Cuba scales back ethanol expansion in light of Castro campaign against US ethanol; Cuban output to increase by 100 percent, down from 500 percent
August 7, 2008
In Cuba, the director of the Sugar Cane Derivatives Research Institute said that the country will reduce ethanol production forecasts. The director confirmed that the country would double its production of ethanol to 52 Mgy, a reduction from a prediction of a 500 percent increase made in 2006, and a massive expansion announced earlier this year. Director Luis Galvez attributed the change top market conditions, land use concerns and national policy, referring to an international campaign by Fidel Castro against the production of ethanol from food crops.
E10, E20 market share up to 48 percent in Thailand, state oil CEO says production should increase
August 7, 2008
In Thailand, the CEO of state oil company PTT said that the country can and should use its cassava and molasses resources to increase production of ethanol. In the face of rising oil prices, conventional diesel sales dropped 11 percent in July, from June, while conventional gasoline sales dropped 9 percent for 91 octane fuel and 23 percent for 95 octane. Sales of E20, conversely rose by 10 percent during the same period. E10 and E20 now account for 48 percent of all Thai gasoline sales.
Australian government report calls for massive ramp-up in advanced biofuels investment
August 7, 2008
In Australia, a report by the Federal Government’s Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation called for the government to invest more than $100 million in second generation biofuels, using crop, yard and paper waste, and grasses. The report said that cellulosic ethanol could replace corn ethanol, which has been associated with rising food prices, and yet replace up to 30 percent of Australian conventional fuel with renewable fuels by 2020.
Ethiopia to increase sugarcane ethanol production, ethanol stove distribution in bid to counter intolerable kerosene stove fuel costs
August 6, 2008
In Ethiopia, the national government said that it intends to increase ethanol production capacity to 34 Mgy from four sugarcane ethanol plants in Methara, Wonji, Finchaa and Tendaho, while the Gaia Association said that it would expand a program in which refugees are given an ethanol stove and 1 liter of fuel per day. 15 percent of the country’s population use kerosene stoves to cook food, and soaring oil costs have created a new market for “clean cook” ethanol stoves.
Makobu Enterprises said that it will be producing at a capacity of 500 stoves per day by the end of September and will be at 1500 stoves per day by February, and will commence exporting to other African countries.
Toyota on verge of partnership with Petrobras in Brazilian sugarcane ethanol plant
August 6, 2008
In Brazil, Toyota Tsusho said that it was completing its feasibility studies on a partnership with Petrobras for an ethanol plant in Goias state. Under a proposed agreement, Toyota and Petrobras would each take a 20 percent stake in the proposed company, while local sugarcane producers would own the rest of the equity.
Ukraine to introduce new biofuels incentives and credits
August 6, 2008
In the Ukraine, prime minister Julia Timoshenko said that she would introduce a new law to provide tax benefits and incentives for canola-based biodiesel and other unnamed biofuel feedstocks. She said that benefits would include reduced costs for land, and subsidies to reduce the cost of borrowing capital would be among the incentives offered by the national government. The Ukraine government had previously announced a national biofuels program in 2006 with a goal of 623,000 tonnes of biofuels capacity by 2010 from up to 20 new biofuels plants.
Malaysia, Indonesia to increase palm oil biodiesel production up to 40 percent in bid to raise palm oil prices
August 5, 2008
In Indonesia, the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to increase palm oil biodiesel production to reduce palm oil stockpiles and provide a boost to crude palm oil prices, which have fallen to $871 per tonne, the lowest since spring 2007. The two countries said that they had surplus palm oil stocks of 3.8 million tonnes that would be converted to biodiesel, above the existing seta sides of 6 million tonnes for biodiesel production.
Neste Oil invests $850,000 in microalgae research in New Zealand
August 5, 2008
In New Zealand, the Finnish oil company Neste Oil will invest $850,000 in microalgae research conducted at the Massey School of Engineering, north of Wellington. Massey researchers led by Professor Yusef Christi have produced algal oil from marine microalgae in tubular photo bioreactors. The university confirmed that it has developed harvest and oil extraction processes but did not disclose the production price of its oil.
Credit Suisse invests $4 million in Helius Energy biomass-to-power; technology includes modular power units using distillers grains for energy
August 5, 2008
In England, Credit Suisse will invest $4 million in Helius Energy, which is developing a 65 MW biomass-to-power project in Stallingborough, using 430,000 tonnes of waste biomass to generate green power for 100,000 homes. The company is also pursuing biomass-to-power projects in South Africa as well as small-scale modular systems that can produce up to 7MW from wet distillers grains and other distillery wastes, and use the power for the facility as well as to supply to the grid, eliminating the need to transport wet waste, or consume energy to produce dried distillers grains.
Argent Energy cancels $73 million New Zealand biodiesel project, cites pro-import Biofuels Bill
August 4, 2008
In New Zealand, Argent Energy has cancelled plans for a $73 million investment in tallow biodiesel production, saying that government biofuel policies are favoring ethanol imports over domestic biodiesel production, and that government subsidies for imported fuels will; make domestic production unviable.
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