Merry Christmas and a happy new year, Frohe Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr, Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo, God jul og et godt nytt år, Crăciun Fericit și un An Nou Fericit, Feliz Navidad y próspero Año Nuevo, Mutlu Noeller ve Mutlu Bir Yeni Yıl, Щасливого Різдва та щасливого Нового року, Boldog karácsonyt és boldog új évet.
Bernd Ahlers
Dear readers and brothers in spirit,
Christmas is just around the corner again and we are fast approaching the New Year. Together, we have overcome many challenges, realised important projects and celebrated successes this year. At the beginning of 2025, the 22nd international ‘Fuels of the Future’ conference will take place in Berlin. You can find out more by clicking on the link: https://www.fuels-of-the-future.com/en.
I would be delighted if we could meet to discuss new goals to be achieved in 2025.
The U.S. ethanol producers are close to getting the green light from Congress to sell higher blends of biofuel nationwide. Language to make a higher ethanol blend, known as E15, available year-round in the U.S. is part of a proposed three-month stopgap bill, according to the text of the measure released Tuesday. If the temporary funding bill is not passed and signed into law by midnight Friday, the government will shut down.
Ethanol producers and farmers have been fighting to expand access to E15 for more than a decade in the face of fierce opposition from the oil industry. But more recently, the rise of electric vehicles has led to an alliance between agriculture and the oil industry as both face the same existential threat.
Due to environmental regulations, the sale of fuel with an ethanol content of 15% is no longer possible in large parts of the country in summer. Without a nationwide law, refiners face the costly problem of having to deal with a two-tiered fuel system after eight corn-growing regions in the Midwest were approved by federal regulators last February to sell E15 year-round.
Attached is a Bloomberg chart showing how E15 sales are developing in the US
The Brazilian agricultural co-operative Agrícola has announced that it is planning to build a corn ethanol plant in the municipality of Itiquira (Brazil). The co-operative, which is made up of groups of family farmers and has been operating for over 20 years, is currently looking for investors and has already completed a feasibility study. With an investment of 150 million dollars, the plant is expected to have a processing capacity of 500,000 tonnes of maize per year for the production of ethanol and DDG for animal feed. https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/agencia-estado/2024/12/17/coopercotton-anuncia-construcao-de-usina-de-etanol-de-milho-em-itiquira.htm
Mabanaft has reached an agreement with the shipping company Hapag-Lloyd for the supply of B30 biofuel. A first test delivery of 1,000 tons of B30 VLSFO from Mabanaft’s Waltershof tank terminal was scheduled for December 12 in the Port of Hamburg for the container ship Delaware Express. https://www.mabanaft.com/de/news-info/aktuelles-pressemitteilungen/news-detail/mabanaft-trifft-vereinbarung-mit-hapag-lloyd-fuer-die-belieferung-mit-b30-bunkerkraftstoff-in-hamburg/
Neste and BMW announced a collaboration for the supply of renewable diesel. BMW will purchase Neste MY Renewable Diesel and use the fuel for the initial fill of diesel vehicles leaving their manufacturing plants in Germany. This will see Neste’s renewable diesel being used in the BMW plants in Munich, Dingolfing, Leipzig, and Regensburg. The transition of the initial filling to HVO100 will thereby affect more than half of the global production volume of BMW’s diesel vehicles. First deliveries of the fuel to individual plants have already commenced. https://biofuels-news.com/news/neste-to-supply-bmw-with-hvo100/
Godavari Biorefineries Limited announced an investment in corn/grain-based ethanol to further expand its ethanol production capacity. The company plans to invest approximately USD 15.3 million in a new 200,000 liter per day corn/grain-based distillery as part of its existing operations, increasing flexibility through dual feedstock capability. https://www.godavaribiorefineries.com/news/godavari-biorefineries-limited-announces-investment-new-corngrain-based-distillery-enhance
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) wants to reduce emissions in Australian airspace and is providing up to AUD 14.1 million for two projects as part of its Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Funding Initiative. ARENA is providing AUD 8 million to Ampol and AUD 6.1 million to GrainCorp for separate studies to develop renewable fuel alternatives for the Australian aviation industry. https://arena.gov.au/news/sustainable-aviation-fuels-studies-take-flight/
EnviTec Biogas AG has completed its second solar park in Buckow, Brandenburg, where Niederer Fläming is producing green energy together with its existing biogas plant and the 65 MW PV park. With the start of operation in early October, it will be purchased at a fixed rate by the energy trading company Axpo and, starting January 1, 2025, by the VW subsidiary PowerCo SE for a period of ten years. https://www.envitec-biogas.us/
Rubi has been awarded a Phase II SBIR grant of $1 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop and scale its carbon cellulose platform. This prestigious grant, which has been awarded to less than 5% of SBIR applicants over the past decade, recognizes Rubi’s groundbreaking advances in CO2-to-materials technology and will support the company on its path to commercialization. https://www.textileworld.com/textile-world/fiber-world/2024/12/rubi-secures-1-million-phase-ii-grant-from-the-national-science-foundation-to-scale-its-breakthrough-carbon-to-cellulose-platform/
Researchers at Chungnam National University in South Korea have discovered how copper-zinc electrodes adapt and stabilize during electrochemical CO₂ reduction. This groundbreaking study, led by Professor Youngku Sohn, shows that CuZn electrodes perform better than single-metal alternatives and produce valuable hydrocarbons while maintaining efficiency over multiple recycling cycles. These findings could revolutionize carbon capture and conversion technologies and provide a sustainable solution to combat CO₂ emissions and tackle energy challenges. https://plus.cnu.ac.kr/html/en/sub06/sub06_0601.html
Growing concern for the environment has led to a surge in bioplastics, but unclear labeling at disposal poses a challenge, according to a new report from the Australian science agency CSIRO. The report, ‘State of bioplastics in Australia’, finds that consumers are confused about bioplastics and that many bioplastic items end up in landfill or contaminate recycling and composting streams. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214289424000449
Pertamina Internasional (KPI) and PT Gapura Mas Lestari (GML) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to secure the supply of feedstock for the Cilacap green refinery project. This initiative is an important strategic step for KPI in its endeavor to develop green fuels in Indonesia. The Cilacap Green Refinery project aims to process 6,000 barrels of UCO per day to produce hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The refinery is expected to produce around 300,000 kiloliters of these green fuels annually. https://www.ogj.com/refining-processing/refining/article/55251024/pertamina-secures-feedstock-for-cilacap-refinerys-saf-hvo-expansion
AleAnna announced that it has expanded or tested aspects of its renewable natural gas business. These include the acquisition of majority stakes in three Italian biogas plants, generating corporate revenues from the operation of the plants for the first time and demonstrating that the company is able to obtain capital incentives from the Italian government for the construction of biogas plants and their conversion into biomethane plants. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/12/18/2998927/0/en/AleAnna-Inc-Announces-Completion-of-Several-Major-Milestones-for-its-Renewable-Natural-Gas-RNG-Business.html
TruAlt Bioenergy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sumitomo Corporation Asia & Oceania to collaborate on the development of the bioenergy business in India. TruAlt Bioenergy and Sumitomo Corporation Asia & Oceania are exploring a strategic collaboration in the bioenergy sector in India, focusing on a range of sustainable energy solutions. This potential partnership aims to advance projects in several key areas including biogas and compressed biogas (CBG), first generation (1G) ethanol, second generation (2G) ethanol, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biochemicals from the sugar value chain. In addition, the collaboration will explore initiatives related to carbon credit projects in line with both companies’ commitment to promote innovation and environmental sustainability in India’s growing bioenergy landscape. https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/trualt-bioenergy-signs-mou-with-sumitomo-corporation-asia–oceania-to-boost-indias-biogas-production-eyes-bioethanol-and-saf-collaboration-302333252.html
Indian Petroleum Company announced that its HPCL Green R&D Centre is collaborating with Bengaluru-based Sea6 Energy Private Limited to revolutionize biofuel production from seaweed biomass. Given HPCL’s commitment to zero carbon emissions by 2040, this collaboration will transform the way the company uses Energy. https://www.hindustanpetroleum.com/NewsroomDetails/428
Power2X announced a strategic collaboration with Honeywell to implement Honeywell UOP’s eFiningTM methanol-to-jet processing technology in Power2X’s eFuels Rotterdam project — a large-scale production and storage hub for sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) and synthetic, ultra-low carbon fuels in the Port of Rotterdam. https://www.power2x.com/
Parkland has successfully produced the first batch of low-carbon aviation fuel in Canada at its refinery in Burnaby. With the support of the Government of British Columbia, this is an important step towards a Canadian solution that can help reduce aviation sector emissions, promote economic growth and support the low-carbon ambitions of British Columbia and Canada. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2024/12/10/parkland-produces-first-batch-of-low-carbon-jet-fuel-made-in-canada/
Petrobras has signed contracts worth R$ 16.5 billion for the construction and chartering of 12 platform supply vessels (PSV) from Bram Offshore and Starnav Serviços Marítimos. Of the total value of the contracts, R$ 5.2 billion is earmarked for investment in shipbuilding in Brazil. These vessels will be essential for the company’s exploration and production logistics until 2028. The support vessels will be equipped with a hybrid propulsion system that combines electric motors and batteries with diesel/biodiesel generators, in line with Petrobras’ commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. https://brazilenergyinsight.com/2024/12/12/petrobras-signs-contracts-for-the-construction-and-chartering-of-12-support-vessels/
Neste is expanding its offering to the polymer and chemical industries by introducing a co-processed renewable raw material under its established Neste RE brand. By co-processing renewable feedstock such as used cooking oil with fossil crude oil at the conventional oil refinery in Porvoo, Finland, Neste is able to produce a complementary type of Neste RE, a drop-in feedstock for the production of plastics and chemicals. Replacing fossil crude oil with renewable raw materials results in a raw material with a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional fossil raw materials used in the chemical industry. https://www.sustainableplastics.com/news/neste-introduces-co-processed-renewable-feedstock-under-neste-re-brand
John Wood has been awarded a significant contract by OMV Petrom for a major project to boost the production of sustainable fuel in Southeast Europe. Under the scope of this project, the Petrobrazi refinery in Romania will become the first major production facility for sustainable aviation fuel in the region. Following successful delivery of the front-end engineering and design (FEED) for this important project, Wood will now deliver engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) to install a new bio-hydrotreater unit and relevant storage facilities at the refinery. This project will enable the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) utilising Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ process technology. https://www.woodplc.com/news/latest-press-releases/2024/OMV-Petrom-contract-for-sustainable-aviation-fuel-production
Flughafen Zürich AG has signed a long-term purchase agreement for renewable diesel with a Swiss cleantech company for solar fuels. From 2027, Flughafen Zürich AG will purchase 30,000 liters of solar diesel from Synhelion every year. In a first step, this renewable diesel will be used to power the passenger buses on the airport premises. Later, special vehicles without electric drives will also be powered by solar diesel. The five-year contract builds on the partnership between the two companies that has been in place since 2020. https://newsroom.flughafen-zuerich.ch/en/zurich-airport-ltd-and-synhelion-sign-pioneering-offtake–agreement-for-solar-fuel/