£10m anaerobic digestion fund launched

Wiltshire-based company Malaby Biogas has become the first recipient of a loan from a UK£10 million (US$15.331 million), anaerobic digestion fund launched in July last year by Defra and administered by WRAP. The one-off UK£800,000 (US$1,226,440.838), loan will be added to other funding secured by Malaby Biogas, including equity investment and support from Clydesdale Bank, to construct and commission a new anaerobic digestion plant on the site of a redundant 12-acre smallholding. Read more ...

Lufthansa biosynthetic fuel trail has been successful

Lufthansa has completed its six month trail with biosynthetic fuel, during the course of this trail more than 1000 biofuels flights were successfully flown between Hamburg and Frankfurt. The trail has ended due to not being able to find a suitable reliable supplier for its aviation biofuels.

"As a next step, we will focus on the suitability, availability, sustainability and certification of raw materials. But first we must tap into this market. However, Lufthansa will only continue the practical trial if we are able to secure the volume of sustainable, certified raw materials required in order to maintain routine operations," project manager of the airline, Joachim Buse, says. Read more ...

First Philippines conference on BioEnergy

The Philippine International BioEnergy Conference (PIBEC) taking place today and tomorrow is underway, with experts on bioenergy. The line up of international speakers includes Dr Kaoru Yamaguchi, a specialist at the Institute of Energy Economics in Japan. Dr William D. Dar, the former director of Philippine Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), who is now working for the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid-Tropics (ICRISAT), will give a talk entitled "Sweet Sorghum: A Complementary Feedstock for Bioethanol." Topics on renewable energy will also be discussed by ADB’s Chavet Hussain Mir, Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras of the Department of Energy, and a representative from World Wide Fund. Read more ...

Brazil's research station to use biofuel to power Antarctica

Brazil's research stations on the continent of Antarctica are to be the first to use an ethanol fueled generator to supply its electric needs. Starting this week the generator will provide electrical power for the Brazilian navy station in Antarctica. The operation is part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Commander Ferraz Antarctic Station. Defense minister Celso Amorim should start the operation of the generator at the event. Read more ...

Biodiesel being produced from microalgae oil

With the diminishing stocks of fossils and their combustion causing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to increase, the demand and need for alternatives is on the rise. In Germany they are producing biodiesel from microalgae oils. A research team from the Technische Universitaet Muenchen have now introduced a new catalytic process that allows the effective conversion of bio-petroleum from microalgae into diesel fuels.

Plant oils from sources such as soybean and rapeseed are promising starting materials for the production of biofuels. Microalgae are an interesting alternative to these conventional oil-containing crops. Microalgae are individual cells or short chains of cells from algae freely moving through water. Read more ...

Denmark produces the worlds largest wind blades

Denmark has set a world record for manufacturing the world longest wind turbine blades at Siemans Wind Power in Aalborg, each blade will be 75 meters long, weighing in at 20 tons. Once completed the diameter of the circle that the blades will make is 154 meters once placed on the turbine. The blades once completed will be connected to a newly launched Siemens 6-megawatt turbine, and will be able to generate enough power to to supply 5000 households with electricity. Read more ...

Worlds largest biomass-fueled power plant

Tilbury Power Station

 Towards the End of January the worlds largest wood pellet-based biomass power plant will be fully commissioned and producing electricity at Tilbury in England. The power plant will be capable of generating an estimated 750 megawatts (MW) of base loan renewable power. “Although facing significant headwinds, the biopower industry is continuing to add capacity worldwide as governments look to develop low-cost, base load renewable energy sources,” says senior analyst Mackinnon Lawrence.

Wood pellets

“Currently, power generation from biomass is hamstrung by policy uncertainty and the high costs of feedstock relative to fossil fuels, but the combination of a burgeoning international trade in biomass pellets, implementation of emission regulations, and increased utilisation of co-firing strategies is expected to accelerate global scale-up efforts over the next decade.” Read more ...

Reduce waste to meet food demand OFC told

Globally over the next 25 to 50 years food production will have to double, to keep up with the growing populations and the growing consumption. However the Chief scientific advisor, Professor Sir Bob Watson told the Oxford Farming Conference He said "there is huge wastage in present food production and there are growing concerns over the excessive use of nitrogen and fertilisers to produce food". "We are not feeding the world sustainably and at the same time one billion people go to bed each day hungry, and that is not acceptable". Read more ...