European Union (EU) – Advanced BioFuels USA

HYSLAND: Calvera Collaborates in Green Hydrogen Project in Mallorca

(NGV Journal/Gasnam / Calvera) The entry of the Grupo Industrial Calvera into the HYSLAND project, promoted by a consortium made up of 30 partners from 11 countries, will reinforce what is undoubtedly one of the largest green hydrogen initiatives in Spain and Europe. With a global budget of more than 50

January 22, 2021 Read Full Article

Shell Says Hydrogen Is Heavy Transport’s Future. What Now for Biofuels?

by John Parnell (Green Tech Media) A Deloitte report commissioned by Shell finds that the heavy-freight sector is increasingly planning for a switch to hydrogen. Hydrogen will be the key energy source for global road freight, according to a new report commissioned by European oil major Shell. Electrification is the

January 22, 2021 Read Full Article

Aviation Sector and NGOs Agree on Sustainability of Future Fuels

(European Climate Foundation) Given that EU leaders have committed to achieving a net-zero-carbon economy by 2050, there is a growing focus on how to accelerate the transition towards climate-neutral aviation. As the European Union is about to unveil new targets for sustainable aviation fuel in 2021, a group of major European

January 19, 2021 Read Full Article

Malaysia to File WTO Lawsuit against EU on Jan 15, Says Minister

by Shaheera Aznam Shah (Malaysian Reserve) Mohd Khairuddin says we will continue to fight against any discriminatory actions which pose a threat to the country’s economy and rakyat’s livelihood — Malaysia will file its lawsuit against the European Union (EU) on the trade bloc’s policy of phasing out palm oil-based biofuel imports

January 16, 2021 Read Full Article

European Policy on Biofuels Is Ill-founded and Flawed, It Should Be Made Good

by Benjamin Lammert (Green Energy Platform/EurActiv) A decade ago the European Commission decided to exclude conventional biofuels from contributing to future policy on renewable energy, climate and agriculture, writes Benjamin Lammert. Benjamin Lammert is a farmer and president of the Green Energy Platform. The matter is as important today as it

January 15, 2021 Read Full Article

Competitive Edge: MBP Solutions Biofuels, Biogas Production

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … We are adding value to biological by-products through our 5 core competencies: Product and Application Expertise, International Sales & Marketing, Legal Compliance, Sustainability and Supply Chain Management. … We offer a wide variety of specialist services, including by-product and waste collection and handling, as

January 15, 2021 Read Full Article

US Assesses Potential Losses in Agricultural Exports to EU if the Mercosur Deal Is Finally Ratified

(Merco Press) … One of the US products that can be harmed is ethanol, which makes up 28% of the EU’s ethanol imports according to the agency. Between 2015 and 2019, the US ethanol market share in the EU market was, on average, 22%, while Mercosur’s 7%. With the agreement Mercosur

January 11, 2021 Read Full Article

Building Europe’s First of Its Kind Alcohol-to-Jet Production Plant

(SkyNRG) Sustainable aviation fuel produced from waste-based ethanol resources — The FLITE consortium, led by SkyNRG and with LanzaTech as the technology provider, will build the first-of-its-kind LanzaJetTM Alcohol to Jet (AtJ) facility. The facility will convert waste-based ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a scale of over 30,000 tons/yr. The

January 8, 2021 Read Full Article

Iberdrola to Supply Green Hydrogen for Buses in Barcelona in 2021

(Electric Energy Online) TMB has selected the company to build a hydrogen plant on the Zona Franca industrial area, the first public facility of its kind in the country, and to operate it for the next ten years; The company is carrying out projects that will put Spain at the

January 8, 2021 Read Full Article

The Digest’s Biofuels Mandates Around the World 2021

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 Read Full Article

Higher Blending Mandate to Help Offset EU’s Lower Palm Oil Demand, Says Biodiesel Association

(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 Read Full Article

Q&A: IEA Counts on Biofuels in Clean Energy Transition

by Sophie Barthel (Argus Media) The biofuels industry has been strongly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but is expected to bounce back in 2021, according to the IEA. As member of the Biofuture Platform, an initiative for worldwide collaboration on fighting climate change, the IEA aims to facilitate the recovery

January 5, 2021 Read Full Article

Consultation – Your View on Promoting EU Algae Production DEADLINE: January 18, 2021

(European Commission) The European Commission has just published an online consultation on its roadmap towards a strong and sustainable EU algae sector. Algae have been part of human lives throughout the world for centuries, if not longer. Some species even have a strong symbolic meaning, evoking wishes of long-lasting relationships

January 5, 2021 Read Full Article

Looking Back on 2020, Algae Thrived.

(Algae Biomass Organization) … Our collective effort has resulted in record-breaking policy support, including: $70 million for algae industry research, development, and demonstration in 2020 Congressional appropriations for DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office, Office of Fossil Energy, and Office of Science. $110 million has been proposed in the US House of Representatives for

January 4, 2021 Read Full Article

Viewpoint: Pandemic Drives Asia-Pacific Ethanol Markets

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 Read Full Article

Transatlantic Trade-Offs: Europe Faces a Potential Flood of Imports

by Emmanuel Desplechin (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The recent U.S. presidential election has spurred a lot of talk about what the new administration will mean for the transatlantic trade relationship after four years of on again, off again tariff wars. … Europe faces a potential flood of imports from countries that

December 30, 2020 Read Full Article

No Rapeseed Methyl Ester Means Noticeably Less Rapeseed Meal

(UFOP/Biobased Diesel Daily) The German and European feed markets benefit significantly from the production of rapeseed-based biodiesel fuels. Rapeseed meal is generated as a joint product of oil production in this value chain. According to the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP), non-genetically modified organism (GMO) rapeseed meal

December 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Sweden: MUFG and Societe Generale Support Clean Urban Transport in Gothenburg with EIB Credit Line

(European Investment Bank) … The SEK 1.2bn financing operation facilitates the acquisition of 297 electric and biofuel buses being leased to Transdev for its use on five concessions in Gothenburg, starting from December 2020. In March 2019, Transdev won five 10-year contracts to operate bus services as from December 2020 in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest

December 29, 2020 Read Full Article

EU Forests Regulation Public Consultation – Indonesia Responds

(Indonesia Palm Oil Facts) Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) has made its submission to the EU Forests Regulation public consultation on reducing deforestation and forest degradation. As background, the European Commission is proposing a Due Diligence regulation to tackle deforestation / forest degradation with the aim to prevent European imports and consumption ‘causing’ deforestation, particularly from tropical

December 28, 2020 Read Full Article

UFOP Welcomes Agreement between Federal Ministries on the further Development of the GHG Quota

(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP) ) … German government agreed last Friday on key points for the national implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). In addition to the gradual increase of the GHG quota to 22 percent in 2030, it includes the setting

December 27, 2020 Read Full Article

EU’s Sustainable Transport Strategy Backed by EWABA

(Biofuels International) EWABA has welcomed the EU Commission’s adoption of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy. This document puts forward the Commission’s ambitious vision to decarbonise the transport sector as new legislative laws come into force in the coming year including RED II. The European Waste-to-Advanced Biofuels Association welcomed the

December 24, 2020 Read Full Article

ePURE: The EU Is Still Failing on Fuel Quality Target

(Biofuels International) Even as the EU sets ambitious emissions reduction targets for 2030 and 2050, it is still falling short of an important milestone that looms much closer on the horizon – reducing the average greenhouse gas-intensity of road transport fuels, according to ePURE. The EU’s Fuel Quality Directive (FQD)

December 24, 2020 Read Full Article

The Fuel for Thought Podcast

(Haldoe Topsoe) The world’s first podcast about renewables for the refinery industry season two. This time, Sylvain Verdier and Mikala Grubb from Topsoe look into some of the most pressing topics in renewables and the refining industry, including trends in advanced biofuels and hydrogen, pyrolysis and its challenges and opportunities,

December 22, 2020 Read Full Article

First Delivery: AustroCel Hallein Supplies OMV with Advanced Bioethanol

(OMV) The test run of the world’s largest bioethanol plant based on wood has proven successful; OMV and AustroCel start cooperation with second-generation bioethanol; 1.5 million liters a month of the advanced biofuel will be delivered from January 2021; Substituting biofuel for fossil fuel will save around 45,000 metric tons

December 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Carbon Intensity Is Important for Renewable Fuels Investments

by Dave Collings (1898 & Co./Burns & McDonnell) As developers, investors and plant operators explore options to increase production and market share of renewable fuels, the concept of carbon intensity (CI) must be well-understood. It might be the deciding factor that determines economic viability of your biofuels project. In California and

December 21, 2020 Read Full Article

UPM Joins the BIKE Project Promoting Sustainable Biomass Value Chains for Biofuels

(UPM Biofuels) UPM Biofuels has joined the BIKE project that promotes low-ILUC risk biofuels production for European Bioeconomy. The project brings together companies and research organisations who believe that novel, safe and reliable biomass value chains can be deployed to produce food, feed, biofuels and biomaterials with a low risk of

December 21, 2020 Read Full Article

Atlantic Council Analyzes the Potential for a Carbon Trade War

by Nick Silvis* (Advanced Biofuels USA)The world is undergoing drastic climate and ecological changes which will have dire ramifications on all facets of global activity. Critical trade relationships, such as the one between the United States and Europe, are facing increased opportunity and risk as the world’s economies shift to

December 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Hydrogen Production Is Set to Increase 5000% in Just 5 Years

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 Read Full Article

Application of LCA on Innovative Biorefinery Concepts – REWOFUEL Webinar

by Lena Nordgren (SEKAB) The second webinar by the EU project REWOFUEL – REsidual soft WOod conversion to high characteristics drop-in bioFUELs, was held in the beginning of December. The specific topic of the webinar was to address the sustainability aspects in the value chain focusing on “Application of LCA on innovative biorefinery concepts –

December 18, 2020 Read Full Article

96,000 Hectares of UK Agricultural Land Used for Bioenergy Crops in 2019

(Bioenergy Insight) In 2019, 96,000 hectares (ha) of agricultural land in the UK were used to grow crops for bioenergy. Government statistics released on 10 December show the area of non-food crops grown in the UK and their usage in bioenergy applications. The figures show 20% of land used for

December 15, 2020 Read Full Article

No Clean Mobility for All Europeans with the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy

(European Biogass Association) The strategy is a major setback for the vital decarbonisation of transport at an acceptable cost: Lack of support to renewable fuels will jeopardise transport decarbonisation and hamper climate-neutrality by 2050. An accurate zero-emissions approach to mobility should consider the carbon footprint of the vehicles across their

December 15, 2020 Read Full Article

WEF’s ‘Clean Skies for Tomorrow’ Outlines Pathway to Net-Zero Aviation: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Aviation Fuel

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the World Economic Forum doing to help aviation meet net zero goals? First, they recognize that the most immediate action to achieve carbon-neutral flying is the investment in, and rapid scale-up, of sustainable aviation fuel production and use. Their latest report demonstrates the

December 14, 2020 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Emmanuel Desplechin

“While the focus may be on the growing importance of electric vehicles, the (EU) Commission’s strategy confirms that battery EVs will represent around 11% of the EU vehicle fleet in 2030. Even a decade from now, a large majority of cars on the road will still run on liquid fuel,

December 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Renewable Ethanol Body Calls on EU to Include Fuel in Green Deal Transport Strategy

by Karim Elafany (S&P Global Platts) EU publishes Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy; Battery EVs to represent 11% of EU vehicle fleet in 2030: ePURE — … ePURE said the guidelines don’t go far enough in including renewable ethanol. … Emmanuel Desplechin, secretary-general of ePURE, said that “the EU renewable ethanol industry

December 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Take a Look at an Exciting Christmas Calendar that Describes 31 Swedish Projects that Can All Contribute to Accelerating Climate Action

(SEKAB) Click on the flaps and be inspired by what it’s possible to do for our climate –… Sekab is one of the Swedish companies and partners of the Swedish 2030 Secretariat 2030-sekretariatet that have contributed to the compilation of 31 climate-smart proposals in a Christmas calendar aimed at demonstrating what it is

December 11, 2020 Read Full Article

The Green Hydrogen Catapult Aims for $2/kg H2 and Needs $110 Billion, If You’ve Any to Spare

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Europe comes news that major hydrogen project developers including ACWA Power, CWP Renewables, Envision, Iberdrola, Ørsted, Snam, and Yara have joined hands to scale-up green hydrogen production 50-fold in 6 years in a bid to slash the production cost to below $2 per kilo. This report

December 10, 2020 Read Full Article

Indonesia Export Levy Revision to Support Crude Palm Oil Prices, Stability Key

(Fitch Ratings) The revision in Indonesia’s export levy structure should support Indonesia’s biodiesel consumption growth in 2021 by boosting collections to fund the subsidy burden, Fitch Ratings says. This will also support crude palm oil (CPO) prices, and the Malaysian benchmark should average higher than our assumption of USD560/tonne (t)

December 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Denmark Becomes First Major Oil-Producing Nation to Set Deadline to End Extraction

by Florian Elabdi, Rick Noack and Steven Mufson (Washington Post) Denmark on Friday became the first major oil-producing nation to announce an end to state-approved exploration in the North Sea, with the aim of phasing out all extraction by 2050. The decision was applauded by some environmental activists, with Greenpeace

December 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Biofuels Contribute Most to Climate Impact Reduction Now: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to IEA Bioenergy’s Latest Report on Renewable Transport Fuels

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You may have seen that IEA Bioenergy released its new report on the role of renewable transport fuels in decarbonizing road transport. The analysis considered developments up to 2050, based on national policies, projections of the vehicle fleet, and on the availability of renewable transport fuels.

December 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Sessions of BBEST 2020-21 / Biofuture Summit II Organized Virtually This Year

by Nathália Fernandes Pimentel* (Advanced Biofuels USA) From 30th November to 3rd December this year, the BBEST / Biofuture Summit II was sponsored by Apex, the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency. The event took place on virtual platform Whova and was attended by several authorities, experts and researchers. Aiming

December 4, 2020 Read Full Article

Energy Trader Gunvor Launches New $540 mln Biodiesel Loan

by Julia Payne (Reuters) Gunvor Group has closed a new $540 million borrowing base facility to support biodiesel trading as the company shifts its strategy to promote cleaner products in line with EU climate targets, the company said on Friday. The bookrunners for the deal were Credit Agricole and Rabobank. The loan

December 4, 2020 Read Full Article

Joint Letter on the Inclusion of Sustainable Renewable Fuels in the EU Mobility Legislation

(Advanced Biofuels Coalition) … The signatories of this joint letter represent a crucial part of the automotive, fuel, energy industry and civil society in Europe, i.e. a combined force behind the transformation of EU mobility towards climate neutrality in a smart and sustainable way. The European Union has set itself

December 4, 2020 Read Full Article

Mixed Renewable Gas Unit: Galician Project Will Now Investigate Creation of Green Hydrogen and Synthetic Gas

(Edar Bens / Naturgy / EnergyLab / NGV Journal) The research project Mixed Renewable Gas Unit, funded by the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN) and developed by Naturgy, EnergyLab and Edar Bens, continues its R&D&I work after receiving additional funding for its consolidation and for the launch of new lines of development.

December 2, 2020 Read Full Article

Is the Future Diesel-Free? 7 Hard Questions about Diesel, Biofuels and ICEs

by Samuel Morgan (Neste) The whole transport industry agrees on the need to decarbonize traffic fast. However, there’s confusion on what that means for diesel, renewable diesel and the internal combustion engine. Are their days numbered? Questions answered: How long will diesel fleets be allowed? Are the days of the internal

December 2, 2020 Read Full Article

Decarbonizing Shipping and Transportation: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to BioLNG

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There are concrete benefits of using BioLNG to decarbonize hard to abate transport sectors like heavy-duty transport and shipping, according to the latest European Biogas Association, Gas Infrastructure Europe, the Natural & Bio Gas Vehicle Association, and SEA-LNG joint paper. The EU production of BioLNG

December 2, 2020 Read Full Article

Joint Policy Proposal to Accelerate the Deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels in Europe – A Clean Skies for Tomorrow Publication

(World Economic Forum) What is the World Economic Forum doing to help aviation meet net zero goals? Through the Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow coalition, stakeholders across the European aviation value-chain have aligned on key policy proposals to inform the EU’s RefuelEU initiative and the UK Government. Taken together, this industry-backed

November 30, 2020 Read Full Article

New Publication – The Role of Renewable Transport Fuels in Decarbonizing Road Transport

(IEA Bioenergy) In the light of climate change, there is an urgent need to decarbonize our societies. The road transport sector is specifically challenging, as transport demand is growing, and so are the sector´s GHG emissions. Electric mobility powered by renewable power will not be able to solve this on its

November 30, 2020 Read Full Article

An Open Letter to the Ethanol Community from Ethanol Producers

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 Read Full Article

20th Datagro Conference on Sugar and Ethanol: COVID 19 Impacts and Renovabio Set the Agenda

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 Read Full Article

USGC: COVID-19 Weighed on 2019-’20 Global Ethanol Trade

(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 Read Full Article

Clean Fuel Standard Model Demonstrates Biofuel Demand, Signals Need to Expand Production Capacity in Canada

(Advanced Biofuels Canada/EIN Presswire) WAEES incorporates Canada’s CFS into their global model to profile impacts on supply chains, biofuels, and compliance credit markets — Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC) announced the release of detailed expert modelling of Canada’s Clean Fuel Standard (CFS). The modelling, conducted by Dr. John Kruse, Principal and Director of

November 24, 2020 Read Full Article

Humber’s Renewable Ambitions Make Grand Entrance

(Biobased Diesel Daily) The Phillips 66 Humber Refinery in the U.K. recently welcomed the latest addition to its growing renewable fuels infrastructure―a massive processing unit that will convert used cooking oil (UCO) into low-carbon fuel. “We are pleased to take delivery of our new UCO module at our Humber Refinery,” said

November 24, 2020 Read Full Article

Industry Asks EU to Include Biogas in New Sustainable Mobility Strategy

(NGV Journal/NGVA Europe) Gas Distributors for Sustainability (GD4S), the European Biogas Association (EBA) and NGVA Europe co-signed a joint letter to the Executive Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, and Transport Commissioner Adina-Ioana Vălean, to call them to build the upcoming Sustainable and Smart Mobility

November 24, 2020 Read Full Article

Climate Protection Contribution from Biofuels Rises to 9.7 Million T CO2 Equivalent

(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFPOP) (Google translation)) BLE report for 2019 confirms effective contribution to climate protection in the transport of biofuels. — Sustainably certified biofuels reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 9.7 million t CO 2 equivalent in the 2019 reporting year (previous year 9.5 million t). The contribution to the

November 23, 2020 Read Full Article

EU Aviation Sector Calls for Policy Support and Investment to Help Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050

(GreenAir Online) Over 20 European aviation and travel associations have called for a joint commitment between industry and policymakers to achieve net zero CO2 emissions from all flights within and departing from the EU by 2050. As signatories to an ‘Aviation Round Table Report’, they have urged EU leaders to join

November 20, 2020 Read Full Article

OMV Petrom: Investments of EUR ~21 mn at Petrobrazi to Increase the Bio-Blending Capacity

(OMV Petrom) OMV Petrom increased the annual bio-blending capacity at Petrobrazi from 200 kilotons to approximately 350 kilotons in order to supply fuels with increased quantities of bio-components into finished products; The use of fuels with increased bio-content contributes to achieving the EU targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions OMV

November 20, 2020 Read Full Article

UK Refiners Push Back over 2030 Ban on New Fossil Fuel Cars

by Robert Perkins (S&P Global Platts) Refiners call for more biofuels support; Move seen displacing 60,000 b/d of oil demand; Hybrids get reprieve until 2035, EV sales booming — The UK’s refining sector has voiced its opposition to the UK plans to bring forward a ban on sales of new gasoline and diesel

November 19, 2020 Read Full Article

Germans Want to Fill up with More Biofuels

(UFOP (Google translation)) According to a current representative survey, two thirds of all Germans have a positive view of biofuels. Almost half consider biofuels to be of growing importance for climate protection in the future. Associations demand appropriate political consideration. 65 percent of Germans generally rate biofuels positively. This is the result

November 19, 2020 Read Full Article

Bioo Launches Biological Battery that Feeds on Soil and Uses Plants to Produce Electricity

by Helena Tavares Kennedy) In Spain, Bioo, a biotech startup that generates electricity from nature, has developed Bioo Panel, which collects the electrons liberated in soil from the breakdown of organic substances by its natural microorganisms. Installed underground, Bioo Panel visually fits into the landscape of any yard, garden or park and constantly

November 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Asia’s RCEP Trade Deal to Remove Biofuel Tariffs

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 Read Full Article

Policymakers Urged to Support Biofuels to Meet Transport’s Green Goals

by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV.com) Governments around the world need to urgently address this year’s 11.6% drop in biofuel output, caused by the pandemic, in order to meet transport’s decarbonisation goals, the head of the renewable energy division at the International Energy Agency (IEA) told EURACTIV in an interview. Paolo Frankl said

November 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Council Outlines Trade Barriers In Comments Submitted To USTR

(U.S. Grains Council) The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently submitted comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) highlighting significant trade barriers facing exports of U.S. coarse grains, ethanol and co-products. The Council has contributed comments on this topic to USTR for more than a decade, detailing constraints the

November 16, 2020 Read Full Article

Titan LNG Receives EU Funding for Biogas Bunkering Project

(Bioenergy Insight) Dutch gas supplier Titan LNG has signed a deal to receive European Union funding for its Bio2Bunker biogas project. Titan LNG, a major supplier of liquefied natural gas to the marine and industrial markets in Europe has been granted €11 million in funding from the EU’s Connecting Europe

November 14, 2020 Read Full Article

University of Eastern Finland Announces partnership with European Bioeconomy University’s Erasmus+ project to bring together bioeconomy studies

(Science Business/University of Eastern Finland) The School of Forest Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland is a partner in a new Erasmus+ project of the European Bioeconomy University, EBU, which seeks to develop a mechanism to enhance bioeconomy students’ cross-sectoral mindset. Thanks to a shared platform for online learning and

November 13, 2020 Read Full Article

GPS Group and VARO Energy Embark on Further Expansion: Port of Amsterdam Set for New Rail System

(Varo) Through their close partnership GPS will develop a rail handing system as well as dedicated ethanol storage for VARO. The expansion follows GPS-A having commissioned c.134 thousand m3 of Class 1 storage for VARO in December 2019 and extends the relationship. The Rail system will unlock important trading opportunities and a

November 13, 2020 Read Full Article

S&P Global Platts Launches First Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) Values in Europe

(Markets Insider) S&P Global Platts (“Platts”), the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets, has launched first-to-market hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) values in Europe. These daily assessments, which have been provided to the market since August 17, bring additional transparency to the market as the

November 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Zero Wants Portugal to Confirm the End of Palm Oil in Biodiesel as Determined by the EU

(Destak.pt) The environmental association Zero was satisfied today with the end of palm oil in biodiesel in Europe, in 2022, and wants Portugal to confirm the abandonment of this product by transposing the European directive into national legislation. In a statement, the non-governmental organization said it warned, in July, of

November 10, 2020 Read Full Article

EU Starts Monitoring Bioethanol to Prevent Import Surge

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 Read Full Article

New VTT-Based Startup Company eniferBio Producing Protein from Biorefinery By-products Received More than One Million Euros in Funding

(VTT Research) The growing demand for food and sustainable food production are global challenges. A significant part of the problem is the lack of sustainably produced protein feed. eniferBio has developed a new and sustainable production process for a high-quality fish feed ingredient and recently received funding for its solution

November 2, 2020 Read Full Article

European Commission Confirms Sustainability of European Biofuels, Yet Sends Mixed Messages on Their Future

(ePURE) A new report from the European Commission underlines the importance and sustainability of renewable ethanol, but also reveals yet again the Commission’s strangely contradictory stance wanting to minimise the role of biofuels in achieving the EU Green Deal. Published on 14 October, the Commission’s Renewable Energy Progress Report includes an assessment of

October 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Top 5: Solar Costs Are Dropping. How Does It Impact Fuels?

by Tammy Klein (Future Fuel Strategies) … Items I selected this month include: • Solar Costs Declining Quickly: More quickly than even the IEA has projected. That will have consequences in transport that includes cheaper EV charging, green hydrogen and electrofuels. Car Bans in the U.S.: Could we see other states follow

October 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Advanced Biofuels, Avoiding a Second Missed Opportunity

by Kyriakos Maniatis, Lars Waldheim, Ingvar Landälv, Eric van den Heuvel and Stamatis Kalligeros (Subgroup on Advanced Biofuels (SGAB)/EurActiv) The recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) marks the first time that a European Directive needs to be significantly amended just a year and a half after its adoption and before

October 29, 2020 Read Full Article

European Commission Accused of ‘Mixed Messaging’ over Sustainability of Continent’s Biofuels

(Biofuels International) A new report from the European Commission underlined the importance and sustainability of renewable ethanol, but also revealed its contradictory stance wanting to minimise the role of biofuels in achieving the EU Green Deal. This was the view of ePURE after the Commission’s Renewable Energy Progress Report was

October 28, 2020 Read Full Article

Sweden Targets World’s Highest Biofuel Blending

Tomas Ekbom and Cecilia Higa (Swedish Bioenergy Association/IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) … In the beginning there was ethanol In 1907, there were only 662 vehicles registered in Sweden. The fuel, “Benzin” (the word initially taken from the German language, i.e. petrol) was purchased then at the pharmacy, paint store

October 26, 2020 Read Full Article

Cargill Invests to Promote Circular Economy with Its First Multi Waste- and Residues-Based Biodiesel Plant

(Cargill/WEBWIRE) $150 million investment in Belgium helps customers remove carbon emissions from their supply chains using innovative technology that supports new regulations — In a move to further strengthen its commitment to fight climate change and deliver a more circular economy, Cargill is constructing a multi waste- and residues-based biodiesel plant

October 23, 2020 Read Full Article

How Best to Measure the Bio-Based Sector’s Contribution to the UN SDGs?

by Luke Upton (BioMarket Insights) The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) has commissioned guidance produced by the Institute of European Environmental Policy (IEEP) enabling the bio-based industries to better measure how bio-based projects contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This first-of-its-kind guidance for the bio-based sector sets out specific indicators

October 22, 2020 Read Full Article

UK Government to Issue New Biomass Strategy in 2022

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.K. government announced on Oct. 15 that it intends to publish a new biomass strategy in 2022. The U.K. Renewable Energy Association welcomed the announcement, stressing that bioenergy is essential to the renewables revolution. The U.K. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committed to

October 21, 2020 Read Full Article

Facing Wave of Closures, Oil Refiners Turn to Biofuels

by Ron Bousso and Laura Sanicola (Reuters) European and U.S. oil refineries face a wave of closures due to plateauing fuel demand, tightening environmental rules and overseas competition, prompting some owners to opt for an easier alternative – converting plants to produce biofuels. … The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in

October 20, 2020 Read Full Article

Communicating the Bioeconomy through Maps

(Teagasc) What is the bioeconomy? Is it relevant to me, my sector, my business, the place where I live or my farm? What is unique about it? How does Ireland compare relative to other European countries? And how can I get involved? These are questions that a series of maps, released

October 20, 2020 Read Full Article

Biodiesel Production, Policy and Quota Regulations Report Published by UFOP

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, UFOP published a nearly 40-page progress report “Biodiesel & Co. 2019/2020” that provides information on national and international biofuel policy issues, the latest statistics on biodiesel production and current biofuel quota regulations in a variety of EU member states. The report is supplemented by

October 19, 2020 Read Full Article

How Waste CO2 Is Helping to Turn Renewable Energy into Liquid Fuel

by Rex Merrifield (Horizon, The EU Research and Innovation Magazine) Storing power generated by strong winds or bright sunshine by turning it into liquid fuel such as methanol can help to ensure green energy does not go to waste, without having to rely on batteries. Methanol can be made from

October 15, 2020 Read Full Article

SWEN Capital Partners Raises €175m for Renewable Gas Projects

(Bioenergy Insight) SWEN Capital Partners has announced the final closing of its SWEN Impact Fund for Transition (SWIFT), Europe’s first infrastructure fund dedicated to renewable gases. The fund raised €175 million, exceeding its target amount of €120 million. SWIFT is SWEN Capital Partners’ first impact fund and invests directly in

October 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Ductor to Develop 200 Biogas and Organic Fertiliser Projects

(Biofuels International) Finnish-Swiss biotech firm Ductor has closed funding from BW Group to develop 200 new biogas and sustainable organic fertiliser projects over three years. Ductor will develop the projects in the EU and North America after receiving a significant investment from BW Group, a major maritime group in the

October 13, 2020 Read Full Article

PKN ORLEN Aims to Be Emissions-Neutral by 2050

(Biofuels International) PKN ORLEN is the first oil company in central Europe to declare an aspiration towards achieving emission neutrality by 2050. In order to reach this goal by 2030 the company will reduce CO2 emissions from its current refining and petrochemical assets by 20% and emissions from power generation by 33%

October 12, 2020 Read Full Article

Airlines Unlikely to Require Significant Amounts of CORSIA Offsets for Six Years, Finds Refinitiv analysis

(GreenAir Online) Only an unlikely very quick aviation sector recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in the next three years would create any demand for carbon offsets from airlines in the 2021-2023 pilot phase of ICAO’s CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme, finds a report by market analysts Refinitiv. This follows the ICAO Council

October 7, 2020 Read Full Article

The UK and Decarbonizing Transport

by Brian Healy (Ethanol Producer Magazine/U.S. Grains Council) Through expanded ethanol use, the U.K. has an opportunity to meet its decarbonization objectives and support the domestic facilities that have gone offline. The country should build on its established technical knowledge for E5 as it moves to E10. Consultations about decarbonizing

October 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Ethanol’s Recovery Readout

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 Read Full Article

LIFE NIMBUS: Circular Economy and Renewable-Fueled Buses in Barcelona

(Cetaqua) Cetaqua has launched LIFE NIMBUS, a project that improves the circular economy between the city and the wastewater treatment plants through the implementation of a new sustainable model: the ecofactory, a concept that turns the traditional treatment plant into a facility that generates valuable resources. The initiative is funded by

October 6, 2020 Read Full Article

The Use of Forest Biomass for Climate Change Mitigation: Dispelling Some Misconceptions

(EIA Bioenergy) Articles and statements in the media have raised concerns over the climate effects of bioenergy from managed forests1. As some of these statements seem to reflect misconceptions about forest bioenergy, IEA Bioenergy has prepared a brief document presenting key facts about the use of forest biomass for climate change

October 5, 2020 Read Full Article

Total Eyes further HVO Expansion

by Adam Porter (Argus Media) Total said today that it plans to add an additional 300,000 t/yr of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) production capacity in Europe. It is also considering introducing HVO capacity at refineries in Texas and South Korea to help meet its goal to produce 5mn t/yr by 2030.

October 1, 2020 Read Full Article

European Climate Policy and the Bioeconomy – Missed Opportunities or Muddling Through?

by Gerard J. Ostheimer, Douglas L. Faulkner and Philippe Marchand (Biofuels Digest) … But as we scan the globe for bio-economy green shoots, we are noticing some interesting – and disconcerting – activity “across the pond”. Today we look to Europe and try to pluck the signal from the noise in

September 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Driving the Green Deal: How Can Biofuels Help Decarbonise EU Transport?

(ePURE/EurActiv) According to the European Green Deal, transport accounts for a quarter of the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions, a substantial contributor to climate change. A 90% decrease in transport emissions, and an increase in renewable energy sources, will be necessary in order to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Steps have been

September 29, 2020 Read Full Article

DHL Decarbonizes All ‘Less-Than-Container’ Load Shipments in Ocean Freight Globally

(DHL) DHL Global Forwarding is the first logistics service provider to offer truly climate neutral ocean freight shipments without additional costs; Thanks to advanced biofuels, DHL Global Forwarding customers benefit from a reduction of their carbon footprint; Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight: “Sustainable fuel solutions are a key

September 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Scotland’s Opportunity to Grow a New Clean, Sustainable Economy

by Mark Bustard (Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC)/Biofuels Digest) The idea of a net zero carbon emissions and zero waste economy isn’t as far-fetched as some may think. The key promise of a bio-based economy is that we can grow the sources of raw materials for every day products. Industrial Biotechnology

September 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Difficult Times for Germany’s Transport Ministry – Biofuels Could Alleviate Worries

by Elmar Baumann (Association of the German Biofuel Industry/EurActiv) … The German Climate Protection Act specifies in detail how emissions in the sectors transport, buildings, agriculture and waste management must decrease by 2030. In transport alone, the federal government is faced with the task of reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions

September 28, 2020 Read Full Article

European Commission Launches Investigation to Extend “B99” Measures against US Biodiesel Imports

(European Biodiesel Board) On September 14th 2020, the European Commission formally launched an investigation review aiming at extending anti-dumping and countervailing measures applicable to imports of biodiesel originating in the United States of America (USA), the so called “B99” measures. The EBB welcomes this review, which was triggered by an

September 25, 2020 Read Full Article

5 Opportunities to Create Sustainable Growth: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainability Leaps for Europe

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) VTT just released this short report on 5 unique opportunities Europe has to accelerate sustainability and what they call “exponential hope.” From biotech in food production to optimizing material usage for sustainable resource consumption, dive into VTT’s views on how to create entire paradigm shifts that lead

September 25, 2020 Read Full Article

VistaJet Announces New Market-Leading Sustainable Biofuel Partnership, Updates on Success of Its Current Sustainability Pledge and Calls for Further Action From Private Aviation Industry

(VistaJet/EIN News) • Introducing new partnership with SkyNRG, pioneer and global leader in sustainable aviation fuel • Success of its current sustainability plan, which has seen 80% of Members join plan to reduce carbon footprint • Technology-led optimization, reducing fuel consumption by an average of 8% per flight since January 2020

September 23, 2020 Read Full Article

AD and Biogas Industry Awards 2020 Shortlist Revealed

(Bioenergy Insight) … The awards, run by the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) and the World Biogas Association (WBA), recognise achievements in biogas innovation, clever use of outputs, international knowledge exchange and collaboration, financing and more. Originally launched by ADBA in 2010 for the UK market, the awards became

September 22, 2020 Read Full Article

European Renewable Ethanol Industry Launches New Resource for Consumer Information on E10 Fuel

(ePURE) E10info.eu answers common questions about production, use and availability of ethanol petrol blend that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions — E10info.eu, a new online resource for consumer information about the widely available E10 fuel blend, launched today (September 17, 2020) as part of a broader effort to highlight the importance

September 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Business Trends: The Impact of a Carbon Tax on the European Chemical Industry

Saxton, D., FaÍsca, N., (Nexant Energy and Chemicals Advisory/Hydrocarbon Processing) Over the past several years, greenhouses gas (GHG) emissions have become a pressing global issue. Europe is leading global efforts to become climate-neutral by 2050 but may do so at the expense of its chemical industry. Private and public stakeholders are

September 21, 2020 Read Full Article

Greener Flights from Greener Fields – Using Aviation Biofuel

(European Commission) Jet fuel from renewable sources holds the key to significantly reducing the environmental impact of aviation. EU-funded researchers have set out to boost Europe’s production capacity, and are also developing a process that would leverage the growing of feedstock to rehabilitate land at risk of desertification. To fully

September 14, 2020 Read Full Article

Argus Launches Renewable Transport Fuel Prices for Europe

(Argus Media/PR Newswire) Global energy and commodity price reporting agency Argus has launched new price assessments for renewable diesel in Europe. As countries seek to transition away from fossil fuels, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is becoming increasingly popular as a renewable alternative to traditional petroleum diesel. It can be blended into the existing

September 9, 2020 Read Full Article

In COVID-19 World, Biobased Industries Key to Rebuilding a Strong, Sustainable Economy

by Matt Lipscomb (DMC Bio/Biofuels Digest) … One of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the realization of the fragility of current global supply chains. As consumers and companies begin to value supply chain stability and robustness in addition to competitive prices, there is an opportunity for biobased industries

September 8, 2020 Read Full Article

From Americas to EU, Asia, Africa, Who’s Got What?: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Biofuel Mandates Around the World 2020

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 Read Full Article

Lignocellulosic Platform Goes Beyond Biofuels: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant’s Sunliquid

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 Read Full Article

ePURE: EU Ethanol Production Helps Achieve Green Deal Goals

(ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) European renewable ethanol association (ePURE) members produced 5.6 billion liters (1.48 billion gallons) of ethanol and 5.33 million metric tons of co-products in 2019, according to new audited data released on Sept. 1 by the industry group. The new figures confirm the importance of European renewable ethanol biorefineries to achieving

September 4, 2020 Read Full Article

Shell & Air Liquide Facilitate Access of Trucks to Biomethane Refueling

(Air Liquide/NGV Journal) Air Liquide and Shell have signed an agreement giving heavy-duty trucks with the Shell card access to Air Liquide’s network of multi-energy stations in France. This means they will be able to refuel in particular with biomethane. Thanks to this agreement, trucks with the Shell card crossing France

September 1, 2020 Read Full Article

EC Launches Public Consultation on Potential Revision of REDII DEADLINE: September 21, 2020

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The European Commission in August launched a public consultation on the potential revision of the 2018 Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) to better align the policy with the European Union’s new Green Deal and its goal of making the EU climate neutral by 2050. The REDII is

September 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Are All Renewable Aviation Fuels Equally Sustainable?

by Michael Fiedler-Panajotopoulos (Renewable Energy Group Europe/European Waste-to-Advanced Biofuels Association /EurActiv) A recent European Commission inception impact assessment on “ReFuelEU Aviation” presents ideas about a future EU law to promote renewable aviation fuels, labelled as “Sustainable” Aviation Fuels (SAF). These offer a legitimate way to reduce GHG emissions and deserve

September 1, 2020 Read Full Article

The Use of Forest Biomass for Climate Change Mitigation: Dispelling Some Misconceptions

(IEA Bioenergy) Articles and statements in the media have raised concerns over the climate effects of bioenergy from managed forests2. As some of these statements seem to reflect misconceptions about forest bioenergy, IEA Bioenergy has prepared a brief document presenting key facts about the use of forest biomass for climate

September 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Bloom Biorenewables Secure Funding to Prove Biomass Valorization at Pilot Scale.

by Luke Upton (BioMarket Insights) … Bloom’s ( @BloomBiorenewa1 ) patented mild lignin extraction method uses stabilizing molecules that prevent lignin (a major fraction in plants) from condensing during extraction. The company will use its latest investment to prove its technology on pilot project, which was kicked off in January 2020 in

August 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Follow the Money: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Industrial Bioeconomy Revolution

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will Canada transform? Or stand on the sidelines?That’s the question asked by Jeff Passmore, CEO of Passmore Group who shared this illuminating “Follow the Money” slide guide that asks how tenable is fossil fuel’s future? Where could some of this repositioned investment capital go? What’s

August 24, 2020 Read Full Article

EU Commission Targets Quotas to Increase Use of SAF

(Biofuels Digest) The European Union is considering the use quotas to force airlines to use more sustainable aviation fuel as it seeks to reduce carbon emissions. The European Commission said that flights within Europe had climbed every year from 2013-2019 and the sector was off track for the EU’s goal to