by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Year-round 15% ethanol-gas blend by summer now seen at risk; Shutdown could join trade war in limiting farmer income -- ... The government shutdown that Trump says could last "a long time" without funding for
China
Back TO HOMEDriving Opportunities to Expand the Market
by Emily Skor (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... We expect a proposed rule in February, followed by a public hearing and comment process. President Donald Trump’s administration has clearly stated its intention to have a rule in place by June 1—when
January 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Mandates around the World 2019
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Digest today (January 1, 2019) releases its annual review of biofuels mandates and targets around the world, looking at the state of biofuels mandates in 65 countries. The bulk of mandates continue to come
January 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Waste Accumulation Problems and Opportunities
by Zoltan Kish (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) ... In 2016, the Ontario government released its Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario [2], diverting our wasteful ways towards an entirely circular economy, but it doesn’t seem to be widely discussed. This strategy requires appropriate tools
December 26, 2018 Read Full Article
The Tiny Money App Running ahead of M-Pesa in Ethiopia
(Standard Media) ... Part of the reforms involve opening up the telecommunications sector to limited private investment through floating shares in the State-owned monopoly Ethio Telecom and granting licences to new service providers. One of these providers slowly building traction in Ethiopia is
December 26, 2018 Read Full Article
China's Ethanol Love May Be Antidote for Slumping U.S. Farms
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Producers hopeful Chinese ethanol purchases are coming next; Biofuel, made from corn, helps support farm-belt growth -- A little love from China in the U.S. ethanol market during the trade-war detente between Washington and Beijing could go a long
December 24, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Producers Seek Pricing Reform as Markets Plunge, ADM Sells
by Jarrett Renshaw and Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) U.S. ethanol producers stung by collapsing prices are seeking changes to the way benchmark values for the biofuel are established, arguing the current system used by exchanges is vulnerable to manipulation, according to sources. The push
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Exclusive: White House Delays New Farm Aid Payments on China Trade Hopes - Sources
by Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The White House is delaying additional payments from a $12 billion aid package for farmers stung by President Donald Trump’s trade war with China because it expects Beijing to resume buying U.S. soybeans, three sources
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Collaboration Is the Name of the Game at RSB’s 2018 Annual Meeting – Event Wrap-up
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) Each year RSB brings its community together for the highlight of our calendar: our Annual Meeting. An opportunity to gather our members from many different sectors to discuss and debate the most pressing issues in the development
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
G20 Countries Must Act Quickly to Decarbonise The Transport Sector
(Agora Verkehrswende) According to a new report, CO2 emissions from transport are still rising. If immediate action is not taken, more radical measures will be unavoidable in the future. -- To keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius, the world’s
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
China Set to Triple Its Ethanol Production Capacity: Government Researcher
by Hallie Gu and Dominique Patton (Reuters) China is set to more than triple its ethanol production capacity by 2020, a government researcher said on Tuesday, with demand for the commodity expected to surge as the country shifts toward cleaner fuels. The
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Exports Exceeding Expectations
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) U.S. ethanol exports are on a roll. For the third time this year, American ethanol exports have reached record numbers, with the total hitting 1.69 billion gallons (bg) on a rolling 12-month basis, according to Growth Energy. As
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Q&A: RED II Offers Flexibility to EU Member States
(Argus Media) Angel Alvarez Alberdi is secretary general of the European Waste-to-Advanced Biofuels Association (EWABA). He spoke to Argus about the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED) beyond 2020, the role of waste-based biofuels in Europe's future renewable energy mix and legislation on indirect
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
A Visit to Advanced Biofuels USA from a Chinese Government and Industry Delegation
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA was pleased to host a meeting with a dozen government representatives and business leaders from Jiangsu Province, China to discuss implementation of biofuels policies and promotion of biofuels in the US
December 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and Electromobility Are Key in Portugal’s Transport Decarbonisation
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EurActiv) EURACTIV.com interviewed José Mendes, Portuguese First Secretary of State for Mobility - Environment and Energy Transition, on the sidelines of COP24 climate talks in Katowice, Poland -- ... Last week, the Portuguese government presented a plan which aims
December 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Penny for Your Corn? Stingy Trade-War Aid Irks U.S. Farmers
by P.J. Huffstutter and Mark Weinraub (Reuters) ... Federal economists have calculated that the nation’s losses in corn - its largest crop by harvest and export volume - amount to just a penny per bushel, a pittance farmers call absurd. That’s
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
New Refinery Floated for Western North Dakota
by John Hageman (The Dickinson Press) A new refinery has been proposed for oil-rich western North Dakota, prompting questions from a local township chairman. AIC Energy Corp. filed an application earlier this month with Williams County planning and zoning officials. It
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Advance Biomass Transformation Process
(Chinese Academy of Sciences/Phys.Org) ... Thus, it is important to develop a highly efficient water-resistant catalyst to directly and selectively convert crude aqueous oxygenate mixtures to value-added chemicals; water-immiscible ones (easy separation after reaction) are especially of great importance. However, the efficiency
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Closed Doors, Open Windows: Tariffs in China and Brazil ...
by Lisa Gibons (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Tariffs in China and Brazil have deeply affected U.S. ethanol exports, but other markets remain, new ones are opening and opportunities still abound for the world’s lowest-cost octane. Despite a 20 percent tariff rate quota implemented
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
How the Airline Industry Is Cleaning up Its Climate Act
by Adele Peters (Fast Company) At a steel mill outside Beijing, reactors attached to the building capture emissions from the factory. Those waste gases can then be turned into fuel. LanzaTech, a biotech startup that designed a way to turn those
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Four Market and Policy Opportunities to Increase Agricultural Resilience
by Suzy Friedman, Colleen Willard and Stephanie Mercier (Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Farm Journal Foundation (FJF) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)) In July 2018, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Farm Journal Foundation (FJF) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) convened, “Market
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Betting on Ethanol, Brazilian Mills Turn Sour on Sugar
by Ana Ionova and Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Brazilian sugar companies are increasing their capacity to produce ethanol in the face of depressed global sugar prices and government policies expected to boost demand for the biofuel. A shift to ethanol in the 2018-19 season
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Which Way to Take Protons Findings Pave the Way for Chemical Replication of Hydrogen-Producing Enzymes.
(Ruhr-Universität Bochum) How exactly certain algae enzymes produce hydrogen has previously been the subject of speculation. Dr. Martin Winkler, dr. Jifu Duan, Prof. dr. Eckhard Hofmann and Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Happe from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), together with colleagues from Freie Universität Berlin, succeeded for
November 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Green Plains Sheds Three Plants, Shutters Another and Offloads Storage and Rail Assets
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Nebraska, Green Plains Inc. announced that it completed the previously announced sale of its three ethanol plants to Valero Renewable Fuels Company LLC for $319 million in cash, including net working capital and other adjustments. The transaction
November 16, 2018 Read Full Article
China Seen Importing US Ethanol via Alternative Routes Amid Trade War
by Srijan Kanoi (S&P Global Platts) China has switched to importing US ethanol via alternative routes since the US-China trade war erupted in April, the country's General Administration of Customs data indicated Tuesday. ... In a surprise to the market, the data showed
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Editorial: Iowa State Analysis Makes Clear the Trade Wars' Damage to Ag Producers
(Omaha World-Herald) A recent report from Iowa State University offers sobering findings that show why our country needs to resolve its tariff wars with China and other nations. The university researchers found that over the next year, the disruptions and
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Producers Feeling the Pinch from Trump Trade War
by Jarrett Renshaw, Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) U.S. ethanol producers drew a bleak picture of their industry in quarterly filings and analyst calls this week, detailing how the critical farm belt business has been devastated by President Donald Trump’s trade war with China and
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 Midterm Elections—Implications for the Bioeconomy
by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) And while the bioeconomy – biofuels, biobased products, chemicals, and more – enjoy bipartisan support, the new political landscape means that the biobased sector and stakeholders still need to be on their
November 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Brazil Biodiesel Group Seeks 10-pct Retention on Soy Export Earnings
by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Ubrabio, a Brazilian association of biodiesel producers, presented on Tuesday a proposal for the government to retain 10 percent of earnings from soybean exports, in a program to help the local soybean crushing industry. The money collected would be
November 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Nosak Group Set to Invest in Edo State: Invites Officials for a Tour of Its Facilities
(Bella Naija) In line with the goal of supporting the Federal Government’s backward integration agenda, Nosak Group hosted officials from the Edo State Government for a facility tour in Lagos State as a move to seek partnership with Edo State in the area
November 09, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 State of the Industry: ABLC Global Kickoff Presentation and Remarks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Where is the industry right now?What are the 25 Key trends, how the industry is organizing, what’s up, what’s hot, what’s down, and what 6 Future Technologies should we keep a sharp eye on? Let’s take
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
The Bumpy Road of Common Ethanol Fuel Mixture
(Vietnam.net) Common ethanol fuel mixture (E5 RON 92 gasoline) has been receiving many incentives from the State. However, high prices of materials for ethanol production and relevant materials plus the high tariff levied on imported ethanol have significantly eroded E5 gasoline’s
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Federal Investments in Algae Cultivation Technologies Paying Big Dividends
by Matt Carr (Algae Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) Algae-derived products and technologies are on the cusp of changing nearly everything. Algae will transform how we eat; will make the materials in your shoes more sustainable; provide fuel for vehicles and planes; recycle greenhouse gases and deliver many more products
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
From Pakoras to Mobility: How BIOD Energy Is Converting Cooking Oil into Biodiesel!
by Abhilasha Singh (Financial Express) India is a fast-growing economy, the need for energy is constantly on the rise. Considering that fossil fuel reserves are depleting along with their impact on the environment, India needs long-term solutions for renewable energy. -- Bio D
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Jet Biofuel Mass Production to Begin in Japan
by Akane Okutsu (Nikkei Asia Review) Biotech company euglena teams with ANA to fuel green commercial flights -- Japan's biotechnology company euglena is to start mass production of bio jet fuel and biodiesel out of algae and waste oil, with the aim of being the
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump’s Trade War Looms over Divided U.S. Farm Belt ahead of Vote
by Humeyra Pamuk and P.J. Huffstutter (Reuters) ... Some of the nation’s 3.2 million farmers and ranchers, traditionally staunch Republicans, are wavering in this election because of the trade dispute with China, the main buyer of U.S. soybeans and pork, interviews with
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Energy Outlook through 2040
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The BP Energy Outlook explores the forces shaping the global energy transition out to 2040 and the key uncertainties surrounding that transition. It shows how rising prosperity drives an increase in global energy demand and how
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Analyst: Ethanol Industry Has Room to Grow: Exports on Pace to Shatter Last Year's Record.
by Daniel Grant (FarmWeekNow) The rate of growth for the U.S. ethanol industry may have slowed in recent years, but it’s far from over, according to Bill Holbrook, senior analyst for ProExporter. Production capacity continues to grow as producers look to overseas markets
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Concept to Construction and Exports are Crucial
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the U.S. ethanol industry, three plants are under construction, while a fourth makes its way through the permitting process. -- In an industry with more than 200 existing plants, four new projects is a
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
JBEI Researchers Produce High Density Jet Fuel Precursors from Bacteria
(Green Car Congress) Researchers with the US Department of Energy (DOE) Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), with colleagues in China, have produced the tricyclic sesquiterpenes epi-isozizaene, pentalenene and α-isocomene—promising jet fuel feedstocks—at high production titers, providing novel, sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based jet
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol – A Solution to Pakistan’s Power Woes
By Umer Khayyam and Tehzeeb Bano (The Express Tribune) ... Carbon dioxide/greenhouse gas emissions, generated from the burning of fossil fuels, are increasing in Third World societies like Pakistan. ... To negate the negative atmospheric results of non-renewable energy sources, global and regional
October 15, 2018 Read Full Article
How Biofuels Can Help Struggling Airlines
by Josh Lew (Mother Nature Network) As oil prices rise, airlines look to biofuels to protect their bottom lines. -- ... Today, airlines are bracing for a fuel price rise. For example, American Airlines cited rising fuel prices when it announced cutbacks on transpacific
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Asia’s Climate Arsenal: Are Biofuels Back?
by Beth Walker (The Third Pole) Biofuels will dominate future growth in renewables and are essential for decarbonizing the most difficult sectors; China and India should lead the way, argues new EIA report -- ... Bioenergy from liquid biofuels and biogas will
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Industry and Countries Prepare for Introduction of CORSIA but "Much Work to Be Done"
(GreenAir Online) With just three months to go before all airlines with international flights must start monitoring their carbon emissions, ICAO’s CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme was centre stage at this year’s Global Sustainable Aviation Summit (GSAS) in Geneva organised by the
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Fat Profits: Asian Traders Cash in as Europe Thirsts for Waste Oils
(The Star) Once surreptitiously dumped down drains in the dead of night, Asia’s used cooking oil is fast becoming one of the most sought-after commodities in Europe - as a feedstock for biodiesel. Aggressive green energy targets in the European Union that
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
The World’s First Commercial Flight on Fuel Made from Waste Carbon Gases: Now, Will Policy Get the Framework Right for Global Deployment?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, Virgin Atlantic CEO Craig Kreeger, LanzaTech CEO Jennifer Holmgren, a cadre of Virgin Atlantic and LanzaTech team members, industry stakeholders and a group of pleasantly surprised transatlantic passengers have boarded a Boeing 747 for
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Thermal Gasification of Biomass: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to TGoB in Norway
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Judit Sandquist gave this illuminating overview of the
September 27, 2018 Read Full Article
China New Energy Interim Profit Rises With Positive Policy Changes
by Dayo Laniyan (Morning Star/Alliance News) Engineering and technology solutions provider China New Energy Ltd said it has seen continued success in the first half of 2018 due to changed policies in China, leading to increased production of ethanol and new
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
LanzaTech's Low-Carbon Jet Fuel Ready for Take-Off as Virgin Atlantic Plans for First Commercial Flight in October
(GreenAir Online) Virgin Atlantic will undertake a passenger flight in October using for the first time low-carbon fuel produced through its partnership with LanzaTech. This follows a decision by members of the fuel standards body ASTM in April to include alcohol-to-jet synthetic
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Shell-backed Startup Creates Fuel from Carbon Dioxide and Fake Sunlight
by Cole Latimer (Sydney Morning Herald) startup company backed by energy giant Shell has developed a method to turn carbon dioxide into fuel by adding fake sunlight. US company Dimensional Energy has developed an “artificial photosynthesis” process with a photoreactor that converts carbon
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Green Plains Mothballs 20% of Production Capacity Due to Trump’s Trade War
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Minnesota, Reuters reports that Green Plains is mothballing its ethanol production plants in Superior, Iowa and Lakota, Iowa as well as running its Fairmont, Minnesota plant at half capacity as President Trump’s trade war takes a bite
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Agrisoma, United Airlines and World Energy Complete Longest Transatlantic Biojet Flight
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Carinata is proving that it is a feedstock to be reckoned with, a compelling catalyst for change, with the latest news that Agrisoma, United Airlines and World Energy came together for the longest transatlantic biojet flight
September 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Why Donald Trump Is Feeling the Heat From Midwestern Farmers
by Justin Worland (Time Magazine) On the campaign trail, Donald Trump made two big promises: renegotiating free trade agreements and helping corn growers by supporting ethanol. ... As tensions over trade have proven painful to Midwestern farmers in the short term, demands
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Chemists Develop Nanocatalysts for Continuous Biofuel Synthesis
(RUDN University/Phys.Org) A chemist from RUDN synthesized new catalysts with ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles for producing biofuel from organic biowaste. Nanocatalysts support more intensive and sustained reactions than the compounds currently available in the market. The results of the study were published
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Gutter Oil Target to Be Met as Gas Sales Grow
by Chen Huizhi (Shine) The number of gas stations in Shanghai offering a hybrid fuel mixed with biodiesel made from “gutter oil” increased to 40 in August, the food safety commission said yesterday. Gutter oil, so called because it is sometimes dumped in
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
NNPC, Chinese Consortia Sign Pacts on Biofuel Development
(The Guardian Nigeria) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Chinese consortia to develop sustainable biofuels in the country. At a ceremony yesterday in Beijing on the sidelines of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit,
September 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Understanding the Debate Over Ethanol and Smog
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) ... To recap, gasoline must meet a specific requirement called the Reid vapor pressure (RVP). If the vapor pressure of gasoline is too high, it evaporates too quickly and contributes more to smog formation. ... Pure ethanol has an
September 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Electric Vehicle Revolution Poses Threat to Biofuel
by D'Arce McMillan (Western Producer) They may seem like a novelty now, but electric vehicles could quickly grow in number and significantly reduce the demand for gasoline and biofuel. -- ... I wonder when the number of electric vehicles will become so numerous
September 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Sustainable Biofuels Innovation Challenge Funding Opportunity Announcement DEADLINE: September 15, 2015
(Mission Innovation India) Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 23 countries and the European Union to accelerate the global clean energy innovation. As a part of this initiative, the participating countries have committed to double their government’s clean
August 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Offers Trade Aid to Farmers, but Some Question Its Fairness
by Helena Bottemiller Evich, Catherine Boudreau and Liz Crampton (Politico) The Trump administration on Monday detailed how it will dole out $6.3 billion in aid to assist farmers stung by retaliatory tariffs — and it’s already sparking backlash from some sectors
August 28, 2018 Read Full Article
First Tianjin Gas Stations Make Switch to Ethanol
by Lusha Zhang and Tony Munroe(Reuters) The Chinese city of Tianjin will replace gasoline with ethanol at 10 gas stations on Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported, the first outlets to do so in a wider push to get vehicles in the
August 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Used Cooking Oil Fuels Green Initiative in Nanjing
(China Daily) Startup company MotionEco launched an initiative in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, in June to collect waste cooking oil and gutter oil to be converted into sustainable, low-carbon green fuel for use in diesel vehicles. It is one of China's first commercial
August 27, 2018 Read Full Article
China Corn Rallies as Beijing Signals Support for Ethanol Plan
by Hallie Gu, Josephine Mason (Reuters) China corn futures rallied on Thursday after the central government said it would promote the use of ethanol in vehicles, its first public statement on its ambitious biofuel policy in almost a year. China will promote the
August 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Chinese Investors Look to Set up Biodiesel Production in Malaysia
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Malaysia, Chinese investors are keen to set up bio-processing businesses including a Beijing Sanju Environmental Protection and New Materials Co who is seeking to set up a $200 million plant that will use palm kernel shells,
August 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Argentina Freezes Soy Export Tariffs to Keep Feedstock from Flowing into China
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Argentina, exporters have been shipping raw, unprocessed soybeans to China en masse, a move the government has put a stop to last week by freezing export taxes on beans at 26% as well as freezing taxes
August 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Strategic Positioning: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Amyris
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For many people, a key question in the advanced bioeconomy continues to be: “what is Amyris becoming, and when, and where and how?” Becoming a global leader in the health and beauty market, and self-funding operations in
August 22, 2018 Read Full Article
King Says Farmers Want EPA Action on Ethanol, not $12 Billion Aide Package
by O. Kay Henderson (RadioIowa) Republican Congressman Steve King today said the best thing the Trump Administration could do to alleviate farmers’ angst about the trade war would be to allow higher percentages of ethanol to be blended into gasoline year-round. “Let the
August 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Earnings Season: as Novozymes, DSM, Amyris, Gevo, Corbion, and Aemetis Report, Who’s up, Who’s down?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In today’s Digest, let’s look at trends driving the industry’s results at scale — and while money is not the measure of all progress, it is the ultimate yardstick and especially for companies that have reached
August 17, 2018 Read Full Article
How Progressives Can Reconnect with Rural Voters
by Patty Judge (Des Moines Register/Focus on Rural America) ... Many of the political elites on the coasts have argued that progressives should simply write off the rural Midwest because it is too white, too old and too conservative to ever
August 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump's Plan to Boost Ethanol Could Quickly Get Sidelined
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) ... On top of that, a senior Senate aide close to the pro-ethanol camp led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said “there is debate" over whether it will take legislation to enact the changes Trump
August 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Iowans Tell EPA Chief President Made E15 Promise, It’s Time to Deliver
by O. Kay Henderson (RadioIowa) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s acting administrator met privately with Iowa commodity group leaders at the Iowa State Fair today — but Andrew Wheeler told reporters afterwards there is no decision yet on regulations that would
August 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Frustration Brews in the Ethanol Industry
by Dan Looker (Successful Farming) Lawsuits and EPA petitions are in the works. -- ... “I would say the status quo right now is unacceptable for the industry,” says Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “If he’s (President Donald Trump) supportive
August 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Oil’s Relentless Price Climb Brings Advanced Biofuels Back in Vogue
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For several years now we have seen a significant number of players pivoting from biofuels towards smaller but higher-value markets in chemicals, nutrition, nutraceuticals, pharma, materials, flavorings, fragrances, cosmetics and more. We’ve reported on the proliferation of
August 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Lifecycle Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Corncob Ethanol in China
by Yu Wang, Ming‐Hsun Cheng, Mark Mba Wright (Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining) Converting corncobs into fuel ethanol is different from converting stover because cobs have higher hemicellulose and lower lignin than stover. Current research provides life‐cycle assessments of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
August 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Inventure Renewables, Wilmar and Desmet Ballestra Announce Agreement to Build New Plant
(Inventure Renewables/PR NewsWire) Facility in Taizhou, China Will Process Waste from Soybean Processing into High Value Oleochemicals -- Inventure Renewables has announced an agreement with Wilmar International and Desmet Ballestra Group to begin construction on a new facility in Jiangsuprovince, China. The
August 08, 2018 Read Full Article
When Markets Misbehave, Send the Marines! (World Governments Get a Case of Bioeconomy Interventionitis)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The European Court of Justice has ruled that organisms altered via genome editing are GMOs and subject to GMO regulation in Europe, including warning labels for foods. And in the US, President Trump announced $12 billion in
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
The Future of Electric Vehicles Lie in the Sourcing of Lithium and Cobalt for Batteries
by Vishnu Rajamanickam (Freight Waves) ... But unless the manufacturing process and the raw material sourcing is regulated and stabilized, it would be hard to sell EVs to the larger middle-class populace. This is because the on-road price of an electric vehicle is
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
German Chancellor Fellowship for Tomorrow's Leaders DEADLINE: September 15, 2018
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s German Chancellor Fellowship program is targeted at recent university graduates from the U.S. and other countries who have an international outlook and initial leadership experience. The fellowships give graduates the opportunity to spend a year in
August 03, 2018 Read Full Article
2G Ethanol Overcoming Tech Glitches, Competitive with Oil at $70
by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Second-generation ethanol production is overcoming the technical difficulties that had slowed its development and is now seen as commercially competitive with oil prices near $70 per barrel, industry representatives said on Thursday. As countries worldwide prepare to deliver
July 31, 2018 Read Full Article
“There’s No Place Like Home” Grown Sorghum
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Sorghum sights are set high with EPA approval and recent genetic improvements -- ... U.S. EPA opened up pathways for sorghum oil to become renewable fuels. ... Sorghum is a grass grown in many places and regions around
July 30, 2018 Read Full Article
This Start-Up Turns Pollution from Factories into Fuel That Powers Cars — and One Day Planes
by Catherine Clifford (CNBC) A bacteria found in the gut of a rabbit can now help cars run in a more eco-friendly way. The bacteria, identified by biotech start-up LanzaTech, helps turn factory carbon emissions, a.k.a. pollution, into ethanol .... ... "While there are many sustainable
July 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels: A Straightforward Fix for US Farmers’ Tariff Exposure to China?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This is the first of a two-part series in which we look at strategic shifts in global commodity prices and policies that could dramatically impact the outlook for biofuels, In this part, we look at grain
July 24, 2018 Read Full Article
White House Readies Plan for $12 Billion in Emergency Aid to Farmers Caught in Trump’s Escalating Trade War
by Damian Paletta and Caitlin Dewey (Washington Post) The U.S. Agriculture Department on Tuesday plans to announce a $12 billion package of emergency aid for farmers caught in the midst of President Trump’s escalating trade war, two people briefed on the
July 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Celanese to Sell Ethanol Production Unit and Form TCX® Technology Joint Venture with Chengzhi Co., Ltd
(Celanese/BusinessWire) Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE), a global specialty materials company, today announces that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Chengzhi Shareholding Co., Ltd., to further the development of acetic acid-based ethanol as a clean energy source in China. From 2014
July 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Thai Ethanol Producers Mull Resuming Exports after 5 Years Amid Ample Supply
by Christina Siantar (S&P Global/Platts) Thailand's ethanol producers are exploring the possibility of resuming ethanol exports after a five-year hiatus due to ample supply in the domestic market, trade sources said Tuesday. ... However, traders were skeptical of Thailand returning to the export market
July 17, 2018 Read Full Article
US Trade, Biofuel Policies and Immigration Hit Farmers Hard
(Associated Press/The Vindicator) ... The threat of counter-tariffs on U.S. farm goods and the impact of President Donald Trump’s other policies on immigration and biofuels, though, have some farmers more worried than ever about their ability to continue eking out an
July 16, 2018 Read Full Article
On Energy Independence Day, India, China Surge as Leaders in Clean Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Because if you want it, here it is, come and get it, biofuels that is, and especially of the advanced type. If you like it from waste, even better. Out of the east, the dual
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Saying ‘No’ to Palm Oil Would Likely Displace, Not Halt Biodiversity Loss – IUCN report
(IUCN) Banning palm oil would most likely increase the production of other oil crops to meet demand for oil, displacing rather than halting the significant global biodiversity losses caused by palm oil, warned an IUCN report published today (June 26, 2018). The
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
China's Domestic Production Will Meet 75% of E10 Demand by 2020: Consultant
by Christina Siantar (S&P Global/Platts) China's production of fuel ethanol is expected to rise to around 10 million mt/year, which will help meet part of the 13 million mt/year ethanol demand for E10 mandate by 2020, Xiao Gang, general manager of consultancy
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Big Oil, Utilities Are Lining up for an Electric Vehicle War
by Kelly Gilblom and Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg) BP and Shell have bought electric-car charging companies; Power utilities are boosting sales to homes, chargers on roads -- A red-hot electric vehicle market has triggered a face-off between Big Oil and utilities. Oil majors, who’ve sold fossil
July 05, 2018 Read Full Article
China’s Shift to Cleaner Energy Drives Huge Ethanol Demand
by Leah Marie Angelou (Small Cap Network) ... China is at a crossroad as it shifts to cleaner and renewable energy sources. Can the country keep up with its environmental pledge? -- In September 2017, the government rolled out a new
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Ag Secretary Perdue on Trump's Message to Farmers: You Won't Suffer in a Trade Fight with China
by Berkeley Lovelace Jr. (CNBC) Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says President Trump has told him to assure American farmers that they won't suffer from the U.S. trade fight with China. Perdue says he is calculating the potential impact of trade disruptions on
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Can USDA Stretch Corn, Soybean Farmers' Safety Net with Tariff Relief?
by Chuck Abbott (Successful Farming) Rumors of USDA's Tariff Easing Strategy Not Confirmed -- Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is giving himself a couple of months – until around Labor Day – before deciding whether to proceed with President Trump’s promise of
June 28, 2018 Read Full Article
New Catalyst Upgrades Carbon Dioxide to Fuels Found by USTC
(EurekAlert!/University of Science and Technology of China) Liquid multi-carbon alcohols such as ethanol and n-propanol are desired as renewable transportation fuels. They offer high energy densities, ease of long-range transport, and direct drop-in usage in existing internal combustion engines. Engineering catalysts
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Strategic Intent: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to UPM, the Biofore Company
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) UPM is going through a transformation to ensure sustainable value creation in the long term. The aim is to improve profitability, generate growth and increase the value of the company’s business portfolio. UPM has been transforming
June 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Goes Global as Gasoline Price Rally Deteriorates Demand
by Suzanne Danforth and Jim Venhof (Genscape) U.S. domestic ethanol demand suffered this spring relative to 2017, despite consistently favorable blending values and increasing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements. The decline, following a period of historically low ethanol prices this winter, forced
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Inventure Renewables' Mixed Super Critical Fluid Technology Successfully Adopted At Wilmar Plant In China
(Inventure Renewables/Cision/PR Newswire) Patented Technology Converts By-Product from Soft Oil Seed Refining Into FAME for Oleochemical and Biodiesel Production. -- Inventure Renewables has announced the successful implementation and nearly year-long operation of its Mixed Super Critical Fluid technology at a Wilmar
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
China Raises Import Duty on US Denatured Ethanol to 70% from 45% as of July 6
by Christine Siantar (Platts) China's ministry of commerce said the import duty on US-origin denatured ethanol will rise to 70% on July 6 from 45%, as part of a wider retaliation to the US imposing import tariffs on Chinese goods. Other
June 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Midwest Trump Voters Losing Faith in His Commitment to Biofuels
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) New polling shows that voters across three Midwestern states are disappointed with Trump administration decisions they view as broken promises of support for local agriculture and renewable fuels industries. In a survey of voters in Iowa, Missouri and
June 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuel Partly Powers Cathay Pacific Flight from Airbus
by Grant Bradley (New Zealand Herald) When a brand new Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 flies from France to Hong Kong on Wednesday it will be partly powered by biofuel. The 334-seat plane will have a 10 per cent blend of biofuel next
June 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Improving Electron Transfer in Enzymatic Biofuel Cells
by Bob Yirka (Phys.org) A team of researchers with members from institutions in Singapore, China and the U.K. has found a way to improve electron transfer in enzymatic biofuel cells. In their paper published in the journal Nature Energy, they describe
June 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Chart of the Week (23) -- Argentina Accounts for Almost Two Thirds of EU Biodiesel Imports − Indonesia Is the Largest Palm Oil Exporter to the EU
(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)) Biodiesel imports from Argentina have increased considerably over the past several months. In contrast, imports of soybean oil as feedstock from Argentina have been virtually non-existent. The reverse trend can be seen in
June 12, 2018 Read Full Article
World’s First Commercial Waste Gas to Ethanol Plant Now in Operation
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... In Illinois, carbon recycling company, LanzaTech, and its joint venture partner, Shougang Group, a leading Chinese iron and steel producer, announced the successful start-up of the world’s first commercial facility converting industrial emissions to sustainable ethanol.
June 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Top 10 Biodiesel Trends 2018: What’s up with the World’s Favorite Advanced Biofuel?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We’ve organized the state of biodiesel into 10 areas of vital interest ranging from the development of markets to the entry of ancillary products and new feedstocks. #1 Tax & Trade Free trade vs fair trade: Dumping
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
China's Longping Sees Brazil Corn Expansion, Targets Seeds Market
by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co, an agricultural firm controlled by China conglomerate CITIC Group Corp [CITIC.UL], sees Brazil expanding corn output up to 5 percent per year in coming years and is investing heavily to grab a third of
May 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Chinese Ethanol Buyers Turn to Central, South America for Arbitrage Supply
by Christina Siantar (Platts) Chinese ethanol buyers are turning to Central and South America for arbitrage supply, after Beijing's imposition of additional 15% import tax on US ethanol has priced US cargoes out of the Chinese market. A Chinese oil refiner has bought 16,000-17,000 mt
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Scania: Commercial Transport Can Be Fossil-Free by 2050
(Scania/Automotive World) A fossil-free commercial transport system in the timeframe of the Paris Agreement target is not only possible, but also financially attractive from a societal perspective. This is the key conclusion of a study initiated by Scania. ... A comprehensive analysis undertaken
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
A Yield Revolution in Row Crops Cometh
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yield10’s Brave New World of Metabolic Engineering, Benson Hill’s cloud biology and CRISPR/Cas9 from Purdue and the Chinese Academy of Sciences? Crop yield may never be the same. And developers using crops for bioindustrials or nutrition stand
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 2-U.S. LNG, Ethanol Sellers Buoyed by China Trade Talks
by Scott DiSavino (Reuters) China’s interest in reducing its trade surplus with the United States through increased energy imports could advance plans for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants and ethanol sales, analysts and energy executives involved in developing new LNG
May 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Summit of The Asia Pacific Showcases Global Ethanol Opportunities
(GrainNet) Industry and government officials from 17 countries in Asia and Oceania are meeting with members of the U.S. ethanol industry and U.S. officials in Minneapolis this week at the Ethanol Summit of the Asia Pacific (Summit), focused on current and
May 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Greenbelt Resources Offers Partial Solution to Chinese Government's Mandated Use of 4+ Billion Gallons of Ethanol
(Greenbelt Resources) Greenbelt Resources Corporation GRCO, +23.29% (Greenbelt), the developer and provider of a sustainable ECOsystem model that transforms waste into bio-ethanol, today announced that CEO Darren Eng will visit China this month by special letter invitation to assist in enhancing the domestic production
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Promotion of Bioethanol Remains Promising but Challenging
(China Daily) To boost industrial demand for corn and cut emissions, China has launched corn-to-ethanol pilot programs in 2004. However, the promotion of bioethanol, the cleaner alternative to traditional fuels like diesel and gasoline, remains a challenge even after more than
May 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Bosselman Travel Center to Observe Renewable Fuels Month on May 18
by Robert Pore (Grand Island Independent) Bosselman Travel Center at 3335 W. Wood River Road in Grand Island will be celebrating Renewable Fuels Month in May. The Bosselman event is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 18.
May 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Global Biofuels Market Outlook Report 2018
(ResearchAndMarkets.com's /EIN News/Globe Newswire) The "The Biofuels Global Market Outlook 2017-2021" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report gathers data on biofuel across the countries leading the market for biofuel. The report covers: costs, drivers, inhibitors, market growth, forecasts, the key players, key
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
New Fuels Project in China Targets Cooking in the Commercial Sector
(Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves) The Alliance partnered with China’s Ministry of Agriculture, Shell, local governments, and SSM to develop and launch a new clean cooking project in Zhejiang province of China. The project aims to encourage commercial enterprises to switch
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
A New Lithium War Is About To Begin
by James Stafford (OilPrice.com) It’s the modern gold rush. Around the world, the most sought-after mineral isn’t a precious metal, nor is it oil and gas…it’s lithium. Lithium, or “white petroleum” as some call it, has become a crucial element in today’s high-tech economy. Demand
April 25, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Prairie Catalytic, LanzaTech, Synvina, Fulcrum BioEnergy, POET-DSM, Cargilla/Calysta, Enerkem, and REG Geismar
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2018 wrapped up with the ABLC Wolfpack including James Iademarco from Strategic Avalanche, David Dodds with Dodds & Associates, Ron Cascone from NEXANT, independent consultant Paul Bryan, and Joel Stone from ConVergince. While they didn’t howl at the moon,
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
International Conference on Sustainable Biofuel 2018 (26-27 February 2018): A Report
by Gunjan Mukherjee* (Advanced Biofuels USA/Chandigarh University Institute of Biotechnology (UIBT)) The International Conference on Sustainable Biofuel was held at the India Habitat Center, New Delhi, India. The concept of the conference was that use of fossil fuels for transportation contributes
April 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Vehicle Efficiency Transportation 2050: More EVs, but Conventional Vehicles Will Still Dominate
by Jieyi Lu (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Making Vehicles More Efficient Is Critical to Reduce Emissions -- ... Over the next 30 years, electric vehicles (EVs) will grow and fuel economy will increase, but conventional gasoline vehicles will continue to dominate
April 20, 2018 Read Full Article
China's Beidahuang to Build 350,000 T Ethanol Plant in Inner Mongolia
by Dominique Patton (Reuters) Grain trader and processor China Beidahuang Industry Group has signed an agreement with the mayor of Inner Mongolia’s Baotou city to build an ethanol facility with annual capacity of 350,000 tonnes, it said on its website on
April 20, 2018 Read Full Article
RED II Perpetuates Advanced Biofuel Trade Distortions and Incentivises Fraud
(Ethanol Europe Renewables/EurActiv) The Energy Directive (RED 2) transport decarbonisation ambitions ostensibly promote major capital investment in truly advanced biofuels breakthrough technologies. However, the Directive will not generate meaningful advanced biofuels investment. Instead, it incentivises fake wastes to meet biofuels
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
In New Sign of Trade Battle, China Slaps U.S. Sorghum Producers with 179 Percent Deposit
by Emily Rauhala (The Washington Post) China announced temporary anti-dumping measures Tuesday on U.S. sorghum, potentially hitting U.S. growers and exacerbating the brewing trade war between Beijing and Washington. China’s Ministry of Commerce said that starting Wednesday, Chinese importers of U.S. sorghum,
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Weighs High-Ethanol Fuel Waiver to Placate Farmers
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The Trump administration is considering allowing the sale of a higher ethanol fuel blend in the summer, a source familiar with the issue said, a move that would placate corn growers worried about the
April 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump to Put Biofuel Reform Push on Ice, for Now: Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The Trump administration will delay any moves to reform the nation’s biofuel policy for about three months, according to three sources briefed on the matter - a decision one of the sources said was meant to shield
April 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Ethanol Moves May Be Worse for Farmers Than Soy Tariff
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Change to biofuel mandate may mean destruction of corn demand; Growers already dealing with trade concerns, crop gluts -- Based on his own back-of-the-envelope calculations, Minnesota farmer Kirby Hettver could lose tens of thousands of dollars of earnings because
April 10, 2018 Read Full Article
China's 2020 Ethanol Blending Target Faces Obstacles
(Argus Media) China faces several challenges to hit an ambitious 10pc (E10) ethanol blending target in its gasoline fuel mix by 2020, according to participants at the Argus China Ethanol conference in Beijing. The government announced the target last year to reduce
April 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Tariff Talk
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Trump administration escalated trade-war tensions with China on Tuesday, publishing a proposed list of 1,300 Chinese imports that it will hit with retaliatory tariffs in response to China's intellectual property practices, Pro's Adam Behsudi
April 04, 2018 Read Full Article
China Meets 2020 Carbon Target ahead of Schedule - Xinhua
by David Stanway (Reuters) China met its 2020 carbon intensity target three years ahead of schedule last year, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the country’s top climate official Xie Zhenhua. China, the world’s biggest energy consumer, cut its
April 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Why Hydrothermal Liquefaction Hasn’t Taken off Yet
(Algae Industry Magazine/Science Trends) enguang Zhou writes in Sciencetrends.com about work recently published in the journal Bioresource Technology regarding why Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae — a bio-oil technology which does not require dewatering and drying of algal biomass — up to now, has rarely
April 02, 2018 Read Full Article
China Mulls Hiking Import Duty on US Denatured Ethanol by 15% to 45%
by Srijan Kanoi (Platts) China's Ministry of Commerce said Friday that they might impose an additional 15% duty, along with the existing 30% duty, on denatured ethanol imports from the US if both China and US fail to reach a trade compensation
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Where’s Ethanol Going to Go?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... According to POET CEO Jeff Broin, there’s a deal on the table — changing almost by the hour, but a deal none the less. A deal on the table to provide year-round E15 approval for the biofuels industry
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Chinese Researchers Boost Algae Lipids, Reduce Peroxidation
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers from Nanjing Tech University in China have published a paper in Biotechnology for Biofuels on their method to increase lipid content and reduce peroxidation in Schizochytrium sp., a marine microalgae rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is touted for
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Says Exports at Risk in Tariff Disputes
by Karl Plume (Reuters) U.S. agricultural exports could be at risk in any retaliation over tariffs implemented by the White House, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said on Monday. ... Perdue said that while the United States is not currently in a
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
China's Independent Oil Refiners Gear up for Ethanol Push in Cars
by Meng Meng, Josephine Mason (Reuters) China’s top independent oil refiner is buying ethanol and two others are seeking government approval to blend the biofuel into their gasoline ahead of the country’s 2020 deadline to add it to the nation’s fuel supply,
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Geothermal Could Profit from U.S. Executive Order to Support Lithium Mining
by Alexander Richter (Think GeoEnergy) An executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump to support mining activities for critical minerals, could present a boost to lithium mining activities in the U.S. and indirectly help some geothermal projects. As reported recently, U.S. President
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
$1.5 Billion Settlement Reached in Syngenta GMO Class Action Suit
by Susan Reidy (World-Grain.com) A $1.5 billion settlement has been reached in the nationwide class action suit over Syngenta’s genetically modified corn seed. It is believed to be one of the largest agricultural settlements in U.S. history. The settlement covers all U.S.
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
UIA Enters $70 Billion Development Deal with Malaysian Firm
by Bridget Asiimwe (The Observer) Uganda Investment Authority has entered a multi-billion deal with a Malaysian firm with an aim of transforming the country into a green economy by 2040 through a series of four integrated green projects led by bio-fuels. The $70bn
March 05, 2018 Read Full Article
ABLC 2018 Preview: Deployment Dawns, Products Proliferate, and Techs Land Major Venture Deals as the Bioeconomy Advances into a Big 2018
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, ABLC 2018 opens amidst a flutter of government rollbacks of deployment support but the hope of regulatory relief, breakthroughs in financial structuring, a decisive shift in early-stage projects to nutrition & health, and an
February 28, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Commission Reopens US Ethanol Antidumping Case; Extends Duty for 15 Months
by Chrysa Glystra (Platts) The European Commission announced Tuesday it will initiate an expiry review of the antidumping duty against US fuel ethanol imports, with the duty staying in the place for another 15 months while the investigation takes place. The duty
February 20, 2018 Read Full Article
More Biodiesel Kiosks to Be Rolled out
(China Daily) The Shanghai municipal government is planning to increase the number of biodiesel fueling stations in the city from the current 21 to 200 by the end of this year, said Xu Kunlin, vice-mayor of Shanghai, during a news conference
February 20, 2018 Read Full Article
What If Car Buyers Aren't Ready for Electric Cars, Even in California?
by John Voelcker (Green Car Reports) It's accepted wisdom among electric-car fans and advocates that within a few years, mass-market car buyers will start snapping up battery-electric cars. First, battery prices have to come down to the point that electric vehicles aren't
February 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Lipid-Extracted Microalgal Biomass Waste for Biogas
(WIREs Authors/Advanced Science News) To confront global warming, climate changes and a potential energy shortage, biodiesel received increasing interest as a substitute for diesel fuels in efforts towards sustainable development. Microalgae-derived biodiesel is a promising energy source. The advantages of microalgae as a
February 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Yay or Nay – Will EU Really Say No More Palm-Based Biodiesel?
by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Environmental groups have long been against palm oil plantations on these crucial climate fighting forests. But consumers are using more palm oil products, from cosmetics to biofuels to food ingredients, and the demand for
February 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Barriers to Biogas Dissemination in India: A Review
by ShivikaMittal, Erik O.Ahlgren and P.R.Shukla (Energy Policy) -Barriers hindering biogas dissemination in urban and rural biogas systems are identified. -Decomposition and logical problem analysis tools are used for assessment. -Key areas of improvements in existing policies are identified. Biogas has emerged
January 30, 2018 Read Full Article
The Rise, Rise, Rise of Bio-Methanol for Fuels and Chemical Markets
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The clearest intersecting theme is bio-methanol. Let’s see why. For one, Södra has much more going on than Silva, and we reported on a major development in December when we related that Södra will invest more
January 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Agents of Change
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine spotlights four companies—a respected producer, a service-oriented wholesaler, a 200-year old chemical firm, and a fuel conditioning company—that enable biodiesel's role as an effective change agent. PQ Corp. ... John Votta, global business director for PQ’s silica
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
China Mixed Aromatics Imports May Wane amid High Costs
(ICIS News) China’s imports of mixed aromatics may wane due to high costs and amid calls for a nationwide use of ethanol gasoline. ... Chinese buyers favour Thailand-origin mixed aromatics with a high benzene content due to their low price. ... Meanwhile, demand for mixed aromatics may take a
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Enerkem and Sinobioway Group Sign a C$125M Agreement to Accelerate Enerkem's Global Expansion and Create a Joint Venture to Build over 100 Biofuel Facilities in China
(Enerkem/PR Newswire) Enerkem Inc. (www.enerkem.com), a world leading waste-to-biofuels and renewable chemicals producer, announced today it has signed an agreement with Sinobioway Group worth over C$125M in the form of equity investment in Enerkem Inc., future licenses, equipment manufacturing and sales, as
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
More Countries Adopting Ethanol Policies
by Bliss Baker (Global Renewable Fuels Alliance /Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Encouragingly, despite an extended period of uncertainty and less-than-ideal market circumstances, free trade has enabled global biofuel production to continue its incremental growth year after year. This resilience has been
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Reveal High Performance CNT Catalyst Relating to Its Electroconductivity
(Phys.Org/World Scientific Publishing) Recent research published in a report in Nano showed biofuels were obtained from Jatropha Oil using carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst, which showed efficient cracking activity. The performance was activated by the high stability, metal sites, acid sites, electroconductivity, and coking