The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) has come out today calling a recent OPEC report “self serving.” The report, co-written by the former Secretary General of the OPEC oil cartel, criticized biofuels while according to GRFA, ignoring the overwhelming evidence on the devastating impact of crude oil on the environment and on our economies. The report will be released during …
Report: Global Biodiesel Market Worth $12.6 Bil by 2014
A new market research report says that the biodiesel market will be worth $12.6 billion by the year 2014. This press release says the MarketsandMakets report, entitled ‘Global Biodiesel Market (2009 – 2014)’, says the markets in Europe and the Americas will make up nearly 85 percent of that total, with 55.6 percent and 28.6 percent respectively: Increasing environmental concerns …
Evogene Researching Castor Bean for Biofuels
There is no shortage of potential feedstocks for biofuels and yesterday, Evogene Ltd based in Rehovot, Israel announced that it will be conducting field trials in Texas and Brazil of its proprietary castor bean lines. The trials will be conducted in conjunction with Texas AgriLife Research in Texas, which is part of the Texas A&M System, and South Cone Agriculture …
Shell to Partner with Cosan to Produce Ethanol
Another major oil company has entered the Brazilian ethanol market – Shell. According to Brazilian newspaper Valor Econômico, Shell and Cosan S.A., Brazil’s largest producer of ethanol, signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Moving forward, the two companies hope to create several new joint ventures to the tune of $12 billion that will produce sugar-based ethanol as well as electricity and …
“Green Coal” to Debut at UK Biomass Conference
An energy source made from biomass that’s touted as “magic coal from the steam cooker” will make its debut at the Energy from Biomass and Waste conference January 26-27, 2010 at the Royal Horticultural Halls & Conference Centre in London, England. This press release says “Green Coal,” invented the German company the G+R Technology Group, will be produced at the …
Novozymes: Strong Outlook for 2010
This morning Novozymes held is annual 2009 4th quarter sales call and earning report and overall it was favorable. While 2009 began with a rocky start for Novozymes and the majority of the ethanol industry, with effective management the company was able to finish off the year on a positive note. Steen Riisgaard, President and CEO, noted, “After a shaky …
Iogen Makes Cellulosic Ethanol Gains
Iogen Corporation is moving cellulosic ethanol closer to commercial reality. The Canadian company produced over 581,000 liters (153,484 gallons) of cellulosic ethanol in 2009, more than double its 2008 production. That brings the company’s total cumulative production to more than one million liters since 2004, heading cellulosic ethanol into the realm of viable commercial production. “Advanced renewable fuels such as …
Brazil May Reduce Level of Ethanol Blends
With a shortfall of sugarcane due to excessive rain, Brazil’s Agriculture Minister Reinhold Stephanes announced that they are considering reducing the amount of mandatory ethanol blended with gasoline. Today, all stations are required to sell gasoline mixed with a minimum of 20-25 percent ethanol. If enacted, the change could take effect as soon as this week but Stephanes has not …
Japanese Whalers Sink Biodiesel Boat
A biodiesel-fueled boat that set the world record for circumnavigating the globe (see my post from June 27, 2008) has been sunk by a vessel accompanying Japanese whaling ships. According to WCJB World News, the Earthrace (now owned by the environmental organization Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and renamed the Ady Gil), a 79-foot “batmobile-looking” trimaran, was sunk by Japanese sailors …
Bunge to Expand Sugar Business in Brazil
There has been quite a bit of activity in Brazil during the last few months of 2009 and it looks like it will continue. Bunge Limited announced today that it will become the 100 percent owner of Usina Moema Participacoes S.A. Moema Par is a holding company that owns one sugarcane mill and has ownership in five others. Together the …