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Date Published:
02 January 2015

Volume 9, Issue 1


Time to play offence

Feature
Some industry participants, tired of inconclusive debates such as the ILUC and stretched to keep up with a patchwork of evolving regulatory developments, were resigned to the notion that biofuels may never regain the prominence and momentum it once had. Yet, this pessimism is unwarranted. Firstly, mitigating climate change is firmly back on the top of the global political agenda. The message in... [read more]

Market pushes GHG emissions reduction

Feature
A newly-released study, published by Ecofys, an energy and climate control consultancy, reveals evidence of the European Commission’s (EC) inability to appreciate the potential reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that biofuels serve. The consultancy argues that the European Commission (EC) fails to accept the potential GHG emissions savings of biofuels. It underestimates the... [read more]

Global outlook 2015

Feature
Biofuels International wishes you a happy New Year for 2015 and provides a collection of insights from global biofuels operators

South of the border

Feature
In September 2014, Brazil opened its doors to the Southern Hemisphere’s first commercial-scale plant for the production of cellulosic ethanol in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. GranBio’s Bioflex 1 facility has an initial capacity of producing 22 million gallons per year (mgy) of second generation ethanol, which will be achieved in 2015. The facility will help the company in working... [read more]

A tale of two commodities

Feature
Over the last few years, the balance between nonrenewable and renewable fuels in Brazil has experienced a great deal of noticeable instability. Unica reports that in 2011, renewable fuels made up 44.1% of the Brazilian fuel market, while non-renewables took a 55.9% share. The following year, renewable fuels decreased to 42.4% while non-renewables jumped to 57.6%. In 2013, the competing... [read more]

Current price index

Feature
In the US, New York Harbor ethanol prices have plunged more than 60% from highs above $4 per gallon (€3.2 per gallon) in March this year to below $1.60/gallon in early October, greatly outpacing the less than 40% drop in corn prices from April to September. US ethanol prices are now around 35% cheaper than petrol prices, with only the ethanol blendwall preventing a wholesale substitution... [read more]

US spot biodiesel sinks as oil prices reset lower

Feature
US biodiesel values in the spot physical market were set to drop back more than the 14% already lost during Q4 through 10 December, pressured by the long liquidation selloff of global and domestic crude futures contracts. At the time, traders and brokers expected the reinstatement of a blender’s tax credit and that eventual government action would bolster mandated demand volumes, lending... [read more]

Pioneering the trail

Feature
As the number of commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plants in the world is a very short list, Poet and DSM had to combine their individual strengths to design and build a facility that incorporated all of the individual processes that would collectively produce cellulosic ethanol both efficiently and profitably. It also had to meet the environmental targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of... [read more]

Close to the borderline

Feature
Today, biofuels are in a critical situation as there is a lack of clarity regarding mandatory cooperation and taxation issues. Biodiesel is in a particularly precarious position and ethanol is only marginally better. Ethanol should be easily integrated and capable of becoming a commodity, but in the present market, finds itself struggling with no clear purpose and no long-term strategy. Brazil... [read more]

Waste alchemy

Feature
The international biofuels market has been in an almost constant state of flux since mandates were increased nearly ten years ago. Recently governments on either side of the Atlantic have focused their mandatory efforts on stimulating the supply of biofuels produced from waste-derived products. Refiners are responding with major investments in hydrotreating technologies capable of allowing new or... [read more]

A picture of health

Feature
Fermentation is a biological process; it is essentially the heartbeat of your system. The yeast are alive and trying to produce alcohol under sometimes very trying conditions. The more you can help the yeast to survive its environment, the better off your fermentation. There are a couple of things that are very important in order to maintain a good environment for your yeast: 1. A ‘healthy... [read more]

Protection is paramount

Feature
There is increasing interest in finding alternative solutions to antibiotic use in a wide range of industries, including biofuels. Ensuring the effectiveness of antibiotics is fundamental to protecting world health. The proliferation of drug resistant bacteria is a concern to the public and those responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy and security of human... [read more]

Making a breakthrough

Feature
Nitrogen plays a critical role in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) physiology and fermentation. On an elemental basis, nitrogen comprises approximately 10% dry weight (DW) of the total mass of the yeast cell (Table 1). In the yeast cell, this nitrogen is not in elemental form; it is a part of many biomolecules within yeast. Every protein molecule has nitrogen, despite whether this protein is... [read more]

Cropping up

Feature
A combination of brisk economic expansion and population growth is fuelling a rapid increase in energy demand in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman). Although the economic forecast is positive, it carries the risk of unmanaged growth resulting in power shortages, soaring fuel prices and a high carbon footprint. The GCC... [read more]