Dear reader,
In Germany, the Federal Audit Office has presented a report on the status of the energy transition. On a total of 58 pages, the Bonn-based auditors have compiled a detailed summary of what they believe is wrong with the narrative that Habeck himself likes to spread: that after years of stagnation, the green transformation, the restructuring of the electricity supply, is once again experiencing powerful momentum. Thanks to the traffic light laws. Not least thanks to him. In short: things are anything but rosy for Minister Habeck’s core economic policy project. Click here for the report: https://www.bundesrechnungshof.de/EN/0_home/home_node.html
Fast fashion – fashion for the trash
France is considering the introduction of fines for companies, which fast fashion companies would have to pay per item sold in order to offset the environmental impact of the industry.
Members of the French parliament have tabled a bill that would require fast fashion brands to pay up to 50% of the retail price of fast fashion items. The bill points out that the manufacturer Shein alone has more than 470,000 products on offer and launches more than 7,200 new items every day, as reported by Reuters.
“This evolution of the clothing sector towards ephemeral fashion, which combines increasing volumes and low prices, influences consumers’ purchasing habits by triggering impulses to buy and a constant need for renewal, which is not without environmental, social and economic consequences,” the bill states. According to Christophe Béchu, the French Minister for Ecological Transition, around 700,000 tons of clothing are thrown away in France every year, of which around 66% ends up in landfills.
You can find a lot more information about moving topics of the last weeks under the link:
According to the will of the member states, the European Union should withdraw from the controversial international energy agreement. The EU countries agreed to leave on Thursday in Brussels, as several EU diplomats said. https://rsw.beck.de/aktuell/daily/meldung/detail/eu-laender-austritt-energiecharta-vertrag
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. has developed a stationary system powered by bioethanol that enables highly efficient electricity generation. Trials have begun at Nissan’s Tochigi plant in Japan to improve power generation capacity for full operation from 2030. In 2016, I reported that Nissan was the first automotive company in the world to develop a vehicle propulsion system powered by a bioethanol-powered solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The vehicle was used successfully at the Olympic Games in Brazil. Nissan is now applying this SOFC development experience to stationary power generation systems. https://global.nissannews.com/en/releases/nissan-starts-trial-of-stationary-power-generation-system-fueled-by-bio-ethanol
India’s Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways has urged state governments to promote the production and use of ethanol as an alternative fuel source. He believes this would not only protect the environment but also support farmers. “In the near future we will see vehicles running on ethanol and methanol on our roads. It will help reduce pollution and increase the economic well-being of farmers,” he said. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/union-minister-urges-states-to-promote-use-of-ethanol/article67874553.ece
Russian nuclear energy company Rosatom plans to open a hydrogen production plant on the island of Sakhalin by 2029. The future hydrogen plant is expected to produce 36,500 tons of blue hydrogen annually. There are for the buyers with whom preliminary agreements have been reached, but of course more work needs to be done to sign formal, firm agreements and make an investment decision. https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Rosatom-plans-to-launch-hydrogen-plant-in-2029/61627037
In New Mexico, Gov. Lujan Grisham signed the Clean Transportation Fuels Standard on March 6, underscoring both the growing appeal and support for technology-neutral transportation decarbonization policies and the significant benefits they bring to the climate, air quality, and… that brings economic development. https://nmpoliticalreport.com/nmleg/lujan-grisham-signs-clean-transportation-fuel-standards-into-law/
Sonichem, a UK startup dedicated to converting forest waste into chemicals, has raised €1.4 million in pre-Series A funding, including a follow-on investment from ACF Investors. The funding will be used to advance process technology that can convert £1 worth of sawdust into £8 worth of bio-based chemicals and to begin planning its first production facility. The bio-based chemicals produced by Sonichem are used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and materials such as resins and films. https://www.eu-startups.com/2024/02/british-cleantech-sonichem-secures-e1-4-million-to-convert-sawdust-into-high-value-bio-based-chemicals/
Braya Renewable Fuels announced in Canada that it has begun commercial operations following the successful completion of its refinery conversion project. Braya expects an initial production capacity of 18,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel. Future plans include expanding production capacity, adding sustainable aviation fuel production capacity and exploring green hydrogen production. https://biofuels-news.com/news/braya-renewable-fuels-begins-commercial-operations/
FS, one of the largest ethanol producers in Brazil, has become the first Brazilian corn ethanol industry to obtain the international ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) certification for the supply of ethanol and corn oil for the production of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel). Additionally, FS is the first ethanol producer in the world to achieve Low LUC Risk certification in collaboration with one of its secondary grain corn suppliers, GGF Group. https://igrownews.com/fs-achieves-sustainability-certifications-for-ethanol-production/
Brazilian sugarcane millers have decided to cede at least part of the ethanol market to their corn-based brethren in order to produce more sugar, which currently brings a better return. When the next sugarcane season begins in April, millers plan to divert 10% more sugarcane into sugar production rather than ethanol production as sugar remains near record highs, although below November’s 12-year peak and the Sugar prices at 40% are higher than the ethanol equivalent. This is the largest gap in 15 years. https://tradecouncil.org/brazilian-sugar-mills/
Balrampur Chini Mills, an Indian sugar producer, is investing 222.45 million euros in the construction of a polylactic acid plant. According to Sustainable Plastics, the plant will have a production capacity of 75,000 tonnes per year and will be India’s first industrial-scale bioplastics plant. https://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com/en/news/meldungen/20240220-PLA.php
By the end of the decade, BP plans to gradually restructure its German site in Gelsenkirchen so that it can embark on the path of the energy transition and exploit its potential. Subject to appropriate approvals, BP plans to enable the production of lower-emission fuels through co-processing in the hydrocracker plant at the Gelsenkirchen-Scholven site, including for the production of more sustainable aviation fuels (so-called Sustainable Aviation Fuels – SAF). https://www.bp.com/de_de/germany/home/presse/pressemeldungen/pm-2024-03-06-bp-will-seine-raffinerie-in-gelsenkirchen-fuer-die-zukunft-neu-aufstellen.html
VARO Energy announced that it is working with Orim Energy to provide biofuels to shipping customers in the Port of Rotterdam – and the wider Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region. The agreement supports the decarbonization of maritime transport and inland waterway transport in Northern Europe. It also contributes to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) broader goals of reducing total annual greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by at least 20% by 2030 and by at least 70% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels. https://www.varoenergy.com/en/news/varo-and-orim-energy-to-scale-up-sustainable-shipping-fuel-capabilities/
Biopower, a Brazilian company launched by JBS, the Oleo Amigo program to promote environmental education and the circular economy grew by almost 15% in 2023 with the collection of 4.5 million liters of cooking oil. In around eight years of the program’s existence, more than 26 million liters of oil have been collected, which have been converted into biofuel. https://www.biobased-diesel.com/post/jbs-s-%C3%B3leo-amigo-program-transforms-nearly-7-million-gallons-of-uco-into-biodiesel
A coalition of farmers, ethanol producers and distributors are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reject a recent petition filed by CVR Energy to change the Renewable Fuel Standard’s credit trading program. CVR Energy’s petition is a counterproductive proposal that would undermine the RFS and ultimately lead to higher prices for consumers. The letter was signed by the Renewable Fuels Association. More under https://ethanolproducer.com/articles/biofuel-ag-groups-urge-epa-to-reject-petition-to-restructure-rfs-rin-trading
Infravia Capital Partners founded Heygaz Biomethan (Heygaz) in France. A pan-European renewable natural gas platform to capitalize on the exciting and deep opportunities of the European renewable natural gas market and serve the increasing needs of a wide range of industries and transport customers for climate-neutral gas as a powerful decarbonization tool. https://www.energyglobal.com/other-renewables/05032024/infravia-announces-incorporation-of-heygaz-biomethane/
Green Arrow Capital, one of the largest independent Italian operators of alternative investments, and Lazzari & Lucchini, a leading company specializing in the production of energy from renewable and sustainable sources in nature, announced the completion of their first portfolio of biomethane production plants known. The exploitation of the assets is planned under the partnership launched in 2020, which now aims to double the number of assets with a second portfolio of at least 6 assets to be operational by 2025. You can see the PDF article at: https://www.greenarrow-capital.com/gl-contenuto/uploads/2024/03/05.03.2024_-CS_GAC_LL_perfezionamento-7-impianti_nuova-pipeline-6-imianti_Biomenato_def_ITA.pdf