Dear Readers, Friends, and Network Members,
It’s starting to get chilly in Germany, so sit back with a mulled wine and enjoy reading my news. As usual, today’s edition offers a selection of news from Germany and abroad.
I’m also including information on upcoming events and biofuel production and utilization in Canada, which I received from UFOP and is attached as a PDF.
The 23rd International Conference on Renewable Mobility “Fuels of the Future,” the leading event for the renewable fuels industry, will take place on January 19 and 20, 2026, in Berlin. Around 700 international participants and over 90 speakers from politics, business, and science are expected. Registration for the two-day event is now open at. More information and the conference program can be found here: https://www.fuels-of-the-future.com/en
Too little, too late: Most countries have failed to do their homework when it comes to climate protection. A make-up session in Brazil was in order. The climate summit began with grim predictions. Ten years after the historic Paris Climate Agreement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed to the conscience of world leaders and demanded a radical course correction in the fight against global warming. “The bitter truth is that we have failed to stay below 1.5 degrees,” the UN Secretary-General said at a summit in Belém, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, before the official start of the 30th UN Climate Change Conference.
Guterres referred to scientific findings that the 1.5-degree limit targeted in the Paris Climate Agreement will be exceeded, at least temporarily, by the beginning of the 2030s – with disastrous consequences. Every tenth of a degree means more hunger, more displacement, and more suffering. Currently, the fight against the climate crisis is insufficient. The world is heading towards warming of well over two degrees, and emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases continue to rise. “This is a moral failure – and deadly negligence.”Der UN-Chef rief zu einem schnellen Kurswechsel auf. So dürften keine neuen Kohlekraftwerke und Öl- und Gasprojekte mehr genehmigt werden. Auch forderte Guterres, bis 2030 die weltweite Entwaldung komplett zu stoppen.
US ethanol production reached a new record high last week, averaging 1.123 million barrels per day. Thanks to this record production, inventories rose by 288,000 barrels to 22.655 million barrels – 635,000 barrels more than in the same period last year.
Australia Post has partnered with Ampol to supply 5 million liters of Amplify Diesel R10, consisting of a 10% blend of renewable diesel, to its Redbank Parcel Facility in Brisbane. The renewable diesel will be used in the site’s existing truck fleet of 89 vehicles over the next year, reducing lifecycle emissions without requiring engine modifications. https://fleethvnews.com.au/australia-post-deploys-first-large-electric-truck-and-renewable-diesel-blend-with-ampol/
The 20th European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) will take place in Brussels from June 9 to 11, 2026. The theme for EUSEW 2026 is “A Clean, Secure and Competitive Energy Union,” underscoring the European Commission’s commitment to accelerating the transition to resilient, affordable, and clean energy systems. More information is available at: https://sustainable-energy-week.ec.europa.eu/index_en
In the lead-up to COP30, leading industrial and energy companies from around the world joined the coordinators of the “Let Green Gas Count” campaign (including ADBA, the American Biogas Council, EBA, the eNG Coalition, Eurogas, the Molecule Group, the RNG Coalition, and the World Biogas Association) in a joint letter urging the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to explicitly recognize market-based instruments for renewable gases such as biogas and renewable natural gas (RNG). (RNG is known as biomethane outside North America.) The “Let Green Gas Count” campaign, along with leading representatives from industry and energy, is specifically calling on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to issue an interim statement, support market-based certificates, and expedite its revision. The letter from leading representatives of industry and energy suppliers aligns with the recent pledge by the Brazilian COP presidency to quadruple the production and use of renewable fuels, including gases, by 2035, and calls for further investment in these alternatives as a crucial tool for achieving net zero. More about the report at: https://sustainabilitymag.com/news/industry-leaders-are-demanding-incentives-for-biogas-at-cop
The Government of Ontario, Canada, has approved an investment of over 165 million Canadian dollars by the Convertus Group to build a state-of-the-art biofuel plant in the York region. The plant will convert organic waste into renewable energy. By utilizing the province’s skilled workforce, 52 well-paid jobs will be created for the local economy. Ontario will further strengthen its position as a leading location for waste management, processing, and renewable energy. To support the Convertus Group’s investment, Ontario is providing 2 million Canadian dollars from the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness (AMIC) grant program of the Regional Development Program (RDP). https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1006734/ontario-welcomes-165-million-investment-in-biofuel-manufacturing
The Global Centre for Green Fuels (GCGF) has officially launched the Maritime Ethanol & Methanol Alliance (MEMA), a new global platform to coordinate and accelerate the use of ethanol and methanol as low-carbon marine fuels. Based in Singapore, MEMA brings together shipping companies, fuel producers, engine manufacturers, regulators, ports, and classification societies to create a common framework for safe handling, harmonization of fuel specifications, and reduction of CO₂ emissions across the entire maritime value chain. https://www.manifoldtimes.com/news/singapore-gcgf-launches-alliance-to-advance-ethanol-and-methanol-bunker-fuels/
Allied Biofuels FE LLC and Praj Industries Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Uzbekistan for the development of Central Asia’s largest ethanol production plant in the Khorezm region. Praj’s ethanol refinery technology will produce 890 tons of 95% pure ethanol per day (or 293,700 tons per year) and capture biogenic CO₂ from the 1G process. Allied Biofuels’ project will utilize ethanol from the 1G process to produce 160,400 tons of sustainable aviation fuel and 5,040 tons of green diesel fuel annually. The biogenic CO₂ from the 1G process, together with synthesis gas from the gasification process and green hydrogen produced using 2,000-megawatt PEM electrolyzers, is processed into 257,000 tons of electrochemically sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) annually. This project represents the crucial first step towards the construction of Central Asia’s first integrated refinery producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), electrosynthetic SAF (e-SAF), and green diesel. https://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/allied-biofuels-and-praj-industries-signs-mou-to-establish-central-asia-s-largest-ethanol-refinery-in-uzbekistan-fueling-allied-biofuels-saf-and-e-saf-plans
Microbes are true survival artists, having developed sophisticated strategies to extract energy from their environment. For decades, scientists believed that only a few bacteria used special molecular “circuits” to transport electrons out of their cells—a process known as extracellular electron transfer (EET). This mechanism is crucial for the natural cycle of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, and metals, and forms the basis for applications ranging from wastewater treatment to bioenergy and bioelectronic materials. Now, researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have discovered that this remarkable ability is far more versatile and widespread than previously thought. The study was published in the ISME Journal. You can find the study here: https://academic.oup.com/ismej/article/19/1/wraf097/8134273?login=false
The Irish Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Affairs have announced the publication of the Charter for the Environmental Sustainability of Biomethane. The government reaffirms its commitment to developing a large-scale biomethane sector in Ireland. The development of such a charter, as part of the National Biomethane Strategy, is crucial for the successful development of an agriculturally driven biomethane industry and for mitigating unintended or negative environmental impacts. More information is available at: https://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/ministers-o-brien-and-heydon-mark-key-step-to-ensuring-the-development-of-a-sustainable-indigenous-biomethane-sector-in-ireland
TruAlt Bioenergy Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) to develop one of the world’s largest sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facilities in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The planned facility, with a capacity of 80,000 tonnes per year (TPA), will be located in the Srikakulam-Vizianagaram region of Andhra Pradesh. Under the MoU, TruAlt Bioenergy will invest approximately 22.5 billion rupees (₹2.50 crore) in the construction of an integrated plant for the production of SAF from ethanol. The planned facility is expected to create over 500 direct and nearly 2,000 indirect jobs, thereby stimulating significant economic growth in related sectors and contributing to industrial expansion and job creation in the region. https://www.trualtbioenergy.com/public/assets/fronted/governance-investor/Combined_press%20release-S.pdf
In Brazil, the Abra Group, together with Sumitomo Corporation of Brazil, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation – a leading, integrated, and multi-sector trading company with a global network – has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The aim is to accelerate the development of industrial solutions for decarbonizing the aviation sector. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, Abra, operating in Brazil through GOL, and Sumitomo, in cooperation with the governments of Brazil and Japan, will facilitate the implementation of a Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) agreement. This instrument, initiated by the Japanese government, finances decarbonization projects in partner countries. The agreement will be concluded between Brazil and Japan in accordance with Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. This initiative is a first step towards a long-term supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) between Abra and Sumitomo. Learn more at: https://abragroup.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Abra-and-Sumitomo-Partner-to-Unlock-Industry-Solutions-to-Airline-Decarbonization-in-Brazil.pdf
Pirelli has equipped the new McLaren W1 supercar with three specially developed tires made from over 50% bio-based and recycled materials – a figure certified by the independent testing agency Bureau Veritas. These new tires – the P Zero R, P Zero Trofeo RS, and P Zero Winter 2 – were developed by Pirelli in collaboration with McLaren and are offered exclusively for the new model, for which Pirelli is the sole tire supplier. More about the story: https://www.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/road/cars/supercars/mclaren-w1-181965/
West Biofuels celebrated the official opening of Hat Creek Bioenergy, a biomass-to-energy plant that the company built and operates. This flagship facility is the result of years of collaboration with local, regional, and national partners and converts forest biomass into renewable energy, supporting sustainable forestry and feeding clean energy directly into the local power grid. The plant is a milestone in sustainable forestry and provides an important utilization option for forest biomass, helping to control wildfires in the region. The project is also a significant driver of the local economy, providing employment for 15 skilled plant operators, most of whom are from Burney. During the plant’s construction phase, over 60 temporary jobs were also created in the region. https://www.westbiofuels.com/pr-042223-1
The LNG terminal in Gijón, Spain, owned by Enagás (75%) and Reganosa (25%), is launching a service to supply BioLNG for loading this decarbonized fuel onto ships and tankers. With this service, the company aims to further advance its contribution to European decarbonization goals. The interconnected infrastructure enables the biomethane injected into the gas network to be identified as BioLNG (liquid biofuel produced from the processing of organic household and industrial waste) and delivered via the terminal.More: https://www.portstrategy.com/environment-and-sustainability/gijon-port-launches-biolng-bunkering/1506114.article