Dear readers,
melting glaciers threaten the food and water supplies of billions of people worldwide. The United Nations (UN) warns in its World Water Development Report 2025: Mountains and Glaciers.
Mountains provide 55 to 60 percent of the planet’s annual freshwater flow, and two billion people depend on the water flowing from them. “As the world’s water towers, mountains provide life-sustaining freshwater to billions of people and countless ecosystems; their critical role in sustainable development cannot be ignored,” states a press release from the United Nations. The latest edition of the report emphasizes the importance of alpine glaciers and other mountain water sources, which are essential for meeting basic human needs such as drinking water and sanitation. “Climate change is accelerating glacier melting, reducing snow cover, increasing permafrost thawing, and leading to more extreme rainfall and natural hazards, resulting in more variable, irregular, and uncertain water flows,” the press release states. “This underscores the urgency of improved mountain water resource management through integrated river basin management, financing, and knowledge and capacity building to meet the world’s ever-growing water demands. Regardless of where we live, we all depend on mountains and glaciers in some way. Yet these natural water towers are in imminent danger. This report demonstrates the urgent need for action,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. The rate of glacier retreat is the highest ever recorded, according to a separate study by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in its “State of the Global Climate 2024” report, released earlier this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApOt4agJVBM
India’s bioeconomy has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade, growing sixteenfold from $10 billion in 2014 to an impressive $165.7 billion in 2024. This exceptional growth reflects the country’s deliberate efforts to establish biotechnology as a cornerstone of sustainable economic growth and innovation. Contributing 4.25% to the national GDP, the sector has recorded a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.9% over the past four years, underpinning India’s emergence as a rising global force in biotechnology. With an ambitious target of $300 billion by 2030, the bioeconomy will play a pivotal role in shaping India’s future as a knowledge-based, bio-based economy.
In a joint statement, Eurogas and 55 organizations from the global renewable gas supply chain called on the European Commission to urgently remove the obstacles to their full recognition in the Union Energy Database (UDB). Without immediate action, the industry coalition warned, significant amounts of renewable energy could be excluded from EU markets, jeopardizing progress towards climate targets and endangering trade relations. https://www.eurogas.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Eurogas_Press-Release_Renewable-Gas-Exports-to-EU.pdf
China has accelerated the development and distribution of high-protein corn varieties to reduce its dependence on soybean imports, which determine the protein content of animal feed. China relies on the US for over 20% of its soybean imports. With the recent escalation of trade tensions between the US and China, tariffs on soybeans have increased, causing supply chain disruptions, according to the report. https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302096/china-develops-new-high-protein-corn-replace-foreign-soybeans
MayMaan is establishing a new paradigm in power generation with its groundbreaking AquaStroke engine technology, which runs on a fuel blend of 70% water and 30% ethanol. The company’s innovation offers a commercially viable, cleaner, and more cost-effective alternative to conventional diesel engines and electric batteries. As the industry demands more sustainable solutions, MayMaan is uniquely positioned to pave the way to a cleaner and more energy-efficient future. Learn more at: https://evchargingmag.com/maymaans-aquastroke-engine-clean-power-innovation
ICODOS GmbH, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the Mannheim Wastewater Management Company have commissioned the world’s first plant for the production of climate-neutral marine methanol from wastewater using biogas and green hydrogen. The plant is receiving €2 million in funding from the German federal government. https://kit-gruenderschmiede.de/en/icodos-starts-up-the-worlds-first-plant-of-its-kind-in-mannheim/
The Trump administration has called on the biofuel and petroleum industries to develop their shared vision for future biofuel blending to help the administration implement it. Two meetings have already taken place, including one hosted by the American Petroleum Institute last week. The discussions have already proven fruitful, with mutual agreement on a significant increase in blending levels for renewable diesel and biodiesel. Various topics are on the table, from blending rates to tax exemptions to exemptions for small refineries. https://energynews.oedigital.com/oil-gas/2025/03/27/trump-administration-tells-oil-and-biofuels-groups-that-they-must-develop-a-new-biofuel-policy
In India, grains have emerged as one of the key feedstocks for ethanol production, which is expected to significantly boost biofuel production. A government minister said that the share of grain-based ethanol production is expected to exceed 60% in the current 2024/25 cycle. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, said, “Under the National Biofuel Policy 2018, the government allows the use of various feedstocks such as sugarcane, maize, damaged grains, sweet sorghum, sugar beet, etc., to produce ethanol for blending in gasoline. Due to the government’s promotion of maize for ethanol production, maize is the major supplier of ethanol to oil marketing companies (OMCs). https://www.chinimandi.com/share-of-ethanol-production-from-grains-may-increase-beyond-60-in-current-esy-2024-25-minister/
RNM and bp Portugal have opened a logistics terminal for advanced fuels and biofuels at the Port of Aveiro. Strategically located in the North-Central region of Portugal and equipped with high-performance facilities for the reception, storage, additive processing, and incorporation of biofuels, this logistics and industrial infrastructure serves as a modern and flexible intermodal hub, promoting digitalization and innovation in the industry. https://www.bp.com/pt_pt/portugal/home/noticias/press-releases/2025/rnm-e-bp-portugal-inauguram-terminal-de-armazenagem-no-porto-de-.html
O-I Glass, Inc. recently completed a successful trial at its Harlow, UK, facility replacing natural gas in the furnace used in the glass manufacturing process with 100% biofuel. This success is part of a larger initiative by Glass Futures, a UK-based glass research and development company, and part of the UK government’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio program, which aims to explore sustainable fuel options for UK industry. https://www.glass-international.com/news/o-i-glass-completes-biofuels-trial-at-harlow-facility
Arkema continues its transformation toward a more sustainable industrial model by signing a new eight-year contract with ENGIE to supply biomethane to several sites in France. This contract covers approximately 85% of the annual gas consumption of four Bostik sites in France and represents an important step toward decarbonizing the company’s energy supply. https://www.arkema.com/global/en/media/newslist/news/global/investorrelations/2023/20230927-arkema-unveils-2028-ambition/
A joint project coordinated by thyssenkrupp in close collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT is entering its third phase. Initiated in 2016, the research project is dedicated to answering a cross-cutting question: How can blast furnace gases from steel production be converted into valuable chemical raw materials that are used for fuels, plastics, and fertilizers, among other things? Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the research has produced groundbreaking findings in recent years that will make an important contribution to the climate-friendly transformation of industry. https://www.cec.mpg.de/en/projects/carbon2chem-reg/
E.ON and the intermunicipal waste management company ARC have signed an agreement for the CopenCapture project in Copenhagen. The goal of the project is to capture a total of 400,000 tons of CO2 annually from the CopenHill chimney and store it underground. Located atop the chimney of Denmark’s world-renowned CopenHill waste-to-energy plant, E.ON and ARC have entered into this exclusive partnership to develop the plant into an international flagship project for carbon capture and storage (CCS). https://www.gasworld.com/story/e-on-and-arc-partner-on-co2-capture-project-in-denmark/2153779.article/
Sallaum Lines expects to deliver approximately 3,400 tons of biofuel in 2025. This strategy is expected to reduce emissions by approximately 1,000 tons of CO2 equivalents. This strategic investment underscores the company’s commitment to environmental protection, which is crucial in light of the current climate emergency. https://www.manifoldtimes.com/news/sallaum-lines-aims-for-3400-metric-tonnes-of-bio-bunker-supply-in-2025/