Biofuels, e-fuels or advanced alternative fuels – there are many ways to make engines and thus also transport more environmentally friendly. This question will be addressed at the International Congress “Fuels of the Future” on January 23rd. Representatives from research, business and ministries as well as the participants will have their say, for whom there will of course be an opportunity for questions and discussions. Further information about the event can also be found at:www.kraftstoffe-der-
A further press release from UFOP is attached
The European Parliament adopted on Tuesday its report on the revision of Regulation (EU) 2019/1242, which sets CO2 emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles. This is a milestone in legislation to reduce segment emissions. Unfortunately, the adopted report does not contain a mechanism to take into account the contribution of renewable fuels to the decarbonization of the transport sector. Transport operators and vehicle manufacturers should be provided with a regulatory framework that encourages them to consider cleaner fuel alternatives to the fossil fuels that are readily available today. Sustainable biomethane as a transport fuel represents an immediately available, local and low-cost renewable alternative to traditional transport fuels, represents a key solution in the transition to a climate-neutral economy and is even capable of achieving negative emissions necessary to achieve EU climate neutrality Goals. https://www.europeanbiogas.eu/
From January, Poland will only introduce 95 octane petrol as E10 petrol. Plans to replace E5 gasoline with E10 fuel on the Polish market have been underway since 2019. Some gas stations already offered E10, but this never caught on. The final change will now take place on January 1, 2024. https://plus.exportmanager-
EU Member States and Parliament continue negotiations on the EU Gas and hydrogen markets regulation, a report published by the campaigning group Feedback EU under the heading “Biomethane: setting a target that is fit for food and the climate” shows that the plan to ramp up biomethane production to 35 billion cubic meters (bcm) by 2030 from its current level of 3.5bcm is both unrealistic and unsustainable. Feedback EU says its analysis shows that the use of most of these feedstocks at the volumes proposed comes with significant downsides and unintended consequences such as encouraging more livestock production and food-feed-fuel competition. https://feedbackeurope.org/wp-
Shell and Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) signed a long-term agreement to blend sustainable aviation fuel on all aircraft fuelled at the airport, starting in 2024. On top of the European blending mandate of 6%, the airport will accelerate its efforts by setting itself a minimum target of 8% to meet the more ambitious goal of the Dutch aviation sector of 14% by 2030. Using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is among the few measures currently available to reduce emissions from international aviation. https://www.regionalgateway.
Scania, TotalEnergies, ANADER and LA SIR have opened a biodiesel pilot project in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The aim of the pilot project is to reduce emissions from public transport and create jobs through locally produced biofuels. In 2017, Scania initiated a collaboration with the Agence Nationale d’Appui au Développement Rural (ANADER), a public agency supporting rural development in Côte d’Ivoire, to explore opportunities for the production of local biofuels from cocoa and rubber, as well as other agricultural products find waste and animal dung, which are abundant in the country. https://www.scania.com/group/
In France, Neste is working with two new distributors to bring Neste MY Renewable Diesel to the market for the first time and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector. Neste MY Renewable Diesel will be available in France from early January 2024. Many French truck transport companies, public fleets, construction companies and large fleet operators are in the process of switching to more sustainable energy sources, but a large proportion of French road transport still runs on fossil diesel. Neste’s collaboration with two new fuel retailers will help French companies significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their existing fleet by switching from fossil diesel to renewable diesel. Neste MY Renewable Diesel is an immediate solution to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, suitable for all diesel engines, without the need for investments in new vehicle fleets or modifications to the vehicles or their engines. https://www.neste.com/
Dockendale Ship Management and methanol ship specialist Green Marine announced the formation of a joint venture in the United Arab Emirates focused on the fully integrated crewing and technical management of methanol-powered vessels. Through this joint venture, Dockendale and Green Marine aim to combine their technical expertise to help shipowners accelerate the transition to a methanol-powered maritime future. The agreement will see the creation of a new company, Dockendale Green Marine Ship Management, with headquarters in Dubai. https://www.greenmarine.dk/
On November 17, 2023, CropEnergies AG signed a contract to acquire EthaTec GmbH. The transaction is expected to close in the coming months. EthaTec employs around 20 people. The site has an annual production capacity of up to 3 million liters of advanced ethanol and biogas. Waste and residues from the food industry that are no longer usable for human consumption are used as raw materials. The purchase price of around 8 million euros will be paid in cash. CropEnergies plans to optimize the location over the next few years and expand production capacities. https://www.cropenergies.com/
Gulfstream Aerospace announced the successful completion of the world’s first transatlantic flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The flight took place on November 19th with a Gulfstream G600. The takeoff took place from the Firem headquarters and ended after 6 hours and 56 minutes later at Farnborough Airport in England. Using Pratt & Whitney PW815GA engines, both powered by 100% SAF, this mission demonstrates the potential for the future use of renewable fuels in aviation. The data collected from this long-haul flight will help Gulfstream and its key suppliers assess the compatibility of aircraft with future low aromatic renewable fuels, particularly in cold temperatures for longer flight durations. https://www.greencarcongress.
Emirates has become the world’s first airline to operate an A380 demonstration flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The flight took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB) with one of four engines powered on 100% SAF, helping demonstrate its potential as a drop-in replacement that matches jet fuel’s technical and chemical requirements, while being a more sustainable alternative. SAF can reduce carbon emissions by up to 85% over the fuel’s life cycle when compared to conventional jet fuel.
A partnership between Binatural and Brasil Geradores (BRG), begun about a year ago in Brazil, has validated the use of 100% biodiesel to power power generators equipped with Volvo Penta engines. To validate this new technology, three devices were in continuous operation for 2,000 hours. The BRGB Slim model generators with a capacity of 625 kilovolt amperes (kVA) are installed at the Binatural plant in Simões Filho (BA). They provide the energy that powers the equipment to blend the biodiesel produced by the plant. The plant can produce up to 360,000 m³ of biodiesel per year – the 14th largest in the country. https://www.biodieselbr.com/
Pantheon and the Knox County Indiana Economic Development Corporation announced the launch of AgroRenew LLC, a processing facility that will repurpose food waste from Knox County’s thriving watermelon, cantaloupe, and pumpkin industry into eco-friendly bioplastics. With plans to break ground in early 2024, the company has secured land in Knox County’s Industrial Park at the intersection of US 41 and Elkorn Road. AgroRenew plans to invest $83 million by 2026 to build out the facility in 4 phases. Once all phases are completed, the 196,000 sq. ft. facility will span 20 acres and employ nearly 250 people. https://agrinovusindiana.com/
Conestoga Energy and SAFFiRE Renewables announced recently their agreement for Conestoga to host SAFFiRE’s cellulosic ethanol pilot plant at Conestoga’s Arkalon Energy ethanol facility in Liberal, Kansas. The SAFFiRE pilot project aims to validate and demonstrate the commercialization of SAFFiRE’s corn-stover-to-ethanol technology in a fully integrated pilot facility that processes 10 tons of corn stover per day. Both Conestoga and SAFFiRE are focused on producing ultra-low carbon intensity (CI) ethanol for use in renewable fuels, making this a synergistic relationship. https://