by Madison Freeman and Morgan Bazilian (Georgetown Journal of International Affairs) Renewable energy technologies promise to help our world avert some of the worst impacts of climate change. However, some of the minerals and metals they require could contribute to conflict. In
(The Star) Once surreptitiously dumped down drains in the dead of night, Asia’s used cooking oil is fast becoming one of the most sought-after commodities in Europe - as a feedstock for biodiesel. Aggressive green energy targets in the European Union that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Judit Sandquist gave this illuminating overview of the
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new study by researchers at Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development has determined current trade disruptions are having a significant impact on the state’s economy, including its ethanol industry. The study examined
by Dayo Laniyan (Morning Star/Alliance News) Engineering and technology solutions provider China New Energy Ltd said it has seen continued success in the first half of 2018 due to changed policies in China, leading to increased production of ethanol and new
by Cole Latimer (Sydney Morning Herald) startup company backed by energy giant Shell has developed a method to turn carbon dioxide into fuel by adding fake sunlight. US company Dimensional Energy has developed an “artificial photosynthesis” process with a photoreactor that converts carbon
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Minnesota, Reuters reports that Green Plains is mothballing its ethanol production plants in Superior, Iowa and Lakota, Iowa as well as running its Fairmont, Minnesota plant at half capacity as President Trump’s trade war takes a bite
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Carinata is proving that it is a feedstock to be reckoned with, a compelling catalyst for change, with the latest news that Agrisoma, United Airlines and World Energy came together for the longest transatlantic biojet flight
(RUDN University/Phys.Org) A chemist from RUDN synthesized new catalysts with ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles for producing biofuel from organic biowaste. Nanocatalysts support more intensive and sustained reactions than the compounds currently available in the market. The results of the study were published
by Chen Huizhi (Shine) The number of gas stations in Shanghai offering a hybrid fuel mixed with biodiesel made from “gutter oil” increased to 40 in August, the food safety commission said yesterday. Gutter oil, so called because it is sometimes dumped in
(The Guardian Nigeria) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Chinese consortia to develop sustainable biofuels in the country. At a ceremony yesterday in Beijing on the sidelines of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit,
by D'Arce McMillan (Western Producer) They may seem like a novelty now, but electric vehicles could quickly grow in number and significantly reduce the demand for gasoline and biofuel. -- ... I wonder when the number of electric vehicles will become so numerous
(Mission Innovation India) Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 23 countries and the European Union to accelerate the global clean energy innovation. As a part of this initiative, the participating countries have committed to double their government’s clean
by Helena Bottemiller Evich, Catherine Boudreau and Liz Crampton (Politico) The Trump administration on Monday detailed how it will dole out $6.3 billion in aid to assist farmers stung by retaliatory tariffs — and it’s already sparking backlash from some sectors
by Lusha Zhang and Tony Munroe(Reuters) The Chinese city of Tianjin will replace gasoline with ethanol at 10 gas stations on Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported, the first outlets to do so in a wider push to get vehicles in the
(China Daily) Startup company MotionEco launched an initiative in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, in June to collect waste cooking oil and gutter oil to be converted into sustainable, low-carbon green fuel for use in diesel vehicles. It is one of China's first commercial
by Hallie Gu, Josephine Mason (Reuters) China corn futures rallied on Thursday after the central government said it would promote the use of ethanol in vehicles, its first public statement on its ambitious biofuel policy in almost a year. China will promote the
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Malaysia, Chinese investors are keen to set up bio-processing businesses including a Beijing Sanju Environmental Protection and New Materials Co who is seeking to set up a $200 million plant that will use palm kernel shells,
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Argentina, exporters have been shipping raw, unprocessed soybeans to China en masse, a move the government has put a stop to last week by freezing export taxes on beans at 26% as well as freezing taxes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For many people, a key question in the advanced bioeconomy continues to be: “what is Amyris becoming, and when, and where and how?” Becoming a global leader in the health and beauty market, and self-funding operations in
by O. Kay Henderson (RadioIowa) Republican Congressman Steve King today said the best thing the Trump Administration could do to alleviate farmers’ angst about the trade war would be to allow higher percentages of ethanol to be blended into gasoline year-round. “Let the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In today’s Digest, let’s look at trends driving the industry’s results at scale — and while money is not the measure of all progress, it is the ultimate yardstick and especially for companies that have reached
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) ... On top of that, a senior Senate aide close to the pro-ethanol camp led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said “there is debate" over whether it will take legislation to enact the changes Trump
by O. Kay Henderson (RadioIowa) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s acting administrator met privately with Iowa commodity group leaders at the Iowa State Fair today — but Andrew Wheeler told reporters afterwards there is no decision yet on regulations that would
by Dan Looker (Successful Farming) Lawsuits and EPA petitions are in the works. -- ... “I would say the status quo right now is unacceptable for the industry,” says Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “If he’s (President Donald Trump) supportive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For several years now we have seen a significant number of players pivoting from biofuels towards smaller but higher-value markets in chemicals, nutrition, nutraceuticals, pharma, materials, flavorings, fragrances, cosmetics and more. We’ve reported on the proliferation of
by Yu Wang, Ming‐Hsun Cheng, Mark Mba Wright (Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining) Converting corncobs into fuel ethanol is different from converting stover because cobs have higher hemicellulose and lower lignin than stover. Current research provides life‐cycle assessments of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
(Inventure Renewables/PR NewsWire) Facility in Taizhou, China Will Process Waste from Soybean Processing into High Value Oleochemicals -- Inventure Renewables has announced an agreement with Wilmar International and Desmet Ballestra Group to begin construction on a new facility in Jiangsuprovince, China. The
by Vishnu Rajamanickam (Freight Waves) ... But unless the manufacturing process and the raw material sourcing is regulated and stabilized, it would be hard to sell EVs to the larger middle-class populace. This is because the on-road price of an electric vehicle is
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s German Chancellor Fellowship program is targeted at recent university graduates from the U.S. and other countries who have an international outlook and initial leadership experience. The fellowships give graduates the opportunity to spend a year in
by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Second-generation ethanol production is overcoming the technical difficulties that had slowed its development and is now seen as commercially competitive with oil prices near $70 per barrel, industry representatives said on Thursday. As countries worldwide prepare to deliver
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Sorghum sights are set high with EPA approval and recent genetic improvements -- ... U.S. EPA opened up pathways for sorghum oil to become renewable fuels. ... Sorghum is a grass grown in many places and regions around
by Catherine Clifford (CNBC) A bacteria found in the gut of a rabbit can now help cars run in a more eco-friendly way. The bacteria, identified by biotech start-up LanzaTech, helps turn factory carbon emissions, a.k.a. pollution, into ethanol .... ... "While there are many sustainable
by Damian Paletta and Caitlin Dewey (Washington Post) The U.S. Agriculture Department on Tuesday plans to announce a $12 billion package of emergency aid for farmers caught in the midst of President Trump’s escalating trade war, two people briefed on the
(Celanese/BusinessWire) Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE), a global specialty materials company, today announces that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Chengzhi Shareholding Co., Ltd., to further the development of acetic acid-based ethanol as a clean energy source in China. From 2014
by Christina Siantar (S&P Global/Platts) Thailand's ethanol producers are exploring the possibility of resuming ethanol exports after a five-year hiatus due to ample supply in the domestic market, trade sources said Tuesday. ... However, traders were skeptical of Thailand returning to the export market
It's an annual, three-day event that brings together technology and equipment of the biomass energy sector to present and discuss its most recent technical developments. This year’s edition will be dedicated to innovation of Bioenergy in China. The event brings
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Because if you want it, here it is, come and get it, biofuels that is, and especially of the advanced type. If you like it from waste, even better. Out of the east, the dual
(IUCN) Banning palm oil would most likely increase the production of other oil crops to meet demand for oil, displacing rather than halting the significant global biodiversity losses caused by palm oil, warned an IUCN report published today (June 26, 2018). The
by Christina Siantar (S&P Global/Platts) China's production of fuel ethanol is expected to rise to around 10 million mt/year, which will help meet part of the 13 million mt/year ethanol demand for E10 mandate by 2020, Xiao Gang, general manager of consultancy
by Kelly Gilblom and Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg) BP and Shell have bought electric-car charging companies; Power utilities are boosting sales to homes, chargers on roads -- A red-hot electric vehicle market has triggered a face-off between Big Oil and utilities. Oil majors, who’ve sold fossil
by Leah Marie Angelou (Small Cap Network) ... China is at a crossroad as it shifts to cleaner and renewable energy sources. Can the country keep up with its environmental pledge? -- In September 2017, the government rolled out a new
by Berkeley Lovelace Jr. (CNBC) Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says President Trump has told him to assure American farmers that they won't suffer from the U.S. trade fight with China. Perdue says he is calculating the potential impact of trade disruptions on
by Chuck Abbott (Successful Farming) Rumors of USDA's Tariff Easing Strategy Not Confirmed -- Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is giving himself a couple of months – until around Labor Day – before deciding whether to proceed with President Trump’s promise of
(EurekAlert!/University of Science and Technology of China) Liquid multi-carbon alcohols such as ethanol and n-propanol are desired as renewable transportation fuels. They offer high energy densities, ease of long-range transport, and direct drop-in usage in existing internal combustion engines. Engineering catalysts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) UPM is going through a transformation to ensure sustainable value creation in the long term. The aim is to improve profitability, generate growth and increase the value of the company’s business portfolio. UPM has been transforming
by Suzanne Danforth and Jim Venhof (Genscape) U.S. domestic ethanol demand suffered this spring relative to 2017, despite consistently favorable blending values and increasing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements. The decline, following a period of historically low ethanol prices this winter, forced
(Inventure Renewables/Cision/PR Newswire) Patented Technology Converts By-Product from Soft Oil Seed Refining Into FAME for Oleochemical and Biodiesel Production. -- Inventure Renewables has announced the successful implementation and nearly year-long operation of its Mixed Super Critical Fluid technology at a Wilmar
by Christine Siantar (Platts) China's ministry of commerce said the import duty on US-origin denatured ethanol will rise to 70% on July 6 from 45%, as part of a wider retaliation to the US imposing import tariffs on Chinese goods. Other
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) New polling shows that voters across three Midwestern states are disappointed with Trump administration decisions they view as broken promises of support for local agriculture and renewable fuels industries. In a survey of voters in Iowa, Missouri and
by Grant Bradley (New Zealand Herald) When a brand new Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 flies from France to Hong Kong on Wednesday it will be partly powered by biofuel. The 334-seat plane will have a 10 per cent blend of biofuel next
by Bob Yirka (Phys.org) A team of researchers with members from institutions in Singapore, China and the U.K. has found a way to improve electron transfer in enzymatic biofuel cells. In their paper published in the journal Nature Energy, they describe
(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)) Biodiesel imports from Argentina have increased considerably over the past several months. In contrast, imports of soybean oil as feedstock from Argentina have been virtually non-existent. The reverse trend can be seen in
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... In Illinois, carbon recycling company, LanzaTech, and its joint venture partner, Shougang Group, a leading Chinese iron and steel producer, announced the successful start-up of the world’s first commercial facility converting industrial emissions to sustainable ethanol.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We’ve organized the state of biodiesel into 10 areas of vital interest ranging from the development of markets to the entry of ancillary products and new feedstocks. #1 Tax & Trade Free trade vs fair trade: Dumping
by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co, an agricultural firm controlled by China conglomerate CITIC Group Corp [CITIC.UL], sees Brazil expanding corn output up to 5 percent per year in coming years and is investing heavily to grab a third of
by Christina Siantar (Platts) Chinese ethanol buyers are turning to Central and South America for arbitrage supply, after Beijing's imposition of additional 15% import tax on US ethanol has priced US cargoes out of the Chinese market. A Chinese oil refiner has bought 16,000-17,000 mt
(Scania/Automotive World) A fossil-free commercial transport system in the timeframe of the Paris Agreement target is not only possible, but also financially attractive from a societal perspective. This is the key conclusion of a study initiated by Scania. ... A comprehensive analysis undertaken
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yield10’s Brave New World of Metabolic Engineering, Benson Hill’s cloud biology and CRISPR/Cas9 from Purdue and the Chinese Academy of Sciences? Crop yield may never be the same. And developers using crops for bioindustrials or nutrition stand
by Scott DiSavino (Reuters) China’s interest in reducing its trade surplus with the United States through increased energy imports could advance plans for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants and ethanol sales, analysts and energy executives involved in developing new LNG
(GrainNet) Industry and government officials from 17 countries in Asia and Oceania are meeting with members of the U.S. ethanol industry and U.S. officials in Minneapolis this week at the Ethanol Summit of the Asia Pacific (Summit), focused on current and
(Greenbelt Resources) Greenbelt Resources Corporation GRCO, +23.29% (Greenbelt), the developer and provider of a sustainable ECOsystem model that transforms waste into bio-ethanol, today announced that CEO Darren Eng will visit China this month by special letter invitation to assist in enhancing the domestic production
(China Daily) To boost industrial demand for corn and cut emissions, China has launched corn-to-ethanol pilot programs in 2004. However, the promotion of bioethanol, the cleaner alternative to traditional fuels like diesel and gasoline, remains a challenge even after more than
(Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves) The Alliance partnered with China’s Ministry of Agriculture, Shell, local governments, and SSM to develop and launch a new clean cooking project in Zhejiang province of China. The project aims to encourage commercial enterprises to switch
by James Stafford (OilPrice.com) It’s the modern gold rush. Around the world, the most sought-after mineral isn’t a precious metal, nor is it oil and gas…it’s lithium. Lithium, or “white petroleum” as some call it, has become a crucial element in today’s high-tech economy. Demand
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2018 wrapped up with the ABLC Wolfpack including James Iademarco from Strategic Avalanche, David Dodds with Dodds & Associates, Ron Cascone from NEXANT, independent consultant Paul Bryan, and Joel Stone from ConVergince. While they didn’t howl at the moon,
by Gunjan Mukherjee* (Advanced Biofuels USA/Chandigarh University Institute of Biotechnology (UIBT)) The International Conference on Sustainable Biofuel was held at the India Habitat Center, New Delhi, India. The concept of the conference was that use of fossil fuels for transportation contributes
by Jieyi Lu (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Making Vehicles More Efficient Is Critical to Reduce Emissions -- ... Over the next 30 years, electric vehicles (EVs) will grow and fuel economy will increase, but conventional gasoline vehicles will continue to dominate
by Dominique Patton (Reuters) Grain trader and processor China Beidahuang Industry Group has signed an agreement with the mayor of Inner Mongolia’s Baotou city to build an ethanol facility with annual capacity of 350,000 tonnes, it said on its website on
(Ethanol Europe Renewables/EurActiv) The Energy Directive (RED 2) transport decarbonisation ambitions ostensibly promote major capital investment in truly advanced biofuels breakthrough technologies. However, the Directive will not generate meaningful advanced biofuels investment. Instead, it incentivises fake wastes to meet biofuels
by Emily Rauhala (The Washington Post) China announced temporary anti-dumping measures Tuesday on U.S. sorghum, potentially hitting U.S. growers and exacerbating the brewing trade war between Beijing and Washington. China’s Ministry of Commerce said that starting Wednesday, Chinese importers of U.S. sorghum,
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The Trump administration is considering allowing the sale of a higher ethanol fuel blend in the summer, a source familiar with the issue said, a move that would placate corn growers worried about the
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The Trump administration will delay any moves to reform the nation’s biofuel policy for about three months, according to three sources briefed on the matter - a decision one of the sources said was meant to shield
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Change to biofuel mandate may mean destruction of corn demand; Growers already dealing with trade concerns, crop gluts -- Based on his own back-of-the-envelope calculations, Minnesota farmer Kirby Hettver could lose tens of thousands of dollars of earnings because
(Argus Media) China faces several challenges to hit an ambitious 10pc (E10) ethanol blending target in its gasoline fuel mix by 2020, according to participants at the Argus China Ethanol conference in Beijing. The government announced the target last year to reduce
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Trump administration escalated trade-war tensions with China on Tuesday, publishing a proposed list of 1,300 Chinese imports that it will hit with retaliatory tariffs in response to China's intellectual property practices, Pro's Adam Behsudi
by David Stanway (Reuters) China met its 2020 carbon intensity target three years ahead of schedule last year, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the country’s top climate official Xie Zhenhua. China, the world’s biggest energy consumer, cut its
(Algae Industry Magazine/Science Trends) enguang Zhou writes in Sciencetrends.com about work recently published in the journal Bioresource Technology regarding why Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae — a bio-oil technology which does not require dewatering and drying of algal biomass — up to now, has rarely
by Srijan Kanoi (Platts) China's Ministry of Commerce said Friday that they might impose an additional 15% duty, along with the existing 30% duty, on denatured ethanol imports from the US if both China and US fail to reach a trade compensation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... According to POET CEO Jeff Broin, there’s a deal on the table — changing almost by the hour, but a deal none the less. A deal on the table to provide year-round E15 approval for the biofuels industry
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers from Nanjing Tech University in China have published a paper in Biotechnology for Biofuels on their method to increase lipid content and reduce peroxidation in Schizochytrium sp., a marine microalgae rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is touted for
by Karl Plume (Reuters) U.S. agricultural exports could be at risk in any retaliation over tariffs implemented by the White House, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said on Monday. ... Perdue said that while the United States is not currently in a
by Meng Meng, Josephine Mason (Reuters) China’s top independent oil refiner is buying ethanol and two others are seeking government approval to blend the biofuel into their gasoline ahead of the country’s 2020 deadline to add it to the nation’s fuel supply,
by Alexander Richter (Think GeoEnergy) An executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump to support mining activities for critical minerals, could present a boost to lithium mining activities in the U.S. and indirectly help some geothermal projects. As reported recently, U.S. President
by Susan Reidy (World-Grain.com) A $1.5 billion settlement has been reached in the nationwide class action suit over Syngenta’s genetically modified corn seed. It is believed to be one of the largest agricultural settlements in U.S. history. The settlement covers all U.S.
by Bridget Asiimwe (The Observer) Uganda Investment Authority has entered a multi-billion deal with a Malaysian firm with an aim of transforming the country into a green economy by 2040 through a series of four integrated green projects led by bio-fuels. The $70bn
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, ABLC 2018 opens amidst a flutter of government rollbacks of deployment support but the hope of regulatory relief, breakthroughs in financial structuring, a decisive shift in early-stage projects to nutrition & health, and an
(Autocar Pro News Desk) A new product launched by Mahle has the potential to revolutionise the ethanol industry at a global level. MBE2 (Mahle Bioethanol 2) is a solution that increases the production of ethanol by a minimum of 10 percent
by Chrysa Glystra (Platts) The European Commission announced Tuesday it will initiate an expiry review of the antidumping duty against US fuel ethanol imports, with the duty staying in the place for another 15 months while the investigation takes place. The duty
(China Daily) The Shanghai municipal government is planning to increase the number of biodiesel fueling stations in the city from the current 21 to 200 by the end of this year, said Xu Kunlin, vice-mayor of Shanghai, during a news conference
by John Voelcker (Green Car Reports) It's accepted wisdom among electric-car fans and advocates that within a few years, mass-market car buyers will start snapping up battery-electric cars. First, battery prices have to come down to the point that electric vehicles aren't
(WIREs Authors/Advanced Science News) To confront global warming, climate changes and a potential energy shortage, biodiesel received increasing interest as a substitute for diesel fuels in efforts towards sustainable development. Microalgae-derived biodiesel is a promising energy source. The advantages of microalgae as a
by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Environmental groups have long been against palm oil plantations on these crucial climate fighting forests. But consumers are using more palm oil products, from cosmetics to biofuels to food ingredients, and the demand for
by ShivikaMittal, Erik O.Ahlgren and P.R.Shukla (Energy Policy) -Barriers hindering biogas dissemination in urban and rural biogas systems are identified. -Decomposition and logical problem analysis tools are used for assessment. -Key areas of improvements in existing policies are identified. Biogas has emerged
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The clearest intersecting theme is bio-methanol. Let’s see why. For one, Södra has much more going on than Silva, and we reported on a major development in December when we related that Södra will invest more
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine spotlights four companies—a respected producer, a service-oriented wholesaler, a 200-year old chemical firm, and a fuel conditioning company—that enable biodiesel's role as an effective change agent. PQ Corp. ... John Votta, global business director for PQ’s silica
Argus Biodiesel China 2018 will be held over 28-29 March 2018 in Beijing, China. Expect to meet global participants for half a day of networking in a laid-back setting and one day of market discussions. Conference features 1½-day event — half
As one of the biggest gasoline consumers in a fast-growing automotive industry, China plans to implement a nationwide E10 mandate by 2020 as part of efforts to control emissions. Beijing is looking to hit its blending targets while reducing ethanol
(ICIS News) China’s imports of mixed aromatics may wane due to high costs and amid calls for a nationwide use of ethanol gasoline. ... Chinese buyers favour Thailand-origin mixed aromatics with a high benzene content due to their low price. ... Meanwhile, demand for mixed aromatics may take a
(Enerkem/PR Newswire) Enerkem Inc. (www.enerkem.com), a world leading waste-to-biofuels and renewable chemicals producer, announced today it has signed an agreement with Sinobioway Group worth over C$125M in the form of equity investment in Enerkem Inc., future licenses, equipment manufacturing and sales, as
(Phys.Org/World Scientific Publishing) Recent research published in a report in Nano showed biofuels were obtained from Jatropha Oil using carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst, which showed efficient cracking activity. The performance was activated by the high stability, metal sites, acid sites, electroconductivity, and coking
by Dan Charles (the salt/NPR) ... The story, however, is more complicated than it seems. For one thing, that boom in Argentine biodiesel exports is over, at least for now. Last summer, the United States accused Argentina of subsidizing its biodiesel
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) has taken stock of its busy 2017 and has set priorities for 2018. Highlights on the sustainable alternative jet fuel (SAJF) front include development of many resources available
(Convenience Store News) ... Consumers and Alternative Fuels 2017, the latest installment of the Fuels Institute's annual measure of American consumers' sentiment on vehicle purchases, found that significantly more consumers stated they were very likely or somewhat likely to purchase an
(Southern Farm Network Today) Texas Senator Ted Cruz recently proposed to put a cap on the price of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) as a way to control the cost for refiners that blend renewable fuels into the nation’s gasoline supply. What
(North Iowa Today) Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa marked a series of policy and oversight accomplishments in 2017. ... Grassley introduced the Food Security is National Security Act of 2017, which would give top U.S. agriculture and food officials permanent representation on the Committee
by Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In order to meet the global temperature reduction target which was agreed upon at the Paris Climate Accord, delegates from the Biofuture Platform met in Bonn, Germany for the 23rd Conference of the Parties
by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times)The suspensions pointed to Beijing’s growing willingness to test forceful antipollution measures and assume a leading role in the fight against climate change. READ MORE
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. The bulk of mandates continue to come from the EU-27,
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In China, the little ethanol it is importing is coming almost entirely from Pakistan as shown in November when 6,449 cubic meters of the 6,466 cu m total imports that month came from China’s southern neighbor.
(Algae Industry Magazine) China Daily Editor Zhang Shiyu writes that Wang Qiang, the lead scientist behind a project at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Hydrobiology, said a new strain of microalgae they are developing has recently entered a
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) To kick off the new year, we rounded up a few experts to discuss five main industry topics: exports, policy, production, finance and technology. Find out what they said. -- As we head into 2018, ethanol
by Jack Stewart (Wired) For all the hype, electric cars still make up a tiny percentage of global vehicle sales. Like, less than one percent tiny. But there's a growing movement around the world to put a deadline on the life of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With apologies to every other region around the world. we continue to see Asia as the epicenter of the biobased revolution over the next 20 years. The reasons are three and relatively straightforward: 1. Continued and robust
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Below50 is an initiative that brings businesses together with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Roundtable for Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) and Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) to promote the best-of-breed of sustainable fuels. The companies
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) 2017 was a roller coaster year. There was a paradigm shift in biofuels, technology advancements, innovations abounded, politics chaotic. Some companies shut down and disappeared like the Hobo vanishing in the snow atop the Polar
Pius Rugonzibwa In Mwanza (Daily News) The production of cassava in the country has received a major boost after the government recently signed a deal with a Chinese firm worth over 2.5trl/- aimed at commercialising its farming. -- Opening the annual review
(Platts) Chinese ethanol traders face a lot uncertainty in terms of next year's domestic demand generated by the E10 nationwide policy, which is due to be implemented by 2020, amid a lack of clarity on the new mandate from the government. As
(News 18) ... Union Roads Minister Nitin Gadkari has said the government will be soon announcing a policy which calls for 15 percent blending of methanol in petrol to make it cheaper and also reduce pollution. "In the upcoming Parliament
by Dan Crisler (Watertown Public Opinion) Glacial Lakes Corn Processors welcomed a strong ethanol advocate in Emily Skor at its annual meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Codington County Extension Complex. Skor, the CEO of Washington, D.C.-based ethanol trade association Growth
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (T)he Australian Renewable Energy Agency has made its single largest direct investment in second-generation biofuels via $11.9M in funding support for Ethtec to complete the development and demonstration of its advanced biofuel production technology. ... But times are changing in
Countries representing half of the global population and 37% of the global economy today (November 16, 2017) agreed to scale up the low carbon bioeconomy and develop collective targets prescribing the contribution of sustainable bioenergy to final energy demand and as
by Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) U.S. ethanol producers, looking to relieve a growing domestic glut, are hunting for new international fuel markets to replace China and Brazil after trade disputes slashed exports to those top buyers. ... Without new markets, U.S. producers may have
(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Delegates from U.S. and Chinese government agencies, biofuels companies and research institutes discussed fuel ethanol production, use and policy during the recent Sino-U.S. Advanced Biofuels Forum in Arlington, Virginia. The forum follows a September 2017 joint release
by Ray Grabanski (Progressive Ag/Ag Week) ... Japan announced that it will allow gasoline blenders to use ethanol sourced from the U.S. Japan currently allows blending with Brazilian sugar ethanol, but U.S. ethanol is currently 35 percent cheaper than Brazilian sugar
by Gerard Ostheimer and Douglas L. Faulkner (Biofuels Digest) ... In the U.S., fighting between Big Ag and Big Oil over first-generation biofuels is slowing the deployment of advanced biofuels projects. This further undercuts the industry in a depressing frittering away of
(Associated Press/U.S. News and World Report) Researchers in Kansas and China are using mathematical modeling to improve the process of converting wheat straw into pellets for the production of ethanol. Wheat straw, the plant residue left after wheat harvest, is abundant in
by Zheng Xin and Wang Wen (China Daily) Hainan Airlines Flight 497 took off from Beijing at 2:15 pm Tuesday, headed to Chicago. The aircraft flew with biological aviation fuel that is produced from waste cooking oil, signaling the first China-US flight
(UN News Centre) ... The 19 Member countries of the 'Biofuture Platform,' including Brazil, China, Egypt, France, India, Morocco, Mozambique, also announced on Thursday formal agreement on the development of targets for biofuels and to construct an action plan to
by Thin Lei Win (Reuters) Improving soil health in farmlands could capture extra carbon equivalent to the planet-warming emissions generated by the transport sector, one of the world’s most polluting industries, experts said Tuesday. Soil naturally absorbs carbon from the atmosphere through
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech has developed a fully sustainable integrative gas to fuels and chemicals platform that has no impact on food, water security or high biodiversity land use. LanzaTech’s gas fermentation platform disrupts the current highly centralized global energy
by Lin Tan (DTN The Progressive Farmer) New government policy recently set a target to roll out the use of ethanol in gasoline nationwide in China, according to a plan jointly released by 15 ministries, such as the National Development and
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In October, the USDA Economic Research Service published a report on global ethanol mandates that outlines the opportunities for exports of U.S. ethanol and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). According to the report, more than
(Xinhua Net) As China encourages the use of renewable energy for sustainable growth, it is creating a huge biofuel market that Swiss specialty chemical company Clariant does not want to miss out on. The chemical maker is looking for Chinese partners to
(Times of India/Reuters) China's State Development & Investment Corporation (SDIC) signed a framework agreement to build a 600,000-tonne ethanol plant in northeastern Heilongjiang province, state media said on Tuesday, as the company pushes to dominate the country's growing ethanol industry. The 3
by Mike Verdin (Agrimoney) China’s plans to bump up ethanol consumption will create scope for fresh imports of the biofuel, Archer Daniels Midland said, seeing scope for purchases of US corn too. China’s plans to roll out so-called E10 – a
by Abigail Klein Leichman (Israel 21c) ... H2 Energy Now is building a prototype battery-free solution for storing and increasing the usability of alternative energy from intermittent sources – sun and wind – to meet times of peak demand reliably. Radio
by Hu Min (Shanghai Daily) ... Now private vehicles are able to run on a mixture of biodiesel fuels following more than 100 buses already on Shanghai roads that are doing so. Two Sinopec gas stations, in Fengxian District and the Pudong New
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “Italian newspapers reported over the weekend that cellulosic ethanol developer Mossi & Ghisolfi shuts down this week,” reported a source from Europe. “227 people of whom 121 from the Crescentino ethanol refinery are to stay at
by Niamh Boyle (Biodiesel Magazine/Prima Markets) Prima Markets provides a comprehensive summary of the growing international demand for low carbon fuels, including U.S. policy drivers and waste feedstock consumption, along with a detailed overview of the international trade of low carbon
(BioFuture Platform) According to projections of international energy agencies, the use of bioenergy as a share of the world’s energy usage needs to more than double by 2030 if the world is to avoid temperature rises above 2º C. “We simply
(The Philippine Daily Inquirer) Lower energy prices and tempered interest in biofuels have pushed down the growth in the global output of crop-derived fuel, but the Philippines is grouped among countries expected to drive continued expansion. ,,, Most biofuel production is not
by Thomas Wilson (Bloomberg) Congo supplies much of the cobalt needed for electric vehicles Political conflict, disputes, law changes put supply at risk -- The cars of the future will depend increasingly upon supplies of an obscure metal from a country in the
(Platts) The US ethanol industry represents a modern-day farm policy as the primary means of creating demand for ever-growing corn supplies, and the industry maintains a profitable outlook, Green Plains CEO Todd Becker said Tuesday. "This is the modern-day farm program," Becker
by Muyu Xu and Josephine Mason (Reuters) China will have to launch more ambitious renewable energy and non-fossil fuel targets and ramp up efforts to enforce them to avoid missing global climate accord requirements, two government think tanks said on Monday. China’s
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BioAmber’s Mission? To be a fast growing producer of chemical intermediates that uses sugars instead of fossil fuels and sells competitively priced, sustainable chemicals with strong profit margins and the cleanest environmental footprint in the industry. The
by Alanna Petroff (CNN) China, the world's largest car market, is working on a plan to ban the production and sale of vehicles powered only by fossil fuels. It has plenty of company: India, France, Britain and Norway want to ditch gas and diesel cars in favor
In a recent Washington Post column, George Will bemoaned governments' announcements to "ban, at an undetermined date, sales of vehicles powered by fossil fuels in their tanks. (Electric vehicles will be powered mostly by fossil-fuel-generated electricity.)" And, “'zero emissions' (zero from tailpipes,
by Keith Laing (Detroit News) General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra said Tuesday that Chinese officials should consider whether there is sufficient demand for electric cars before they move to ban gasoline and diesel engines. Speaking at a conference in Washington honoring
by Jill Loehr (Prairie Farmer) Illinois has the third-largest ethanol production capacity in the U.S. Marquis Energy, one of the state’s 13 ethanol plants, contributes 300 million gallons each year. What’s the secret to its success? Proximity to the river,
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