A French biodiesel maker is expanding its production capacity to help meet increased blending requirements in the European country. Reuters reports Avril, the European Union’s largest maker of biodiesel, has opened a 100,000-tonne-per-year refinery on France’s Mediterranean coast. The facility at Sete, where Avril’s Saipol oilseed processing and refining branch already has a plant, will allow the group to raise …
Biodiesel Technology Makes Brewery Greener
A biodiesel technology company has teamed up with one of the world’s biggest makers of beer to open the world’s first major green brewery. This news release from BDI – BioEnergy International says the company teamed up with Brau Union Österreich, part of the international Heineken family, to open the BDI spent-grain fermentation plant that will generate energy from residual …
Funding Secured for Redstone CSP Plant in Africa
Funding has been secured for the Redstone Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) project in Northern Cape, South Africa by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). The group has made a $400 million commitment of debt financing for the project, that is part of Secretary John Kerry’s Climate and Clean Energy Investment Forum. The project also supports President Obama’s Power Africa initiative …
RE-VOLT Helps Haitians with Energy Needs
A new start-up company, RE-VOLT, is helping to bring reliable and affordable electricity to families in rural Haiti and has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help fund a service expansion. The system is a combination of a solar panel, control/power storage unit, lights and a phone charger. Founded by Digicel Haiti chairman, Maarten Boute, the RE-VOLT campaign hopes to raise …
Australian Company to Burn Own Biodiesel in Trucks
An Australian garden supply company will use its own biodiesel for its fleet of trucks. This article from Prime Mover Magazine says Peats Soil is running the green fuel in its Scania trucks, which recently approved renewable diesel in its trucks. “We have ordered 13 new trucks from Scania that will run on 100 per cent biodiesel,” said Peter Wadewitz, …
IEA Releases Mid-Term Renewable Report
According to the International Energy Agency (EIA), renewable energy will represent the largest single source of electricity growth over the next five years. Pointing to the need to economically mitigate climate change and enhance energy security, the report calls on governments to reduce policy uncertainties that are creating barriers to development. “Renewables are poised to seize the crucial top spot …
Tequila Source Could be Next Ethanol Source
What makes a mighty fine drink could also make a pretty good fuel. Researchers at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls have figured out how to get about 4,000 gallons per hectare a year of ethanol from the agave plant, well adapted to grow on marginal land under low rainfall conditions. The paper, titled “Prospecting …
Dong Opens Offshore Wind Farm
DONG Energy and LEGO Group along with William Demant, have opened BorkumRiffgrund 1, an offshore wind project expected to power more than 320,000 homes. The wind farm was officially commissioned by His Royal Highness, Prince Joachim of Denmark. Thomas Thune Andersen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DONG Energy said during the opening event, “BorkumRiffgrund 1 is our first …
Nidera Biodiesel Earns Sustainability Certification
A Dutch company specializing in commodity services and solutions for the global agricultural markets has earned an important sustainability certification for its biodiesel made from waste cooking oil. Nidera received the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) certification for the production of the green fuel. “We were very pleased to work with RSB to certify UCO biodiesel produced at the Biodiesel …
Cup of Joe Provides Biomass for London Homes
While England might be better known for its tea, Londoners certainly have a taste for coffee. And the waste grounds will soon be heating home’s in the United Kingdom’s capital. This article from the London Evening Standard says Bio-bean is collecting waste coffee grounds to be turned into biomass pellets. Although only a couple of hundred tonnes will be collected …