by Keith Campbell (Engineering News) On October 19, 2004, the world’s first exclusively biofuel powered production aircraft received its certification, allowing it to be flown operationally. That aircraft was (and is) the Neiva (now Embraer) EMB-202A Ipanema crop duster. This
Netherlands
Back TO HOME10 Biggest Bioeconomy Blockbuster Stories of 2014 (EU, Middle East and Africa)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aviation biofuels on the rise, in the skies” tops the trend list; drop-in and cellulosic ethanol projects; M&A and cap raises, and action from strategic investors and customers dominate the headlines this year. You might know
December 29, 2014 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Hans van Klink, Director Project Development, Dutch Sustainable Development BV
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Betaprocess is a vacuum extraction technology which opens cells of organic material. Ideal for the production of green chemicals. NewFoss is a technology which via acidification and filtration split organic material in three streams, organic,
December 23, 2014 Read Full Article
Amyris Renewable Jet Fuel Receives Regulatory Approval in Brazil
(Amyris) Brazil Now Cleared for Flying With Locally-Produced, Sugarcane-Derived Jet Fuel as Study Indicates That Amyris’s Renewable Fuels Greatly Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Compared to Fossil Fuels Amyris, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMRS) welcomed the approval of its renewable jet fuel by Brazil’s fuels
December 17, 2014 Read Full Article
Applied CleanTech Transforms Wastewater Into Raw Materials and Generates Revenue For Major Waterboard In The Netherlands
(PR NewsWire/Applied CleanTech) Applied CleanTech (ACT) (www.appliedcleantech.com) had run a successful trial of its Sewage Recycling System (SRS) with the Dutch Waterschap Aa en Maas (WSAM), who just released its exciting report about the great commercial potential of sewage mining. The
December 15, 2014 Read Full Article
Fuel4me Consortium Targets 2017
(Algae Industry Magazine) ... The overall aim of Fuel4me is to establish a sustainable chain for continuous biofuel production using microalgae as a production platform, thereby making 2nd generation biofuels competitive alternatives to fossil fuels. More specifically, they intend to
December 15, 2014 Read Full Article
Bioasphalt Made with Lignin under Development in the Netherlands
(Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research/Biomass Magazine) Bioasphalt for roads in Zeeland, a Dutch province, is being developed by Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research, the Asfalt Kennis Centrum (Asphalt Knowledge Centre, AKC) and the company H4A from Sluiskil (NL).
December 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Good Neighbors (Anaerobic Digesters)
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) Lately, cellulosic ethanol plant startups have basked in the bioenergy limelight. While less celebrated, anaerobic digesters are adding value to operations and seem to be trending in blueprints. When ethanol plants can provide excess sugar to
November 21, 2014 Read Full Article
Oslo to Become 5% Biohub for Lufthansa, SAS & KLM – Powered by SkyNRG Nordic and Avinor
(SkyNRG Nordic/Statoil) SkyNRG Nordic, the partnership between SkyNRG and Statoil Fuel & Retail Aviation, announced the supply of the first commercial quantities of sustainable bio jet fuel to Avinor’s airport Gardermoen in 2015. Lufthansa has signed up for 5% sustainable bio
November 19, 2014 Read Full Article
4 Minutes With…Joost Dubois, Director Branding & Communications, Bio-based Products, DSM
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... I am responsible for developing the communication & branding approach to ensure delivery of DSMâs messages on the bio-renewable age to all internal & external stakeholders, including marketing communications and external affairs management. The
October 20, 2014 Read Full Article
Bioethanol Plant Fuelling CHP Facility
By David Appleyard (Co-Generation and On-Site Power Production) A new bioethanol production plant that has been commissioned in Brazil is helping to fuel an adjacent cogeneration facility that supplies process steam, as well as electricity to the grid. Granbio has
October 10, 2014 Read Full Article
KLM Picks Amyris-Total Renewable Jet Fuel as Climate Takes Center Stage in NY and at the UN
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable jet fuel makes another remove forward — as a new study concludes that delay on implementing RFS2 could be the equivalent of building 5.5 new coal-fired power plants in terms of CO2. In New York,
September 25, 2014 Read Full Article
POET-DSM’s Project LIBERTY Opens, as Fantasy Becomes Real
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) POET-DSM’s 20 million gallon cellulosic ethanol plant opens with hoopla, and heartfelt messages about the spirit of innovation, and a time for technology change and policy firmness. “Once, we all lived off the land, sun, wind
September 08, 2014 Read Full Article
EnAlgae Publishes “State of the Industry” Guides for NW Europe
(Algae Industry Magazine) EnAlgae, a research partnership drawing on expertise across seven EU Member States, has announced the publication of six reports on their website looking at the state of the algae industry across countries in North West Europe. Produced by FNR
August 28, 2014 Read Full Article
Five Environmentally Sustainable Startups Compete for $680,000 Prize
(Postcode Lottery Green Challenge/WNEM.com) Five eco-friendly startups from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom,France and Vietnam will compete in the finale of the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, an annual worldwide competition for startups with environmentally sustainable business plans. One of these entrepreneurs will win €500,000 ($680,000
August 13, 2014 Read Full Article
Poet-DSM Plans to Celebrate Opening Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Emmetsburg Sept. 3
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Poet-DSM plans to celebrate the opening of its Emmetsburg cellulosic ethanol plant, called Project Liberty, Sept. 3. The $250 million project will use 770 tons of corn cobs, leaves, husk and stalks daily to produce
August 13, 2014 Read Full Article
New Council of International Biotech Associations Formed
(Biotechnology Industry Organization) An international confederation of biotechnology trade associations announced today the ratification of bylaws creating the International Council of Biotechnology Associations (ICBA), with the expressed purpose of advocating for public policies that support the growth of the innovative
July 22, 2014 Read Full Article
More Energy from a Litre of Biofuel
(University of Twente) Catalyst developed at University of Twente helps achieve European 2020 objective Oil produced from biomass - such as wood chips or plant residues - seldom has the same quality and energy content as ‘classical’ crude oil. A new,
July 22, 2014 Read Full Article
Sustainable Algae Cultivation Making Headway
(Phys.org) Four years after the first optimistic calculations, the experimental cultivation of algae appears to be meeting expectations. Production costs have been more than halved, while the profit made on some crop components already exceeds production costs. According to René Wijffels,
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Joule’s Quest for Fuels from CO2, Sunlight and Water
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... From Massachusetts, word arrived from Joule this week that the EPA has favorably reviewed the company’s Microbial Commercial Activity Notice for Joule’s first commercial ethanol-producing catalyst. This clears the catalyst for commercial use at the
July 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Airbus, KLM Complete 10 Hours Flight on Biobased Jet Fuel
(Airbus/Biomass Magazine) An Airbus A330-200 of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (flight KL767) has commenced the longest commercial flight with sustainable jet fuels ever performed by an Airbus aircraft. The aircraft took off with a 20 percent blend of sustainable fuel
July 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Delta Signs with Carbon War Room to Advance Renewable Jet Fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Delta Air Lines is partnering with the Carbon War Room, a nonprofit organization founded by Sir Richard Branson, in an effort to accelerate low-carbon jet fuel production worldwide. This is part of the global carrier’s commitment
June 17, 2014 Read Full Article
InteSusAl Project Building One-Hectare Demo Unit
(Algae Industry Magazine) The InteSusAl Consortium of biotechnology experts has started building a one-hectare unit in Southern Portugal that will demonstrate an innovative integrated approach to produce microalgae biomass with biodiesel validation in a sustainable manner. The demonstration pilot unit is one of
May 22, 2014 Read Full Article
KLM Embarks on Transatlantic Biofuel Trial
(Biofuels International) KLM has launched a six month biofuel trial using an A330-200 on flights from Amsterdam Schiphol to Aruba and Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles. The Initiative Towards Sustainable Kerosene for Aviation (ITAKA) sourced the biofuel for the flight, which
May 22, 2014 Read Full Article
Biobased Delta Teams up with Bioindustrial Innovation Canada
(Biorizon) South-western Netherlands-based Biobased Delta Foundation has agreed to work closely with the Canadian sustainable chemistry alliance Bioindustrial Innovation Canada. Together they aim to accelerate the international commercialization of advanced new technologies. Biorizon is one of the flagships of the
May 19, 2014 Read Full Article
SkyNRG Supplies KLM’s New Series of Transatlantic Biofuel Flights to Aruba and Bonaire
(SkyNRG) SkyNRG, the global market maker for sustainable fuels, will supply sustainable jet fuel to a new series of KLM flights from Amsterdam to the Caribbean islands Aruba and Bonaire. The program will run for six months and is operated
May 16, 2014 Read Full Article
Biofuels Digest Posts "Hot Slides" from Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On ABLC's opening morning, we have some of the top slides -an inside look from Inbicon, Ensyn, GranBio, Sapphire Energy, LanzaTech - hot topics such as product portfolios, refinery integration, policy cliffs, the use of
April 25, 2014 Read Full Article
EU’s Struggle for E10
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) For European ethanol producers, E15 is still a distant dream. In the EU, the struggle is to get from E5 to E10. The legislation to offer E10 has been in place since 2009 but its
March 18, 2014 Read Full Article
FGVB Delivers First 48 MT PME To Kuantan Fuel Terminal
(Bernama) Felda Global Ventures Biotechnologies Sdn Bhd (FGVB) has delivered its first 48 metric tonnes (MT) of palm methyl ester (PME) under the B5 programme to a client at the Kuantan Fuel Terminal. In a statement, the Felda Global Ventures Holdings
March 14, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Exports Hit 25-Month High; Brazil is Top Customer
by Ann Lewis (Renewable Fuels Association) U.S. ethanol shipments in January rocketed to 86.2 million gallons (mg), marking the highest monthly export volume since December 2011, according to government data released last week. Exports were up a third from December
March 11, 2014 Read Full Article
From the Sea to the Pump: Is Kelp a Viable Biofuel?
by Bruce Dorminey (RenewableEnergyWorld.com) Brown kelp macroalgae — the strange, foul-smelling seaweed so often found washed up on the Pacific Northwest’s volcanic sand beaches — could ultimately offer an almost unlimited global supply of commercial-quality ethanol or biomethane. ... Although in the U.S.
March 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Vessel Loads Rotterdam Ethanol for Export to UAE: Sources
(Platts) Chemical tanker Bochem Oslo is preparing to load a substantial volume of ethanol from Rotterdam before heading to Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates, as multi-year low European prices beat competition from the US and Brazil, market sources said
February 28, 2014 Read Full Article
Algae Research Gives Hope for Renewable Carbon-Negative Source of Food and Medicines
(University of Greenwich) Bright pink-orange microalgae found in salt lakes and coastal waters could become a renewable source of food, plastics, health products and fuel as a result of new research announced this week. The University of Greenwich is leading a
February 20, 2014 Read Full Article
Biofuels, and the Crossing of the Rind
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New separation technologies offer a route to massive cuts in the cost of biofuel production, by changing the way we extract useful sugars. ... Which brings us to the separation of lignin from hemicellulose and cellulose —
February 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Record Ethanol Cargo Loaded at Peruvian Port
(Tank Storage Magazine) Peruvian terminal operator Penta Tanks Terminals reportedly loaded the largest ethanol cargo ever in Peru at the end of 2013. Around 15,200m3 of ethanol, owned by Maple Energy, were loaded into a cargo ship via an underwater
February 06, 2014 Read Full Article
Special Asia Biofuels Report: The Top 10 Stories of the Year, and More
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Asia looks at petroleum reserves and exploration and concludes: our future is in biomass. As we wrote in 2012: “There’s only one complete region for biofuels where abundant feedstock, lack of oil & gas production, rising energy
December 26, 2013 Read Full Article
DSM, DONG Energy Report Improved Cellulosic Ethanol Yield
(Royal DSM/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Royal DSM, together with DONG Energy, announced it has demonstrated the combined fermentation of C6 and C5 sugars from wheat straw on an industrial scale. The combined fermentation results in a 40 percent increase in ethanol
December 06, 2013 Read Full Article
Researchers Publish 'Survival of the Fattest' Algae Discovery
(Delft University of Technology/Biodiesel Magazine) ... Researchers at TU Delft have developed a clever way of finding the fattest and therefore the most suitable examples among all the many species of algae. ... “The ultimate goal of our research is to make
November 26, 2013 Read Full Article
SkyNRG Gets Dutch Government Backing to Set up a BioPort Holland Sustainable Jet Biofuel Supply Chain
(Green Air Online) SkyNRG has signed a Letter of Intent with the Dutch government, KLM, Neste Oil, Schiphol Airport and the Port of Rotterdam to scale up production of sustainable jet fuels in the Netherlands. As part of its ambitious
November 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Integrating Place-Specific Livelihood and Equity Outcomes into Global Assessments of Bioenergy Deployment
by Felix Creutzig, Esteve Corbera, Simon Bolwig and Carol Hunsberger (IOP Science) Integrated assessment models suggest that the large-scale deployment of bioenergy could contribute to ambitious climate change mitigation efforts. However, such a shift would intensify the global competition for
October 30, 2013 Read Full Article
Producing Biofuel from Seaweed Biorefinery: Conference Report from Seagriculture, Exploring the Seaweed Chain
by Stefaniya Becking* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The second international conference on Seagriculture (exploring the seaweed chain) took place in Den Helder / Texel, the Netherlands, on September 25-26, 2013. The conference attracted about 130 people from 13 countries. [caption id="attachment_48274" align="alignleft" width="300"]
October 11, 2013 Read Full Article
Europe Importing More Palm Oil for Biofuels, Raising Risks for Rainforests
by Rhett Butler (Mongabay.com) Palm oil imports into Europe for use as car fuel increased by more than three-fold since 2006, raising concerns than renewable fuels targets may be contributing to deforestation, displacing marginalized communities, and driving greenhouse gas emissions in
October 02, 2013 Read Full Article
SkyNRG Diversifies with Schiphol Agreement to Supply Sustainable Diesel for Ground Vehicles
(GreenAir Online) Amsterdam-based sustainable jet fuel company SkyNRG is to supply Schiphol Airport with a 30% sustainable waste based diesel for its ground transport vehicles. The agreement follows a successful pilot in 2011-12 in which 45 vehicles were tested on
September 19, 2013 Read Full Article
Report: Biofuels Play Minor Role in Local Food Prices
(Ecofys) There is persistent concern that biofuels compete with food production, drive up food prices and price volatility and so cause hunger. Many people, including very dignified authorities, accept this simple causality chain. The reality is far more complex. In
September 06, 2013 Read Full Article
R.C. Costello, Zeton Sign MOU to Offer Scale-up Services
(R.C. Costello & Associates Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) R.C. Costello & Associates Inc. and Zeton Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding last month. Costello has extensive front-end engineering, process modeling and design experience; and Zeton has specific know-how in the scale
September 03, 2013 Read Full Article
Who's Blocking 'Good' Ethanol?
by Craig Giammona (CNN Money/Fortune) Ethanol made from corn waste should be commercially available in 2014, but a fight in Congress threatens the market for cellulosic biofuels. When Royal DSM opens a $250 million facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa in a few
August 08, 2013 Read Full Article
The Top 10 Jet Biofuels Advances of the Year
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Here are the biggest pacts and advances, tests, investments and grants with the likes of Amyris, Total, Airbus, Solena Fuels, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, AltAir Fuels, the US Navy, Emerald Biofuels, Natures BioReserve and Fulcrum Biofuels, Virent, the US Air Force, Chinese Eastern
July 26, 2013 Read Full Article
Fast Swimmers: 10 Algae Technologies, Where Are They in the Race for the Summit?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Summer of Algae has passed, but dozens of companies have remained hot in pursuit of a solution for fuels, feed, nutraceuticals, fragrances, flavorings and tailored renewable oils. Their technologies? Closed systems, open-systems, hybrid systems. Hosts
July 23, 2013 Read Full Article
Momentum: 12 Biobased Ventures Raise $435M in Q2 2013; 32 Projects Being Built off the Balance Sheet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite negative press from Bloomberg, biobased investing is surging, both direct and via strategics. The Digest has the data and the scoop. After we profiled, last April, 17 biobased ventures who raised $434 million in new
July 10, 2013 Read Full Article
Technip Awarded FEED Contract for a New Biomass-to-Liquid Plant in Finland
Technip was awarded by Forest BtL Oy a contract, worth approximately €5 million, for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) of a new second generation biomass-to-liquid* (BTL) plant to be built on Ajos island, Finland. This plant will produce approximately
June 20, 2013 Read Full Article
Out of the Shell: Oil Giant’s Big Biofuels Ambitions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In an exclusive Digest interview, Shell’s VP for Alternative Energy, Matthew Tipper, reveals the company’s thinking about RFS2, their increasing re-focus on North America and the EU. Plus, Shell’s ambition to “build, own and operate”
May 14, 2013 Read Full Article
Investing in Sustainable Palm Oil Production Ex-ante Impact Assessment of Investments in a Palm Oil Mill in Palembang, Indonesia
by Yuca Waarts, Kor Zwart (LEI Wageningen UR) Recycling palm oil mill effluent, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and improving smallholder livelihoods are three important topics in debates on sustainable palm oil production. In Indonesia, Zebra Special Products BV has invested in various
May 13, 2013 Read Full Article
New Report Analyses Current Dutch Biomass Trading
(Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation) A recently published report provides an in-depth overview of the current state of affairs in Dutch biomass trading. "We're satisfied to report a significant increase in certified biomass imports, especially in the
May 07, 2013 Read Full Article
Innovation Coupons Worth € 10.000 to Assess the Feasibility of an Innovative Bio-Based Idea
(Bio Base NWE) The project Bio Base NWE is funded under the Interreg IVB NWE framework and has the objective to support the development of the bio-based economy in North West Europe (see www.biobasenwe.org for additional info). Within Bio Base
May 03, 2013 Read Full Article
Ministers Block EU Proposal to Limit Some Biofuels
(EurActiv) Several European ministers are blocking the EU’s proposal to curb the use of conventional biofuels, while some dispute claims the demand for crop-based oils drives deforestation and food insecurity in other parts of the world. A majority of EU environment
March 26, 2013 Read Full Article
KLM Begins Biofuel Flights Between New York, Amsterdam
(AIN Online) KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, in partnership with the Schiphol Group, Delta Air Lines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey christened the first in a series of biofuel-powered flights between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and New York’s
March 12, 2013 Read Full Article
SkyNRG First Jet Fuel Supply Chain to Earn RSB Certification
(RSB Services Foundation) The RSB Services Foundation, which is responsible for the distribution and implementation of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) global sustainability standard for biofuel production, is pleased to announce that SkyNRG is the first biofuel operator worldwide
March 08, 2013 Read Full Article
Science Teacher Tests Biofuel Plane
by Neil Remiesiewicz and Steve Nielsen (WPRI.com) Ross McCurdy, who teaches at Ponaganset High School, teamed up with other fliers to take their biodiesel-powered aircraft for a test flight Saturday. McCurdy and the team modified a Cessna 182 aircraft to run
March 05, 2013 Read Full Article
New Shell Scenarios Sharpen Focus on Future for Society, Energy
(HeraldOnline/Royal Dutch Shell) Shell today released new scenarios that explore two possible ways the 21st century could unfold, with dramatically different implications for society and the world's energy system. One scenario sees cleaner-burning natural gas becoming the most important energy source
February 27, 2013 Read Full Article
Energo Zelena Rendering Company Started Up
(ElectraWinds) Energo Zelena, Electrawinds’ rendering project in Serbia, is fully operational after a start-up period of a few weeks. This animal-waste product processing project is a new step in Electrawinds’ vertical integration and provides the energy company with direct access
February 21, 2013 Read Full Article
Neste Oil Ups Algae Research for Biodiesel
(Algae Industry Magazine) Neste Oil, ranked the world’s fourth most sustainable company on The Global 100 list at the World Economic Forum in Davos, has been investigating the suitability of algae for its renewable fuels production for some years; its
February 02, 2013 Read Full Article
Growing Palm Oil Trees For Biofuels Could Accelerate Climate Change, Study Finds
by Nina Chestney (Reuters/Huffington Post) Growing palm oil trees to make biofuels could be accelerating the effects of climate change, new research showed on Wednesday, adding further weight to claims the crop is not environmentally sustainable. In a paper published in the
February 02, 2013 Read Full Article
Powerful Enzymes Create Ethanol from Agricultural Harvest Waste
(Science Daily) The mainly EU-funded DISCO project coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed powerful enzymes, which accelerate plant biomass conversion into sugars and further into products such as bioethanol. The project's results include lignin-tolerant enzymes and
January 23, 2013 Read Full Article
Seaweed-Based Ethanol Technology Gets Boost in Vietnam
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bio-Refinery Begins Operations Turning Co-Cropping into Fuels, Chemicals Deep in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam a small bio-refinery is converting seaweed into protein, fuel-blendable alcohol, and a bacterial soil product. It is part of a
January 15, 2013 Read Full Article
EU Goes Big-Game Hunting: Brussels Grants €199M to Dutch Biorefinery Project
by Jim Lane (Biobased Digest) Counting the EU out in biobased development? Not so quick, pilgrim — BioMCN, Siemens, Linde and Visser & Smit Hanab land a whale, grant-wise. In the Netherlands, a consortium consisting of BioMCN, Siemens, Linde, and Visser
December 19, 2012 Read Full Article
Peruvian Sugar Giant Gears up for Ethanol Production
(Argus Media) Peru's Coazucar is set to become that country's third producer of fuel-grade ethanol. Coazucar, a subsidiary of Peru's multinational Grupo Gloria and the country's largest sugar producer, has secured the required permits to begin ethanol production using sugarcane feedstock
December 06, 2012 Read Full Article
Expert in Biofuels: EU Biofuel Policy Is Addressing the Wrong Issue
(Hveiti) European policymakers should focus on how to organize the synergies between food and fuel rather than wasting time on theoretical models of land use changes that do nothing to improve matters in the real world, says biofuel expert André
December 05, 2012 Read Full Article
The Stampede of Elephants: Biofuels and Big Balance Sheets
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Today, we’ll look at the bigger balance sheets to see who is investing what, and when, with whom, and why. ...We’ve also focused here, for the sake of brevity, on those financing commercial scale projects. So,
October 23, 2012 Read Full Article
Heard it Through the Grapevine: Useful Facts and Scuttlebutt from the Algae Biomass Summit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jobs, global expansion, proteins vs fuels, new R&D funding – all the big issues are under debate both on and off the floor at the Algae Biomass Summit. ...Jobs Dr. John Benemann projected on stage that,
September 27, 2012 Read Full Article
Codexis, Shell Redraw the Advanced Biofuels Map with Global Enzyme Rights Deal
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In California, Codexis announced that Shell has granted Codexis a royalty-bearing, non-exclusive license to develop, manufacture, use and sell cellulase enzymes developed under the companies’ Amended and Restated Collaborative Research Agreement. The scope of the
September 05, 2012 Read Full Article
Top Ten: Britain's Most Progressive Biofuel and Biochemical Companies
by Matthew Aylott (National Non-Food Crops Centre) NNFCC gives its top ten of Britain's most progressive biofuel and biochemical companies. TMO Renewables ... Green Biologics ... British Airways ... Ensus ... BP ... Johnson Matthey ... Croda ... INEOS Bio ... Harvest Energy ... Greenergy ... READ MORE
September 04, 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
Major Global Biofuels Agreement Signed at Rio+20
(TheBioenergySite) An agreement has been signed by The Netherlands and Brazil at international sustainable energy conference Rio+20 designed to boost biofuels development between the two countries. Brazil and the Netherlands will intensify their collaboration on the development of biofuels that meet
July 05, 2012 Read Full Article
KLM Biofuel Flight to Rio Takes off as Innovative Programme Is Launched to Involve Global Corporations in Aviation Biofuels
(GreenAirOnline) As a KLM Boeing 777-200 was readied for yesterday’s longest-ever commercial biofuel flight from Amsterdam to Rio de Janeiro, KLM and aviation biofuel supplier SkyNRG announced a new programme that will involve global corporations in participating in the development
June 27, 2012 Read Full Article
Dutch Autosport Industry Drives Forward in Fuel Sustainability Stakes
(Biofuels International) The 48th edition of the ELE Rally in the Netherlands hosted races that had cars fuelled by Gasoline Ethanol Methanol (GEM) from second generation biofuels producer BioMCN. ...The BioMCN GEM concept has been developed and tested in collaboration with car
June 07, 2012 Read Full Article
Aviation Biofuels: Which Airlines Are Doing What, with Whom?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(M)ore than 30 airlines now trialing, deploying biofuels – but who’s doing what, exactly? In Brazil, Azul Airlines announced that Amyris’s innovative renewable jet fuel sourced from Brazilian sugarcane has passed all required testing and will be used during
June 05, 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
Renewable Diesel Surges: Emerald Biofuels Announces Major Project in Louisiana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Emerald Biofuels announced that it will build an 85 million gallonrenewable-diesel refineries at a Dow Chemical site in Plaquemine, Louisiana. The company will use Honeywell’s UOP/Eni EcoFining process technology for the production of Honeywell Green Diesel
May 21, 2012 Read Full Article
Algae-Fueled Motorcycle Sets Speed Record
(Algae Industry Magazine) Below the Surface’s “Driving Innovation” Team established the first official algae-fueled motorcycle speed records during The Texas Mile land speed event on March 24th, 2012. Team leader Kristian Gustavson reached 94.6 mph using a 50/50 blend of
April 12, 2012 Read Full Article
DuPont Lands Award for Feedstock Innovation
by Cori Anne Natoli (DelawareOnline) The DuPont Co. won the 2012 Sustainable Biofuels award for its research project on the transport and storage of corn stover for conversion to biofuel. The Stover Harvest Project is a collaborative effort led by DuPont’s Iowa-based Pioneer
March 28, 2012 Read Full Article
Biofuels Industrials Shift Focus to Waste, Asia as World Biofuels Markets 2012 Opens
by Nadim Chaudhry (Biofuels Digest/Greenpower Conferences) 1500 industry leaders expected to gather in Rotterdam as oil prices, aviation dominate thinking on growth, in 100-leader industry survey. As we gear up for the 2012 World Biofuels Markets event in Rotterdam, March 13-15, we asked
March 13, 2012 Read Full Article
Chinese Firm to Export Biofuel Component Derived from "Gutter Oil"
(XINHUANET.com)Twenty tonnes of oil refined from leftover cooking oil will be exported from China to the Netherlands to be processed into aviation fuel, a Chinese company said Wednesday. The oil was produced by Qingdao Fresh Bio-energy Technology Development Co., Ltd, for
March 12, 2012 Read Full Article
Ecofys Launches Test Module for Seaweed Cultivation in Offshore Wind Farms
(Ecofys) Ecofys started a trial with the combination of seaweed cultivation and offshore wind energy. Thursday, 01 March, the cultivation module left the NIOZ harbour on the Dutch island of Texel for a disused sand extraction area 10 kilometres west
March 09, 2012 Read Full Article
LAN Chile, Air BP Copec Operate First South American Biofuels Flight
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Chile, Netherlands-based SkyNRG has supplied LAN Chile and Air BP Copec for its first commercial flight with second generation jet fuel. The flight, which operated between the Chilean cities of Santiago and Concepcion, was conducted on an
March 08, 2012 Read Full Article
DSM Chief Seeks Poet-Style Ethanol Tie-ups From Brazil to China
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Royal DSM NV, the Dutch enzyme maker which last month set up a cellulosic ethanol venture with Poet LLC, is seeking similar tie-ups in Brazil, China and Europe, Chief Executive Officer Feike Sijbesma said. DSM last month said it’s providing
March 01, 2012 Read Full Article
IN FOCUS: Pricing and Supply Key to Unlocking Large-Scale US Biofuel Use
by Lori Ranson (FlightGlobal) Successful commercial biofuel flights operated by US carriers in late 2011 were underpinned by an understanding that price and supply chain infrastructure remain the big hurdles to creating a viable full-scale alternative aviation fuels industry in
February 23, 2012 Read Full Article
Building a World Market from Scratch
by Alvaro Cordero (Ethanol Producer Magazine/U.S. Grains Council) From a barely recognized feed alternative 10 years ago, distillers dried grains with solubles continues to gain recognition and markets. DDGS is now widely recognized internationally, where its use continues to evolve. Forty-four
January 26, 2012 Read Full Article
SkyNRG Serves First Middle Eastern Airline Etihad Airways via Boeing “Fuel from the Factory” Option
(SkyNRG) SkyNRG, the Amsterdam-based global market maker in sustainable jet fuel has supplied its first customer via a “fuel-from the factory ” option made possible with U.S. partners EPIC Aviation and Boeing. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab
January 25, 2012 Read Full Article
POET, DSM Form Landmark Cellulosic Ethanol Joint Venture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Two titans form a monster JV, starting out with a $250M investment. ...In Iowa, Poet has teamed with Dutch-based Royal DSM to create a 50/50 joint venture called Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels that will produce cellulosic ethanol and license
January 24, 2012 Read Full Article
A Pragmatic Approach to Fuel Taxation
by Robert Vierhout (Ethanol Producer Magazine) One would think that a relatively easy way for governments to promote biofuels would be to tax biofuels less than fossil fuels—avoid lengthy debates on mandates and simply change the taxation structure in such
January 16, 2012 Read Full Article
Who’s in the Lead? Algae around the World
by Jonathan Williams (Biofuels Digest) Who’s in front in the development of algal-based fuels and biomaterials? India, China, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Israel, the EU, or the US. The NAABB’s globe-trotting chief parses it out. In New Mexico, Dr. Jose Olivares is
January 12, 2012 Read Full Article
Boosting Biofuels for Sustainable Energy and Environment
(European Commission CORDIS) Europeans believe in a sustainable environment, and a way of ensuring its future is to promote and build energy resources based on residual biomass. Supporting this objective is the BIOBOOST ('Biomass-based energy intermediates boosting biofuel production') project. Set
December 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Vertis Signed up as Agent for BioMCN in Central Europe
(BioMCN) Environmental commodity broker Vertis Environmental Finance have signed an agency agreement with BioMCN for the representation and sales of bio-methanol in Central Europe. BioMCN is the largest 2nd generation biofuels producer in the world, producing high quality bio-methanol from
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Neste Oil Achieves Milestones at Rotterdam, Porvoo Refineries
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) Global refining and marketing company Neste Oil Corp. held a grand opening ceremony at its 800,000-metric-ton (240 MMgy) renewable diesel—trademarked NExBTL—production facility at the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands. ...Neste Oil currently owns and operates a similar-sized
December 22, 2011 Read Full Article
DSM, CIMV Produce Ethanol From Wheat Straw in Biofuel Project
by Rudy Ruitenberg (Bloomberg) Royal DSM NV and France’s CIMV SA produced ethanol from wheat straw in a test run of a project led by French agricultural researcher INRA to develop so-called second-generation biofuels. Levallois-Perret, France-based CIMV broke down the straw
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
SkyNRG Serves First Airline Customer out of the US: Alaska Airlines and launches SkyNRG in North America together with Partner EPIC Aviation
(SkyNRG) SkyNRG, the Amsterdam based global market leader in sustainable jet fuel will supply Alaska Airlines with sustainable Jet Fuel in the month of November. The airline will operate 75 regularly scheduled flights out of its hub Seattle using a
November 10, 2011 Read Full Article
VTG’s New Ethanol Wagon Pooling System Takes Transports from the Road to the Railway
(VTG) The Hamburg-based wagon hire and rail logistics company VTG Aktiengesellschaft has established a new pool of wagons to provide flexible, ad hoc transports of ethanol from Rotterdam. This provides customers with small or excess quantities as well as those
November 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Second Generation Biofuel on Cusp of Breakthough: DSM
by Aaron Gray-Block (Reuters) Dutch life sciences group DSM said the development of second-generation biofuels is nearing a major breakthrough with commercial production just a couple of years away that could open up a market worth $5 billion a year. Second-generation
October 27, 2011 Read Full Article
Global Photosynthesis: New Insight Will Help Predict Future Climate Change
(Science Daily) A new insight into global photosynthesis, the chemical process governing how ocean and land plants absorb and release carbon dioxide, has been revealed in research that will assist scientists to more accurately assess future climate change. In a paper
October 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Tanzania: Sun Biofuels Jatropha Project in Kisarawe Suspended
by Finnigan Wa Simbeye (AllAfrica.com) An ambitious biodiesel project which was allocated over 8,000 hectares of land by Kisarawe district officials in 2008 is in trouble. Employees and casual workers of Sun Biofuels Plc, told Business Standard last weekend that work
October 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Heliae and SkyNRG Sign MOU to Bring Algae-Based Jet Fuel to Market
(Enhanced Online News) Heliae, an Arizona-based algae technology company, today announced signing a Memorandum of Understanding to produce algae-based jet fuel for SkyNRG, an Amsterdam-based market-maker of renewable aviation fuel. While both companies acknowledged that a cost-competitive, large-scale supply of aviation
October 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Neste Oil Starts Up Europe's Largest Renewable Diesel Plant in Rotterdam
(Neste Oil) Neste Oil has successfully started up Europe's largest renewable diesel plant in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Production of NExBTL renewable diesel at the new plant will be ramped up on a phased basis. The start-up is a significant
September 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and KLM take Another Step on the Way to Sustainable Mobility.
(KLM) Effective today (September 6, 2011), approximately 40 ground transport vehicles in the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and KLM fleet are powered by 100% BioDiesel. Both parties are investing efforts in introducing more sustainable transport vehicles at the airport, where a
September 07, 2011 Read Full Article
European Partnership to Unlock the Potential of Algal Bioenergy
by Dr Matthew Aylott (National Non-Food Crops Centre) A major new €14 million (£12.3 million) initiative - bringing together experts from across North West Europe to develop the potential of algae as a source of sustainable energy - has been
September 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Creating a Biobased Economy
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Fast-tracking bioenergy development in Holland Due in part to its strong chemical industry and logistical advantages, Holland is uniquely suited to become a central biorefining hub in Europe. According to Renee Bergkamp, director general of innovation
August 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Report Compares Pyrolysis Techniques
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) The Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands recently published a thesis on pyrolysis research written by ERC researcher Paul de Wild. According to de Wild, while many renewable resources, such as wind, solar, water and
August 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Looking Beyond the Fossil Age: Royal DSM Aims to Be in the Thick of the Race for Next Generation of Biofuels and Health-Care Materials
by William Lyons and Sten Stovall (Wall Street Journal) ..."We don't realize it, but we are living in the fossil age," he (Royal DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma) argues. "Population will increase, urbanization will increase, temperature will increase and the price of
August 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Neste Oil to Take Part in International Algae Research Projects in Australia and the Netherlands
(Neste Oil) Neste Oil's research into the potential for using algae oil as a feedstock for producing renewable diesel is continuing to progress. The company will be taking part in two research projects starting this summer to test various methods
July 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Finnair to Operate Amsterdam-Helsinki Biofuel Flight
by Kerry Reals (FlightGlobal) Finnair has become the latest airline to announce plans to operate flights partially-powered by biofuel. The carrier plans to operate a biofuel flight between Amsterdam Schiphol and Helsinki in the week beginning 18 July, using either an Airbus
July 19, 2011 Read Full Article
KLM Operates First Scheduled Flight on Biokerosene
(KLM) KLM Royal Dutch Airlines today became the first airline in the world to operate a commercial flight carrying 171 passengers on biokerosene. Flight KL1233 – a Boeing 737-800 – took off this afternoon at 12:30 hours from Schiphol bound
June 30, 2011 Read Full Article
DSM Strengthens Yeast Technology Leadership for 2G Biofuels
(DSM) Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, today announces that it has reached an agreement to acquire C5 Yeast Company B.V. (Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands) from Royal Cosun. The acquisition will allow DSM to combine C5
June 29, 2011 Read Full Article
New Algae Research Centre for Renewable Energy and Materials
(AlphaGalileo) On 17 June, with the opening of AlgaePARC and the launch of the BioSolar Cells research project, a new research facility at Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) starts exploring on a semi-industrial scale the potential of micro-algae as
June 27, 2011 Read Full Article
Addax Bioenergy Signs Loan Agreement for €258 Million Renewable Energy Project in Sierra Leone
(Business Wire) Addax Bioenergy S.A. (“Addax Bioenergy”), a subsidiary of the Swiss-based energy group, The Addax and Oryx Group Limited (AOG), announced today the signing of a loan agreement with seven European and African development institutions for an integrated renewable
June 27, 2011 Read Full Article
KLM Launches Commercial Flights Amsterdam–Paris on Biofuel
(KLM) KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has taken another important step in aviation sustainability. In September KLM will launch more than 200 flights being operated on biokerosene between Amsterdam and Paris. “KLM has once again shown it is stimulating the development
June 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Honeywell: The Lindbergh of Aviation Biofuels
by Mark Halper (SmartPlanet) Jet biofuels should get a boost this Friday, when Honeywell has scheduled a trans-Atlantic flight heading to Paris from Morristown, N.J., powered by Honeywell-branded Green Jet Fuel. The corporate jet, a Gulfstream 6450, will carry executives from
June 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Aiming for the Complete Utilization of Sugar-Beet Pulp: Examination of the Effects of Mild Acid and Hydrothermal Pretreatment Followed by Enzymatic Digestion.(Research)
Stefan Kuhnel; Henk A Schols; Harry Gruppen (Biotechnology for Biofuels/Highbeam Business) Sugar-beet pulp (SBP) consists of up to 75% w/w of carbohydrates (dry matter). Arabinose, glucose and galacturonic acid (GA) are the main sugar moieties present in complex polysaccharide structures
June 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Pilot Algae Facility in Holland Targets Wastewater Streams
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A pilot-scale project in Olgergen, Holland, is investigating the use of algae cultivation as a method to remove nutrients from wastewater. The project, under development by Ingrepro Renewables, is housed at Waterstromen bv, a water
June 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Maple Plant to Produce Ethanol in Fourth Quarter in Peru as Costs Rise
(Bloomberg) Maple Energy Plc, a Lima-based oil and natural-gas producer, expects costs at an ethanol project under construction in northwest Peru to be higher than an earlier forecast. ...Most of the initial shipments will be to the Netherlands, Maple said today.
May 05, 2011 Read Full Article
BIOeCON Raises 1 Million Euro’s for a Biomass Based Fuel Cell
(BIOeCON) BIOeCON a leading pioneer in the field of non-edible biomass conversion, has raised an additional 1 million Euro’s from existing shareholders, including a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Economic affairs, to design and build a prototype of a
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Come On Seven: Investors Weigh Options, as 7 Companies Near Key Biofuels Milestones
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As seven projects aim for important milestones, investors face big decisions on whether advanced biofuels companies, even after the run-up in share prices, are still undervalued. ...(I)s it time to get in, hold, or lock in
April 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Focus on Cost and Sustainability Issues as Aviation and Biofuel Sectors Meet Face to Face in Rotterdam
(GreenAirOnline) Sustainability and economics dominated debate at last week’s World Biofuels Market (WBM) event in Rotterdam as airlines gathered to make the case for aviation biofuels commercialisation to a wider biofuels industry audience. In a keynote speech, KLM Managing Director
March 28, 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
Diester Sees No Respite for EU Biodiesel Industry
by Sybille de La Hamaide (Reuters) Overcapacity, squeezed margins and massive imports should continue to hurt Europe's biodiesel industry this year and lead to further consolidation, the chief executive of EU giant Diester Industrie said on Monday. Several biodiesel firms in
March 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Neste Oil Celebrates the Grand Opening of Its ISCC-Certified Renewable Diesel Plant in Singapore
(Neste Oil) Neste Oil with Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Mr. Teo Chee Hean, Finnish Minister for Ownership Steering Mr. Jyri Häkämies, and some 200 guests celebrate the grand opening of its renewable diesel plant in
March 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Shell, Brazil's Cosan Form $12 Billion Ethanol Unit
(Google/AFP) Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell and Brazilian sugar-production group Cosan said Monday they were forming one of the biggest joint ethanol fuel ventures in the world, with an estimated market value of $12 billion. The new entity, to be called Raizen, will
February 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Netherland Launches Biofuel Certification Scheme
(Argus Media) The Netherlands has launched the first system for the certification of all types of sustainable biomass. The system was launched last week by standardisation institute NEN and the Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI). The system is based on the Dutch
February 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Dutch Researchers Use Modified Pyrolysis Technique to Produce Bio-oil
(TAPPI) Researchers at the University of Technology in Twente, the Netherlands, have reportedly developed a new technique that enables large-scale production of biofuels without adverse effects on food supplies. According to a report this past week by Radio Netherlands, an
September 28, 2010 Read Full Article
BioMCN Opens Largest 2nd Generation Biofuel Plant
(BioMCN) June 25, 2010, the Queen’s Commissioner of the Province of Groningen, Sir Max van den Berg, together with Rob Voncken, CEO of BioMCN, has officially opened the largest second generation biofuel plant in the world. With a production capacity of 250
June 29, 2010 Read Full Article
Ensus Signs with Shell, Sends First Tanker
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The first tanker of ethanol has left Ensus, Europe’s largest wheat-based ethanol facility. Headed for the Netherlands, the cargo, which has been purchased by Shell as part of a long term deal, is a
March 02, 2010 Read Full Article
KLM Takes Strides in Sustainable Air Transport
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines today operated its first ever passenger flight powered by sustainable biokerosene. To give an extra impulse to sustainable air transport, KLM today also joined hands with North Sea Petroleum and Spring Associates to establish the SkyEnergy
November 30, 2009 Read Full Article
Amsterdam Energy Park to Include Biodiesel Plant
The Austrian company BDI - BioDiesel International AG has been commissioned by BioDiesel Amsterdam B.V. with the construction of a multi-feedstock BioDiesel plant in the port of Amsterdam. The contract value is about EUR 31 million. The plant with an