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by Tim McDonnell (Quartz) … A year later, American drivers are back at the gas pump, and ethanol plants are back online. ADM re-opened its plants in early April; POET’s plants re-opened in August 2020 but only hit full production capacity in April. Then, just as ethanol’s road ahead was beginning to look clear, another unanticipated
China
(Unilever) Unilever has partnered with LanzaTech and India Glycols to produce a surfactant made from industrial carbon emissions instead of from fossil-fuels. The innovative shift in production utilises biotechnologies and a newly configured supply chain between the three partners, who are working together for the first time. Typically derived from
April 21, 2021
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by Anahita Bharadwaj* (Advanced Biofuels USA) It is estimated that around 380 million tonnes of plastic is produced each year – most of it non-biodegradable and non-recyclable. With more and more plastic accumulating on land and in oceans, there is a desperate need for technologies that may utilize, consume or completely
April 18, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Derived from widely available plant material, JANUS coated paper can be custom-shaped and when coated, creates moisture resistance equivalent to petroleum-coated products. Unlike the old school petroleum-coated paper, J&J’s green paper technology is recyclable, compostable and made with zero petroleum additives, making it safe
April 13, 2021
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(DB Schenker/Biobased Diesel Daily) DB Schenker and Lufthansa Cargo launched the first regular carbon neutral cargo flight connection in history. With the take-off of a Boeing 777F, the companies kicked off weekly flights between Frankfurt am Main and Shanghai Pudong, where the fuel requirements are covered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel
April 6, 2021
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Contribution of Sustainable Biomass and Bioenergy in Industry Transitions towards a Circular Economy
(IEA Bioenergy) Summary and conclusions from the IEA Bioenergy eWorkshop, 19-20 October 2020 — Key messages from the workshop • Biomass is a key component to reduce the climate impact of industries, next to electrification, hydrogen & CCUS (carbon capture and utilisation/storage). It is important to increase awareness of the
April 6, 2021
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(American Institute of Physics/TechExplore) … In their paper, published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Yangzhou University researchers in China show how a combination of monochromatic red and blue LED illumination on one type of microalga can enhance its growth and increase the biosynthesis of critical components, such as lipids, for
March 31, 2021
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(Bio-based News/nova Institute) CO2 has become famous in a sad way. Carbon Recycling International from Iceland, LanzaTech from USA and Covestro from Germany transform it into usable raw materials. — More than 180 participants from 24 countries followed the 41 speakers online. Experts from industry and science presented their latest technologies
March 25, 2021
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by Yu Yunfeng (Independent Commodity Intelligence Services) China has been easing its nationwide implementation of vehicle-use ethanol gasoline since 2020 due to tightening supply of feedstock stale grains. Ethanol gasoline in the country is currently a combination of 90% gasoline and 10% ethanol, also known as E10. The Chinese government’s original plan
March 19, 2021
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(Peoples Daily Online) By converting leftover cooking oil into fuel for vehicles, east China’s Shanghai has made big strides in developing the circular economy. The recycled waste fuel, called B5 biodiesel, is a biofuel blend consisting of 5 percent biodiesel, which is made from discarded oil from restaurants and sewer pipes, and
March 19, 2021
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(Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters/EurekAlert!) A single-celled alga undergoes genome surgery to remove non-essential parts. This can lead to a most efficient cellular factory for producing sustainable biofuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Researchers from the Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
March 18, 2021
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(International Maritime Shipping) IMO-Norway project is supporting States to implement energy efficiency measures and explore opportunities for low carbon shipping. Eleven States from across the globe are partnering in the International Maritime Organization (IMO)-Norway GreenVoyage2050 Project, which is supporting the path to decarbonization in the shipping sector, in line with the IMO
March 16, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The European Commission presented its 2030 Climate Target Plan in mid-September, raising the EU’s ambition to reduce GHG emissions to at least 55% below 1990 levels by 2030. The plan is seen as bridging to the EU’s decisive goal to become carbon neutral by 2050.
March 11, 2021
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by Stephanie Kelly and Hallie Gu (Reuters) Three ships carrying ethanol were heading to China from the U.S. Gulf Coast, three trade sources told Reuters on Monday, in a sign that exports of the fuel were sharply increasing from the United States to the country. The shipments may surpass the total
March 9, 2021
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by Andrea Shalal and David Lawder (Reuters) President Joe Biden’s U.S. trade representative nominee, Katherine Tai, said on Monday she would work to fight a range of “unfair” Chinese trade and economic practices and would seek to treat Chinese censorship as a trade barrier. … In a nod to the U.S.
March 2, 2021
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(Chinese Academy of Science Headquarters/EurekAlert!) Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Nanjing Normal University recently reported a strategy for boosting the electrocatalytic performance of palladium (Pd) in ethanol oxidation reaction, the key anodic reaction of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), offering a
March 2, 2021
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(GreenAir Online) Eight European transport ministers have called for a harmonised, long-term strategy to decarbonising the air transport sector to include ramping up the production and supply of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) through an EU-wide blending mandate. Hosting a high-level virtual conference, the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Cora
February 26, 2021
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(nova-Institute) Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) is one of the most obvious solutions to further reduce CO2 emissions, but it is yet still hardly exploited. However, these six nominated technologies turn CO2 into value: ethanol, methanol, polyols, surfactants or syngas – the audience will choose the winner at the “9th Conference on CO2-based
February 26, 2021
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by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) … The changing political landscape of the elections and the bi-partisan concern over carbon emissions and potential climate change is an opportunity for biofuels to be a major contributor. Two opportunities are likely to surface early in the new Congress and the
February 11, 2021
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(Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum/Phys.Org) A German-Chinese research team has found a new synthetic route to produce biofuel from biomass. The chemists converted the substance 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) produced from biomass into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF), which could be suitable as a biofuel. Compared to previous methods, they achieved a higher yield and selectivity under milder reaction conditions.
February 9, 2021
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(Oxford Energy Forum) Gathering momentum for the energy transition—supported by ambitious net-zero roadmaps by governments (EU, China, and US) and multinational corporations—has sparked debate on what the energy map will look like in 30 years. For more than half a century now, access to oil and natural gas has been
February 8, 2021
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(Renewable Fuels Association) U.S. ethanol exports totaled 1.33 billion gallons in 2020, down 9 percent from 2019 and the lowest volume since 2016, according to official government statistics released today. Still, according to the Renewable Fuels Association, exports were a relative bright spot in 2020, as the annual volume was the
February 5, 2021
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(Clariant) This agreement marks the second license deal for Clariant’s sunliquid® technology in China and its fifth signed license deal globally; Harbin Hulan Sino-Dan Jianye Bio-Energy intends to realize a commercial scale plant using Clariant’s sunliquid® technology for the production of cellulosic ethanol in Heilongjiang Province; Planned annual production capacity
February 3, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Making green hydrogen from water via electrolysis, or from waste — what’s real in the projects being discussed, the applications, the sources? What’s not going to happen, soon (or ever), are the end markets stronger in chemistry, hydrotreating, or fuel cells? 1898 & Co.’s Dave
February 3, 2021
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(Lanza Tech) Carbon Recycling Facility leads the way in production of sustainable materials with world leading certification — The Beijing Shougang LanzaTech New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. a joint-venture between carbon recycler, LanzaTech, Shougang Group Co. Ltd., a leading Chinese iron and steel producer, Tangshan Caofeidian Beijing-Hebei Cooperation Green Industry Investment
January 29, 2021
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by Steven Mufson (Washington Post) General Motors said Thursday that it will end the sale of all gasoline and diesel powered passenger cars and light sports utility vehicles by 2035, marking an historic turning point for the iconic American automobile company and promising a future full of new electric vehicles
January 28, 2021
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by John Steppe (The Gazette/SoutherMinn.com) Gov. Kim Reynolds is looking forward to “building those same relationships” with President Joe Biden and his Environmental Protection Agency staff that she had with the Trump administration to protect biofuels, Reynolds said during Tuesday’s virtual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit. … “I will hold this
January 28, 2021
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by Karl Plume, Hallie Gu (Reuters) China has bought “roughly 200 million gallons” of U.S. ethanol for the first half of 2021, matching its previous record for annual imports of the corn-based biofuel, Archer Daniels Midland Co Chief Financial Officer Ray Young said on Tuesday. The accelerated imports are among several
January 27, 2021
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by Elliott Blackburn (Argus Media) … (President-elect Joe) Biden also campaigned on goals to increasingly electrify the US vehicle fleet and maintain support for renewable fuels, which would erode market share for the petroleum fuel that dominates AFPM membership’s output. But chief executive Chet Thompson expects to find common ground
January 15, 2021
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Over the past year, the 2020 Wilson China Fellows have undertaken policy research on a range of vital issues relevant to the rise of China and the future of U.S.-China ties. From February 3rd to the 4th, our Fellows will publicly present and debate their findings on topics ranging from international security to the
January 11, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Digest today releases its annual review of biofuels mandates and targets around the world, looking at the state of biofuels mandates in 65 countries. Get the latest up to the minute new information on the Canada Clean Fuels Standard as well as a
January 8, 2021
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(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.
January 5, 2021
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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
December 31, 2020
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by Donavan Lim (S&P Global Platts) Philippines’ local buying requirements seen falling in Q1; China’s imports from US could resume if tensions ease; Higher Grade B prices likely for Ulsan buyers in 2021 — A rise in fuel ethanol imports could be on the cards for the Philippines in 2021 if the country’s
December 29, 2020
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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
December 22, 2020
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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
December 22, 2020
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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
December 18, 2020
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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,
December 11, 2020
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(Reuters) China is expected to sell 80 million internal combustion engines annually in the next five years, in line with previous years, an engine industry association said on Thursday, amid a broader industry transformation toward electrification. Internal combustion engines still dominate China’s auto industry and are also used in motorcycles, agricultural
December 11, 2020
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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
December 3, 2020
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Lufthansa Cargo and DB Schenker start first CO2-neutral freight flight — First, today’s news that over the weekend, a cargo flight took off for the first time in commercial aviation, whose fuel requirements will be completely covered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Lufthansa Cargo’s Boeing 777F
December 1, 2020
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … (T)he overriding objective should be to increase demand, which increases ethanol volume and corn grind. With that in mind, do we continue to fight for what is almost certain to be a reduced RFS that in addition to lower RVOs pits us against
November 30, 2020
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by Isabela Rodrigues* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In October, The 20th Datagro Conference on Sugar and Ethanol 2020 took place over a virtual platform with more than 4000 attendees. This year, Brazilian government authorities including Vice President Hamilton Mourão, Secretary of Amazon and Environmental Services at the Ministry of the Environment Joaquim
November 27, 2020
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(University of Bristol) Scientists have built tiny droplet-based microbial factories that produce hydrogen, instead of oxygen, when exposed to daylight in air. The findings of the international research team based at the University of Bristol and Harbin Institute of Technology in China, are published today in Nature Communications. Normally, algal cells
November 27, 2020
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(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) At the close of the most recent marketing year, U.S. ethanol exports were down 12 percent year-over-year according to data from the USDA, weighed on by COVID-19 and the global issuance of stay-at-home orders. Over the course of the marketing year (September 2019-August 2020), U.S. ethanol
November 25, 2020
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(Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor today outlined the biofuels industry’s top federal priorities for 2021, highlighting key measures that elected leaders must take to protect the climate, revitalize rural communities, and offer more consumers clean, affordable options to fuel their cars. “Biofuels, including plant-based ethanol, are critical
November 20, 2020
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by Ellyn Ferguson (Roll Call) … Despite the mixed performance, Trump’s policies on trade, regulation and other areas maintained his popularity in rural and farm communities, winning their support in the Nov. 3 election. Joe Biden nevertheless has a chance to do as president what he didn’t manage as a
November 19, 2020
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by Amandeep Parmar (Argus Media) A new free-trade agreement (FTA) between 15 Asia-Pacific countries will phase out tariffs on a host of biofuels and feedstocks, although existing trade flows may limit the immediate market impact. The Regional Economic Comprehensive Partnership (RCEP) was signed yesterday by China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New
November 17, 2020
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by Robert Perkins (S&P Global Platts) Pandemic to shrink biofuel output for first time in two decades; Global transport biofuels to reach 3.21 million b/d in 2025; Biofuels seen recovering from pandemic by 2022 — The International Energy Agency has cut its near-term forecast for global biofuels production as the COVID-19 crisis triggers
November 13, 2020
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(Frost & Sullivan/PR Newswire/Investors Hub) The shift towards hydrogen-based economy arises due to the growing concerns over increasing carbon emissions, energy security, and climate change, says Frost & Sullivan. — Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Growth Opportunities in the Hydrogen Market for the Global Power Sector, finds that there has been a
November 12, 2020
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by Robert Perkins (S&P Global Platts) Pandemic to shrink biofuel output for first time in two decades; Global transport biofuels to reach 3.21 million b/d in 2025; Biofuels seen recovering from pandemic by 2022 READ MORE
November 10, 2020
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by Philip Blenkinsop (Reuters) The European Union has begun monitoring incoming renewable ethanol used for fuel to see if measures are needed to prevent a surge of imports from U.S. and other producers, the EU official journal said on Wednesday. The surveillance system, designed to provide information more rapidly than
November 5, 2020
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by Lauren Moffitt (Argus Media) Faltering 10pc ethanol blending (E10) because of tight and high-priced corn feedstock is fuelling doubts about China’s transport decarbonisation strategy. State-controlled Sinopec’s Jiangsu subsidiary will halt sales of #92 ethanol blended gasoline from November, citing inadequate ethanol supplies because of lower production rates upstream this year.
November 2, 2020
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by Amy Lupica (Our Daily Planet) A new report from the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) found that rich nations, including the United States, Japan, and the Netherlands, are exporting “dirty and dangerous” cars to developing countries en masse. Between 2015 and 2018, an estimated 14 million vehicles were “dumped” in Asia and Africa. 80% of those
October 29, 2020
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(CIRAD) Sharing efforts between biofuel production, the transition to reduced-meat diets and the reforestation of pastures would be a far better option for tomorrow’s agriculture than focusing on just one of these strategies. This mix would simultaneously address the goals of food security, biodiversity conservation and emissions reductions, according to a
October 28, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Two world leaders in cellulosic deployment – Jeff Taylor from Chemtex and Paolo Corvo from Clariant – talked about how cellulosic fuels are on the march on last week’s DigestConnect. Check out this exclusive slide guide on 1G/2G biofuels integration opportunities, what are the models,
October 26, 2020
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by Erin Murphy (The Courier) Campaigning in Iowa on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump touted his administration’s work to boost the ethanol industry and help farmers in Iowa. Trump’s administration this year issued a rule that allows gas stations to sell a higher ethanol blend year-round. “They were killing ethanol,”
October 16, 2020
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by P.J. Huffstutter, Karl Plume and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump enjoys broad support among farmers, but some are unhappy about the impact of his trade and biofuel policies on crop prices and international demand for U.S. agricultural products. Democrat challenger Joe Biden has seized on the biofuel issue,
October 13, 2020
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by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A survey of ethanol plant CEOs and general managers shows the COVID-19 downturn had a significant impact on their operations. Most producers have substantially ramped up production since spring, but a full recovery is expected to take many months. … About 84% of CEOs
October 7, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today’s top story is all about hydrogen and fuel cell technology, and how Ballard is working in this fast-growing market with the company’s focus on electrification of Heavy- and Medium-Duty Motive applications. Tony Guglielmin, Vice President and CFO of Ballard shared a 184 page slide guide
October 5, 2020
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by Rohan Somwanshi, Shikha Singh and Mugunthan Kesavan (S&P Global Platts) US corn sales to China shows insufficient domestic supply; US ethanol output blip will not impact DDGS exports to Southeast Asia; Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand to stay top buyers of US DDGS China is expected to maintain a steady ethanol program despite a
September 30, 2020
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by Larry Lee (Brownfield Ag News) The World Trade Organization has ruled in favor of China, saying President Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods violates international regulations for trade. The WTO panel says the U.S. could not prove the tariffs were necessary, but the ruling also does not force the U.S. to
September 16, 2020
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by Lori Potter (Kearney Hub) … There are tariff and other trade issues that make U.S. ethanol less competitive in export markets. Also, industry leaders continue to wait for Environmental Protection Agency officials to rule on a growing number of applications from small fuel refineries seeking waivers to Renewable Fuels
September 10, 2020
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by Bob Yirka (Phys.Org) A team of researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has found a way to speed up photosynthesis in algae by applying a conjugated polymer. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes experiments with applying polymers to algae and what they learned from
September 8, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, biobased mandates around the world. Where are the markets you can count on, how much can you count on? 65 countries in all, We’ll be focusing especially on new information out of Argentina, Brazil, Britain after Brexit, Canada, the European Union, China, India, Indonesia,
September 7, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Chemicals, catalysis, additives – At ABLC Digital this July, Clariant shared how they are working on advancing biofuels globally and details on their sunliquid technology to decarbonize transportation. A fully integrated and carbon negative process, sunliquid is a platform for sustainable biobased products too like cosmetics,
September 6, 2020
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(Siemens Energy/NGV Journal) Siemens Energy and Beijing Green Hydrogen Technology Development Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Power International Development Ltd., signed an agreement on providing a hydrogen production system for a filling station. Located in Yanqing District, Beijing, one of the three main competition areas for a major sporting event
August 29, 2020
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by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On top of the slowdown, the world’s No. 2 ethanol nation is holding strong on policies that check robust U.S. imports. In addition to its tariff rate quota, tough feedstock traceability requirements place another roadblock in front of U.S. ethanol. … Leticia Phillips, North
August 28, 2020
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(Clariant) Strategic partnership formed with Chemtex Global Corporation for second-generation (2G) biofuels projects in China; Clariant and Chemtex will collaborate to market and sell sunliquid® technology licenses, services and supplies for advanced biofuel plants in China; 2G biofuels will contribute to China’s environmental advancement and offer support to fulfill the
August 19, 2020
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Cosponsored by Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum, Brazil Institute, Latin America Program and Environmental Change and Security Program. Three speakers will give short presentations followed by Q&A. Paula Bernasconi from Instituto Centro de Vida (ICV) will talk about the skyrocketing deforestation from soy and beef production in the state of
August 18, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At ABLC Digital in July, Chris Tindal,Assistant Director of Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), shared this illuminating slide guide focusing on the market opportunities for sustainable aviation fuels, the latest SAF offtake agreements like World Energy, Paramount, United Airlines, Finnair, SkyNRG, KLM, Fulcrum Bioenergy,
August 13, 2020
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(Agri-Pulse Daybreak) China is one of the biggest potential markets for U.S. ethanol, but the country has – at least for now – given up on the idea of increasing its usage of the fuel to reduce air pollution. Chinese ethanol consumption is expected to drop to just 796 million gallons
August 12, 2020
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(Palm Oil Monitor) Indonesia has picked up a number of allies in its battle with the EU over the bloc’s ban of palm oil in its renewable energy scheme. An additional 18 countries have reserved their rights to participate in the proceedings as third parties. These include palm producers Malaysia, Thailand, Guatemala,
August 11, 2020
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(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) As part of its global drive to support the aviation industry in achieving decarbonisation through the use of alternative sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), RSB is turning its attention to China. With a domestic aviation market that is predicted to be the world’s largest by 2028 and overall industry growth
August 5, 2020
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by Margy Eckelkamp (AgPro) “Ethanol will not have a growth future. It will have a decline future. You better find a home for the grain, and it better be livestock,” Michael Swanson says. — Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo chief ag economist, says he thinks there are supply and demand drivers
August 5, 2020
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by Charles Kennedy (OilPrice.com) Some of the biggest oil companies in the world set their first joint target to cut their collective carbon emissions from upstream operations in a move that saw Saudi Aramco and ExxonMobil joining European majors in pledging reduced carbon intensity. The Oil and Gas Climate Initiative
July 17, 2020
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by Milton Stuards (Vessel Finder) First steel cut for Terntank two LNG / LBG-powered biofuel tankers with hybrid battery systems took place at the China Merchants Jinling shipyard on Tuesday, 30 June. … With the new vessels, the Company has invested to come closer towards carbon-neutral operations and reduce the impact on the environment.
July 3, 2020
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(Asia Today) A research team from the School of Life Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a novel method for extracting enzymes from bacteria, which lowers the production cost yet improves the enzyme’s stability. It also opens up a new avenue for the enzymatic production of
June 29, 2020
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David Liepman (Disruptive Nation) … Strong commercial applications of bamboo include sustainable branded products such as pulp paper, timber, lumber and textiles. And, in line with tissue and textile major brand owner concerns, bamboo is twice as soft as cotton and doesn’t require pesticides and fertilizers in its crops. As a
June 26, 2020
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(Energy Market Price) … Carbon-neutral means that all emissions coming from exploration and production of the natural gas are offset by credits from a variety of nature-based projects. These include Shell supported afforestation projects from Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces in China, the company said. CNOOC plans to auction these two LNG
June 26, 2020
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(RFD TV) As producers worry that China is not fulfilling its phase one promise to buy nearly $40 billion dollars in U.S. exports, ethanol groups say that the country could easily make those numbers if they bought more renewable fuels. China is the second largest gasoline market in the world
June 24, 2020
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by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) Biofuels groups are tired of ethanol being excluded from China’s phase one purchases.vGrowth Energy senior vice president of global markets Craig Willis says it’s been two years since the Chinese imported ethanol from the U.S. “It was our third-largest export market, so there’s a ton
June 22, 2020
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Several biofuel producers and trade groups are among the nearly 200 organizations that sent a letter to President Trump on June 16 calling on him to ensure the continued implementation of the U.S.-China Phase One Trade Agreement. The letter notes the agreement is critical to
June 18, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Everyone wants to dominate the world, right? But Neste wants to do it in a nice way by becoming the global leader in renewable and circular solutions. There are 3 ways they are working on this lately – 1) expanding global reach with new offices in
June 16, 2020
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by Zheng Xin (China Daily) China Petrochemical Corp, the country’s largest oil refiner, vows to further step up its involvement in the biofuel market by continuing its B5 biodiesel project in Shanghai while accelerating research on B10 biodiesel. … The effort on B10 will likely exert a significant influence on
June 12, 2020
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by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) A leading U.S. biofuel trade group said on Thursday it had started conversations with the campaigns of both Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and incumbent Donald Trump to discuss potential policy fixes for the ailing industry. The discussions come as the coronavirus pandemic crushes demand for ethanol
June 12, 2020
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by Robert Pore (Grand Island Independent) A Wilcox farmer and chairman of the American Corn Growers Foundation said farmers counting on corn exports “has always been a questionable strategy.” “Problematic U.S. trade policy, aimed at China, is attempting to protect intellectual property rights of big corporations, but has boomeranged against
June 8, 2020
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(Biofuels International) Bioenergy Australia is calling on the federal government to support, and for sanitiser manufacturing businesses to continue to buy, Australian ethanol. As supply lines from China begin to reopen as lockdown measures are lifted, cheaper imports are beginning to enter the Australian market again. Economist and Bioenergy chairman
June 5, 2020
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by Mahmood Ebadian, James D. McMillan, Jack (John) N. Saddler and Susan van Dyk (University of British Columbia, Canada/National Renewable Energy Laboratory, USA/IEA Bioenergy) Global production and use of transport biofuels Global biofuels production has continued to increase over the last decade, from over 37 million tonnes oil equivalent (Mtoe) in
May 29, 2020
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by Frédéric Simon (EURACTIV.com) The European Commission’s promised green recovery plan will focus on building renovation, renewables and hydrogen as well as clean mobility and the circular economy, according to a leaked working document obtained by EURACTIV. The European Commission is busy putting together a plan to help the EU economy
May 28, 2020
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by Ian Kirkwood (Newcastle Herald) Muswellbrook’s proposed ethanol pilot plant is a step closer to fruition after Muswellbrook Shire Council voted last night to continue negotiating with biofuel company Ethtec over a proposed $10.4 million grant to the project. The vote on the project, which was highlighted in Monday’s Newcastle Herald, was
May 28, 2020
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(Dresden University of Technology/Phys.Org) As a new class of porous materials, noble metal aerogels (NMAs) have drawn attention for their self-supported architectures, high surface areas and their many optically and catalytically active sites, enabling impressive performance in diverse fields. However, current fabrication methods suffer from long fabrication periods, unavoidable impurities,
May 19, 2020
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) It’s been only two years since the Environmental Protection Agency approved sorghum oil as an eligible feedstock under the Renewable Fuel Standard, but a lot has happened since then. The EPA’s announcement marked a significant step toward leveling the playing field for ethanol plants extracting oil
May 11, 2020
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(Bloomberg/Yahoo! Finance) … Gasoline demand is rebounding, suggesting that the car — at least for now — is making a comeback. As lockdowns ease and parts of the world reopen for business, driving has emerged as the socially distant transportation mode of choice and is offering some near-term relief to an
May 11, 2020
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by Alex Snodgrass (Independent Commodity Intelligence Services) US ethanol producer Green Plains said it still expects China to stick to the first phase of the US-China trade agreement that requires ethanol purchases. Green Plains remains optimistic about China and their role in corn and ethanol purchases, it said in an investor
May 7, 2020
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(Delphi Technologies) Your guide to navigating the changing regulatory landscape. For nearly three decades, we have been tracking and compiling global emissions regulations and packaging them into easy-to-read reference guides. These publications are designed to be valuable tools for you and your company to use as standards around the world
May 1, 2020
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(Oregon State University/Phys.Org) An international research collaboration has taken an important step toward the commercially viable manufacture of biobutanol, an alcohol whose strong potential as a fuel for gasoline-powered engines could pave the path away from fossil fuels. The key breakthrough is the development of a new metal organic framework, or MOF,
April 28, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant takes us on a journey on how carbon emissions can be reduced by advanced biofuels, more specifically, how lignocellulosic ethanol made from agriculture residues like straw, non-food materials, and waste can make an immediate impact, how their sunliquid technology, enzymes, microorganisms and fermentation organisms leads
April 27, 2020
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by Sean Pratt (Western Producer) Europe has been a strong customer of Canadian canola, but there are concerns over slumping biodiesel demand — The European Union should continue to be a top customer for Canadian canola despite slumping biodiesel demand in that market, says a leading oilseed analyst. “On paper, the demand
April 17, 2020
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Grains Council is soliciting applications for seven advisory teams (A-Teams), including the Ethanol A-Team. According to the USGC, A-Team members gain expertise on trade policy and market development topics. In addition, their input helps form the backbone of the USGC’s operations and long-term
April 14, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A completely interesting example of what is known as the Straw Man fallacy appeared in coverage of a study that appears in this month’s Nature Sustainability, on electric vehicle emissions. The lead author of the study, University of Nijmegen’s Dr Florian Knobloch told the BBC: “The idea that electric
April 8, 2020
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(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
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(University of Hohenheim (Google Translation)) German-Chinese Research Training Groups at the University of Hohenheim and the China Agricultural University in Beijing are looking for solutions for sustainable phosphorus use using the example of maize cultivation systems If it is not possible to use the resource phosphorus more sustainably, mankind is
April 6, 2020
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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by Michelle Rook (AgWeek) Leaders of the nation’s top commodity organizations were focused on trade, biofuels and the upcoming crop season at this year’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio. — …U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told farmers at Commodity Classic that the agency is not working on a third round of
March 10, 2020
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by Emily Skor (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Driving new demand is at the heart of our work, and we envision a future where markets are open, E15 (not E10) is the floor for domestic growth, consumer confidence in ethanol soars to new heights, and policymakers globally lean in on
March 7, 2020
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(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
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by Feng Hao and Gao Baiyu (China Dialogue) With stronger policies, China could peak its oil consumption in 2025, report finds — … A two-year study led by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental non-profit, has concluded that China must “leap over the oil age” to meet its
March 5, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We are very honored at The Digest each year to select the William C. Holmberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Bioeconomy, and to make the award presentation at ABLC. Especially this year when our honoree is Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech. If you’ve heard
March 3, 2020
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by Donovan Lim (S&P Global Platts) China will offer tariff exemptions of nearly 700 types of goods from the US, including fuel ethanol, the Chinese government announced Tuesday, but traders are currently uncertain about its impact on future imports. … Ethanol sources told S&P Global Platts that they remain cautiously
February 18, 2020
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Policy obstacles—especially ongoing trade disputes and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s granting of RFS compliance waivers to dozens of small refineries —dampened the U.S. ethanol industry’s economic contributions in 2019, according to a new study released today at the Renewable Fuels Association’s 25th annual National Ethanol Conference. Still,
February 13, 2020
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association today released a pair of reports summarizing 2019 U.S. ethanol and distillers grains export and import data. Through a series of charts and graphics, the reports provide industry advocates, policymakers, the media, and general public with the latest information on the important role U.S.
February 6, 2020
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by Nur Yasmin and Ridho Syukra (Jakarta Post) The Indonesian Palm Oil Association, or Gapki, said on Monday that Indonesia is likely to use up 8.3 million tons of palm oil to meet domestic demand for biodiesel this year, raising concerns there won’t be enough palm oil left to export. The government began mandatory use of B30 – diesel
February 5, 2020
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by Keith Randal (Texas A&M University) Texas A&M researchers are part of a team that analyzed how auto exhaust in large cities, especially in China, is linked to air quality and health problems. — Tiny matter called “ultrafine particles” in the atmosphere are un-regulated, according to the World Health Organization, but a
February 5, 2020
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by John Timmer (Ars Technica) Systems-level engineering of a living thing is remarkably complicated. A little while ago, we covered the idea of using photovoltaic materials to drive enzymatic reactions in order to produce specific chemicals. The concept is being considered mostly because doing the same reaction in a cell is often
February 4, 2020
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by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Knock a water molecule off ethanol and you’ll get ethylene, C2H4—the most widely produced organic chemical globally that is the basis for scores of other chemicals and hundreds (maybe thousands) of products, from antifreeze and surfactants to synthetic fibers, plastics and packaging. Global
January 30, 2020
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by John Herath (Farm Journal Ag Web) If elected president, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) plans to immediately roll back all of the small refinery exemptions made to the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Klobuchar made the pledge on the AgriTalk Radio show talking with host, Chip Flory. “We have 137 things
January 24, 2020
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by Mei Mei Chu (Reuters) Average palm oil prices will surge 17.9% this year, a Reuters poll of industry participants showed, as reduced output in the first half of the year and higher biodiesel consumption in top producers Indonesia and Malaysia tighten the market. … Indonesia and Malaysia together account for
January 22, 2020
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) As China announced a suspension of its ethanol mandate last week, Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney said he remains bullish on expanding exports for the fuel, despite the trade challenges. “Ethanol is one of the most needed products around the
January 14, 2020
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(Hoosier Ag Today/NAFB News Service) China this week announced a suspension of its ethanol mandate, signaling a further reduction of imports from the United States. The E10 target was suspended because China says, “any promotion of ethanol-gasoline must be based on the precondition that food security is guaranteed.” The mandate was
January 13, 2020
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Licella and BioLogiQ Join Forces to Accelerate Commercialisation of Cat-HTR™ Technology in Australia
(Licella) Licella and BioLogiQ join forces to accelerate commercialisation of Cat-HTR™ technology in Australia, to chemically recycle post-consumption plastic that would otherwise not be recycled. — Australia consumes 3.4 million tonnes of plastic each year, of which only 9% is recycled1. Licella Holdings Ltd (“Licella”), global technology pioneer, is delighted to
January 9, 2020
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by Hallie Gu, Muyu Xu, Shivani Singh (Reuters) China has suspended its plan to implement a nationwide gasoline blend containing 10% ethanol this year, three sources briefed on the matter said, following a sharp decline in the country’s corn stocks and limited production capacity of the biofuel. … But at
January 8, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Germany we have news that Clariant, Anhui Guozhen Group, and Chemtex Chemical Engineering signed a license agreement on sunliquid cellulosic ethanol technology. This is the third commercial license for the sunliquid technology and the first for China. The Anhui Guozhen Group and Chemtex have agreed to
January 7, 2020
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by Donavan Lim (S&P Global Platts) US exports to China unviable even if tariffs return to pre-tension levels; Philippines’ fuel ethanol imports to fall further; South Korea’s imports from Pakistan to dry up in Q1 — An easing of trade tensions between the US and China could pave the way for a resumption
January 6, 2020
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(Renewable Fuels Association) RFAEditor’s Note: In keeping with a long-standing RFA holiday tradition, our very own Senior Strategic Advisor offers his views on what is on the way “out” as we turn our calendars to 2020 and what will be “in” as the new year begins. The 2020 Out-In List — 2019
January 3, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A mere “The Year in Rewind” as we sail into 2020? Not the good ship Digest! Instead, we dust off our crystal ball and offer our predictions for the year ahead. As the sunset of 2019 gives way to the dawn of 2020, once again roll the
January 2, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 64 countries have targets or mandates – but how much where, and when, and what? Besides the EU, the major blending mandates that will drive global demand are those set in the US, China and Brazil – each of which has set targets – or, in
January 2, 2020
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by Syed Akhtar Ali (The Express Tribune) … Biofuels have been a preferred fuel for a variety of reasons. These include energy security as most of the petroleum-importing countries have a large agricultural base producing ethanol; price stability which is a balancing insurance against mercurial oil price variations and shocks;
December 30, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From what is an advanced biofuel to why, we take a look at the gallons, the ethanol blend wall, the residue capacity, and over 30 advanced biofuels projects from around the world to watch. In today’s Digest, a Digest 2020 Multi-Slide Guide on advanced biofuels that
December 27, 2019
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by Donavan Lim (S&P Global Platts) Indonesian PME exports to sink; CPO production stalls; B30 to support consumption — Analysts and traders fixated on the elevated crude palm oil stockpile at the beginning of 2019 are left cheering as CPO stocks fell across Malaysia and Indonesia while prices rallied to MR 2,684/mt (US
December 27, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s Christmas morning for many and biobased Barbies are on the horizon with Mattel’s promise to use only recycled, recyclable, or renewable plastics in all products by 2030, starting with the Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack made from sugarcane plastics. And soon you can write letters to Santa on
December 26, 2019
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by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol Producer Magazine talked to three experts about the past year, and what they see moving into 2020. — 2019 brought a Reid vapor pressure waiver for E15, but it also brought excessive small refinery waivers and low margins for ethanol plants. The year
December 24, 2019
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(AgNewsWire) To say 2019 has been a rough year for the ethanol industry would be an understatement. Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper says it was one of the worst years – if not the worst – the industry has seen in its relatively short history. The best news
December 20, 2019
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(EFI) EFI, Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE) and University of Eastern Finland (UEF) are joining forces to create an International Bioeconomy Knowledge Hub (BioHub) in Joensuu. The three organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding earlier this month. “We need to significantly increase our understanding on structural changes in forest bioeconomy markets
December 20, 2019
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by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Chinese commodities trader COFCO, Brazilian grains group AMaggi and a Shell-Cosan joint venture are working on plans to build their first corn ethanol plants in Brazil, according to their suppliers, breaking sugarcane’s lock on the biofuel locally. The wave of fresh interest from some of the world’s
December 19, 2019
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