French biotech company Global Bioenergies and German cars manufacturer Audi signed a new agreement focused on the implementation of residue usage, preparation of a path to commercialization and engine testing of new blends. Following the completion of a first series of engine testing and significant progresses of the isobutene bioproduction process, the two companies have agreed to start a new program.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has approved the pathway for isobutanol produced at Gevo’s Luverne, MNplant to be an advanced biofuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard Program (“RFS”). This is the first time that the EPA has approved a pathway for an advanced biofuel that uses starch from feed corn to produce an alcohol. With a partial substitution of fossil based energy sources that are currently used at Luverne with green energy sources, such as biogas, it should be possible for Gevo, which a leading renewable technology, chemical products, and next generation biofuels company, to achieve the 50% or greater greenhouse gas emissions (“GHG”) reduction needed to claim the advanced D5 Renewable Identification Number (“RIN”) according to the pathway approval.
SG Preston, a Philadelphia-based bioenergy company, and IHI E&C, a Houston-based engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) subsidiary of IHI Corporation, announced a ground-breaking agreement for a Multi-Facility Program that will include the development and construction of a series of commercial volume, advanced biofuels manufacturing plants, initially in the U.S. Midwest and Canada.
“EPA is proposing to change the rules in the middle of the game.” The representatives of advanced and cellulosic biofuels industry – a nonprofit educational organization advocates for the adoption of advanced biofuels as an energy security, military flexibility, economic development and climate change mitigation/pollution control solution – recently sent a letter to President Barack Obama regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable fuel standard (RFS) volume requirement proposal.
In the letter it was emphasized that the May 29th proposal represents a broken promise that is negatively impacting investments and partnerships in advanced biofuels, is sending projects and jobs overseas, and is at odds with the president’s initiatives to combat climate change.
A draft law to cap crop-derived biofuel production and accelerate the shift to alternative sources was voted by Parliament on Tuesday. It aims to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by the growing use of farm land for biofuel crops. Parliament has been calling since 2008 for the ILUC factor to be taken into account in EU biofuels policy, while biofuels grown on farm land have received up to €10 billion per year in public subsidies.
A draft law to cap the production of traditional biofuels and accelerate the shift to alternative sources, such as seaweed and waste, was approved by the Environment Committee on Tuesday. It aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that result from the growing use of agricultural land to produce biofuel crops.
North America’s advanced biofuel industry reached a production capacity of more than 800 million gallons in 2014, up from the previous year and almost double the capacity in 2011, according to a new market report unveiled yesterday by the national nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a nonpartisan, national community of business leaders who promote sound environmental policies that grow the economy.
Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels, an industry coalition to promote advanced biofuels, yesterday met stakeholders at the European Parliament in Brussels to urge for a tough EU-wide sub-target for advanced biofuels in the context of ILUC (indirect land use change) directive.
ENI goes green. Oil giant reached an agreement with labour unions and Sicilian authorities on upgrading its oil refinery near the town of Gela to make it environmentally friendly. Under the deal ENI will invest 2.2 billion euros in the 60-year-old refinery to make it eco-friendly.
