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(Reuters) Indonesia’s energy ministry plans to begin road tests for a biodiesel programme using 40% palm based bio-content (B40) in February, a senior government official said on Monday. The world’s largest palm oil producer mandated that biodiesel sold in the country be blended with 30% of palm-based biodiesel to cut its
Indonesia
by Jasmine Hines (ABC Capricornia) The native beauty leaf tree could be grown in large-scale plantations on marginal land for biofuel; Researcher Nanjappa Ashwath says the trees could produce 4,000 litres of biofuel per hectare each year; The bioenergy sector could contribute an extra $10 billion to the economy annually
January 12, 2022
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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
January 4, 2022
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(International Energy Agency) Renewables 2021 is the IEA’s primary analysis on the sector, based on current policies and market developments. It forecasts the deployment of renewable energy technologies in electricity, transport and heat to 2026 while also exploring key challenges to the industry and identifying barriers to faster growth. Renewables
December 31, 2021
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(Antara) The utilization of 30 percent biodiesel (B30) in 2021 helped Indonesia save US$4.54 billion in foreign exchange or equivalent to Rp64.6 trillion, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has informed. Director of downstream oil and gas business development at the ministry, Soerjaningsih, said oil fuel business entities (BU BBM)
December 24, 2021
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by Lauren Moffitt (Argus Media) Decarbonisation pledges have increased during a landmark year for global climate diplomacy with the UN’s Cop 26 climate conference, with investment in biofuels positioned centre stage of many transition plans. Asia-Pacific in 2022 will see an intensifying scramble to buttress feedstock supply chains ahead of several
December 23, 2021
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by Sean Pratt (Western Producer) There is a good news/bad news scenario emerging for canola oil in the European Union’s biodiesel sector, according to a Rabobank report. The bad news is that diesel demand is expected to fall with the increased adoption of electric and hydrogen vehicles. The electric share of new
December 20, 2021
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(AntaraNews.com) Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif has said that his ministry is currently preparing a strategic plan for developing Biodiesel 40 (B40), which contains 40 percent biofuel and 60 percent diesel. “Several strategies are being carried out to develop biodiesel; for instance, the development of green diesel through
December 3, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) RENEWABLES ON THE UP: The world is getting more renewables, but it won’t be enough to hit net-zero global emissions by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency’s 2021 renewables report released today. … IEA is also projecting strong biofuels growth this year, outpacing
December 1, 2021
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by Sanya S and Kenzu T (ANTARA) A special strategy is necessary for developing biofuel from nyamplung tree oil, a researcher from the biotechnology and forest plant breeding center of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Budi Leksono, has said. Currently, oil from the nyamplung tree, also known as tamanu, is mostly used in cosmetics
November 17, 2021
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(U.S. Grains Council/GrainNet) A new study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is out now that shows all vehicles in the study countries are highly likely to be compatible with E10. Motorcycles and scooters similarly analyzed in India and Indonesia have full compatibility with E10, and many are also compatible with E15. The
November 12, 2021
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by Victoria Cuming and Maia Godemer (BloombergNEF) The Group-of-20 countries have made headlines in recent months with some new pledges to achieve “net-zero” CO2 emissions by 2050 or, in China’s case, by 2060. But back in the here-and-now many of these nations continue to provide major funding for the production and
November 4, 2021
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by Joe Brock, Yuddy Cahya Budiman, John Geddie and Valerie Volcovici (Reuters) Consumer goods giants are funding projects to send plastic trash to cement plants, where it is burned as cheap energy. They’re touting it as a way to keep plastic out of dumps and use less fossil fuel. Critics
October 29, 2021
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(UK Department for International Trade) The countervailing duty on biodiesel from Indonesia was imposed by the EU on behalf of the UK and the other member states. The Secretary of State for International Trade transitioned the countervailing duty to continue applying in the UK after the transition period. A transition review
October 28, 2021
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by Steven Hermans (Phyconomy) Former CEO of Catalina Sea Ranch Phil Cruver is developing a submersible cage system to take tropical seaweed farming offshore and into a new era. In addition to providing higher yields, the cages should also protect from predators, storms and ice-ice disease. In 2010, KZO Sea Farms developed
October 10, 2021
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by Desmond Butler (Washington Post) … Global Witness’s two-year investigation is a rare behind-the-scenes look at the corruption, labor abuses and destructive environmental practices in an industry that is clearing carbon-rich rainforests and emitting greenhouse gases at a rate that has become a growing concern for climate scientists. The world’s
October 10, 2021
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(Jakarta Globe) State-owned oil company Pertamina successfully tested a new jet fuel product with a tiny blend of biofuel in a short-distance flight from Jakarta to Bandung on Wednesday. A CN-235 propeller aircraft manufactured by Dirgantara Indonesia functioned as a testbed aircraft to fly using Pertamina’s aviation biofuel product. “We made history
October 7, 2021
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by Julia MacCary (Planet Forward/Medill News Service) United Airlines offers a quick fix to neutralize your carbon emissions for a trip from Chicago to Los Angeles and back: $4.60 in carbon offsets. … Yet what’s more concerning is United’s offsets are “not even real” in taking carbon directly from the
October 1, 2021
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(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A shifting fuel standard in Australia could allow a larger role for ethanol in that market. To better understand the changes, the U.S. Grains Council’s Southeast Asia office presented “Ethanol: Decarbonization of Transport Fuel in the Bioeconomy” on Aug. 25. Partnering with Bioenergy Australia and Manildra
September 25, 2021
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by Leanne de Bassompierre, Saijel Kishan and Anthony Sguazzin (Bloomberg Green) In the impoverished West African country of Liberia, a unit of the world’s second-largest palm oil company has admitted to destroying forests and violating the rights of indigenous people. Yet its parent is among the industry’s leaders in investor ratings
September 16, 2021
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(Pertamina (Google Translation)) Pertamina prints a new milestone in the national aviation industry through the production of ‘Bioavtur J2.4’, an innovation of clean energy based on biofuels for air transportation modes. The trial of the use of Bioavtur J2.4 on the CN235 FTB aircraft is a sign of the superiority of the
September 10, 2021
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(The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC)/EurActiv) The decision to target palm oil was based on uncertain science and outdated knowledge which was used in counterintuitive policymaking. Despite continuous criticism from the palm oil industry, the EU appears to be indifferent when it comes to the politics of trade, affirming
September 7, 2021
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(Emerging Markets Online) New study! Renewable Diesel & Sustainable Aviation Fuels 2030, Vol 2. (249 pages, August 2021) focuses on low-carbon feedstock availability, technology pathways for low carbon renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation production. Renewable Diesel & Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) 2030 covers four key areas: 1) renewable diesel producer case studies
August 26, 2021
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by Amandeep Parmar (Argus Media) Chinese biodiesel and feedstock suppliers are diversifying to get more value for their money with ever-evolving European legislation regarding waste feedstock incentives. Brown grease is becoming increasingly fashionable among suppliers, of which 18 in China are now registered with the main International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
August 17, 2021
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by Adele Peters (Fast Company) In a series of floating seaweed farms off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, a catamaran travels back and forth through lines of dangling red algae. Custom technology on board automatically harvests and replants the seaweed, which quickly grows several feet long. The system is designed
August 2, 2021
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by Sugiharto Purnama, Uyu Liman (AntaraNews.com) Achievement of the B30 biodiesel development program demonstrates Indonesia’s success as a B30 pioneer, Dadan Kusdiana, Director General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry (ESDM), said. “Our provision and utilization of biodiesel have made us
July 27, 2021
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by Hans Nicholas Jong (Mongabay/Eco-Business) Increased adoption of electric vehicles could render redundant Indonesia’s biofuel infrastructure, which the government is touting as its chosen alternative to fossil fuels. The rapid development of electric vehicles looks set to overtake the biofuel infrastructure that Indonesia is investing heavily in, and could render
July 15, 2021
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by Adele Peters (Fast Company) Seaweed farming could be a potent weapon in the fight against climate change. But can it scale? — In a series of floating seaweed farms off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, a catamaran travels back and forth through lines of dangling red algae. Custom technology
July 14, 2021
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(Biofuels International) The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) has again urged the European Union to revise its approach on vegetable oils in biofuels. This comes under the framework of RED II in light of the upcoming revision of the directive on 14 July. Additionally there is the Commission’s
July 8, 2021
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by Aditya Kondalamahanty (S&P Global) Indonesia’s use of palm oil to make biodiesel to rise by 23% by 2030; Biodiesel use projected to increase by 7% over coming decade; Palm oil production expected to weaken on sustainability, land constraints Indonesia will be the main driver for increasing use of vegetable oil as feedstock
July 8, 2021
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(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
July 7, 2021
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by Haryanto and Filda Citra Yusgiantoro (The Diplomat) The country has abundant resources of biomass, a great potential source of renewable energy. — … Indonesia has abundant resources of biomass. Indeed, many of the forms of biomass that can be used to generate bioenergy, such as food crops, forest residues, urban waste, and algae,
June 24, 2021
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(Palm Oil Monitor) Last week the Commission released its ‘Climate Taxonomy’ document. Basically, this is a new set of regulations that determine whether an investment by an EU bank or institution can be considered ‘climate friendly’. This regulation has been in train for some time, and is likely to have major ramifications going
June 21, 2021
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by Mei Mei Chu and Emma Farge (Reuters) -The World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreed to a request from Kuala Lumpur to establish a panel examining a European Union law that restricts the use of palm oil-based biofuels, Malaysia’s government and a Geneva-based trade source said on Monday. Under the EU’s renewable energy
June 19, 2021
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(Indonesia Palm Oil Facts) Leading Indonesian political and media outlets have promoted the growing possibility of a ban on all Belgian milk and dairy products entering Indonesia, following Belgian Minister Zakia Khattabi’s decision to ban Indonesian palm oil biofuels from entering Belgium. The official Indonesian Parliament website carries the comments of Dr. Herman
June 1, 2021
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by Kim Chipman (Bloomberg) Oil refiners’ attempt to clean up their act is bumping into growing concerns over food prices and supplies as nations seek to get back on their feet — Soaring demand for crops has once again raised the question of whether nations should really depend on ethanol
May 21, 2021
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(Antara News) In the framework to run the direction of the President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) regarding the Grand National Energy Strategy for energy transformation and strengthening green economy, green technology and green products, PT Pertamina (Persero) continues to prioritize various energy transition programs towards new and renewable energy by utilizing the
May 20, 2021
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by Tom Brown (Independent Commodity Intelligence Services) Shifting government priorities are continuing to weigh on the growth of biofuels, with the policy-driven sector buffeted by delays in new legislation and low fossil fuel costs. The public commitments by most governments to emissions-reduction, and the decarbonisation of heavy industry to meet
May 14, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The International Energy Agency published “Renewables 2020”, an analysis and forecast through 2025 of the impact of Covid-19 on renewables in the electricity, heat and transport sectors. We pulled the transport and biofuels pieces so you can find out what the IEA says about Covid-19’s
April 27, 2021
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(Clariant) Indonesian oil & gas company Pertamina and Clariant collaboratively evaluate the feasibility of sunliquid® technology to convert available regional feedstocks into advanced biofuels; Technology evaluation and conceptual engineering study also cornerstone to the work; Pertamina presented project collaboration details at Hannover Messe Clariant, a focused, sustainable, and innovative specialty
April 20, 2021
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by Tenny Kristiana and Chelsea Baldino (International Council on Clean Transportation) Because of its abundant biofuel feedstocks, Indonesia has the potential to produce biofuels via a number of pathways, including using different technologies and feedstocks to create different fuels. There is strong policy support in the country for biodiesel, and the government
April 20, 2021
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … What is the overall demand and market like? What about feedstock innovations? Are there clear technology winners? In today’s Digest, some new facilities, some conversions, some increased capacity, what are the key trends we are seeing in renewable diesel, what might the future
April 19, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Derived from widely available plant material, JANUS coated paper can be custom-shaped and when coated, creates moisture resistance equivalent to petroleum-coated products. Unlike the old school petroleum-coated paper, J&J’s green paper technology is recyclable, compostable and made with zero petroleum additives, making it safe
April 13, 2021
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by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) With so many options showing up at some gas stations, what should I choose? E85 and Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) We’ve retrofitted my 2002 Ford Focus to be able to use E85, 85% renewable ethanol. (Watch the video!) You can also buy flex fuel vehicles
April 13, 2021
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by Amir Imran Husain Safri (The Sun Daily) Palm oil-based biofuel demand from the European Union (EU) might disappear before the end-2030 implementation deadline imposed by Europe’s Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II), according to Sumwin Group’s founder and CEO, U.R. Unnithan. The directive’s indirect land-use change (ILUC) risk criteria dictate
March 29, 2021
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(Biofuels International) Malaysia will discuss with Indonesia a plan to formulate the best strategy to protect the oil palm industry of both countries for the future. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has called for the framework of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) to be strengthened
February 25, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The hot-off-the-press Renewable Fuels Association’s 2021 Ethanol Industry Outlook focuses on ethanol as an ‘essential energy’ to address the challenges of climate change, food and energy security, and rural prosperity. Now in its 22nd year, it provides key statistics, trends, and analysis on the latest
February 22, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There’s news from Planet Honeywell UOP, that they’ve achieved a one-step conversion to renewable diesel for selected feedstocks. It’s notable for two reasons. First, it reduces the capex for certain eligible feedstocks — right now, think quality plant oils, not rendering fats or used cooking oil.
February 10, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable diesel, all 9 billion gallons built, under construction, in planning – Take a deep dive into the latest hot renewable diesel news and a special Digest presentation that asks will all of these billions of gallons fleet get built? If not, who are the potential
February 9, 2021
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(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP)/Biobased Diesel Daily) The accounting of biofuels with a high risk of indirect land use change (iLUC) will end in Austria July 1. This exclusion is provided for in the late-January amended legal provision of the fuel ordinance. The Austrian federal
February 2, 2021
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by Jane O’Malley, Stephanie Searle, and Tenny Kristiana (International Council on Clean Transportation) As Indonesia moves toward more advanced vehicle emission standards, lower sulfur limits in fuel, and palm biodiesel expansion, it is important to understand the impact that increasing palm biodiesel blending rates is likely to have on vehicle emissions. This
January 16, 2021
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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
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(ANTARA) The Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) pressed for the government to speed up the development of biofuel as a better alternative to using fossil fuel. “We have to develop biofuel as a substitute for fossil fuel. We have already conducted several research on biofuel, especially
January 8, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Digest today releases its annual review of biofuels mandates and targets around the world, looking at the state of biofuels mandates in 65 countries. Get the latest up to the minute new information on the Canada Clean Fuels Standard as well as a
January 8, 2021
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(Malay Mail) A nimble push into higher biodiesel blends such as B40 — 40 per cent blend of palm oil-derived biodiesel — by Indonesia and B30 by Malaysia will help to mitigate the negative effects of the European Union’s (EU) lower palm oil demand for biofuel, the Malaysian Biodiesel Association said.
January 5, 2021
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(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
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by Bernadette Christina and Fathin Ungku (Reuters) Policy adjustments required to sustain biodiesel subsidies; Biodiesel program may see $865 mln deficit in 2021-economist; Price gap between crude palm oil and diesel widened in 2020 … The world’s biggest producer of palm oil makes it mandatory for diesel to be blended with
December 3, 2020
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by Amandeep Parmar (Argus Media) A new free-trade agreement (FTA) between 15 Asia-Pacific countries will phase out tariffs on a host of biofuels and feedstocks, although existing trade flows may limit the immediate market impact. The Regional Economic Comprehensive Partnership (RCEP) was signed yesterday by China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New
November 17, 2020
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by 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
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(Today Online/Reuters) Indonesia is unlikely to proceed with plans to raise the bio-content of its palm oil-based biodiesel to 40% next year as it struggles to fund the programme, an energy ministry official told parliament on Monday. Instead, the Southeast Asian country will retain its biodiesel B30 programme which makes
November 16, 2020
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(Fitch Ratings) The Indonesian government may rein in its push to increase use of biodiesel as it now comes at higher cost following a fall in crude oil prices and sustained strength in crude palm oil (CPO) prices, Fitch Ratings says. Biodiesel is now much more expensive than regular diesel,
November 13, 2020
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by Tammy Klein (Future Fuel Strategies) … India is the largest consumer of palm oil. It is an extremely versatile ingredient that is firmly a part of our daily lives. According to WWF, palm oil is present in close to 50% of the packaged goods we regularly buy from supermarkets or online
October 29, 2020
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(Wärtsilä) … The Wärtsilä 34DF engines can operate on a variety of fuels. This flexibility will allow the plant to switch to operating on natural gas when it becomes locally available. Initially the engines will run on Indonesian B30 biodiesel. The fast-starting flexibility of the engines will also enable the integration
October 22, 2020
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(University of Leeds) Tapping into the myriad uses of plants and fungi could save people and the planet, says new report — University of Leeds researchers have joined forces with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to conduct research into the plants and fungi that could be used as a source of
October 7, 2020
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(International Trade Administration/Federal Register) The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on biodiesel from Indonesia for the period of review (POR) April 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020, based on the timely withdrawal of the request for review. READ MORE Department
September 30, 2020
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by Rohan Somwanshi, Shikha Singh and Mugunthan Kesavan (S&P Global Platts) US corn sales to China shows insufficient domestic supply; US ethanol output blip will not impact DDGS exports to Southeast Asia; Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand to stay top buyers of US DDGS China is expected to maintain a steady ethanol program despite a
September 30, 2020
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(Honeywell UOP) National Oil Company of Indonesia to open green fuels refinery in Plaju and revamp Cilacap refinery for renewable diesel production — Honeywell today announced PT Pertamina (Persero) will use Honeywell UOP technologies to produce advanced biofuels at its Plaju and Cilacap refineries in Indonesia. The company will use UOP Renewable
September 29, 2020
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(Nikkei Asian Review) Southeast Asian production rises while palm oil waste also takes the spotlight — Japanese biofuel companies are expanding their production of fuel from sources such as algae and palm oil waste, despite the current lack of demand from the aviation industry and falling oil prices due to the
September 15, 2020
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(Reuters) Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, plans to revise its palm oil export levy rules to allow higher collection when prices increase, a senior cabinet minister told Reuters, as part of moves to underpin an ambitious biodiesel programme. Since June this year, Indonesia has collected a maximum $55
September 10, 2020
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(U.S. Grains Council) A boom in demand for hand sanitizer in South Korea since the outbreak of COVID-19 is no shocker, but the related jump in U.S. ethanol imports to the country to meet that need may be more surprising. Even more importantly, this uptick in demand is opening doors for
September 7, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, biobased mandates around the world. Where are the markets you can count on, how much can you count on? 65 countries in all, We’ll be focusing especially on new information out of Argentina, Brazil, Britain after Brexit, Canada, the European Union, China, India, Indonesia,
September 7, 2020
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(Feed & Grain News) Boom in demand for hand sanitizer in South Korea is related to jump in U.S. ethanol imports to the country — A boom in demand for hand sanitizer in South Korea since the outbreak of COVID-19 is no shocker, but the related jump in U.S. ethanol imports
September 4, 2020
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by Fransiska Nangoy (Reuters) Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil exporter, plans to finish research into biodiesel containing 40% palm oil by November, the head of the energy ministry’s research department said on Wednesday. The country will implement the mandatory use of biodiesel containing 40% palm oil, known as B40, in
August 27, 2020
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(Today/Reuters) Indonesia may further increase palm oil export levies in future to support its ambitious biodiesel programme as the price of crude oil is expected to remain weak next year, a senior Finance Ministry official said on Wednesday. Indonesia collects levies from palm oil exports to fund the cost difference between
August 20, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At DigestConnect this past Thursday, we talked about the latest the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, how the LCFS relates to the Renewable Fuel Standard and energy values, we compared the value stack for 5 popular transport molecules – gasoline, diesel, ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and renewable
August 19, 2020
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(University of Hohenheim) In Sumatra, smallholders in particular have a key function, according to a study on the conversion of rainforests into monocultures and their effects — Oil palm plantations as far as the eye can see. In addition to a dramatic decline in many animal and plant species, such plantations often lead
August 17, 2020
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by Brian Flood (Bloomberg Law) Biodiesel imports hit with countervailing duties up to 64.73%; Court faults subsidy finding regarding Indonesia export tariff — The Commerce Department must revisit and possibly lower anti-subsidy duties on imports of biodiesel from Indonesia, the U.S. Court of International Trade said, questioning whether an Indonesian export
August 14, 2020
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(Palm Oil Monitor) Indonesia has picked up a number of allies in its battle with the EU over the bloc’s ban of palm oil in its renewable energy scheme. An additional 18 countries have reserved their rights to participate in the proceedings as third parties. These include palm producers Malaysia, Thailand, Guatemala,
August 11, 2020
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Following a successful production trial of 100 percent renewable diesel (RD100), Indonesia’s state-owned oil company Pertamina is ready to scale up its investments in renewable diesel, biobased jet fuel and green gasoline. Pertamina concluded a production trial in July of RD100 from refined, bleached and deodorized
August 5, 2020
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Bernadette Christina, and Fathin Ungku (Reuters) Indonesia’s plans to raise the bio-content of its palm oil-based biodiesel to 40% – known as B40 – is back on schedule with a target for implementation by July 2021, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said on Thursday. Indonesia, which has been increasing
July 31, 2020
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by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Indonesia, the Secretariat of Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) acknowledges the statement by the European Commissioner for Trade on behalf of the European Commission in response to parliamentary question E-001194/2020, which may indicate a new willingness by Europe to collaborate with palm oil producing countries to foster
July 28, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed last week’s DigestConnect webinar, have no fear, the full deck is here! From 11 pathways on who’s doing what, how and with what, 21 projects and who’s running them and where, 13 fast emerging projects and who’s converting, constructing, planning and where,
July 27, 2020
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by Alan P. Mammoser (Biodiesel Magazine) Biofuels will likely play an important role in a hoped-for transformation to a low-carbon economy. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, they will need to play a large role in the direct application of renewables to decarbonize heavy transport including road freight, shipping and
July 24, 2020
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by Bernadette Christian Munthe and Fathin Ungku (Reuters) … The new jet fuel will be made in Pertamina’s existing facilities in Cilacap by “co-processing” crude oil with 3% refined, bleached and deodorised palm oil (RBDO), she said. Like Pertamina’s D100, Indonesia plans to eventually produce “green” jet fuel made up of
July 24, 2020
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by Wilda Asmarini and Fathin Ungku (Reuters) Indonesia’s state oil company PT Pertamina produced its first successful batch of biodiesel made up of 100% palm oil (D100) in its Dumai refinery last week and is set to produce 1,000 barrels per day (bpd), the company said on Wednesday. Indonesia, which has
July 16, 2020
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by Hans Nicholas Jong (Mongabay/EcoBusiness) Campaigners have blasted the move, noting that the fund is meant to empower small oil palm farmers and not subsidise the giant multinationals that produce biodiesel. — … The social and travel restrictions imposed in response to the pandemic have hit Indonesia’s economy hard, and small oil
July 2, 2020
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(U.S. Energy Information Administration/Biomass Magazine) U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel, which include biodiesel and renewable diesel, grew 26 percent in 2019 to more than 27,000 barrels per day (b/d), reversing three years of decline. Imports of biomass-based diesel increased in 2019 because of the increase in renewable diesel imports from
July 2, 2020
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(Biofuels International) The Indonesian government approved regulations regarding the use of biodiesel as a substitute for fossil fuel across all economic sectors in 2018. Recently the South East Asian government mandated to mix 20% biodiesel with 80% fossil fuel (B20). And at the end of last year the country launched
July 1, 2020
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by Mei Mei Chu (Today) Malaysia, the world’s second largest palm oil producer, will take legal action against the European Union’s restrictions on palm oil-based biofuels with the World Trade Organization (WTO), calling the policy a “discriminatory action”. Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said on Wednesday the
July 1, 2020
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(The Edge Markets/Bernama) With demand for crude oil dropping sharply, leading to a steep fall in crude oil prices, the viability of the biodiesel business has also weakened significantly, putting both Malaysia and Indonesia’s biodiesel mandates under pressure. However, there is a silver lining in the dark clouds, as the world has seen
June 26, 2020
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by Tabita Diela, Bernadette Christina Munthe and Fransiska Nangoy (Reuters) Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, is pushing back by three years its target to produce fuel made entirely from palm oil, a government document showed on Tuesday. The government initially aimed to start producing the so-called “green diesel”
June 17, 2020
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(U.S. Energy Information Administration/Biodiesel Magazine) U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel, which include biodiesel and renewable diesel, grew 26 percent in 2019 to more than 27,000 barrels per day (more than 413.9 MMgy), ending two years in a row of decline. Imports of biomass-based diesel increased in 2019 because of the
June 10, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Everything’s better with biology, so here’s The Digest’s newly released Top 15 case studies of today’s hottest technology and new markets for traditional oil and gas refiners. What are our top picks? Spoiler Alert: The top 15 may include converting oil refineries to biorefineries, something to
June 10, 2020
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(U.S. Grains Council) U.S. ethanol can now enter the Indonesian market by way of pre-blended fuel, following the recent removal of a ban on pre-blended product entering the country. This change creates a potential market of more than 200 million gallons (71 million bushels in corn equivalent). The market development efforts
June 1, 2020
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(Neste) Neste has updated its traceability dashboard which provides detailed data on the company’s palm oil and palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD, a processing residue of refining food-quality palm oil) supply chains. The site provides a map service from which users can find the locations of Neste’s suppliers and review data on suppliers’
May 22, 2020
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by Gayatri Suroyo, Tabita Diela, Bernadette Christina Munthe and Fransiska Nangoy (Reuters) The Indonesian government is considering alternate plans to increase subsidies for the country’s ambitious biodiesel programme after crude oil prices tumbled, a finance ministry official said on Wednesday. A historic crash in oil prices this year has widened the
May 14, 2020
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by Bernadette Christina (Reuters) Indonesia is likely to delay plans to raise bio-content in palm oil-based biodiesel to 40%, and keep going with an already ambitious 30% content, a senior official said, amid speculation that low crude prices could force a government re-think. The biodiesel programme is a key part of the
May 11, 2020
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(Biofuels International) Malaysian palm oil producers have been urged to use technology to improve yield as the industry wrestles with concerns about sustainability, the chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) revealed. Malaysia, the world’s second biggest palm oil producer, has set a cap of 6.5 million hectares on
May 1, 2020
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Grains Council is soliciting applications for seven advisory teams (A-Teams), including the Ethanol A-Team. According to the USGC, A-Team members gain expertise on trade policy and market development topics. In addition, their input helps form the backbone of the USGC’s operations and long-term
April 14, 2020
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by Norman Harsono & Wahyoe Boediwardhana (Jakarta Post) Indonesia’s plan to roll out sugarcane-based biogasoline will miss another deadline this year as upstream problems in the country’s sugarcane heartland remain unsolved. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry issued five years ago a regulation mandating the nationwide use of 10 percent
April 9, 2020
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(IHS Markit/FO Licht) There is also early evidence that as restrictions have been lifted in China, more people there are preferring to travel by private cars or taxis rather than taking public transport—it is highly likely this will happen in Europe too. … For the EU-27, diesel demand in 2020
April 7, 2020
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by Lauren Moffitt (Argus Media) Indonesia is delaying implementation of its 40pc biodiesel blending (B40) programme indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. Trials were due to begin in March with a roll-out planned for 2021. The government is eager to push higher blending mandates to reduce reliance on expensive foreign oil and support the
April 6, 2020
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by Akshat Rathi (Bloomberg Green) C16 Biosciences uses yeast to convert food waste and industrial byproducts into a sustainable alternative. Breakthrough Energy Ventures, helmed by Bill Gates, is leading an investment round of $20 million for C16 Biosciences, a New York-based startup, which is working on making sustainable alternatives for palm oil. The
April 1, 2020
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(The Jakarta Post) Experts have expressed doubt about President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s plan to increase the palm oil content in biodiesel to 40 percent on a mass scale by next year from 30 percent at present. They say producers may fail to meet the increase in demand and the quality
March 17, 2020
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(Antara News) Implementation of the B30 biodiesel fuel program, a diesel fuel blended with 30-percent palm-based biofuel, is expected to absorb 9.6 million kiloliters (KL) of domestic biodiesel in 2020, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita stated. “The B30 program is expected to absorb 9.6 million kiloliters of domestic biodiesel in
March 6, 2020
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(AZO Cleantech) Despite the rising controversy over the sustainability of vegetable oil biofuels, these products are increasingly being utilized as a substitute for fossil fuels. — In a recent study headed by the University of Gottingen, scientists analyzed the impact of palm-oil biodiesel on greenhouse gas emissions for the whole life cycle. The scientists
March 3, 2020
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(Palm Oil Monitor) This week Indonesia and the EU are meeting in Geneva for a WTO consultation over the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The meeting is the culmination of a months-long public battle of words over the introduction of the measure. Over the past few months Indonesian lawmakers and
February 28, 2020
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by Translator: Ricky Mohammad Nugraha (Tempo.co) The Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Stef Blok said the Netherlands is not backing the European Union biofuel ban that targets Indonesia-produced crude palm oil (CPO). However, Blok asserts that this issue must not be dragged out any further and Indonesia must pursue a sustainable way of producing CPO. The foreign affairs
February 21, 2020
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by Yoga Rusmana and Eko Listiyorini (Bloomberg) Just as the world’s top sugar traders forecast a global shortage of the commodity, No. 1 raw-sugar importer Indonesia says it wants a record amount of the sweet stuff. … Global sugar prices have surged about 12 per cent this year for the
February 13, 2020
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Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)) European agriculture urgently needs reliable sales alternatives to stabilise its agricultural revenue. This is one of the central concerns of farmers in the European Union currently taking to the streets. The “Green Deal” announced by the European Commission could and should create the
February 10, 2020
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The 12th PALMEX Indonesia 2021 is the only specialized Palm Oil event in Asia that brings together an international congregation of both upstream and downstream palm oil companies and also its supporting industries gathered in the capital city of North Sumatera, Medan to showcase the latest developments in the palm
February 3, 2020
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by Wilda Asmarini (Reuters) Indonesia state energy company PT Pertamina has ended a partnership with Italian oil, gas and power firm Eni SpA to process palm oil into fuel, Pertamina’s chief executive told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday. Pertamina’s Nicke Widyawati said during the hearing that Eni required internationally recognised certification for
January 31, 2020
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by Norman Harsono (Jakarta Post) Over the past five years, state-owned electricity company PLN has been intensifying the use of palm oil in its diesel-fired power plants but, going forward, the company is intent on slowing down usage out of technical concerns. PLN president director Zulkifli Zaini said on Tuesday that
January 31, 2020
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by Mei Mei Chu (Reuters) Average palm oil prices will surge 17.9% this year, a Reuters poll of industry participants showed, as reduced output in the first half of the year and higher biodiesel consumption in top producers Indonesia and Malaysia tighten the market. … Indonesia and Malaysia together account for
January 22, 2020
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(Biofuels International) A new study carried out by economic modelling experts from Purdue University in the US has found the impacts of US biofuel policy on deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia to be insignificant. The study, titled ‘US Biofuel Production and Policy Implications for Land Use Changes in Malaysia and
January 21, 2020
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(Jakarta Post) Bus operators have complained that 20 percent blended biodiesel (B20) has caused their engines to run poorly, providing a cautionary message for future developments as Indonesia envisions a future with unblended pure biodiesel to fuel vehicles across the country. Young Indonesian Autobus Entrepreneurs Association (IPOMI) head Kurnia Lesani Adnan told tempo.co that
January 17, 2020
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(Government Europa) Italian regulators today (January 15, 2020) fined Italy’s oil giant Eni over advertisements on TV and in newspapers, digital media and petrol stations that falsely claimed Eni Diesel+ was ‘green’. The watchdog states that the marketing campaign deceives consumers when it claims that the ‘green’ diesel has a positive
January 16, 2020
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by Telly Nathalia (Jakarta Globe) he European Union had provoked a “trade war” by issuing discriminative restrictions on Indonesian palm oil, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo tweeted on Saturday. “Indonesia has 13 million hectares of oil palm plantations that produce 46 million tons [of crude palm oil, or CPO] per year. The EU
January 14, 2020
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by Bernadette Christina Munthe, Wilda Asmarini (Reuters) Indonesia’s energy ministry plans to start road tests for a biodiesel programme with 40% bio-content (B40) in April, a government official said on Thursday. Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, last year had increased the mandatory bio-content of its biodiesel programme to 30%, known
January 10, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 64 countries have targets or mandates – but how much where, and when, and what? Besides the EU, the major blending mandates that will drive global demand are those set in the US, China and Brazil – each of which has set targets – or, in
January 2, 2020
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by Donavan Lim (S&P Global Platts) Indonesian PME exports to sink; CPO production stalls; B30 to support consumption — Analysts and traders fixated on the elevated crude palm oil stockpile at the beginning of 2019 are left cheering as CPO stocks fell across Malaysia and Indonesia while prices rallied to MR 2,684/mt (US
December 27, 2019
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by Ed Davies and Philip Blenkinsop (Reuters/Jakarta Post) What started as a spat with the European Union over Indonesian palm oil has escalated into a far broader trade dispute with imported European spirits and now dairy products caught in the crossfire. Trade tensions have ratcheted up since the European Commission concluded
December 26, 2019
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(ITOCHU Corporation) ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Yoshihisa Suzuki, President and COO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it has decided to conduct an overseas demonstration project (hereinafter the “Demonstration Project”) in collaboration with euglena Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Mitsuru Izumo, President: hereinafter “euglena Co.”) to culture euglena
December 17, 2019
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by Jane Chung (Reuters) * S.Korea No.1 biofuel maker testing marine fuel products – exec; * Clear IMO guidelines, legislation for biofuel blending needed; * Says capacity expansion under consideration — SK Chemicals , South Korea’s top biofuel maker, has started tests on blending its biodiesel with petroleum-based fuels to create low-sulphur marine oil
December 16, 2019
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(China Dialogue/Future Fuel Strategies) … But the positive changes have been more than negated by growth in demand for unsustainable palm oil from other markets. No country plays a larger role than China, the chief destination for Indonesian exports and among the top consumers of palm oil. Imports of palm oil into
December 13, 2019
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by M Razi RahmanSuharto (Antara News) The Indonesian government should formulate a roadmap for the use of 30 percent blended biodiesel (B30) in the maritime and fishery sector since it will have a wide-ranging impact on maritime aspects, an executive stated. “The vast majority of business agents engaged in the
December 13, 2019
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(Malay Mail/Bernama) Crude palm oil (CPO) prices would be able to sustain its current upward momentum if governments, particularly those from the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), could coordinate allocation increases under the biodiesel mandates, says palm oil expert Dr James Fry. Fry, who is also the chairman of
December 11, 2019
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by Wilda Asmarini, Bernadette Christina Munthe and Fransiska Nangoy (Reuters) Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, plans to implement a biodiesel program with 40% bio-content (B40) between 2021 and 2022, a government official said on Tuesday. From January, Southeast Asia’s largest economy is set to bring in biodiesel with 30%
December 11, 2019
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by Philip Blenkinsop (Reuters) The European Union confirmed tariffs on Indonesian biodiesel imports on Monday to counter what it sees as unfair subsidies, the latest blow to producers after the bloc ruled that palm oil should be phased out of renewable transport fuels. In the conclusion to a case that has
December 9, 2019
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byAhmad Rafiq (Temp.co) … The former governor of Jakarta (Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or known as Ahok) was officially named a chief commissioner of Pertamina by State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Erick Thohir on November 25. … The board of commissioners, he mentioned, would continuously push for the development of biofuel production.
December 6, 2019
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by Norman Harsono (Jakarta Post) Biodiesel industry stakeholders have completed a five-month road test, whereby 11 vehicles were driven up to 50,000 kilometers using 30 percent blended biodiesel (B30), as the government is set to mandate the biofuel usage starting early next year. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, as the
December 2, 2019
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(Antara News) Indonesia has invited Mexico to conduct research together to develop palm oil-based biofuel as renewable energy during the third meeting of the Indonesia-Mexico Consultative Committee on Agriculture (CCA) held in Mexico City. At the meeting, held on November 21 and 22, 2019, the Indonesian delegation led by the
November 27, 2019
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by Ian Morse (Washington Post) Now, a growing appetite for electric vehicles is creating new demand for nickel, whose chemical derivatives are increasingly used in cathodes of lithium-ion batteries. But the push for clean energy is coming at an environmental cost to forests and fisheries in one of the world’s most biodiverse
November 25, 2019
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by Elizabeth Pineau (Reuters) France’s parliament on Friday voted to remove tax breaks for the use of palm oil as a biofuel, a day after a ruling in favour of maintaining the advantage led to howls of protests from environmentalists. A large majority of members present voted against a government-backed proposal
November 18, 2019
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(Tempo.co) Minister of Trade Agus Suparmanto affirmed that Indonesia would file a lawsuit against the European Union (EU) to the World Trade Organization (WTO) this year. The suit would be lodged following the EU’s plan to ban the use of crude palm oil as biofuel fuel starting 2030. “We will schedule it, at
November 13, 2019
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by Bernadette Christina Munthe and Fransiska Nangoy (Reuters) Indonesia will run a comprehensive trial for its B30 biodiesel programme in mid-November or early December, Paulus Tjakrawan, vice chairman of Indonesian Biofuel Producers Association, said on Friday. The country aims to implement in 2020 a mandatory programme for biodiesel containing 30% of
November 11, 2019
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by Nur Yasmin (Jakarta Globe) Djoko Siswanto, secretary general of the National Energy Committee, said Indonesia is developing green fuel as an end-product of palm oil, to reduce the country’s reliance on costly oil imports. Green fuel is a mix of palm oil and regular fuel. “We are testing it at two
November 7, 2019
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by Lucas Hall (ICIS) An increase in global biodiesel production is likely to further lengthen the world’s glycerine supply glut in 2020 as higher biodiesel mandates increase the supply of crude glycerine by-product. … One factor market participants are watching is the growth of renewable diesel production around the globe. Renewable
November 7, 2019
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by Nur Yasmin (Jakarta Globe) Indonesia’s B30 biofuel plan, which will become effective at the beginning of January next year, will further increase domestic consumption of palm oil and prop up the price of the commodity, analysts said. The average palm oil price has rebounded to $650 per metric ton this
November 5, 2019
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by Tom Forrest (ABC News) A bamboo school and turning fried chicken oil into fuel — this is what school life has been for two young sisters making biofuel for school buses and a unique motorcycle in Indonesia. — …Speaking to the ABC during a family holiday in Western Australia’s
November 4, 2019
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(Toshiba) Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (hereinafter, “Toshiba ESS”) today announced that the company has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with state-owned electric company, Perusahaan Listrik Negara (hereinafter, “PLN”), on an accelerated adoption of the independent hydrogen-based energy supply system, H2One™, in the country. A signing ceremony was held
October 24, 2019
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(International Energy Agency) Replacing a portion of gasoline and diesel demand with biofuels is a means of increasing a country’s domestic fuel supply — Improving security of supply is a fundamental reason for the introduction of biofuel policy support in China, India and Indonesia, which in turn has raised production prospects.
October 22, 2019
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by Hans Nicholas Jong (Mongabay.com/Eco-Business) A European member of parliament says the bloc isn’t concerned about threats by Indonesia and Malaysia to file a trade complaint over an EU policy to phase out palm oil-based biofuels by 2030. The two Southeast Asian countries have denounced the EU policy as discriminatory. — The
October 15, 2019
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by Tan Xue Ying (The Edge Markets) Concerned by the impact of low commodity prices on livelihoods of Malaysians in the plantation sector, the government has proposed a palm oil replanting loan fund of RM550 million. In the budget speech 2020 in parliament today, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the
October 15, 2019
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by Geert De Clercq and Gus Trompiz (Reuters) France’s constitutional court on Friday upheld a law excluding palm oil from the country’s biofuel scheme, rejecting an appeal by energy company Total (TOTF.PA) which says the measure puts at risk its production site in southern France. The legislation will remove palm
October 14, 2019
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(Antara News) The Indonesian government will prepare to take legal action at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to challenge the European Union (EU) over its Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) and Delegated Regulation (DR). The lawsuit plan was rolled out over concerns of the regulation directly impacting the Indonesian
October 10, 2019
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by Faisal Yunianto and Sri Haryati (Antara News) State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Persero is working with private logistical railway service firms Servo Railway and Progress Rail for designing locomotives run on B100 biodiesel. The cooperation is a follow-up of the government’s plan to step up palm
October 1, 2019
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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