LSU chemists discover way to improve biofuel and biomaterial production

Globally, sustainable energy is in demand, and plant biomass has been a front-runner as a renewable resource. Until now, physical and chemical interactions in plant biomass had been a challenge in post-harvest processing, but LSU Department of Chemistry associate professor Tuo Wang and his research team of graduate students have discovered new information that can

Nitin Gadkari urges construction sector to substitute diesel with alternative fuels

Expressing concern over the use of diesel in the construction industry, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said the sector must work for substitution of the fossil fuel with alternative fuels like bio-ethanol, LNG and CNG, which will not only reduce hazardous emissions but also cut the huge import bill. Addressing an event organised by

Research findings of Oldendorff, BHP, GoodFuels, MPA biofuel bunker trial released

Oldendorff Carriers shared a research paper on a biofuel trial voyage which the company performed in 2021 with BHP, GoodFuels and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). “The paper is prepared under our research agreement with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, exploring numerous alternatives for sustainable shipping, and peer-reviewed by the Royal Society of

Clariant’s bioethanol plant mechanically complete and set for start-up

Bilfinger Tebodin has successfully delivered engineering, procurement, overall project and construction management services (EPCM) for the Swiss firm Clariant in Romania. Its first full-scale commercial sunliquid® plant for the production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues is mechanically complete and is now ready for start-up. The flagship plant will process 250,000 tonnes of straw to

Australian farm co-op CBH trials biofuel-bunkered cargo ship

Australian grain co-op CBH Group has partnered with leading dry bulk operator Oldendorff Carriers to conduct the first biofuel trial on a grain vessel exporting from Australia. CBH Marketing and Trading is shipping 30,000 tonnes of sustainably certified malting barley aboard the Edwine Oldendorff, which is sailing from Albany Grain Terminal to Vietnam. The vessel

Biden weighing cuts to 2022 ethanol blending mandate proposal

The Biden administration is considering lowering the 2022 ethanol blending mandate below the proposed 15 billion gallons amid backlash from the oil refining lobby and unions arguing the shrinking US ethanol industry can no longer support the target, according to two sources familiar with the administration’s thinking. US President Joe Biden vowed to bring some

What is at stake for the US biofuel blending law in 2022 and beyond

The US biofuel blending program known as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) could see its most transformative year yet in 2022, as the Biden Administration must make decisions to reset statutes that mandate US renewable fuel blending. The program was designed to mandate certain volumes of renewable fuels to replace or reduce petroleum-based fuels. Oil

ExxonMobil expands interest in biofuels, acquires stake in Biojet

ExxonMobil, one of the largest publicly traded international energy companies, is acquiring a 49.9% stake in Biojet AS, a Norwegian biofuels company.  By doing so, ExxonMobil is expanding its interests in biofuels that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, as Biojet plans to convert forestry and wood-based construction waste into lower-emissions

Spliethoff group vessels trialling biofuels

Spliethoff Group has announced it is trialling the use of biofuels for its vessels. The first trial took place between June and November last year on BigLift Shipping’s heavy transport vessel (HTV) BigLift Baffin. The vessel was supplied with a blend of 50 per cent FAME-based biofuel – a second generation biofuel, made from waste

Ethanol blending in petrol hits 8.1% on better supplies

Ethanol blending in petrol has risen to 8.1% in the year 2020-21, up from 5% in the previous year and 1.5% in 2013-14, thanks to a raft of policy measures that helped increase supply through a combination of assured purchases at government-set remunerative prices and interest subsidy for production capacity expansion. The government has been