In Hawaii, Pacific Biodiesel is integrating traditional Hawaiian planting practices at their sunflower fields and expanding beyond biodiesel. The sunflowers are being converted into cosmetic-grade sunflower oils and food-grade cooking oil, as well as biodiesel. The sunflower cooking oil is expected to hit the market by this summer. The cosmetic-grade oils are being sold at […]
In the United Kingdom, James Hay parent IFG Group released a trading update that says a “potential solution” to the biofuel scheme tax charge remains ongoing. The tax charge is estimated to reach £20 million (over $27 million). James Hay told Money Marketing that if the issue is still unresolved by March, “the group confirmed […]
In Texas, Valero Energy Corporation reported net income attributable to Valero stockholders of $2.4 billion, or $5.42 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to $367 million, or $0.81 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2016. Biofuel blending costs were $311 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, which is $94 million […]
In Finland, biofuel producer and oil refiner Neste Corporation appointed Peter Vanacker as their new CEO to replace Matti Lievonen, who is retiring. Vanacker is currently the CEO and Managing Director of Germany-based specialty chemicals firm CABB Group and formerly worked at Bayer where he was responsible for the global polyurethanes business and many significant […]
In Germany, UFOP reports that asking prices for rapeseed and rapeseed meal have developed in opposite directions over the past few weeks and said it is doubtful whether this trend is going to persist. Wholesale prices for rapeseed and rapeseed meal moved at the same pace over much of the past year. However, an unusual […]
In Washington, D.C., ethanol production averaged 1.057 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 44.39 million gallons daily, up 18,000 b/d from the week before, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. The four-week average for ethanol production increased to 1.055 million b/d for an annualized rate of 16.17 billion gallons. Stocks of ethanol […]
In Ireland, Ethanol Europe Renewables Ltd, the operator of Europe’s largest biorefinery, is warning policymakers against placing too much hope in advanced biofuel production because according to their controversial study, researchers found that less than 1% of announced advanced biofuel capacity was a success, “a volume so small as to be irrelevant…and while the cycle […]
In Illinois, a multi-institution report provides practical agronomic data for five cellulosic feedstocks, which could improve adoption and increase production across the country. The project, backed by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Sun Grant Initiative, began in 2008 and includes researchers from 26 institutions. Together, they evaluated the bioenergy potential of switchgrass, Miscanthus, […]
In the EU and Asia, the chaos continues about the proposed EU palm oil ban and outlook. The Backstory In case you haven’t heard about it and in a very simplified explanation, palm plantations have been expanding in several countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, leading to deforestation concerns. Environmental groups have long been against palm […]
In Portugal, five petrol station operators are charged with not adding the required amount of biofuel required by law to the diesel they import from Spain. When diesel reaches Portugal from Spain, it sometimes has biofuel already in it, but not enough to meet the legally required 7.5% by Portugal. The importers who have not […]
