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Volume 7, Issue 3
Biodiesel trade still sluggish despite subsidies
Feature
There were signs of increased spot trading for biodiesel in the US early in Q2 after sluggish deal-making activity in starting out 2013, coinciding with a pickup in distillate demand and gains in truck tonnage in March. Key to the pickup is the return of a blending tax credit earlier in the year further supported by a mandate for demand, with production at US biodiesel plants ramping up in March....
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Who's counting?
Feature
The European Commission seeks to create serious structure for second generation biofuels, as a new report finds double and quadruple counting to be ineffective Epure, the European renewable ethanol association, has looked at the double and quadruple counting proposals by the European Commission and deemed it an ‘ineffective’ way to propel advanced biofuels production. The...
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Varying views on North American fuel industries
Feature
As the US RFA queries a cellulosic biofuels target for this year, Canada announces a new programme to boost its agricultural sector First up, the US Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to scale back this year’s volume requirements for biofuel production, arguing the proposed standards are ‘unrealistic’. The association...
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Renewable energy in UK up despite biofuels drop
Feature
While renewable energy in the UK has performed strongly, biofuels have dipped but a new European Commission report points to a healthy future for the liquid fuel New government figures have revealed 2012 was a strong year for renewable energy generation in the UK. A report released at the end of March put the UK’s generated electricity from renewables last year at 11.3% overall, and...
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Giving biodiesel the thumbs up
Feature
James Barrett caught up with the CEO of a small Michigan biodiesel company to discuss its large future aspirations Being based in the US, a country that is a major player in the global export of ethanol products, Michiganbased Thumb Bioenergy’s (TBE) motto is ‘Local products creating local jobs producing local products’, solidifying an “every little helps”...
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Refreshing ethanol process
Feature
James Barrett raised a glass and spoke to Merrick and Company’s VP Steve Wagner as he discovered the story behind its brewing ethanol success Merrick and Company is a global business that deals in multiple energy markets, plus sectors like life sciences and national security, but ethanol production is one of its key focuses and it is a beverage enjoyed by many all over the world that...
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Biodiesel's big decisions
Feature
Pre-processors, distillation, public or private equity, RIN futures, cold-soak, quality assurance – biodiesel producers face a barrage of variables everyday that affect revenue, sales and, most importantly, profits ‘Money isn’t brave’ is a statement that rings true and, particularly in the fuel and financial sectors, it can illustrate investors running away from...
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A diversified solution
Feature
Corn and RIN price issues still dominate US ethanol, but expanding its feedstock options and customer base would change all that Corn will set records this year as it receives the most support since 1936 as it tops 97 million acres, according to a US Department of Agriculture crop report in April. Ethanol producers hope that means an abundant supply in their own backyard but, for firms...
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No longer a fledgling industry
Feature
Minnesota-based industry analysts Christianson and Partners reviews the lay of the US ethanol land and offers tips to anyone looking to buy or sell facilities No doubt about it, the US ethanol industry continues to consolidate. Although the origins of many plants lie in farmer-owned cooperative ventures, over time the landscape has changed. Today, most plants are operated as LLCs or as...
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Warming to the challenge
Feature
Beta Renewables uses heat integration as one way of reducing emissions and keeping its commercial plant profitable Second generation ethanol processes are gradually moving from the pilot and demonstration stages to full-scale production plants. Having solved initial issues like getting processes to work, ethanol manufacturers must now focus on optimising production economy to become...
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Waste not, want not
Feature
Pannonia Ethanol’s Steve Moore believes disregarding DDGS simply as a by-product of ethanol production is a narrow minded game One debate within Europe regarding biofuels appears puzzling to their American counterparts. Issues that have been resolved long before, in other parts of the world, keep arising here in the ‘Old World’. Yet what is particularly troubling is not...
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Mycotoxin testing protocols can protect ethanol co-products
Feature
The huge increase in ethanol production over the past decade has provided producers an unprecedented opportunity to produce profitable co-products. These products, such as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), are often a secondary source of business for ethanol producers, many of whom recognise its value as a costeffective animal feed product. However, as a result of the ethanol...
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Strange bedfellows
Feature
Oil majors have plenty of money and technical expertise, and they need biofuels to blend with their petroleum products, so why have they stopped investing in biofuel R&D? With a hundred years experience of large-scale chemical engineering, and no shortage of money, the major oil companies would appear to be best placed to invest and de-risk new biofuel production technologies. Some...
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Hitting the sweet spot
Feature
Around 40% of ethanol plants were extracting corn oil in 2011 – this has now risen to as high as 75%. Phil Thane looks at the bitter battles between rivals, the differences between the technologies and, importantly, the economics Almost all manufacturing processes produce wastes and manufacturers are always looking for ways to increase profits by packaging waste as a byproduct that...
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Investing in renewable chemistry startups
Feature
In a capital-intensive industry such as industrial biotech, start-ups cannot only gain access to technology and know-how, but also secure significant investments through developing partnerships The chemical industry today has perfected its processes, supply chains and distribution networks based on petroleum as its primary feedstock. The innovations are few and far between; they are based...
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Financing entrepreneurial innovation
Feature
David Berry, a partner with Flagship Ventures, reveals the winning formula that will make biofuel start-ups more attractive to investors In every entrepreneurial sector, founders and managers are seeking to identify the magic formula of how to build, finance and ultimately exit their companies. Some of the more storied sectors, such as biotechnology and digital, have the significant...
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Glycerine purification with activated carbon
Feature
Activated carbons, in their various forms, can purify glycerine to a colourless, odourless standard Glycerine is a clear, odourless viscous liquid with a huge number of industrial applications including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, foods and beverages, flexible foams, tobacco, antifreeze, paints and coatings. Glycerine, or glycerol, is produced from natural glycerides present in fats and...
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Pure and simple
Feature
How can European biodiesel producers meet EN 14214 standards during tough times? During the last few years biodiesel production in Europe has increased but, due to a lack of profitability, many producers had to temporarily stop their production; some were even forced to shut down their plants completely. The main reasons behind those situations include the increased price for high quality...
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