German company Verbio opens a world first

Worlds first industrial straw processing plant

German company Verbio has recently opened the worlds first industrial straw processing plant for the production of biomethane in Zörbig, Saxony-Anhalt. “I’m very proud that we’ve managed to start up the first plant of this type anywhere in the world and that we’re a technological pioneer setting new standards in the biofuels industry,” declared Claus Sauter, CEO of VERBIO. “It means we already have a biofuel production process in place which meets the demands for future fuel production expressed by both politicians and the public: no raw foodstuffs, no displacement of farmland and high CO2 efficiency without charging consumers more.” Read more ...

EU Parliament could give CAP reform a bumpy ride

The reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy could be in for a bumpy ride when they come before the European Parliament. At the recent conference of the National Farmers Union in the UK, the reforms that have been proposed by the European Commission were severely questioned by the farmer representatives.

The UK politicians including the Secretary of State for Environment, Caroline Spelman, and the farming minister Jim Paice, also pledged to ensure the reforms would not penalise British farmers. And the agriculture commissioner Dacian Ciolos said the greening of the Common Agricultural Policy would take into account measures that have already been taken to encourage biodiversity and schemes that look towards the ecology in sustainable farming. Read more ...

Cap reform proposals attacked by farmersand the NFU

The National Farmers Union (NFU) and farmers have attacked the cap reforms, Gail Soutar, senior CAP and International Advisor to the NFU told the conference that the greening proposals contained in the CAP reforms proposed by the European Commission are far from perfect. She said "the greening of direct payments in the CAP is inevitable and there is a role for the environment in the reforms of the CAP, but it has to be introduced without affecting production".

However, she said "that British farmers and those who are already involved in environmentally friendly production systems would be disadvantaged by three aspects of the current greening proposals in the reforms, crop diversification, retention of permanent grasslands and the seven percent ecological focus areas. Read more ...

EU Commission proposes sustainable bio-economy

New European Union strategy intended to shift the European economy towards greater and more sustainable use of renewable resources has been welcomed by the industry. With limited natural resources and a world population predicted to reach 9 billion by 2050, Europe needs renewable biological resources for food and feed, as well as for materials, energy and other products.

"Europe needs to make the transition to a post-petroleum economy. Greater use of renewable resources is no longer just an option, it is a necessity. We must drive the transition from a fossil-based to a bio-based society with research and innovation as the motor. This is good for our environment, our food and energy security, and for Europe's competitiveness for the future," said Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn at the launch of the strategy. Read more ...

NGO study on Biofuels is full of factual errors

A new study that was commissioned by NGO's Friends of the Earth, ActionAid, has been criticised by the ethanol association ePURE as being flawed and full of factual errors. The new reports claims that biofuels are expected to cost EU consumers about €126 billion (US$167 billion), at the pump between now and 2020. According to ePURE, analysts FO Licht’s looked at the report and say: "There are inherent difficulties in calculating the differences in the cost of producing fossil fuels on the one hand and biofuels on the other. Even the study authors warn that it should be noted that these projections are extremely uncertain, and thus the results derived are indicative." Read more ...

VTT working to develop biomass delivery chains in Vietnam

In Vietnam VTT is working to develop Vietnam's solid biomass fuel resources on an industrial level as part of the Energy and Environment Partnership Program run by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, is to create multi-fuel delivery chains for power plants and industrial boilers.

The program will make sure biomass fuels are available all year round through the use of storage systems to make seasonal raw materials available continuously. It is thought that through this program, biomass will be able to be more efficiently and more often delivered, which should allow for biomass fuel to be more readily available at Vietnamese power plants. Read more ...

Renewables are a boost to UK economy

The latest research from DECC has shown that so far in this financial year, companies have announced plans for almost UK£2.5billion (US$3.886 billion) worth of investment in renewable energy projects in the UK, with the potential to create almost 12,000 jobs across the country. Scotland is to get two new wind farms that will power over 90,000 homes that have been approved by the Energy Minister Fergus Ewing. The UK Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said that this kind of investment shows the economic benefits of renewable energy, and he reaffirmed the coalitions commitment to meeting the EU renewable energy targets. Read more ...

UFOP dismiss IFPRI report

UFOP the German biofuels association has dismissed claims made in a new report that was carried out by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), into the predicted emissions that could be created by indirect land use change policy. UFOP is opposed to the adoption of ILUC factors and says more investment protection is needed for existing biodiesel plants around Europe. Read more ...

China new energy acquires 88.5 percent of Boltech

China new energy (CNE) limited has announced it has signed a letter of intent with Guangzhou Zhongke Tianyuan Regeneration Resources Engineering Co Ltd to acquire 88.5 percent of the Bengbu Boltech Bio-technology Co Ltd. “This strategic acquisition is part CNE’s ambition to provide integrated solutions to the biofuel and biochemical industries. At present, the wide use of dry active yeast in China is limiting the efficiency and performance of Chinese ethanol producers, and therefore is not economically sound. Boltech’s liquid active yeast can help our clients reduce costs and achieve superior results.” said Mr. Zhaoxing Tang, Chief Executive Officer of CNE. Read more ...

Biofuels needed to meet transport targets

Dr Jeremy Tomkinson, Chief Executive of the NNFCC, said: “Electric cars offer a sound long-term solution to our renewable road transport needs, but biofuels are currently the best way to decrease our carbon emissions from transport. The UK has ambitious carbon reduction plans and this report highlights the necessity for increased investment in advanced biofuels, which could meet almost half of our renewable transport needs by the end of the decade,” he added. Read more ...

Czech Republic biomass as primary renewable resource by 2015

Biomass will be the Czech Republic primary renewable resource by 2015, WELTEC BIOPOWER GmbH completed construction of the agricultural biogas plant in Príložany in just four months. This was Weltec Biopower fifth plant in the Czech Republic. The EU and the Czech government provide special incentives for biogas plant projects in the Czech Republic. One of the main reasons is that the carbon dioxide emissions per capita are rather high compared to other countries. Read more ...

The 20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 2012

The 20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition will take place from June 18 to 21, 2012 in Milan, Italy. The subjects of the 20th EU BC&E result from the experiences of the previous successful EU BC&E conferences. The subjects have been further developed and structured, and include the most recent scientific, technology, and market trends. All biomass specialists are invited to contribute and to present innovative development, progress, and scientific results to the global biomass community and to submit their abstracts by January 30, 2012.

In addition to the Conference Program, the 20th EU BC&E will present four thematic highlights with extremely strong industry relevance. These are ‘conference-in-conference’ events that focus on actual forefront ‘hot topics’ in the biomass sector:

• A parallel event on ‘Biogas upgrading and grid injection'
• A special industry show on ‘Biogas goes Europe'
• A further side event on ‘Biowaste to Energy'
• A forum on Bioenergy and Smart Grids'

                                                                         For more details Click Here

A new study says forest biofuels increases emissions

The biofuel industry is looking to the forest for its cellulose, looking for a non food feedstock to produce fuel for aviation and automobiles. However a new study published in Nature Climate Change, point to the fact that by using woody scraps on the forest floor is the wrong way to go as it potentially would release 14 percent more greenhouse emissions.

Tara Hudiburg, lead author of the study from Oregon State University said in a statement. "Most people assume that wood bioenergy will be carbon-neutral, because the forest re-grows and there’s also the chance of protecting forests from carbon emissions due to wildfire. However, our research showed that the emissions from these activities proved to be more than the savings". Read more ...

The next generation of Biofuels are the benefits worth it

A recent study carried out by the research council an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, warns that producing the future biofuels may cause problems, such as competition for farm land and they may not do as much to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as was first thought. The study also showed that hitting these targets that was set in 2007 that refiners use more biofuels can not be met with out significant improvements in the technology. Read more ...