Dear Sir or Madam,
You may have already heard about the EU’s new bioeconomy strategy. While the EU and Germany are not discussing biofuels, particularly those derived from cultivated biomass, with regard to the necessary strategic support policies, and the discussion is essentially limited to setting emission limits, third countries are taking a much more proactive approach. The topic of the energy transition in the transport sector was on the agenda at the UN Climate Change Conference in Brasília. During this event, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the “Belém Commitment for Sustainable Fuels” initiative (Belém 4x for short). The goal of this initiative is to quadruple the global production and use of sustainable fuels by 2035 (see appendix): https://cop30.br/en/news-about-cop30/brazil-pledges-to-quadruple-production-of-sustainable-fuels. Japan, Italy, and India support the Brazilian initiative. The “Belém 4X Pledge on Sustainable Fuels” initiative aims to promote the global adoption of clean energy sources—such as hydrogen and its derivatives, biogas, biofuels, and synthetic fuels—to gradually replace fossil fuels and accelerate the decarbonization of energy systems to combat climate change. The call for proposals emphasizes the need for increased international cooperation and addresses specific coordination requirements (which the UFOP also deals with in principle – including greenhouse gas accounting, cultivation, animal feed, etc.).
New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populous state, has pledged 170 million Australian dollars (109 million US dollars) for the production of renewable fuels and biomethane and will also extend a key certification to include biomethane.
As governments continue their efforts to reduce emissions in line with international targets, the demand for biofuels is increasing significantly. Global biofuel production is expected to increase by more than 475 million liters per day over the next five years. This rapid growth presents new challenges while also offering new opportunities.
The future of bio-based businesses is global! We have been following important international developments – from Thailand to Europe to the USA. Visit my newsroom for more information.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $7 million fund to support advanced biofuel producers across the country. This funding is part of the Advanced Biofuel Producer Payment Program, a key initiative of the One Big Beautiful Bill. The program aims to increase the production of American-grown biofuels, encouraging sustainable energy solutions. https://www.lawbc.com/usda-announces-availability-of-7-million-for-advanced-biofuel-production/
The Indonesian state investment agency, Daya Anagata Nusantara Investment Management Agency (Danantara), has announced that the first phase of its waste incineration plant development program will focus on four cities: Bogor, Bekasi, Denpasar, and Yogyakarta. According to the report, each city is expected to require an investment of US$150 million to US$180 million. “The tendering process for these four cities has already begun, and more will be added depending on the development progress of each city,” said Ade on Thursday, November 20, 2025, in Jakarta. https://indonesiabusinesspost.com/5688/energy-and-resources/indonesia-to-kick-off-first-phase-of-waste-to-energy-projects-in-four-cities
Two cargo ships have set course for grain terminals near New Orleans to load the first US soybean shipments to China since May. A third ship is en route to a grain terminal on the Texas Gulf Coast to be loaded with US sorghum for China in the coming days. This will be the first American shipment of the feed grain to China since mid-March, the report said. https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2025/11/us-soybeans-set-for-first-shipment-to-china-since-may/
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has drastically increased its export forecast for Argentine soybeans for the 2024/25 season to 13.3 million tons. This figure even exceeds the Argentine Ministry of Agriculture’s forecast of 12.2 million tons. “This increase is due to the massive surge in purchases by China during Argentina’s three-day temporary suspension of agricultural export tariffs, which led to unprecedented sales. Although exporters are not required to specify the destination countries, traders report that over 95% of these shipments went to China,” the USDA report states. https://bichosdecampo.com/un-informe-del-usda-sobre-la-exportacion-de-soja-argentina-refleja-el-impacto-de-las-tensiones-geopoliticas-en-el-mercado/
Suiso Energy and Kawasaki Industries announced that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kawasaki LH2 Terminal, a hydrogen liquefaction facility in Ogishima, Kawasaki, took place on November 27. The Kawasaki LH2 Terminal is the key facility in the “Demonstration of the Commercialization of the Liquefied Hydrogen Supply Chain” project, funded by the Green Innovation Fund Project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The terminal will feature the world’s largest liquid hydrogen storage tank with a capacity of 50,000 m³, as well as facilities for ocean cargo handling (loading and unloading), hydrogen liquefaction, hydrogen supply, and truck transport of liquefied hydrogen. Suiso Energy (JSE) is managing the project, while a Kawasaki-led joint venture is the prime contractor responsible for the design and construction of the facilities. https://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/kawasaki-and-partners-break-ground-on-world-s-largest-commercial-liquid-hydrogen-terminal-in-japan
ExxonMobil has put plans to build one of the world’s largest hydrogen production plants on hold due to weak customer demand. This was confirmed by the company’s CEO, Darren Woods, in an interview with Reuters. The suspension of the project, which had already experienced delays, reflects a general slowdown in efforts by traditional oil and gas companies to transition to cleaner energy sources, as many of these initiatives are struggling to operate profitably, according to the report. Exxon had announced plans in 2022 to build the plant at its refinery and chemical complex in Baytown, Texas. The goal was to produce one billion cubic feet of so-called blue hydrogen per day. https://fuelcellsworks.com/2025/11/24/energy-policy/exxon-freezes-plans-for-major-hydrogen-plant-amid-weak-customer-demand
South African farmers are expected to harvest their second-largest maize crop ever in 2025, thanks to good rainfall earlier this year. According to a report by the Crop Estimates Committee, commercial growers are projected to harvest 16.4 million tons of white and yellow maize. This figure is 0.7% higher than the October forecast and significantly lower than the 12.9 million tons harvested last year, the lowest since 2019, the report added. https://wandile.substack.com/p/south-africa-has-its-second-largest
The Indonesian biofuel industry is being urged to utilize the massive surplus of molasses – a largely unused byproduct of sugarcane processing – as it has the potential to significantly boost domestic ethanol production. According to the report, the Indonesian Association of Spirits and Ethanol Producers (APSENDO) announced that approximately one million tons of molasses remain unused, despite a target of 1.9 million tons of national production by 2025. Currently, only 900,000 tons are processed by the industry. “Four kilograms of molasses yield one liter of ethanol. This means there is a potential of 250 million liters of ethanol outside the food sector that has not yet been optimally utilized,” said APSENDO Chairman Izmirta Rachman. https://agriinsite.com/indonesias-ethanol-industry-encouraged-to-take-advantage-of-massive-molasses-surplus/
The Odisha government has signed an agreement with Oil India Limited to convert municipal waste into green energy as part of the state’s broader clean energy and circular economy strategy. The agreement aims to accelerate coordination between Oil India and municipal authorities to ensure the timely commissioning of compressed waste-to-energy (CBG) plants. Officials stated the partnership will make a significant contribution to the state’s green growth strategy. https://www.bioenergy-news.com/news/odisha-signs-partnership-with-oil-india-to-speed-up-waste-to-energy-projects/
Researchers at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Marine Research (KNMS) have investigated Xiriton, a building material made from native grasses and seawater, for its suitability in restoring coastal and intertidal habitats. Xiriton consists of chopped, dried grass, volcanic pozzolan, slaked lime, shells, sand, and seawater. The team tested the material in salt marshes to determine its effectiveness as a substrate for mussel reefs and for salt marsh restoration. In field trials in Yerseke, Xiriton blocks on tidal flats were flooded twice daily. “After one year, about 70% of each block was covered with organisms such as oysters, mussels, and algae,” said doctoral student Victoria Mason. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-biobased-concrete-substitute-coastal-natural.html
Singapore will begin issuing licenses for methanol bunkering as a marine fuel next year to help the global shipping industry reduce its carbon emissions. Three companies will commence methanol supply at the Port of Singapore on January 1, the Singapore Marine and Port Authority (MPA) announced in a statement. “This is an important step towards establishing methanol bunkering at scale and underlines Singapore’s ambition to become a sustainable multi-fuel bunkering hub,” the MPA said. https://longbridge.com/en/news/267101096?channel=WHAB0002