Ladies and Gentlemen,
Scientists from the University of Malaga (UMA) have taken part in a ground-breaking international study led by the Future Power Systems Group at the University of Birmingham in the UK, examining how pollutant emissions from vehicles can be reduced without compromising engine performance. The scientists in Spain and England studied the use of biofuels blended with diesel at a 20 percent volume concentration and found that the production of soot – black smoke emitted by cars – was reduced by more than 90 percent could. More in attachment.
Today I would like to take a quick look back at the 2023 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop.
The International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo is one of the largest events of its kind in the USA. Visit www.FuelEthanolWorkshop.com to learn more.
The two-day Biogas Innovation Congress begins on May 22nd in Osnabrück. Take advantage of the opportunity to present your latest product developments, process technologies or research results. All biogas innovations that serve to optimize existing systems or provide perspectives for new construction can be submitted. more under: http://www.biogas-innovationskongress.de/call-for-papers.html
BASF Process Catalysts has announced a new collaboration with Envision Energy. The collaboration aims to convert green hydrogen and CO2 into synthetic methanol. The aim of the two companies is to optimize the process for the production of synthetic methanol from green hydrogen and CO2. As part of this collaboration, BASF will provide its SYNSPIRETM catalyst technology, which Envision Energy will integrate into its energy management system. The two companies plan to demonstrate the feasibility of the advanced process next year at Envision Energy’s Chifeng site in Inner Mongolia, China. More at: https://www.basf.com/global/en/media/news-releases/2024/01/p-24-113.html
The U.S. oil industry and the ethanol industry are finally pulling together to push for year-round E15 sales as they believe the Biden administration is passing ethanol in favor of electric vehicles. The American Petroleum Institute, along with the National Corn Growers Association and other organizations, supports the bill introduced by Republican Senator Deb Fischer that would finally allow E15 to be sold as a standard fuel. More at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-06/big-oil-and-corn-unite-for-more-ethanol-to-combat-ev-threat
Waga Energy Inc. has secured $60 million in financing with asset manager Eiffel Investment Group for the construction of four renewable natural gas (RNG) generation facilities in the United States. This is the first financing Waga Energy has received in the United States. This operation will finance Waga Energy’s first four projects. More at: https://waga-energy.com/en/usd-60m-to-finance-waga-energys-first-projects-in-the-united-states/
Lloyd’s Register (LR) and Green Marine, a Danish consultancy specializing in methanol as a marine fuel, have teamed up to offer value-added solutions to maritime stakeholders looking to build or retrofit and operate vessels with methanol-as-fuel technology, with a focus on training. Green Marine has developed experience-based training delivered by former captains and chief engineers with over 100,000 hours of operational experience aboard methanol-fueled vessels. https://www.lr.org/en/about-us/press-room/press-listing/press-release/lr-and-green-marine-forge-strategic-partnership-to-lead-in-solutions-for-methanol-as-a-marine-fuel/
ExxonMobil plans to explore using used cooking oil and other vegetable oils to make biofuels at its Baton Rouge refinery. The company states that its expertise and use of proprietary catalysts enable the processing of a wide range of molecules as potential feedstock. But such an investment would require regulatory stability, which has become a challenge as local authorities flex their power in statewide industrial tax exemption programs. https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/exxonmobils-darren-woods-biofuels-possible-in-baton-rouge/article_121f9988-c547-11ee-9c09-5fbc0e9838ed.html
The South Korean government has been forced to suspend its planned ethanol blending trial due to opposition from the domestic oil industry. The trial, announced more than a year ago, in which a select number of pumps were to supply ethanol-blended fuel to vehicles operated by government fleets and selected private sector partners, was officially put on hold on Tuesday. https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2024/02/06/BU5QAREDE5H7VK2MJYLBLTMQ6Y/
30 non-profit organizations, including T&E, WWF, Oxfam and Birdlife, are calling on the European Commission to end support for soy biofuels that contribute to deforestation. Both soy and palm oil have already been identified as significant contributors to deforestation and forest degradation and are covered by the recently adopted EU regulation on deforestation. The letter therefore calls on the Commission to ensure a coherent policy and to prevent the RED from serving as a loophole through which products that contribute to deforestation can be imported into the EU. More at: https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/civil-society-groups-call-on-eu-commission-to-end-support-for-damaging-soy-biofuels/
The technology company Sonichem says it has received nearly $765,000 from Innovate UK’s Resource Efficiency for Materials and Manufacturing (REforMM) program. The funding is intended to accelerate the development of Sonichem’s proprietary ultrasonic technology and the production of renewable alternatives to petrochemicals. According to Sonichem, the project CARMA – carbon-neutral agroforestry-derived resins and materials for automotive applications. More at: https://www.jeccomposites.com/news/spotted-by-jec/sonichem-launches-project-to-transform-the-automotive-industry-with-bio-based-plastics/
Viva Energy launched Cleanaway 100 percent renewable diesel in Australia last week. The company is conducting a six-month demonstration of cutting-edge technology that can help reduce emissions in Australia’s transport sector. During the demonstration, Cleanaway will operate two trash collection vehicles – a municipal side-loader in the City of Casey and a front-loader for organics collection. The project offers municipalities and companies the opportunity to immediately reduce their Scope 3 emissions. https://www.vivaenergy.com.au/media/news/2024/viva-energy-supports-cleanaway-with-renewable-diesel-supply
Australian Department of Agriculture data shows that demand for biodiesel will push tallow exports above AUD 1 billion (USD 652 million) for the first time in the 2022/23 marketing year. Of the 550,000 tons produced in 2022/23, 450,000 tons were exported. Prices have doubled and even tripled in recent years compared to the norm. https://www.agriculture.gov.au/about/news/overview-aff-exports-2022-23
In Washington, Brownfield Ag News reports that Energy Information Administration data shows ethanol production rose by more than 1 million barrels per day last week to 1.033 million barrels per day, pushing inventories up by more than half a million gallons to 24.779 million gallons. With most ethanol producers back above the break-even point and oil refiners buying more ethanol than they have in the past six weeks, the situation is starting to brighten for producers despite the increase in inventories. https://brownfieldagnews.com/news/u-s-ethanol-production-supply-up-on-week-3/
Ministers from the governments of Bolivia and Brazil have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in the areas of biofuels, biotechnology and fertilizer trade. According to the agreement, both governments commit to contribute to the development of regulatory, technological and methodological measures in pricing for the fertilizer and biofuel industry in Brazil and Bolivia. https://www.gov.br/planalto/en/latest-news/2024/01/brazil-and-bolivia-sign-memorandum-for-fertilizer-production
Repsol has received certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), giving the company access to sell its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) within the RSB Book & Claim System. This enables the multi-energy company to deliver SAF at specific airports and enter it into the RSB registry, thus, allowing customers at other airports around the world to claim the certified emission reductions associated with the registered SAF when purchasing their traditional jet fuel. https://www.repsol.com/en/press-room/press-releases/2024/repsol-achieves-certification-to-trade-saf-within-rsb-book-and-claim-system/index.cshtml
Eni Rovuma Basin (ERB) in Mozambique started producing vegetable oil at the end of last year to be used as a feedstock in Eni’s biorefineries. This initiative is part of Eni’s strategy to contribute to the decarbonization of transportation and will include Mozambique in the sustainable mobility value chain. The vegetable oil will be obtained from by-products of local agricultural processing plants certified under the ISCC-EU system to avoid land-use change and ensure traceability and respect for the environment and human rights. https://www.eni.com/en-IT/media/news/2023/12/eni-rovuma-basin-vegetable-oil-mozambique.html