Author Archive: Jim Lane

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EU rapeseed area slightly up from 2016: report

EU rapeseed area slightly up from 2016: report

April 9, 2017 |

In Germany, UFOP reports that an estimated area of 6.6 million hectares in the EU is planted with winter rapeseed for the 2017 harvest. This translates to a more than 100,000 ha rise from the previous year. The trends are very different in the different member states. According to information published by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH), […]

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US ethanol production drops to 18-week low

US ethanol production drops to 18-week low

April 9, 2017 |

In Washington, according to EIA data as analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Assocation, US ethanol production averaged 1.019 million barrels per day —or 42.8 million gallons daily. That is down 35,000 b/d from the week before and stands as the lowest weekly production volume in 18 weeks. The four-week average for ethanol production dipped slightly […]

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New Coalition Launches To Fight for US Renewable Fuel Standard

New Coalition Launches To Fight for US Renewable Fuel Standard

April 9, 2017 |

In Washington, the Main Street Energy Alliance has launched to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to resist the efforts of a small group of special interests including Valero, Monroe Energy and investor Carl Icahn who are trying to alter the point of obligation requirement under the Renewable Fuel Standard in order to serve their own […]

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ADM’s second Carbon Capture and Storage project starts up

ADM’s second Carbon Capture and Storage project starts up

April 9, 2017 |

In Illinois, Archer Daniels Midland commenced operations at the Illinois Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage (ICCS) project, a partnership to safely and permanently store more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, has begun. The project captures carbon dioxide, which is created as a byproduct at ADM’s Decatur corn processing facility, and stores […]

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Chip Energy wins occupancy OK for factory building made from recycled shipping containers

Chip Energy wins occupancy OK for factory building made from recycled shipping containers

April 9, 2017 |

In Illinois, obtaining a certificate of occupancy on a building constructed of 60 Intermodal Shipping Containers is a huge accomplishment for Chip Energy, said company president Paul Wever, president of Chip Energy Inc.  These types of containers are built out of at least 5,000 lbs. of steel each, and with 1 million units out of […]

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First-Gen Fuels under siege, hit back with hard data

First-Gen Fuels under siege, hit back with hard data

April 6, 2017 |

Ethanol supporters in the US and Australia and first-gen fuels advocates of conventional ethanol and biodiesel in the EU are striking out against what they see as misguided reports that have appeared across three continents this week — all aimed ultimately at derailing mandates that support market access for biofuels. In the US: looking at […]

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Butanol vs. ethanol as a fuel component

Butanol vs. ethanol as a fuel component

April 5, 2017 |

Is your business model based on government regulations or fuel science?  By Bill Brandon, Special to The Digest In light of the recent article on Butamax, I feel a response from the perspective of automakers is appropriate.  One of the earlier articles referenced asked “ where’s butanol, or other substitutes for gasoline besides ethanol?” and went […]

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Let’s Get Tacky: Cray Valley launches new sticky resin based on Amyris tech

Let’s Get Tacky: Cray Valley launches new sticky resin based on Amyris tech

April 5, 2017 |

In France, Cray Valley has launched new tackifying resins produced with Amyris’ biologically derived Biofene branded farnesene. Tack is the measure of stickiness — vital to everything from adhesives that need to hold things in place to inks that need to stay on the printed page. According to independent market research firm, MarketsandMarkets.com, the global […]

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European Parliament votes nearly unanimously to phase out use of palm oil in biofuels by 2020

European Parliament votes nearly unanimously to phase out use of palm oil in biofuels by 2020

April 4, 2017 |

In Belgium, to counter the impact of unsustainable palm oil production, such as deforestation and habitat degradation, particularly in South-East Asia, the EU should introduce a single certification scheme for palm oil entering the EU market and phase out the use of vegetable oils that drive deforestation by 2020, say MEPs in a resolution voted […]

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Stevia Wonder: Cargill, Evolva head for EverSweet’s commercial-scale in 2018

Stevia Wonder: Cargill, Evolva head for EverSweet’s commercial-scale in 2018

April 4, 2017 |

In Switzerland, Cargill and Evolva inked a major collaboration pact for the production and commercialisation of EverSweet, the next-generation stevia sweetener. This product is on track for a 2018 launch, securing its first-mover advantage. Over the next three years, principally in 2018 and 2019, Evolva expects to invest an estimated USD 60 million in the […]

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