by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The next five years—the often scoffed mantra of cellulosic ethanol developers—is getting whittled down to the next year or two. A milestone was reached this year when Blue Sugars Corp. got the first cellulosic
Italy
Back TO HOMEThe Hillary Step: 7 Biofuels Contenders, 7 Routes to Scale, Who’s Near the Summit, Who Will Plant the Flag?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Every biofuels contender has its own route to the top – with unique advantages and technical challenges. Who is nearing the Summit, what’s their Hillary Step, who’s got Sherpas, who’s got oxygen? It’s the race
October 08, 2012 Read Full Article
Eni Plans to Convert Venice Refinery Into Biofuels Facility
by Dan Liefgreen (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Eni SpA (ENI), Italy’s largest oil company, plans to convert its Venice refinery into a biofuels facility by 2014. Eni staff met labor unions and city staff to review the project, which involves an investment of
September 24, 2012 Read Full Article
Tranquility Base Here. The Crescentino project has landed.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Once described as a “moon shot”, Beta Renewables’ commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol project hovers just over the lunar surface, weeks from completion. It’s transformative cost structure may well reignite the cellulosic rockets. The first thing you
September 18, 2012 Read Full Article
Paris Backs Halt in Biofuel Use to Avert Food Shortages
(EurActiv) A French plan to fight food price volatility took further shape yesterday (12 September) with a call to pause global development of biofuels, just a day after President François Hollande pushed for creation of strategic food stocks. A government spokeswoman,
September 17, 2012 Read Full Article
Energy from Plants: Grass May Grow into Fuel of the Future
by John Ramsey (Fayetteville Observer) The grass grows as tall as two men and thick as a jungle. This, farmers across the Cape Fear region keep hearing, is the future of ethanol. The giant miscanthus is one of the inedible crops
September 07, 2012 Read Full Article
The Lowdown on Making Jet Fuel and Diesel from Biomass
by Robert Rapier (Biofuels Digest/Consumer Energy Report) Distillates are petroleum products that includes diesel, jet fuel, and fuel oil. Renewable distillates may be categorized as substitutes or drop-in replacements. The most common distillate substitute is biodiesel, and drop-in replacements can
August 31, 2012 Read Full Article
Chemtex Lands $99M USDA Loan Guarantee for North Carolina Cellulosic Biofuels Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In North Carolina, Chemtex announced that it has received a $99 million conditional loan guarantee from USDA, under the USDA’s 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program for the engineering and construction of “Project Alpha.” Chemtex is in discussions
August 23, 2012 Read Full Article
Senegalese Villagers Vow to Fight Biofuels Project
(AFP/Global Energy World) Villagers from northern Senegal vowed Thursday to fight a project by Senegalese and Italian investors to produce biofuels on their land, a venture already forced to relocate once by deadly protests. "We will fight those who want to
August 14, 2012 Read Full Article
Southern Africa Development Community Countries Meet on Algae Development
(Algae Industry Magazine) Leaders of the 14-member Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) came together at the St. George Hotel in Pretoria, South Africa, July 24-27, for a workshop on emerging technologies for sustainable biofuels and added value bio-products. Their discussions
August 10, 2012 Read Full Article
USDA Selects Chemtex for $3.9 million BCAP Project
(Chemtex International/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Chemtex International announced today (June 13, 2012) that it has been selected by the USDA to participate in the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. The $3,996,000 award will support establishing and growing over 4,000 acres of miscanthus and switchgrass across
June 13, 2012 Read Full Article
North Carolina on Mission to Build Biofuel Industry, Company Sees Ethanol Coming from Grassy Fields
by Emery P. Dalesio (The Republic/AP) An Italian company's Wilmington-based subsidiary is geared up to build a factory that can convert grassy plants into fuel for cars and trucks amid Sampson County's hog and turkey growers. With financial and verbal encouragement
June 11, 2012 Read Full Article
Clean Technology: US Policy Aids Second Generation Biofuel Push
by Guy Chazan (Financial Times) In the world of biofuels, all eyes are on the tiny northern Italian town of Crescentino, site of the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which will start production this year. The venture might be small,
June 05, 2012 Read Full Article
12 Tons of Palm Biomass Ships from Malaysia to Italy in Test to Extract Valuable Chemicals
(EurekAlert/Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology) Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology and palm oil giants Felda, Sime Darby, in landmark collaboration on biomass waste Twelve tons of waste oil palm tree biomass is en route from Malaysia to a plant
June 04, 2012 Read Full Article
GraalBio Investimentos Plans to Invest $724.5 Million in Five Cellulosic Ethanol Projects in Brazil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Brazil, GraalBio Investimentos plans to invest $724.5 million in five cellulosic ethanol plants during the next few years. The first 21.6 million gallon facility in Alagoas that will use sugarcane bagasse as feedstock is expected to
May 29, 2012 Read Full Article
Enel Signs Agreement with Enea and Roma Capitale to Build Biomass Bi-Generation Plant
(Biofuels International) A memorandum of understanding has been signed by Italian power company Enel to build a 1-5MW concentrated solar power and biomass bi-generation plant, which will produce electricity for the city of Rome. ...The biomass components will be separated to
May 21, 2012 Read Full Article
Steel in the Ground: The Largest Cellulosic Ethanol Plants in the World Are Ready to Prove Their Mettle
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Guido Ghisolfi is a confident man. A chemical engineer by trade, at 55, he’s already spent three decades leading research and development (R&D) activities at Italy-based Mossi & Ghisolfi Group, a $3 billion per
April 16, 2012 Read Full Article
Mediterranean Consortium Promotes Biodiesel Production
(Cyprus Mail) A consortium comprising 12 organisations from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Lebanon and Egypt has been established to study the production of biodiesel from algae in selected Mediterranean countries. The consortium is coordinated by the Agricultural Research Institute of Cyprus
January 31, 2012 Read Full Article
Ferrari Running E-85 Ethanol: Bellissimo!
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Ferrari is the world’s premier builder of expensive beautiful cars. But, Ferraris are not simple pretty car show models. From the 250 GTO of 1965 to the current 458 Italia, Ferrari has combined
January 18, 2012 Read Full Article
Ferrari FF Adds Horsepower, Lowers Emissions With E85 Ethanol
by Christopher Demorro (Gas2.org) ...And if you’re into horsepower (like me) than stories like this Ferrari FF making an extra 225 horsepower on E85 is music to your ears. Ferrari’s are notoriously expensive cars, where something as simple as floor mats can
January 18, 2012 Read Full Article
The Litmus Test: 8 Projects for 2012 Will Test Perceptions, Reality for Advanced Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...First commercial projects from newly-minted public companies Solazyme, Gevo and KiOR. Two trash-to-biofuels projects from INEOS Bio and Enerkem, located in Florida and Alberta. Europe’s largest biosuccinic acid project, scheduled to be opened by DSM
January 12, 2012 Read Full Article
Eni Signs Cooperation Agreements with Sonangol
(Eni) The agreement is a further step in the consolidation of Eni's presence in Angola. Eni signed today three agreements in Luanda to further strengthen its cooperation with the Angolan national oil company, Sonangol. Through the agreements signed today by Sonangol Chairman
December 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Hitting a New Stride: The Biorefining Sector Is Poised for Commercial Scale-Up as Funding Strategies Mature and Production Capacity Grows
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) The biorefining sector reached an important new milestone this year with at least five companies undergoing successful initial public offerings (IPOs). As we move into the new year, members of industry will take another important
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Senegal: Biofuels Boost Land-Grab Conflict in Country
(AllAfrica.com) A biofuels project in northern Senegal has triggered violent clashes between villagers, leaving one person dead and two seriously wounded. A police source says residents of Fanayé village "fought with sticks and machetes" in a disagreement over the project. ...According to
November 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Better Technology Could Open Biomass Market
by Tara Bozick (GoDanRiver.com) ...Chemtex International and its parent Gruppo Mossi and Ghisolfi, or the M&G Group, have been developing a lingo-cellulosic bio-ethanol technology called Proesa in a move away from petroleum and toward renewable materials. In today’s world, people
November 07, 2011 Read Full Article
M&G Group Partners with TPG to Form BETA RENEWABLES, the Global Leader in Second Generation Bio-Ethanol and Bio-based Chemicals
(M&G) Gruppo Mossi and Ghisolfi ("M&G"), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Chemtex, is pleased to announce that it has founded BETA RENEWABLES, a joint venture with TPG Capital and TPG Biotech (collectively "TPG"), established to exclusively license Chemtex's PROESA® Technology into
October 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Italy Should Link Up With Latin America On Biofuels -Official
by Liam Moloney (Dow Jones NewsWires/Fox Business News) Italian companies should invest in Latin American biofuels as the continent is at the forefront of an expanding sector, a top Italian ministry official said Thursday. The Italian government "is working on setting up
September 20, 2011 Read Full Article
BIOSIRE - Sustainable Transport in Tourism Regions
(BIOSIRE) BIOSIRE aims to establish a shift towards bio-diesel and electric propulsion for fleets, ships and special vehicles in tourist areas in Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Croatia and Austria. Furthermore BIOSIRE formulates recommendations for other tourist regions and provides the
September 08, 2011 Read Full Article
BioVerde Bets on Europe Biodiesel Demand, Brazil Market Brimming
By Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg) BioVerde Industria e Comercio de Biocombustiveis SA, which is building Brazil’s biggest biodiesel refinery, expects to sell 40 percent of its output in Europe by 2015 as an alternative to a saturated domestic market. BioVerde is in talks
June 29, 2011 Read Full Article
European Commission Funds Global Project to Produce Ethanol, Biodiesel and Bioproducts from Algae
(PR-Inside) Nine partners from seven countries have joined in an innovative project to show that ethanol, biodiesel and bioproducts can be produced from algae on a large scale. The BIOfuel From Algae Technologies (BIOFAT) project, largely funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework
May 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Mozambique: Italian Company to Grow Jatropha in Moamba
(AllAfrica.com) The Italian company "BioEnergy" is to invest 20 million dollars to grow the shrub Jatropha in Sabie, in the southern Mozambican district of Moamba. The jatropha seeds will be exported to Italy to be processed and transformed into biodiesel. The cultivation
April 29, 2011 Read Full Article
Launch of the Construction of Plant IBP Creswell (Vercelli), the First in the World Able to Produce Bio-Ethanol Second Generation from Biomass Food
(Bio Crescentino) In the presence of local and national authorities, the M & G Gruppo Mossi - the world leader in the production of PET - is today celebrating the laying of the cornerstone of the system IBP (Italian Bio
April 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Mozambique: Major Biofuel Project Under Way in Nacala-a-Velha
(AllAfrica.com) A project to grow the shrub jatropha for ethanol production is providing jobs for about 500 people in the northern Mozambican district of Nacala-a-Velha, according to the district administrator, Daniel Chapo. The investor is the company Aviam, which is owned
March 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Brazilalot: Heard on the Floor at World Biofuels Markets
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The hottest companies in bioenergy all know it – the name of the game is low-cost sugars, or affordable syngas that competes with natural gas. For those who don’t make or use syngas and need
March 25, 2011 Read Full Article
BIOLYFE Newsletter Announces Preliminary Research Results of EU Second Generation Ethanol Production Project
(BIOLYFE) The BIOLYFE project aims at improving critical steps of the second generation bioethanol production process and at demonstrating the whole supply chain, from feedstock sourcing via fuel production to product utilisation. The main result will be the construction of an