UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Clean energy is smart economics – and the world is following the money. Renewable energy is on the rise, the fossil fuel era is collapsing, but leaders must remove barriers, build trust, and unlock finance and investment.
The global addition of 582 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity in 2024 resulted in significant cost savings and avoided the use of fossil fuels worth approximately $57 billion. Renewable energy is not only more cost-effective than fossil fuels but also offers advantages by reducing dependence on international fuel markets and improving energy security. The business case for renewable energy is more compelling today than ever. In Europe and North America, higher costs are likely to persist due to structural challenges such as permitting delays, limited grid capacity, and higher system costs.” Biotech Energy (https://biotech-energy.com/) has further developed the technology of biofuels, redesigned the supply chains and incorporated cost reductions through a new circular system.
The IRENA 2024 report also examines the structural cost drivers and market conditions that shape investments in renewable energy. It concludes that stable and predictable revenue frameworks are essential to reduce investment risk and attract capital.
In March 2023, Germany requested an investigation into suspected fraud in biodiesel imports from China. The results of the investigation are now available to the Directorate-General for Energy and have been published on its website. The Commission identified systemic weaknesses in the conduct of certification audits and is taking measures to address them. However, the information gathered could not confirm fraud. The German authorities can conduct additional reviews or investigations if necessary. Attached is the link to the information letter with a statement from UFOP.
Through rainforest deforestation, Brazil has become the world’s largest soy producer. As the Statista graphic based on data from the US Department of Agriculture (https://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/oilseeds.pdf) shows, Brazil’s rise to global market leadership was made possible, among other things, by soy cultivation in the Amazon region. This was the reason, and not because of the constant claim that the rainforest is being cleared for “agrofuels.”
On July 15, it was announced in Brussels that the EU is allocating €60.2 billion to Romania in the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework. More at: https://europeannewsroom.com/de/die-eu-sieht-fuer-rumaenien-602-milliarden-euro-im-mehrjaehrigen-finanzrahmen-2028-2034-vor/
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Eni have signed a 15-year, €500 million financing agreement for the conversion of the Eni refinery in Livorno, Tuscany, into a biorefinery. The agreement was signed at Eni’s headquarters in San Donato Milanese by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi. The project entails the construction of new facilities for the production of hydrogenated biofuels at the Livorno site, including a biogenic pretreatment plant and an Ecofining™ plant with a capacity of 500,000 tons per year. https://de.marketscreener.com/boerse-nachrichten/eni-erhaelt-von-der-eib-ein-500-millionen-euro-darlehen-fuer-livorno-ce7c5cd3df88ff23
The Indian Sugar and Bioenergy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has urged the government to maintain existing restrictions on ethanol imports. It cited the association’s critical role in promoting India’s ethanol blending program and supporting timely payments to sugarcane farmers. In a letter to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, ISMA cited recent media reports that the government is considering lifting ethanol import restrictions as part of the ongoing trade negotiations with the United States. More at: https://www.indiabusinesstrade.in/blogs/isma-urges-government-to-maintain-ethanol-import-restrictions/
The Avia Solutions Group, together with Latvian partners in the “NorSAF” joint venture, has launched an ambitious project: Northern Europe’s largest factory for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is being built in the Liepaja Special Economic Zone. The fuel produced will be supplied to aviation companies in Northern Europe and exported worldwide, according to the Avia Solutions Group.
A new study published by the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA) finds that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to cut the Renewable Identification Number (RIN) by 50% for fuels made from foreign feedstocks, as part of its 2026 and 2027 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs), could stall the growth of the biomass-based diesel (BBD) industry and lead to higher costs for consumers. https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/blogs/ethanol-blog/blog-post/2025/07/22/study-trumps-proposed-50-rins-cut
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and partners plan to produce synthetic fuels on a floating platform using wind energy, seawater, and ambient air. For this purpose, the “PtX-Wind” project was launched under the flagship project H2Mare. A corresponding modular plant has been installed on an inland waterway vessel and is moored in Bremerhaven, ready for operation. It is scheduled to begin producing synthetic fuel directly at sea off the island of Heligoland this year. https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/offshore-synthetic-fuel-plant-germany
Bayer Crop Science’s Canada regional manager sees enormous opportunities for local farmers to grow oilseeds and provide feedstock for biofuel processors worldwide. “We are seeing an increase in demand for biofuels worldwide. And we believe that farmers, especially in Western Canada, have the opportunity to meet this demand,” said Antoine Bernet, who spoke on July 16 at the Bayer Crop Science research farm east of Saskatoon. “We are investing now to supply farmers with new (oilseed) crops,” he said. “There are enormous opportunities for farmers in Western Canada. We are working on developing a new crop portfolio to help farmers meet this (biofuel) demand in the future,” he added. https://www.producer.com/news/head-of-bayer-canada-bullish-on-biofuel-sector/
Doctoral students at Ruhr University Bochum have described a new selective biocatalyst in an interdisciplinary and cross-university collaboration with Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. These new biocatalysts can produce useful epoxides from harmful styrene, and do so so selectively that only the desired compounds are formed and not their undesirable counterparts. This result was achieved by a group of doctoral students from the MiCon (“Microbial Substrate Conversion”) graduate school at Ruhr University Bochum with the support of a research group at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. The researchers report their findings in the journal ACS Catalysis on July 7, 2025. https://news.rub.de/english/press-releases/2025-07-08-biotechnology-producing-desired-epoxides-pollutants
According to ICAR (Indian Institute of Maize Research), the Indian government plans to increase ethanol blending to 30% by 2030. To achieve an increase of up to 70 million tons by then, an annual increase of 8% is required. Hybrid varieties and mechanization are required to achieve this growth, it says. The government’s ethanol blending targets are facing raw material supply challenges, as it relies exclusively on sugarcane, which has led to an expansion into grains. Mor at: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/293322-india-increase-ethanol-blending-petrol-30-2030-a.html
Indian government officials are concerned about the amount of corn used for ethanol production amid ongoing efforts to increase blending. Corn consumption for ethanol production is increasing so rapidly that the country is in danger of shifting from an exporter to a net importer of corn. Corn use for ethanol production reached 7.5 million tons in 2024/25, while consumption is expected to exceed 12 million tons in 2025/26. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/govt-plans-to-procure-more-maize-to-ramp-up-production-of-ethanol-101709579087613.html
The Chinese company Xingtai Shunhe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. has expressed interest in investing in clean and renewable energy to improve energy security in Cambodia and reduce environmental impact. The investment objective was discussed at a meeting between the Secretary General of the Cambodia Investment Committee of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the President of Xingtai Shunhe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. at the CDC on the morning of July 23. https://thefinancialanalyst.net/2024/11/06/chinese-investment-reshapes-cambodias-economy-fuels-industrial-growth/
Navitas Global is receiving LEDA Fund support to create jobs and expand operations through a program administered by the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD). Navitas specializes in converting whey derivatives, a high-sugar byproduct of dairy processing, into advanced biofuels and high-protein animal feed. Climate solutions and green and sustainable energy are top priorities for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, whose administration has identified this industry as a target sector for sustainable economic growth. To position Navitas Global for success in the local economy, the NM Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) Fund has committed $800,000 to create 31 new jobs with an estimated annual payroll of $1.9 million and a capital investment of up to $42 million. https://edd.newmexico.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Navitas-LEDA-pr.pdf
According to Down to Earth, the latest OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025–2034 predicts that only 40% of global grain production will be directly consumed by humans by 2034. This represents a revision from last year’s forecast, which assumed that biofuels and other industrial applications would account for only 23% of grain use by 2033. The remaining 33% of grain use will be for animal feed by 2034. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-fao-agricultural-outlook-2025-2034_601276cd-en/full-report/biofuels_6d29857a.html
Climeworks has achieved a significant milestone by securing $162 million in additional equity funding — marking the largest carbon removal investment of 2025 to date globally. This financing round underscores Climeworks’ commitment to scaling up and perfecting its cutting-edge technology to help significantly reduce the cost of carbon removals. This latest investment takes the company’s total funding since inception to over $1 billion, further solidifying its position as the industry leader. https://esgnews.com/de/climeworks-secures-162m-in-largest-carbon-removal-investment-of-2025/
The Australian Labor government of Minnesota has given the green light for a new A$81.4 million bioenergy plant in Horsley Park, which will power one of the country’s largest brick factories. Austral Bricks has been manufacturing at Horsley Park since the 1960s, and the permit allows the company to switch from fossil fuels to renewable biogas. The plant will divert up to 150,000 tons of organic waste annually from landfill and convert it into renewable, green gas using anaerobic digestion technology. The plant will place organic waste in a closed tank, where bacteria will decompose it and release biogas. This green gas will generate electricity and heat for the bioenergy plant and be piped to the brick kiln, replacing the natural gas currently used as fuel. The A$81.4 million project is expected to create more than 250 jobs during construction. Once completed, the plant will process solid and liquid organic waste from commercial, industrial, agricultural and residential areas. https://utilitymagazine.com.au/green-light-for-nsw-bioenergy-facility/
Shell Aviation, Accenture, and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) announced recently that Avelia is in the process of evolving to an industry solution with independent data hosting and a multi-supplier model helping users access the GHG benefits of SAF from multiple SAF suppliers, including Shell. Avelia’s evolution aims to better meet customer needs, accelerate SAF adoption, and provide companies with a clear, scalable pathway to credible business travel life cycle GHG emissions reductions from aviation. https://www.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/press-releases/shell-aviation-accenture-and-amex-gbt-announce-the-evolution-of-avelia/
LanzaJet has planned its delayed opening of its $200 million ethanol-to-jet plant in September. Facility issues forced the delayed start, scheduled for last year, after the company imported Brazilian ethanol for pilot production of SAF. However, full operation is expected to be achieved before the end of the third quarter. The use of imported feedstock means the plant is ineligible for the 45Z production credit. However, the plant will initially utilize it because most U.S. feedstocks currently lack sufficient greenhouse gas savings. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/sustainability/worlds-first-ethanol-to-jet-plant-to-start-running-after-delay/articleshow/122728796.cms