant to USDA and state regulation, and guarantees that hemp can be moved in interstate and international commerce. The 2018
by Mary Page Bailey (Chemical Engineering) Yara International ASA (Oslo, Norway) has announced plans for 500,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of green ammonia production in Norway, powering emission-free shipping fuels and decarbonized food solutions. “Ammonia is the most promising hydrogen carrier and zero-carbon shipping fuel, and Yara is the global ammonia
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Quebec, Enerkem, Shell, Suncor and Proman have proposed the construction of an $669 million biofuel plant in Varennes, Québec, in partnership with the Québec and Canadian governments. The project would use more than 200,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste and wood waste to produce nearly
(Office of Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09)) Bipartisan legislation will provide tax credits for the production of renewable chemicals — U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) have introduced the Renewable Chemicals Act, legislation that will create an allocated tax credit for production of qualifying renewable chemicals from biomass
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reps. David McKinley, R-W.V., and Marc Veasey, D-Texas, on Dec. 3 introduced the Accelerating Carbon Capture and Extending Secure Storage through 45Q (ACCESS 45Q) Act. The bill extends the date for projects to begin construction to claim the 45Q tax credit for carbon oxide sequestration
by Kevin Crowley and Caroline Hyde (Bloomberg/Yahoo! Finance) … One thing investors can’t count on is for Chevron to announce any long-term targets to eliminate or severely reduce emissions, as rivals Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc have. Chevron’s carbon goals are linked to reducing methane leaks and so-called
(Asian Development Bank) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $2.5 million technical assistance (TA) to support advanced biofuel development in India. The grant is funded from the Asia Clean Energy Fund, financed by the Government of Japan under the Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility, and the Republic of Korea’s
(Bioenergy Insight) Foresight Group has partnered with CNG Fuels to develop a network of refuelling stations in the UK, providing an initial £80 million (€89 million) in funding. The stations will enable heavy-goods vehicles (HGVs) to run on carbon-neutral fuel. CNG Fuels opened its fifth refuelling station near Birmingham last
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In India, Business Today reports that the country’s Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said an estimated investment of $66 billion is lined up in developing natural gas infrastructure, which includes pipelines, city gas distribution, and LNG regasification terminals and that the government is pushing for generating gas
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You may have seen that IEA Bioenergy released its new report on the role of renewable transport fuels in decarbonizing road transport. The analysis considered developments up to 2050, based on national policies, projections of the vehicle fleet, and on the availability of renewable transport fuels.
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Like Braskem’s news that they are expanding their post-consumer resin portfolio and investing $67 million in the construction of a recycling line with capacity to transform around 250 million pieces of packaging into 14,000 tons of high-quality, post-consumer resin per year. In today’s Digest,
(Scania/NGV Journal) In a commitment to sustainable mobility, the Zaragoza Area Transport Consortium presented the first Scania biomethane-powered bus, which will be operated by the transport company Grupo Aragón Tours for the Consortium’s line 210 that runs between Zaragoza and Villamayor de Gállego. Naturgy will be the company in charge of
by Cassie Mullen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Fuel retailers are beginning to implement a wide range of infrastructure projects across the country. This comes as USDA’s new Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program is being fully implemented, something farmers and the ethanol industry played an instrumental role in helping to make
by Julia Payne (Reuters) Gunvor Group has closed a new $540 million borrowing base facility to support biodiesel trading as the company shifts its strategy to promote cleaner products in line with EU climate targets, the company said on Friday. The bookrunners for the deal were Credit Agricole and Rabobank. The loan
(Advanced Biofuels Coalition) … The signatories of this joint letter represent a crucial part of the automotive, fuel, energy industry and civil society in Europe, i.e. a combined force behind the transformation of EU mobility towards climate neutrality in a smart and sustainable way. The European Union has set itself
by Vernon Graham (Farm Online National) A Toowoomba engineer aims to have all Australia farmers switched to biodiesel within 10 years. Johnny Wapstra has founded a start-up, Seed 2 Diesel, and hopes to have a state-of-the-art biodiesel plant somewhere between Toowoomba and Warwick ready for scaling and replication across Australia in two
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) This week is filled with ‘Gouda ideas’ like San Francisco animal-free cheesemaker that uses precision fermentation to produce casein, a protein present in cow’s milk, or cell-based meat company that developed cultivated chicken mince that it hopes will address both an increasing appetite for chicken
by Clifford Krauss (New York Times) Used cooking oil is one of the ingredients in renewable diesel, which generates far less emissions than conventional diesel and allows refineries to take advantage of federal and state incentives. — … Companies that refine crude oil into fuel are increasingly using such putrid
by Jake Drake (ACT News/Trillium) … It is true that California continues to make great strides in RNG investment and production. In just the first half of 2020, RNG made up nearly 90% of all natural gas vehicle fuel consumed in the state. Accelerated by the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard
by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) As one of America’s largest biorefiners moves forward with two more installations of Fluid Quip Technologies’ 50% protein technology, critical production redundancy is in hand. Products with even higher protein levels are already in the pipeline. This fall, when Green Plains Inc. announced plans
(Biofuels International) Vending machines are being used to dispense liquid bioethanol to customers across Nairobi in Kenya. Designed and built by KOKO Networks, these machines are being installed inside local shops to provide fuel in small quantities for daily cooking. These form part of a solution to a widespread problem
by Matthew Mercure (NGT News) As part of its mission to convert waste into resources, the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts has started up a biogas purification system to recycle food waste into renewable vehicle fuel. Food waste includes dinner scraps and spoiled fruit and vegetables from grocery stores and restaurants. “We’ve been
by Bernadette Christina and Fathin Ungku (Reuters) Policy adjustments required to sustain biodiesel subsidies; Biodiesel program may see $865 mln deficit in 2021-economist; Price gap between crude palm oil and diesel widened in 2020 … The world’s biggest producer of palm oil makes it mandatory for diesel to be blended with
by Anne Berleant (Ellsworth American) Among the discussion topics for members of the Municipal Review Committee (MRC) board of directors at a meeting on Nov. 29 were a draft of the group’s 2021 budget and news of a prospective buyer of the Hampden waste-to-biofuel facility, which has been closed since May.
by Ilona Amos (The Scotsman) A pioneering green energy ‘village’ with the capacity to power tens of thousands of homes could be built in the north-east of Scotland if proposals get the go-ahead. — Plans have been unveiled to construct a large-scale renewable energy park in Aberdeenshire, designed to deliver
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This just released report from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office sums up the input that 175 participants from biofuels and bioenergy sectors gave at a virtual workshop to come up with best practices for utilizing mathematical modeling tools across multiple scales to
(Carbon to Value Initiative) The Carbon to Value (C2V) Initiative will unlock a new carbontech economy, bringing innovative solutions to scale as rapidly as possible through the creation of a robust, powerful, and collaborative new ecosystem. Applications are now open for startups to join the first C2V accelerator cohort, which will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Who’s in Hot Water? Some of the Usual Suspects get into the usual trouble. We note that EPA missed the 2021 Renewable Volume Obligation deadline, and Growth Energy threatens a lawsuit. Really. We get tired of reporting on the industry having to (almost annually) sue the government to
(Porsche) Porsche, Siemens Energy and a lineup of international companies are developing and implementing a pilot project in Chile that is expected to yield the world’s first integrated, commercial, industrial-scale plant for making synthetic climate-neutral fuels (eFuels). In the pilot phase, around 130,000 liters of eFuels will be produced as early
(Biofuture) Bioenergy sector hailed as a ‘job creating machine’ at launch of BBEST 2020-21/BIOFUTURE SUMMIT II Virtual Conference; Unique conference brings together world-leading policies, innovation, science and market analysis across the bioeconomy — The Biofuture Platform, a multi-stakeholder initiative facilitated by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and designed to take action on
(Edar Bens / Naturgy / EnergyLab / NGV Journal) The research project Mixed Renewable Gas Unit, funded by the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN) and developed by Naturgy, EnergyLab and Edar Bens, continues its R&D&I work after receiving additional funding for its consolidation and for the launch of new lines of development.
Altair Paramount Seeking Fuel Pathway Approvals from CARB
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In California, Altair Paramount, LLC has applied for fuel pathways for renewable diesel, renewable naphtha and renewable jet fuels derived from rendered animal fat feedstock and processed at their facility in Paramount, California. Altair sources rendered inedible animal fat from an integrated meatpacking and rendering facility owned