German-based Evonik Industries opened a new biodiesel catalyst production plant in Argentina. This company news release says Evonik hopes to take advantage of what it sees as a growing South American market. “As one of the world’s leading providers of biodiesel-production catalysts, we wish to continue consolidating and expanding our position,” [Patrik Wohlhauser, the member of the Evonik Executive Board …
Biodiesel Supply Curve Key to RIN Price Structure
A new analysis from the University of Illinois shows that the biodiesel supply curve is key to the the price of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). Building on earlier work that showed that biodiesel production responds positively to profitability, Scott Irwin presents a new analysis to show the relationship between the biodiesel supply curve and the RIN prices. The estimated supply …
Must Know Ethanol Trends – Part I
The Biofuels Benchmarking 2012-13 Annual Report is out and in addition to identifying past, current and future biofuel trends, the report identifies some emerging trends for the ethanol industry. During an interview with John Christianson, partner with Christianson & Associates, PPLP (C&A), I asked him what trends they have been seeing and he noted five in particular of importance. Christianson …
Genscape Invokes NASA for Updated Corn Yield Forecast
As the federal government and its agencies begin to ramp up from a mandated furlough, Genscape is filling the gap by using NASA satellite data. The company has released an updated October corn yield forecast of 13.3 billion bushels. The company has noted that other analysts, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), have wide gaps in their predictions ranging …
BioEnergy Bytes
Vivint Solar has announced it has raised two more rounds of residential solar financing. The funds total $540 million and are provided by two major undisclosed financial institutions. The $540 million announced is in addition to the $200 million of tax equity financing that Vivint Solar announced in August of this year. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. has announced that it …
SMUD Enters Space-Time Continuum
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has implemented Space-Time Insight’s geospatial and visual analytics software. According to Space-Time Insight’s, their software facilitates faster and more informed smart grid decisions. The system, which correlates, analyzes and visualizes data in smart grid, distribution, outage, fire and weather systems, is the primary “face” of SMUD’s new Distribution Operations Center. The situational intelligence solution …
KiOR Receives $100M in Equity Financing
KiOR, has announced the execution of $100 million in committed equity related financing in two separate private placement transactions to support the Company’s recently announced expansion of production capacity in Columbus, Mississippi, called the Columbus II Project. Once completed with the planned technology enhancements for both Columbus facilities, the Columbus II Project is expected to achieve overall positive cash flow …
Biogas Project Added at Middlesex Water Company
A new biogas system designed to optimize the production of electricity from methane has been completed in the Village of Ridgewood, New Jersey. Partners in the project included Natural Systems Utilities (NSU), Middlesex Water Company (MWC) and American Refining and Biochemical (ARB). The biogas project will power the water pollution control plant and reduce its electric demand on the grid, …
Tax Incentives Up Chinese Biodiesel Imports
Tax and trade incentives are fueling a surge in China’s biodiesel imports. This article from Reuters says the world’s second-largest oil consumer is using the green fuel to replace petroleum-based diesel. Top state refiners Sinopec Corp and PetroChina are already expected to boost shipments of the fuel after Beijing approved large export quotas for the fourth quarter… Imports of diesel …
Sustainable Certification for Biodiesel Feedstock Co.
A Spanish company dealing with the biodiesel feedstock camelina has earned an important sustainability certification. This article from BioFuels Journal says Camelina Company España (CCE) picked up the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials’ (RSB) certification for its work to make fuel and chemicals from camelina. RSB’s sustainability certification covers Camelina Company’s office in Madrid, over 150 farmers in the regions of …