Environment & Safety Gas Processing/LNG Maintenance & Reliability Petrochemicals Process Control Process Optimization Project Management Refining

Biofuels

Flint Hills Resources gobbles up two Iowa ethanol plants

Flint Hills Resources plans to acquire ethanol plants in Iowa Falls and Fairbank, Iowa. Flint Hills Resources signed an agreement to purchase the plants from Hawkeye Renewables.

US does not have infrastructure to consume more ethanol

The US does not have the infrastructure to meet the federal mandate for renewable fuel use with ethanol but could meet the standard with significant increases in cellulosic and next-generation biofuels, according to a Purdue University study.

NPRA joins group effort to overturn EPA’s E15 authorization

The National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA) has joined with two other organizations to ask a federal appeals court to overturn a recent decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that authorizes the sale of gasoline with 50% more ethanol for late-model vehicles. Organizations joining NPRA in the legal challenge to EPA are the International Liquid Terminals Association and the Western States Petroleum Association.

Gushan Environmental Energy to assess impact of new Chinese consumption tax exemption

Gushan Environmental Energy, a producer of biodiesel in China, announced that it is currently in the process of assessing the effect of a recently issued notice on consumption tax from the Chinese Ministry of Finance and the Chinese State Administration of Taxation.

Team overcomes major obstacles to cellulosic biofuel production

A newly engineered yeast strain can simultaneously consume two types of sugar from plants to produce ethanol, researchers report.

R&D project announced in the industrial biofuels realm

Hunt Global Resources announced that its bio-solutions division has launched an exclusive research and product development project with Carbon Green, a company that recycles used tires by conversion to recovered steel, oil and a commercially accepted substitute for carbon black in tire manufacturing.

Amyris and São Martinho select construction manager for Brazilian industrial plant

Amyris and Grupo São Martinho have contracted with a construction manager for their joint venture industrial plant and that they are commencing preparation of the construction site for the plant. The parties established their joint venture, SMA Indústria Química SA, in April 2010 to create the first facility fully dedicated to the production of Amyris renewable products.

Terasen Gas receives approval to use pipeline-quality biogas in British Columbia

Terasen Gas has received approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a new renewable natural gas program for an initial two-year period.

US Department of Energy offering up to $30 million for research into next gen biofuels

The US Department of Energy is now accepting applications for up to $30 million in total funding for small-scale process integration projects that support the development of advanced biofuels that will be able to replace gasoline or diesel without requiring special upgrades or changes to the vehicle or fueling infrastructure.

US biodiesel tax break extended through 2011

The legislation, which reflects the framework of the tax agreement reached by President Obama and Congress, retroactively extends the biodiesel tax incentive through 2011. The bill has just been signed into law by President Obama.