Biofuels
Valero restarts US ethanol plants as margins swell
Valero idled operations in Nebraska and Indiana in June, citing unprofitable returns. Each plant has the capacity to produce 120 million gal/year of ethanol. “Ethanol margins improved to the point where it became feasible to operate the plants again,” said Bill Day, Valero spokesman.
EU plans to limit use of food-based biofuels
The European Union's climate-change commissioner Connie Hedegaard and energy commissioner Guenther Oettinger said Monday they wanted to cap the share of energy in the transportation sector from food crop-based biofuels - such as rapeseed or palm oil - at current levels.
US raises mandate for alternative diesel fuel usage
Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board, said the decision "will allow biodiesel plants across the country to invest and expand" and "sends a strong signal that the US is standing firm behind its commitment to strengthen energy security and break dependence on petroleum."
Texas biofuels group Terrabon files for bankruptcy
The company has the licenses on technologies from Texas A&M University System, where they were developed and where it was formed to bring the products to market. However, it couldn't obtain the additional financing necessary to finish developing a commercial plant.
Increase FCC processing flexibility by improved catalyst recycling methods
The dynamic global refining market emphasizes the need for greater operating flexibility in the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit.
Bio-isobutanol: The next-generation biofuel
This article highlights the technology, feedstocks and market growth opportunities for isobutanol, with a focus on potential new market offerings in the very near future.
HP Brief
European refiner affirms renewables project Total has reaffirmed its partnership and financial backing to the technology of renewable products company Amyris, the companies said in a recent statement...
From mill to wing: How waste materials could become the next green aviation fuel
We are in the midst of an energy revolution, with new types of liquid fuels from new sources and an increased supply of traditional fuels unleashed from existing sources thanks to new technologies. Wh..
Neste Oil completes first phase of European pilot plant for microbial oil
Neste says its goal is to develop the technology so that it is capable of yielding commercial volumes of microbial oil for use as a feedstock for NExBTL renewable diesel. Commercial-scale production is expected by 2015 at the earliest. Investment terms were not disclosed.
Chemtex awarded loan guarantee from US to build cellulosic ethanol refinery
Once operational, the facility is expected to convert 600,000 tpy of energy grasses into an estimated 20 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol using a proprietary enzymatic hydrolysis process. The plant will produce biofuels for eastern transportation markets using non-food biomass feedstocks.

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