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Biofuels

Bio-isobutanol: The next-generation biofuel

Wood Group Mustang: Kolodziej, R.
Gevo Inc.: Scheib, J.

This article highlights the technology, feedstocks and market growth opportunities for isobutanol, with a focus on potential new market offerings in the very near future.

HP Brief

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

European refiner affirms renewables project Total has reaffirmed its partnership and financial backing to the technology of renewable products company Amyris, the companies said in a recent statement...

From mill to wing: How waste materials could become the next green aviation fuel

LanzaTech: Holmgren, J.

We are in the midst of an energy revolution, with new types of liquid fuels from new sources and an increased supply of traditional fuels unleashed from existing sources thanks to new technologies. Wh..

Neste Oil completes first phase of European pilot plant for microbial oil

Neste says its goal is to develop the technology so that it is capable of yielding commercial volumes of microbial oil for use as a feedstock for NExBTL renewable diesel. Commercial-scale production is expected by 2015 at the earliest. Investment terms were not disclosed.

Chemtex awarded loan guarantee from US to build cellulosic ethanol refinery

Once operational, the facility is expected to convert 600,000 tpy of energy grasses into an estimated 20 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol using a proprietary enzymatic hydrolysis process. The plant will produce biofuels for eastern transportation markets using non-food biomass feedstocks.

Argentina files complaint against EU over Spanish blockage of biodiesel

Argentina's Foreign Ministry said Spain's rules were an attempt to stop developing countries from gaining more control of global value chains and evolving beyond their role as suppliers of raw materials, according to a statement. With the complaint, Spain now has 60 days to show its rules are fair.

EPA opens review into US corn ethanol mandate

The Environmental Protection Agency said it received formal requests from the governors of Arkansas and North Carolina to ease the renewable-fuel standard, triggering a 90-day review that could lead to the agency's first-ever decision to reduce or waive the mandate.

US appeals court rejects industry challenge to EPA ethanol blend decision

Trade groups representing the oil and auto industries had challenged the decision. Bob Greco, downstream director at the American Petroleum Institute, said it is "astounding that the court does not accept that refiners, who must comply with the ethanol mandate, have standing to bring this case."

Novozymes pressured by weak US biofuels market

Bioethanol production and profitability has been hampered by the drought in the US, which has pushed up the prices for corn, the main ingredient in the production of biofuel. Additional pressure has been added by a decline in overall fuel consumption in the US, the Novozymes executive said.

BASF joins collaboration to develop bio-acrylic acid

BASF, Cargill and Novozymes recently signed an agreement to develop bio-based technologies to produce acrylic acid from renewable feedstocks. The annual global market volume of acrylic acid is around 4.5 million tons, with a value of $11 billion at the end of 2011.