by Douglas L. Faulkner and Gerard J. Ostheimer (Biofuels Digest) With a nod to the Oscar winning movie of the same name, we want to convey a sense of where the African Bioeconomy is now, where it could be headed, and what is needed for vibrant, enduring growth. The early homes
Ethiopia
(Roundtable on Sustainabilty of Biomaterials) To explore and advance Ethiopia’s capacity to produce biofuels for use as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) initiated the development of a 10-year SAF Roadmap for the country. The main purpose of the roadmap is to identify the ideal feedstock
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Daily Digest today released 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
(Addis Standard) Student Aden used manure and dung from various animals as biomass to generate the biofuel. — Student Aden Hussien, an 8th grader at Tulu Wabi primary school in Borena Zone of Oromia state generated electricity using biofuel and provided it to 16 residents, regional state media reported. Student Aden,
(RSB) Fuelling the Sustainable Bioeconomy is a project led by RSB, and powered by The Boeing Company. The project aims to help the aviation industry play a leading role in tackling the threat of climate change, creating jobs, stimulating economic growth, developing rural livelihoods and protecting the environment, with key support from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 65 countries have targets or mandates–how much, where, when and what? READ MORE Commodities 2022: European biofuel mandates to structurally shift ethanol demand higher in the year (S&P Global Platts) European Biofuel Mandates to Structurally Shift Ethanol Demand Higher in The Year (Biofuels Central) Malaysia
(RSB) To explore and advance Ethiopia’s capacity to produce biofuels for use as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), RSB initiated the development of a 10-year SAF Roadmap for the country – with a report detailing a roadmap for SAF development in the country now published and available to the public. This work
(Bio Market Insights) … recently, bamboo has caught their eye, as evidenced in a study made in Indonesia which we discuss, as it presents a future in sustainable energy. Bamboo is one of the most productive and fastest growing plants on the planet. … Its fuel characteristics, high productivity, short rotation
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
by Lachlan Carey and Nikos Tsafos (Center for Strategic and International Studies) Can emerging economies grow while reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, either on an absolute basis or against some business-as-usual baseline? The Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies engaged in a yearlong
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,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 2019 was a banner year for RSB that saw growing recognition of RSB’s leadership in the circular and bio-based economy, as well as engagement of new sectors and overall expansion of their global footprint. Check out their just released annual report that dives into their exciting
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Switzerland, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials offered updates on their “Fueling the Sustainable Bioeconomy” project powered by Boeing’s Global Engagement Portfolio, including the latest activities in three countries identified to be of key importance given their rapidly growing commercial aviation sectors and potential to produce
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
by Noah Fish (Post Bulletin/AgriNews) High-level officials from Middle Eastern and African countries were in Minnesota this week to learn more about the U.S. ethanol production process. The state tour, which kicked off in Eyota at the Kwik Trip fuel blending site on Wednesday, was hosted by the U.S. Grains
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Digest today (January 1, 2019) 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, where the Renewable Energy Directive (RED)
(Standard Media) … Part of the reforms involve opening up the telecommunications sector to limited private investment through floating shares in the State-owned monopoly Ethio Telecom and granting licences to new service providers. One of these providers slowly building traction in Ethiopia is a small payments app called Amole. Developed by Moneta Technologies, a firm
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) Each year RSB brings its community together for the highlight of our calendar: our Annual Meeting. An opportunity to gather our members from many different sectors to discuss and debate the most pressing issues in the development of the sustainable bioeconomy and to make changes to our
(AllAfrica.com) A biodiesel refinery plant that has a capacity to produce 12,000 liters of biodiesel per day will start operation soon in Adama industrial zone. The plant owned by a company named API is waiting approvals from the Ministry of Finance and Ethiopian Standards Agency to start production, company CEO, Marcos
by Behailu Ayele (AllAfrica/Addis Fortune) … A new bill is in the works to allow the involvement of the private sector in development, production, distribution and the sale of biofuel energy. The law will be the first to be enacted for the biofuel energy industry. The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) RSB’s Executive Director Rolf Hogan attended a series of meetings in Addis Ababa to take forward the initiative to develop an aviation fuel roadmap for Ethiopia that was launched at the Aviation Biofuel Summit in March 2019. Shortly after the Summit Ethiopia transitioned to a new Prime
by Jieyi Lu (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Today, about three billion people still cook and heat their homes with traditional stoves and solid fuels worldwide. These fuels and stoves are major contributors to household air pollution in the developing world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), household air pollution
by Kaleyesus Bekele (AIN Online) The Boeing Company has teamed with the South African government, South African Airways (SAA), the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and U.S. energy firm SKYNRG, to identify biofuel feed stocks in Africa. Boeing Commercial Airplanes regional director for environmental

In a first for the continent, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia will play host to an RSB Aviation Biofuel Summit in March. Generously sponsored by the Boeing Company, this not-to-be-missed summit will bring together local, regional and international leaders from the aviation industry and government who are driving the development of
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, where the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) once specified a
by Susan van Dyk, Emile van Zyl, Brett Pletschke (International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 39) This short contribution provides some perspectives on opportunities for biofuel production on the African continent. Africa has a large land base, with only 27% of its arable land currently utilised. High level assessments, such as by the
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 a process known as sequestration which not only reduce
by Alex Brinkley (National Newswatch) Groups concerned that using grains to make biofuels threatens food security should be paying more attention to the impact of waste on the food supply, says Andrea Kent, Vice-President of Government and Public Relations at Greenfields Global. Corn and other grains bought to make biofuels have
(2Mercado.com/Fana Broadcasting Corporation) Ethiopia has joined hands with Eugen Schmitt Company, a German company, to construct ethanol plant in Wonjo Shoa Sugar Factory. The plant is said to be constructed at an outlay of 51 million USD. The German company will own 83 percent of the plan while the State
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In Botswana, jatropha’s adventures are just beginning according to the Ministry of Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security’s advisor, Freddie Motlhatlhedi. He was referring to a joint research project done by Botswana and Japan that shows quite a bit of promise for commercial production of jatropha
by Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg) Taleveras signs joint venture with Global Green Development; First phase of biofuels project seen costing $400-$600 million — Taleveras Group, the African oil trading company, is making its first moves into renewable energy by setting up a joint venture to build a biorefinery in the U.S. with
(Fana Broadcasting Corporate) Established with 15 billion birr capital, the Ethiopian Mineral, Petroleum and Biofuel Corporation (EMPBC) has begun practical activities. The Corporation is one of the state enterprises established by the government to achieve its second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). It was tasked to explore, produce and sell
by Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg/The Washington Post) A brew made from sawdust and water hyacinth flowers may help reduce the millions of lives lost across the developing world from the fumes of ramshackle cooking equipment. Those are the ingredients being used by Green Energy Biofuels, a Nigerian renewable energy developer, to produce
(Shell) Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) has signed an agreement with Project Gaia Prospects Limited (PGPL) for the conduct of a pilot study on the use of Ethanol clean cookstoves, a cleaner and safer way of cooking. SNEPCo will provide 2,5000 clean cookstoves and 15,000 canisters for distribution
(Gaia Association) Gaia Association contributes to poverty reduction and climate mitigation by enabling access to clean, safe, renewable and locally produced household cooking fuels to displace the traditional use of biomass for cooking in Ethiopian communities. With this objective Gaia Association introduced a technology to produce ethanol in micro scale
by Abigail Klein Leichman (Jewish Business News) Israeli solar-biogas technology developer Aora Solar will develop renewable energy installations in Ethiopia. — … It’s the Aora Tulip, a solar-hybrid modular technology that runs on solar power during the day and on biogas or biofuel at night in all weather, providing 100 kilowatts
(Agence France-Presse/Global Post) A group of world leaders called Monday for countries around the world to put a price on carbon to strengthen the international fight against climate change. As a week of talks on a global climate agreement opened in Bonn, the leaders of the World Bank, International Monetary
(2Merkato.com) Ministry of Mines and Energy said over 59.6 million liters of ethanol has been blended with benzene in the last five years. Alemayehu Tegenu, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy said the intervention saved Ethiopia 46.9 million USD from oil purchase. READ MORE
(Stockholm Environment Institute) This discussion brief is based on findings from a workshop carried out by SEI in Addis Ababa in conjunction with the presentation of the SCIP study results…. It also draws on insights given by nine experts interviewed in Addis Ababa between 27 October and 20 November, 2014 …. The workshop brought together
by Olatomiwa Bifarin* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Around 770,000 BC, it was fire, at some point – wood, dung and coal, to the now-ominous fossil fuels. This is the evolution of energy, and today the evolution must be accelerated to save our prized planet from imminent destruction – among several other
by Jose Graziano DA Silva (UN Food and Agriculture Organization/AllAfrica.com) Over the past several years, biofuels have become a bone of contention. For some, a renewable energy source produced from organic matter amounts to a magic wand in the fight against climate change. But others view biofuels as an existential
(Walta information Center/2Mercato) Ethiopia has blended 12.5 million liters of ethanol with benzene in the past fiscal year, according to the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy. Bezuneh Tolecha, Public Relations Head at the Ministry, told Walta Information Center (WIC) Ethiopia saved USD 10.2 million from the utilization of 12.5
(Project Gaia) Babington Technology announced today its donation of almost $100,000 worth of especially adapted field feeding equipment to Project Gaia, Inc. for testing in refugee camp and urban commercial and institutional settings in Ethiopia. For over 25 years, Babington Technology has been a leader in safe, clean and efficient
by Daniel Beyene (AllAfrica/Ethiopian Herald) The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy announced that the ongoing efforts in tapping the rich bio-fuel resources in Ethiopia would be stepped up with a view to ensuring domestic energy security, rapid economic development and creating wealth. Opening a two-day workshop on the two
(RIA Novosti) Shifting to a low-carbon economy over the next 15 years could save worldwide financial and environmental costs, a report from the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate said on Tuesday. “The next 15 years will be critical, as the global economy undergoes a deep structural transformation that
by Zerihun Getachew (All Africa) Ethiopia is producing biodiesel from jatropha plant with 56 million birr said Water, Irrigation and Energy Ministry. According to Public Relations Director with the ministry, Bizuneh Tolcha , the production of biodiesel from jatropha is helping the country save foreign currency. READ MORE
by Anna Locke and Giles Henley (Overseas Development Institute) • People worry that using crop-based biofuels to increase the volume of low-carbon fuels could worsen hunger in poor countries by pushing up global food prices and endangering local food security. • ODI research finds that existing evidence does not allow us to state categorically
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 62 countries. The bulk of mandates continue to come from the EU-27, where the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) specified a
by Addis Fortune (AllAfrica.com) The Tendaho Sugar Factory will commence production in January, according to the Ethiopian Sugar Corporation. Some 85 pc of construction of the first phase of the factory has so far been completed, Corporation’s Communications director, Zemedkun Tekle, said. The remaining 15 pc of construction of the factory
by Nesru Jemal (All Africa) Over 8.6 million liters of ethanol has been blended with benzene and supplied to local market over the concluded fiscal year, the Ministry of Mines and Energy said. According to Bizuneh Tolcha, public relations and communication director with the Ministry, the intervention has enabled the nation to
(StarAfrica/PR NewsWire) Starting With a 2,000 Plus Acre, the Long Term Goal is to Create a Cluster of 1,00,000 Acres Under a Collaborative Model VayuGrid, a biofuel supply chain company based in Bangalore, has signed a MOU to create a biofuel cluster around its VayuSap™, an elite, high-yield Pongamia, in Ethiopia Africa. The cluster
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Brazil, India, the US, China and the EU point the way towards a 60 billion gallon biofuels market by 2022 – but can the capacity be built, and can the mandates survive pressure from opponents? In Florida, the Digest today releases its annual review of
(PR.com) Request for Expression of Interest Promotion of Ethanol Microdistillery for Cooking Fuel in Ethiopia Loan No. /Credit No./ Grant No.: TF096664 Activity Title: Demonstrating the Feasibility of Ethanol for Household Cooking The Gaia Association, an Ethiopian non-governmental and non-profit organization established in 2005 has received financing from the World
(Project Gaia) Nigerian Government Agency Launches Microdistillery and Stoves to Provide Sustainable Ethanol Fuel for Household Cooking, Lighting and Small-Scale Power Generation The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), a parastatal under the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, has commissioned the installation of an efficient microdistillery (EMD) with a
(Project Gaia) On November 23, Gaia Association, in partnership with Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, launched the new project “Fuel from Waste: Demonstrating the Feasibility of Locally Produced Ethanol for Household Cooking in Addis Ababa.” Ethiopian non-profit Gaia Association will implement the two year initiative
by Rick Westhead (The Star) …Indian industrialist Sai Ramakrishna Karuturi has his eye on this lush scenery, too, but he sees something much different: the potential for large-scale commercial farming. Karuturi, from the South Indian city of Bangalore, envisions the fields around Kimambila growing cut roses for Canada, lentils for
(Project Gaia) Project Gaia, Inc., a U.S. non profit with operations in East Africa, is working with the UNHCR and others to bring relief to refugees from the Horn of Africa Famine in a very immediate way—cooking. Project Gaia promotes alcohol fuels and appliances for household energy use in Least
(Netzwerk Biotriebstoffe News) Biofuel production is booming. Worldwide, production of ethanol for fuel has almost quintupled since 2000, while that of biodiesel has risen by almost 25 times. This is, in part, a response to policies to replace fossil fuels for transport with renewable fuels — in practice, biofuels. Subsidies and
by Hayal Alemayehu (NewsDire) The government is schedule to increase the proportion of ethanol being blended in benzene to 10 percent beginning March 7. For over a year now, the benzene that has been in use in Addis Ababa and its environs has been a blend of five percent
(Walta Informatin Center) The (Ethiopian) Ministry of Water and Energy said that 18 investors and enterprises with over 3 billion birr combined capital have been engaged in biofuel development. Ministry Public Relations and Communications Directorate Director, Bizuneh Tolcha, told WIC today that the 15 investors and three organizations have been
by Denis Gathanju (Renewable Energy World) Could this poverty-stricken country become the world’s largest biodiesel producer? Policy-makers in Ethiopia, challenged by fluctuating oil prices and poverty, are seeking solutions that will improve the living conditions of its people and boost its fragile economy. One such solution, Ethiopian leaders hope, is
by Shutapa Paul (liveMint.com, Wall Street Journal) The 140-year old construction firm, Shapoorji Pallonji and Co. Ltd, signed an agreement with the government of Ethiopia to take on lease up to 50,000ha of land to cultivate pongamia pinnata—a feedstock for biodiesel—in its first major step to expand its fledgling renewable