JR West to switch to biofuel by 2030

West Japan Railway, known as JR West, plans to introduce biofuel in all its diesel trains, which operate mainly on local lines, by around 2030, a move that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions on nonelectrified sections, which account for nearly 40% of the company’s lines excluding bullet train lines. The move comes as Japan’s railway

Study finds record efficiency in using artificial photosynthesis to make hydrogen

A study published has reported a way to achieve a relatively high efficiency in an artificial photosynthesis reaction in which water is split into oxygen and hydrogen using sunlight and a catalyst. The technique is called photocatalysis. Were this to work to plan, it could help lower the cost of green hydrogen. India’s Union Cabinet

Record orders for LNG tankers in 2022

Shipbuilders enjoyed a record year for liquefied natural gas tanker contracts in 2022 — and they expect the boom to continue for some time as demand for the fuel rises. Global orders for the specialist vessels reached 163 in 2022, data from Refinitiv show, more than double the the previous year’s figure and the highest

Cargill orders kamsarmax bulk carriers

Cargill has linked with trading house Mitsui & Co to order two at Japan’s Tsuneishi Shipbuilding. The landmark vessels are scheduled to deliver in the first quarter of 2026. No price has been revealed. Japanese shipyards are eagerly awaiting further methanol-fuelled bulk carrier orders with Hong Kong’s Pacific Basin likely to be among the first

Eagle Bulk completes biofuel voyage

Eagle Bulk Shipping announced that one of its bulkers has completed a voyage using biofuel. M/V Stamford Eagle, an Ultramax bulk carrier built in 2016, carried out the voyage in cooperation with the global mining and metallurgy group Eramet and its subsidiary Eramet Norway. The ship used GoodFuels MDF1-100 sustainable biofuel, providing an approximately 80%

Alcoa cuts WA alumina production amid gas crisis

Alcoa has been forced to reduce production at its Kwinana alumina refinery in Western Australia and Wesfarmers has resorted to emergency gas in storage as the impact of an ongoing outage at a major production plant owned by Chevron worsens across the state. WA’s biggest gas retailer, Alinta Energy, has turned to gas stored in

India to begin rolling out E20 in April

The Indian government planning to slowly start in E20 blending in April, ahead of the 2025/26 nationwide blending mandate. The country has five 2G ethanol plants currently under development while it has been supporting sugarcane- and grain-based ethanol distillery installation through soft financing and ever-higher prices over the last several years at it ramps up

CMES to install air lubrication technology

China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES), the Shanghai-listed energy transport unit of China Merchants Group, has signed up to install air lubrication technology on up to six LNG carriers being built at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC). A deal with the London-based cleantech company Silverstream Technologies for four firm installations and two options will see the

VECV to invest in multiple alternate fuel technologies

Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint-venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors Limited (EML), will invest in multiple alternate fuel technologies to help curb crude consumption and vehicular emissions in the country. VECV took the covers off a dual fuel bus at the India Motor Show. It is focusing on introducing sustainable mobility solutions

EAC recommends setting up end date for fossil fuels before 2050

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), a cross-party group tasked with making assessing progress in UK on green issues, warned policymakers that an end date should be set ‘well before 2050’ in order for the country to retain its reputation as one of the most pro-active in terms of the climate. Recommendations formed part of an