In Canada, Lignol has announced its 2013 Q1 results, netting a loss of CAD $1M. Although government funding was reduced by $700,000, Lignol managed to cut operating expenses to duplicate the losses experienced in 2012 Q1, also $1M. The company has completed its work with Novozymes and continues to operate its pilot plant and enzyme […]
In Indonesia, Medco Energi Internasional is looking for partnerships to close in the next two months as it develops its ethanol division. President Director Lukman Mahfoedz indicated that the company’s focus would remain on oil and gas exploration, but the company is looking to diversify and expand its renewable energy programs. Medco recently established a […]
In India, Sea6 Energy Private Ltd. has raised $655,500 to develop green algae biofuel after working with Novozymes to develop the technology to scale algae-based biofuel production. Chairman Shrikumar Suryanarayan indicated that the company has converted red seaweed into ethanol in the lab using traditional yeast. Sea6 has also developed technology to allow farmers to […]
In South Africa, recent blending mandates that require minimum blending of 2% bioethanol have prompted a prominent law firm, Norton Rose, to release a warning that the requirements could lead to further price increases. According to the government, the policies aim to develop the local biofuels industry in an attempt to attract investment in rural […]
In Indiana, Purdue has received a $5.2m grant from the Department of Energy to develop a plant which produces phenyl ethanol instead of lignin, making it possible to convert the plant directly into combustible biofuel. Heading the research team is Clint Chapple, a biochemistry professor at the University. The project aims to be completed within […]
In Washington, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson released a statement on Friday indicating that gasoline refiners must use 1.28 billion gallons of biodiesel in 2013. The mandate represents a 28% increase over this years requirement of 1 billion gallons. Said Jackson, the action “is another step that strengthens America’s energy security by reducing dependence on foreign […]
In Nevada, the DOE has awarded at $14.3 million grant to a team directed by John Cushman of the University of Nevada, Reno to redesign bioenergy crops to grown on “economically marginal agricultural lands,” reports Phys Org. The project will explore plants like the water-efficient and fast growing poplar tree. The long-term goal is to […]
In Brazil, a recent piece by the Chicago Tribune praised the efforts of the U.S. and Brazil as they have worked together to promote the protection of biofuels in U. S policies. The countries have also worked together to promote production and use of biofuels in Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa. “We have deep […]
In the UK, Oxfam has published a new report indicating that drivers will be paying an extra £35 each year due to the British mandate that at least 10% of transport energy must come from renewable sources by 2020. Currently, 4.5% of the market is provided for by the biofuel industry, and as that number […]
In the UAE, SS Lootah International has partnered with Arndt GmbH in Germany to manufacture biodiesel plants for the Middle East. The German company will bring in expertise to set up an automated biodiesel plant. Said Arndt general manager Klaus Dieter Arndt, “With the increased demand for turning waste materials into commercially-viable and environmentally-friendly products, […]
