Rainer Bomba, Undersecretary of State in the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, visited CHOREN’s Beta plant at Freiberg in the German state of Saxony. His purpose of the visit was to discuss the progress of CHOREN on producing sustainable advanced biofuels and their role in achieving climate protection targets. “Last year, the Beta plant completed several campaigns …
GRFA Highlights Biofuel Reduction on GHGs
The World Biofuels Markets conference has kicked off in Rotterdam, Netherlands and the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is taking the opportunity to highlight the positive influence ethanol production is having on reducing global greenhouse gas (GHGs) reductions. A third party consulting firm, (S&T)2 Consultants Inc. has produced data that shows estimated world ethanol production for 2011 will reduce global …
3rd Party Certification For Sustainable Biofuels
Led in part by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) has launched the first global third-party certification system for sustainable biofuels. To be certified “sustainable” the fuel must meet a set of environmental, social and economic principles and criteria set forth by the group. The certification process takes place online and there are online tools …
US Oilseed Growers Protest EU Biofuel Requirement
Oilseed growers, led by the American Soybean Association (ASA), have raised concerns with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk over the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy Directive (RED), particularly the part that is keeping American soybeans out of Europe for biofuel production. The ASA is asking to meet with Vilsack’s and …
“Oz Goes Electric” Tour Kicks Off
The Victorian government is participating in an Electric Vehicle Trial and as part of creating awareness about electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia the “Oz Goes Electric” tour is kicking off on March 16. The featured EV is the Tesla Roadster, an electric sports car, that will travel 3,000 kilometers along the Eastern coast of the country to demonstrate that electric …
GE Introduces Next Gen Offshore Wind Turbine
General Electric (GE) has introduced its 4.1-113 wind turbine, a four-megawatt (MW) class machine that is optimized for offshore use. In addition, the company has signed a contract to supply the turbines, along with other services, to Göteborg Energi for installation in the Gothenburg, Sweden harbor later this year. The project is supported by the Swedish Energy Agency. The announcement …
Upcoming: Sugar & Ethanol Brazil Conference
F.O. Licht’s 7th Annual Sugar and Ethanol Brazil conference is just around the corner (March 28-30) in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association is one of the headline speakers. Topics for the conference include meeting the requirements of the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard and the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) and how …
Enzyme Helps Argentine Soybean Plant’s Oil Production
The world’s largest soybean processing plant, which produces biodiesel, soybean oil and meal, is using an enzyme that is helping increase edible oil production. This press release from Verenium Corporation says that Argentina’s Terminal 6 is using Verenium’s Purifine enzymatic degumming process at its Puerto General San Martin facility. Not only does the process increase oil yields, but it also …
Global Ethanol Leaders Together
In the great tradition of saving the best for last, the 2011 National Ethanol Conference concluded with a lively panel discussion featuring global ethanol leaders. Those on the panel were (LtoR) George Fitch, Director of the Caribbean Basic Ethanol Producers Association; Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association; Marcos Jank, president and CEO of Brazil’s UNICA; Robert …
Mid East Unrest and $100 Oil
As U.S. crude oil touches a $100 a barrel for the second time since October 2008, consumers are seeing gasoline prices rising at the pump and oil economists are talking about the real possibility of $4.00 and $5.00 gallons of gas. Four dollar gas is close – when I bought gas yesterday it was $3.79 a gallon. In a press …