In Switzerland, researchers in the Soft Materials Laboratory in the School of Engineering at EPFL turned to nature for a solution for composite materials that are simultaneously light and strong, porous and rigid. They have pioneered a 3D printable ink that contains Sporosarcina pasteurii: a bacterium which, when exposed to a urea-containing solution, triggers a […]
In India, the Business Standard newspaper reports the government is planning to set up ethanol storage capacity to ensure there is sufficient supply availability in anticipation of demand for the newly launched E20 at limited pumps around the country. In addition to carry over ethanol stocks, more sugar could be diverted to ethanol if required. […]
In Brazil, the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) approved financing for FS Bioenergia (R$100 million) and for Alcoeste (R$40 million). The funds will be invested in expanding energy-environmental efficiency and in the certification of production processes at the biofuel plants located in Lucas do Rio Verde (MT) and Fernandópolis (SP), respectively. These […]
In the UAE, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are advancing the development of sustainable bioenergy by joining forces in showcasing the mapping of geospatial layers of data on agro-ecological zoning. Within the framework of collaboration under the memorandum of understanding signed in 2021, the two organisations have […]
In Poland, TotalEnergies is developing its renewable activities in Poland by acquiring the country’s main biogas producer, Polska Grupa Biogazowa (PGB). With 130 employees in nine Polish regions, PGB is mainly involved in generating renewable heat and power from biogas sourced from organic waste. It owns and operates 17 facilities in production and one under […]
In California, Rondo Energy and Calgren Renewable Fuels announced the start of commercial operation of a 2MWh Rondo Heat Battery (RHB) at Calgren’s facility in Pixley, California. The Rondo Heat Battery captures intermittent renewable electricity, stores it at very high temperatures in brick materials, and delivers continuous industrial heat on demand. Calgren Renewable Fuels produces […]
In Alabama, Vertex Energy says its renewable diesel conversion project continues to track on schedule for mechanical completion in late March 2023 and start-up with initial production of 8,000 bpd in April 2023. Installation of additional hydrogen supply will drive production ramp to 14,000 bpd by early 2024. Expected total capital costs for the project […]
In France, with new flows operated by SOGEPP (Société de Gestion de Produits Pétroliers) which use multimodality for the transport of energy products, a supply chain dedicated to biofuels is gaining momentum on the scale of the Seine axis. HAROPA PORT wishes in particular to develop river transport between the Normandy seaports and the Paris […]
In the UK, as part of Quadrise’s ongoing Framework Agreement with MSC Shipmanagement, optical combustion and engine wear tests of bioMSAR were carried out as a necessary precursor to commercial-scale vessel trials. The optical combustion test, against MSAR and diesel fuels, has confirmed bioMSAR to have similar injection and combustion properties as MSAR® and that […]
In Massachusetts, Boston College chemists have developed an approach that uses light to transform lignin into sustainable plastics, the team reported recently in the journal ACS Central Science. “We developed a catalyst that can selectively break down specific chemical bonds in lignin when it is exposed to light, such that the lignin is converted into […]
