ICIS Blogs : biofuel

Greenpeace protests against Neste's palm biofuel plans

The Big Biofuels Blog — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:20:20 GMT

Greenpeace is objecting to Neste's plans to become the world's largest consumer of plam oil as it ramps up biofuels production, according to a report on ICIS news. Disclosure (I work for ICIS. About ICIS ) Neste disputes the pressure group's...(read more)

Green reading on the plane

Green Chemicals — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:10:53 GMT

Wherever you go there is definitely no escaping the growing media attention on green. On the way to Orlando, I picked up Delta's Sky magazine (May 2009 issue) and lo and behold, two top green stories, one about their top 10 Eco Resorts and the other...(read more)

California looks at emissions from crop to tail pipe and legislates

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:16:28 GMT

California's newly adopted low-carbon fuel standard may mark the beginning of the end of ethanol, according to a report on Planet Ark. The new legislation examines the carbon impact from seed to tailpipe, which seems sensible. Read More......(read more)

Times twigs that biofuel policies have environmental impacts too

The Big Biofuels Blog — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:16:05 GMT

This article in the Sunday edition of the Times understands that there are environmental costs to biofuel policies. Read More......(read more)

"first economical way to produce biodiesel from algae oil"-researcher

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:25:17 GMT

A study scheduled for presentation at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society will show "the first economical way to produce biodiesel from algae oil ," according to lead researcher Ben Wen, Ph.D., vice president of United...(read more)

Smart Choices for Biofuels

The Big Biofuels Blog — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:43:20 GMT

I missed this about a month ago, but it is worth looking at, The Sierra Club and World Watch Institute produced Smart Choices for Biofuels . It rounds up quite a lot of stuff we've gone over here. It is good to see the Ogallala aquifer getting a mention...(read more)

Who will benefit from biofuel industry distress?

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:29:48 GMT

The question: Who will benefit from biofuel industry distress? will be answered in a webcast on Thursday 2 April at 1pm to 2:30 pm Eastern Standard Time. There is a fee. Read More......(read more)

Shell's got cold feet on wind and solar

Green Chemicals — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:58:40 GMT

Yesterday, ICIS News reported that Shell is focusing more on biofuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS) for their renewables project rather than wind and solar where according to Shell's downstream director Mark Williams, "Wind and Solar have...(read more)

Shell puts all of its renewables eggs into the biofuels basket

The Big Biofuels Blog — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:50:11 GMT

Shell will concentrate on biofuels in its future alternative energy investments, according to a story in the Guardian online. I have been slightly surprised that Shell has invested in wind, solar and hydrogen technologies. Shell really understands liquid...(read more)

Verenium: BP responds

The Big Biofuels Blog — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:48:20 GMT

I've just had this email from the press office at BP about its joint venture with Verenium which was mentioned in an earlier post today . We remain focused on commercializing the technology that we are developing jointly with Verenium and continue...(read more)

Arkansas: promised land for biofuel

The Big Biofuels Blog — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:41:15 GMT

Could Arkansas be a promised land for biofuel. This article from Delta Farm Press seems to think so. Of course it doesn't explain how all the biofuel that could be producecd in the state could be got to the markets that need it? I Wonder how long...(read more)

The right cellulosic biofuels might help protect the environment

The Big Biofuels Blog — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:00:31 GMT

Biofuels from cellulosic feedstock could help to protect the environment by reducing the amount of nitrogen that runs off into rivers and by providing coverage that helps protect the land against wind and rain erosion. That is one of the central assertions...(read more)

Two Michigan Universities gain grants to study sustainable biofuel from trees

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:48:48 GMT

Two universities in Michigan have won grants to study how to use the state's forests sustainably to make biofuels . Hopefully it will add some clarity to the current concern in the state about there being enough suitable timber in the forests of Michigan's...(read more)

EU puts tarrif on US Biodiesel

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:25:46 GMT

The European Union has started applying tariffs to biofuel exported from the US to the E U. The EU says that American biodiesel is being sold at less than the true cost of production in the US because of local, state and national subsidies to producers...(read more)

UK has enough land for non-food biofuels -- study

The Big Biofuels Blog — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:33:11 GMT

A study in the Journal of Applied Ecology says that there is enough land in the UK for non-food biofuels. The abstract, which is copied on envirolation.org says that there is 3.1m Ha of acceptable land in the UK, that's land that isn't of great...(read more)