by Matthew Knight (CNN) It wasn't so long ago that biofuels were being heralded as the savior of the planet and a thoroughly green solution to our climate woes. But fair winds have been replaced by persistent storms of criticism.
(GreenAirOnline) Although the aviation sector has a good track record in reducing its environmental impact through efficiency gains, it is highly unlikely to reduce or even stabilise its emissions through this means alone, but biofuels present a real potential for
(European Commission) Brussels, 19 July 2011 - Biofuels can represent an environmentally-friendly replacement of fossil fuels. However, we need to make sure that tropical forests and carbon rich peatlands are not turned into oil palm or sugarcane plantations. We also
by Nalin Viboonchart (The Nation) PTT Aromatics and Refining (PTTAR) has put on hold its US$150-million (Bt4.5 billion) jet-biofuel project, given the exorbitant production cost and the likelihood that the price of the fuel would deter potential buyers. Prajya Phinyawat, chief operating
by Jessica Shankleman Green groups slam Commission's "back room" processes for approving sustainable biofuel certification schemes Green groups will today learn if the European Commission is ready to lift the lid on the methods it used to decide whether biofuels can be certified as
by Charlie Dunmore (Reuters) The EU will protect existing investment in its $13 billion biodiesel sector even as it acts on new evidence that suggests making the fuel from food crops can do more harm than good in fighting climate
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...Brazil’s sugarcane industry is also accused of not producing the crop, nor the fuel, in a sustainable manner. As a result, the EU Renewable Energy Directive was created to address concerns including labor and environmental issues.
by Charlie Dunmore (Reuters) Europe's biodiesel industry could be wiped out by EU plans to tackle the unwanted side effects of biofuel production, after studies showed few climate benefits, four papers obtained by Reuters show. Europe's world-leading $13 billion biodiesel industry,
(IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) Geopolitical tensions in some oil producing regions and the uncertainties surrounding the future availability of fossil fuels, as well as the urgent necessity to mitigate negative impacts on climate through reduced CO2 emissions, have created
(GreenAirOnline) The momentum driving the introduction of aviation biofuels received a significant boost with a number of initiatives and events taking place at last week’s Paris Air Show. While the transatlantic biofuel flights conducted by Boeing and Honeywell attracted wide
(European Commission) On 1st July 2011, the Commission launched a new European Energy Efficiency Fund (EEE-F) as part of the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR). It will allocate around EUR 146 million from the EEPR (3.7% of the total EEPR envelope) towards
(E-Energy Market/European Voice) Biofuel from palm oil, soybean and rapeseed produces more greenhouse-gas emissions than fossil fuel, once the environmental side-effects of its production are taken into account, an impact assessment prepared by the European Commission has found. READ MORE
(European Commission) The European Commission's services, in close coordination with Airbus, leading European airlines (Lufthansa, Air France/KLM, & British Airways) and key European biofuel producers (Choren Industries, Neste Oil, Biomass Technology Group and UOP), have launched an exciting new industry
by Renee Schoof (McClatchy Newspapers/Seattle Times) Maj. Aaron Jelinek of the Air Force Thunderbirds flies his F-16 upside down, rolls it, thunders past his teammates in breathtaking close charges and joins five other fighter jets in precision formation. And for the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mendel CEO Neal Gutterson talks about miscanthus, and the role of the power sector as the driver of a global supply chain for biomass. ...The company’s IP lies in its understanding of a large class of
by Mark Halper (SmartPlanet) Jet biofuels should get a boost this Friday, when Honeywell has scheduled a trans-Atlantic flight heading to Paris from Morristown, N.J., powered by Honeywell-branded Green Jet Fuel. The corporate jet, a Gulfstream 6450, will carry executives from
(National Farmers Union) Biofuels can help to create a strong and sustainable agricultural sector in Europe, NFU policy director Martin Haworth stressed this week. Speaking at an international food security conference in Brussels this week Mr Haworth criticised campaign groups for painting
by Jeff Natalie-Lees (Aberdeen News) Export options help facility weather weaker domestic demand Ethanol produced in Mina is helping Brazil avoid a fuel crisis after a weak sugar cane crop cut that country's ethanol production. When the sugar cane crop — the
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) The European Union has set new environmental and labor standards for the crops used to make biofuels there, angering U.S. farmers who worry that such restrictions could spread to other products and countries. The standards
(Client Earth) The European Commission has been sued, accused of violating European transparency laws. Environmental law organisation ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth Europe (FOEE), FERN and Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) filed the lawsuit following the Commission’s refusal to provide access
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ...Luddites and Malthusians have suggested that crop-based biofuels simply can’t provide significant volumes of energy for transportation without starving the world’s poor. ...Of course, these ridiculous charges have been disproven time and time again, and the world’s
(ABC Rural) The European Union wants more of its transport fuel to be made from renewable biomass like canola oil. ...EU member states can't supply enough canola or soy oil to meet the demand, so there's an opportunity to increase
(PR-Inside) Nine partners from seven countries have joined in an innovative project to show that ethanol, biodiesel and bioproducts can be produced from algae on a large scale. The BIOfuel From Algae Technologies (BIOFAT) project, largely funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework
(Bloomberg) Maple Energy Plc, a Lima-based oil and natural-gas producer, expects costs at an ethanol project under construction in northwest Peru to be higher than an earlier forecast. ...Most of the initial shipments will be to the Netherlands, Maple said today.
by Pete Harrison (Reuters) A divisive European debate over the green credentials of biofuels has stalled investment and threatens the future of some producers, but could also create lucrative opportunities, companies said on Tuesday. After a two-year investigation, the European Commission
(GreenAirOnline) The landmark White Paper on EU transport policy through to 2050, presented recently by the European Commission, unveiled a roadmap for reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent across all transport sectors relative to 1990. However, it now appears
by Robert Vierhout (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ePURE) ...In early 2009, France was the first to introduce E10 fuel, once it was allowed in the EU. All BP filling stations offered the new fuel almost overnight. There were no problems reported
by Andrew Willis (EUObserver.com) EU taxes on motor and heating fuels will focus on carbon emissions and energy content in the future, under draft rules published by the European Commission. The proposed overhaul of the bloc's energy taxation directive is designed
(GreenAirOnline) The public in the year 2050 is informed, understands and is convinced that the aviation sector has made the utmost progress in mitigating its environmental impacts and therefore considers air travel is environmentally sustainable. So says a new
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will these biofuels projects make the expected steps towards commercialization? There was a strong response to yesterday’s Top Story about technologies that were approaching make-or-break milestones in 2012. But what about 2011, asked some? What
(Euractiv.com) When the European Commission unveiled plans to slash transport CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050 last week, many assumed the figure would apply to road, rail and air travel in the same way. But EurActiv has learned that
(GreenAirOnline) Sustainability and economics dominated debate at last week’s World Biofuels Market (WBM) event in Rotterdam as airlines gathered to make the case for aviation biofuels commercialisation to a wider biofuels industry audience. In a keynote speech, KLM Managing Director
by Rupa Damodaran (Business Times) The European Union is not using environmental non-government organisations as a "fifth column" to help it achieve its Renewable Energy Directive (RED) which places palm oil for biofuel at a disadvantage, says Trade Commissioner Karel
(Task 39) Around 140 guests followed the invitation of ISCC to the first General Assembly and discussed the status quo and development of sustainability certification with speakers like Ron van Erck from the European Commission and Dr. Hans-Jürgen Froese
(DailyMarkets/PR Newswire) Boeing and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) today announced the creation of the Sustainable Biomass Consortium, a research initiative focused on increasing collaboration between voluntary standards and regulatory requirements for biomass used to create jet fuel and
(Algae Industry Magazine) In the aviation biofuels market, as goes Boeing, so goes the industry. Boeing was a founding member of the Algal Biomess Organization (ABO) and is committed to a future of renewable fuels. “Without biofuels we cannot get
(American Soybean Association) The American Soybean Association (ASA), joined by other U.S. oilseed producer and industry organizations, has expressed serious concerns to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk about the requirements
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Oilseed growers, led by the American Soybean Association (ASA), have raised concerns with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk over the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy
by Sybille de La Hamaide (Reuters) Overcapacity, squeezed margins and massive imports should continue to hurt Europe's biodiesel industry this year and lead to further consolidation, the chief executive of EU giant Diester Industrie said on Monday. Several biodiesel firms in
By Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck (Reuters/Forexyard) European bioethanol producers will decide by the end of March whether to file a legal complaint with the European Commission over U.S. subsidies, the EU's main bioethanol lobby said. Producers such as Germany's CropEnergies and Spain's
(Daily Markets/PRNewswire) Multi-Media Enterprises is reporting that Mission NewEnergy Limited has announced the establishment of Asia’s first fully integrated Sustainability & Carbon Certified palm biodiesel supply chain. The announcement was made in Australia in the following news release: Mission NewEnergy Limited
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...(T)he 2011 National Ethanol Conferenceconcluded with a lively panel discussion featuring global ethanol leaders. Those on the panel were (LtoR) George Fitch, Director of theCaribbean Basic Ethanol Producers Association; Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association;
(European Biofuels Technology Platform) The mission of the European Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP) is to contribute to the development of cost-competitive, world-class biofuels technologies, to the creation of a healthy biofuels industry and to accelerate the deployment of sustainable biofuels
(GreenAirOnline) According to a report by carbon offsetting company Carbon Retirement, the United Kingdom has earned more than one billion euros ($1.35bn) from the auction of EU Allowances since its first auction in Phase II of the EU Emissions Trading
(Algae Industry Magazine) he European Algae Biomass Association will be officially launched during the first EABA Conference: General Assembly, to be held June 3-4 in Florence, Italy. The University of Florence and the European Biodiesel Board, together with number of
(Argus Media) The Netherlands has launched the first system for the certification of all types of sustainable biomass. The system was launched last week by standardisation institute NEN and the Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI). The system is based on the Dutch
(EMM NewsBrief) Alternative fuels have the potential to gradually replace fossil energy sources and make transport sustainable by 2050, according to a report presented to the European Commission today by the stakeholder expert group on future transport fuels. The EU
(Chemrec) The European Union has approved the SEK 500 million (€55 million, $75 million) R&D grant awarded by the Swedish Energy Agency towards the industrial scale demonstration biofuels plant based on Chemrec’s gasification technology at the Domsjö Fabriker biorefinery in
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) It took the European Commission several stakeholder meetings, two public consultations and many more economic modelling studies to conclude that the indirect land use change (ILUC) effects of biofuel demand are not that obvious.
(IEA Bioenergy Task 39) The outlook consists of a set of market and sector income prospects elaborated on the basis of specific assumptions regarding macroeconomic conditions, the agricultural and trade policy environment, weather conditions and international market developments. The medium term
by Gregg Benzow (Deutsche Welle) ...The poisonous chemical dioxin was discovered in eggs and poultry last week and is believed to have stemmed from animal feed contaminated with industrial fats. ...The German feed manufacturer Harles & Jentzsch in Schleswig-Holstein said on Tuesday
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...#1 It’s a breakthrough year for Asian biofuels science and technology. Many scientific and technological developments that simmered away in Asian labs and pilot plants in 2010 are set to burst on the scene
(Europa.eu) An EU-funded collaboration between universities and industry is overcoming limitations in current technologies to develop new bioethanol engines. Driven by the need for more sustainable and less polluting sources of energy, the European Union is now more determined than ever to
by S.C. (TeatroNaturale International) The Commission published today (December 22, 2010) a report on indirect land use change related to biofuels and bioliquids. The report acknowledges that indirect land use change can reduce greenhouse gas emissions savings associated with biofuels,
(BIOLYFE) The BIOLYFE project aims at improving critical steps of the second generation bioethanol production process and at demonstrating the whole supply chain, from feedstock sourcing via fuel production to product utilisation. The main result will be the construction of an
(Europa) The European Commission has authorised under EU state aid rules a support of SEK222 million (approximately € 24 million) that Sweden intends to grant to the Gothenburg Biofuels Gasification (GoBiGas) research and development (R&D) project. Göteborg Energi AB, a Swedish energy
(Europa) The European Commission has authorised, under EU state aid rules, a €5 million investment aid for a pipeline infrastructure to transport waste CO2 from a bioethanol plant in Rotterdam to greenhouses in the “Zuidplaspolder”. The waste CO2 will be used
by Niki Koswanage (Reuters) Palm oil has production audit in place unlike other vegoils; Green palm oil production capacity growing. European Union rules requiring vegetable-oil based biofuels to come from eco-friendly sources may boost palm oil use in the sector as
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg Businessweek) Malaysia’s limited room for expanding palm oil cultivation means that industry growth will have to come from improving productivity, its plantation minister said. About 4.6 million hectares (11.4 million acres) of the southeast Asian nation’s 32 million
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The European Commission released the results this month of a biotechnology report that explores public perceptions of biotechnology, including biofuels. Over all, the Eurobarometer survey found that 80 percent of Europeans are either in favor
(MarketWatch/Linde) ...Linde is currently researching various production options aimed at gradually increasing the share of "green" sources in the hydrogen landscape. One of these uses liquid biomass (glycerine), a by-product of biodiesel production, as the feedstock. READ MORE From the report: The
By Robert Vierhout (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The eBIO brand is no longer. For five years it served the European fuel alcohol industry well. In those years, the industry has changed. Few players became many players and small players became big
(Marketwire) GreenGold Ray Energies announced today that due to the increase target by the European Union of 10% of fuel sold at the pump be bio-diesel by 2020, the company will expedite its land acquisition. According to GreenGold Ray Energies, the current
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Biofuels targets in the European Union could raise emissions of greenhouse gases because forests and wetlands will be destroyed to grow the crops necessary, nine environmental groups said in a study. ...The EU aims to get 10 percent
by Laura MacInnis (Reuters) BP is focusing its biofuel efforts on Brazilian sugar cane and U.S. energy grasses, holding off on investments in the rest of the world for the moment, a senior executive of the global energy group said on
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...On the one hand, the EU position to allow import of uncertified Malaysian palm biodiesel, but withhold EU subsidies, is not clear or comprehensive enough. On the Asian side, it involves only Malaysia, one
(The Star) The European Union Renewable Energy Directive (EU RED) and its sustainability criteria will not affect Malaysia’s palm oil exports to the EU market for consumer products like food, cosmetics and detergents, according to ambassador and head of the EU
by Teis Jensen and John Acher (Reuters) The technology to produce so-called second-generation bioethanol has moved beyond the research phase and is ready to be used if policymakers back it with incentives, Danish industry leaders said on Wednesday. ...Steen Riisgaard, head
(World Wildlife Fund) A new methodology that could deter the “indirect” conversion of virgin or tropical forests for biofuel production was published today by prominent consultancy Ecofys, WWF and Conservation International. The Responsible Cultivation Area [RCA] methodology could complement emerging bans
(Renewable Energy Focus) A consortium of research institutes, universities and industrial partners are looking for microorganisms with enzymes that could help process lignocellulosic biomass into biofuel. The EU-funded project, known as DISCO, is searching for microorganisms that can degrade lignocellulosic material. If successful,
by Dafydd ab Iago (EuroPolitics) The European organisation of farmers’ associations Copa-Cogeca warned, on 24 September, that schemes to verify the sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids may not be implemented by member states on time. READ MORE (subscription needed)
by Roland Hiederer, Fabien Ramos, et al. (European Commission Joint Research Centre) This study implements a new methodology developed by the JRC IES and IE for estimating changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soil and above- and below-ground biomass resulting
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest Asia) There’s blast furnace heat but little light so far in the debate on the UK biofuels target for 2020. Some advisors have urged that the current target of 10 percent be halved or entirely
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Biofuels made from plant waste and municipal trash rather than food crops could replace more than half of gasoline used in the European Union by 2020, industry analyst Bloomberg New Energy Finance said today. The 27-nation bloc could
(RiaNovosti) The European market is attractive for Russia due to its proximity and high prices. "Russia could become a supplier of oilseeds, oil, biodiesel and ethanol as alternative fuel, cattle and goat meat, game and aquaculture products to the European
(Friends of the Earth International) The African continent is increasingly being seen as a source of agricultural land and natural resources for the rest of the world. National governments and private companies are obtaining access to land across the continent
(International Federation of Agricultural Producers) ...The achievements and commitments of EU beet growers in adapting to and mitigating climate change, in particular through the provision of sustainably produced feedstock for renewable energy production, show the important role of farmers in
by Yans Felippe Geckler (IPS News) Brazil has begun a counterattack on the European Union's measures for certifying crop-based fuels, which could lead to import barriers for this energy source coming from the South American giant. ...The EU's certification requirements for
(Algae Industry Magazine) An article by Rene H. Wijffels and Maria J. Barbosa, of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, published in the current edition of Science Journal, details the challenges and opportunities of algal biofuel development from a European perspective.
(Better Sugar Cane Initiative, Ltd.) July was an historic month for the Better Sugar Cane Initiative. After three years of hard work involving literally dozens of people, we submitted our application to the EU for our certification system which includes our
(European Union for Oil and Protein Plants) A new US study on the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of soy-based diesel has been evaluated by Deutsches BiomasseForschungsZentrum (DBFZ). The study published by the United Soybean Board (USB) concludes that biodiesel produced
by Philippe Schild (Programme Officer, Directorate General Research, European Commission) In his presentation, Schild summarizes the mandated standards for biofuels in the EU, and ongoing programs to help meet these initiatives. Renewable fuel production research forms a substantial portion of
(Novozymes) ...Relying on agricultural and forestry residues and waste as feedstock, advanced biofuels can spur rural growth, promote job creation, increase energy security and save up to 90% CO2 emission. “Technology for advanced biofuels exists, but the sector needs clear political
(The Economist) Palm oil is a popular, cheap commodity, which green activists are doing their best to turn into a commercial liability. Companies are finding them impossible to ignore. ...The charges against palm oil are serious: environmental groups regard it as
by Martin Roberts and Michael Hogan (Reuters) Cheaper, local ingredients make bioethanol more profitable, and sustainable, than far more widely produced biodiesel in Europe, even though it adds to a surplus of conventional gasoline while diesel remains more in demand. ...However,
by K Rajani Kanth (Business Standard) Southern Online Biotechnologies Limited, a Hyderabad-based Internet services provider (ISP) and biodiesel manufacturer, is tapping the biodiesel export market and is expecting to garner Rs 75 crore forex revenues in the current financial year. “We have
(BERNAMA.com) The European Commission on Thursday (June 10, 2010) adopted guidelines to implement the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive which forms part of its 2008 climate and energy package. "The adopted package gives clear guidance to the Malaysian palm oil producers what
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest Asia) As if the global trade in biofuels wasn’t already fragmented enough, last week Europe weighed in with draconian legislation that effectively bans Asian producers of biodiesel that use what many experts believe to be
(Climate-L) To prepare for implementation of the 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive, the European Commission has released three documents on biofuels: a communication on voluntary schemes and default values in the EU biofuels and bioliquids sustainability scheme; a communication on the
by Beth Gardiner (New York Times) Ubiquitous in products from cookies to cosmetics, and increasingly in European fuel tanks, too, palm oil is driving the destruction of some of Southeast Asia’s last tracts of untouched rainforest and leading to huge
(Reuters) The greenest fuels would become the cheapest under plans for a pan-European energy tax which would also help governments tackle huge debts without raising taxes on workers, draft documents show. ...If approved by EU leaders, the new rules would be
(Reuters) Lufthansa is set to become one of the world's first airlines to mix biofuel with traditional kerosene on commercial flights as carriers seek ways to cut soaring fuel costs, its chief executive said. The German flag carrier will start running its
(LetsRecycle.com) Introducing ambitious Europe-wide targets for the separate collection of both food and garden waste could offer environmental and cost benefits worth more than €7billion (£6 billion) between 2013 and 2020, according to a report published as part of the
(European Environment Agency) While technological advances produce cleaner vehicles, more and more passengers and goods are travelling further distances, thereby offsetting efficiency gains. Based on analysis of long-term trends, a new European Environment Agency (EEA) report calls for a clear
(Environmental Protection) Gernot Pehnelt, Ph.D., director of GlobEcon, released a study that says the Renewable Energy Directive discriminates against foreign biofuels. “European Policies Towards Palm Oil: Sorting Out Some Facts,” demonstrates that the default assumptions embedded in the directive about the
"Global trade and environmental impact of the EU biofuels mandate" is the title of a study finalised by the International Food Policy Research Institute this 25 March 2010. The report is one of four studies commissioned by the European Commission
by Eric Petermann (The Journal-Standard) Furst-McNess has started a new business that markets a by-product of ethanol production, dry distillers’ grain, for use as a feed supplement for livestock, and has already established a relationship that exports that product to
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, Dr. Jurgen Ringbeck, Senior Partner of Booz & Co said “Fuel is strategic, and there is an argument that can be made that an energy monopoly will be dominating the aviation industry.” Dr. Ringbeck
At least 20% of the energy needs in Europe can be met by bioenergy from sustainable agriculture without compromising food safety and security. Key sustainability issues such as the use of water and maintenance of biodiversity can be respected. In
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The first tanker of ethanol has left Ensus, Europe’s largest wheat-based ethanol facility. Headed for the Netherlands, the cargo, which has been purchased by Shell as part of a long term deal, is a
by James Kanter (New York Times) A European lobbying group weighed in Tuesday on a fierce debate over the environmental value of using algae to produce biofuels for vehicles. The group, the European Algae Biomass Association, said members of its scientific
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