Biodiesel and Ethanol Investing

Keokuk plant to be auctioned

Mike — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:12 +0000

The Hawk Eye reports that Maas Companies will auction the Tri-City Energy Biodiesel Refinery in Keokuk, Iowa. The auction is conducted in conjunction with Iowa District Court in and for Lee County. Earlier this month, BFSG International of Zurich, Switzerland, agreed to purchase the operation. Maas Companies will allow buyers to have the option of purchasing plant equipment and real estate as one tract.

Brazil ethanol prevents 75M tons of CO2

Mike — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:00:31 +0000

Latin American Herald Tribune reports that flex-fuel technology that allows cars to run on sugar-based ethanol in Brazil has prevented the emission of more than 75 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, said industry group Unica. The trade organization said the figure also takes into account the effect of the regulation requiring conventional gasoline to include 25% ethanol. Between January and September, almost 2 million flex-fuel automobiles were registered in Brazil, 7% more than during the same period in 2008. Brazil’s flex-fuel fleet exceeds 7 million vehicles, or 94% of the automobiles in the country.

Kenya brings in biodiesel strategy

Mike — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:00:01 +0000

Biodiesel International reports that Kenya has introduced a five-year strategy for developing biodiesel as a clean source of energy. The African nation hopes the move to biodiesel will free the country from its reliance on fossil fuel imports. The strategy aims to tackle global warming and recommends using environmentally friendly green fuel made from jatropha and other locally-grown trees for biodiesel production. Jatropha is suitable for feedstock because it isn’t a food crop.

Manila biodiesel producer sees 3% growth

Mike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:08 +0000

Biofuels International reports that Manila-based Chemrez Technologies, a producer of biodiesel, resins and olechemicals has reported a 3% increase in profits after the Philippine government implemented a B2 blend. Chemrez saw profits increase to €5.3 million in the first 9 months of 2009, up from €5.1 million in the same period last year. Chemrez’s sales increased by 63% when it implemented B2, which is a 2% biodiesel blend for all diesels, last February.

China Clean Energy’s Q3 revenues dip

Mike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:00:39 +0000

EcoSeed reports that biodiesel producer China Clean Energy generated revenues of $4 million for Q3 2009, down 2.7% from the same period last year. The decline was caused by falling prices and sales for specialty chemical sales in China. The producer also recorded a net loss of $731,672 in the latest quarter compared with a net profit of $401,699 in Q3 2008. Ou Taiming, China Clean Energy chief executive, said their third quarter performance showed higher operating margin and positive adjusted net income compared with the same quarter in 2008.

BlueFire Ethanol working to get gov’t loan

Mike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:00:05 +0000

Domestic Fuel reports that cellulosic ethanol producer BlueFire Ethanol Fuels is working to get a $56 million U.S. government loan guarantee for its Lancaster, California ethanol plant. Arnold Klann, CEO of BlueFire says the Lancaster facility is designed for communities of about 100,000-150,000 people. Klann says they have another plant in the works in Fulton, Mississippi, but that will be geared for larger cities of at least half a million people.

Zenergy secures feedstock for production

Mike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:00:28 +0000

CNN Money reports that Zenergy International has secured feedstock from two different suppliers to continue operations and facilitate production in Littlefield, Texas. Zenergy said it has also embarked on a biodiesel facility acquisition strategy.

NSU gets federal contract for clean energy research

Mike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:57 +0000

Daily Comet reports that the U.S. government has awarded Nicholls State University a $1.9 million federal contract to research clean energy over the next three years. The Department of Energy wants Nicholls to focus primarily on generating ethanol from sugar cane waste. The goal of Nicholls’ research will be to find an economical way to turn sugar cane waste into fuel. The money will help researchers develop the technology needed.

Volney ethanol plant to reopen next year

Mike — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:20 +0000

Ethanol Producer Magazine reports that plans are in place for the Northeast Biofuels ethanol plant in Volney, New York, to become operational again during Q2 2010. The plant began production in August 2008, but ceased operations when the company filed for bankruptcy protection in January. Major oil refiner Sunoco Inc. purchased the plant for $8.5 million in April through a bankruptcy auction. According to Brian Roach, GM of Northeast Biofuels, Sunoco intends to invest about $20 million into the front end of the facility, including the fermentation area.

U.S. ethanol face mixed results

Mike — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:00:58 +0000

Journal Star reports that the changing economy in the U.S. ethanol industry is causing mixed results between producers. Green Plains, which spent $125 million earlier this year to add the two idled Nebraska plants to its holdings, has just completed what appears to be a solid quarter, netting $5.5 million in income. Farm Credit Services, an agricultural lender, suffered through some of the hard times earlier. More recently, Altra Nebraska president Doug Stark sees evidence of a rebound.

West Beach center to make algae biofuel

Mike — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00:58 +0000

ABC News reports that a $5 million research facility has been opened at West Beach, South Australia, aiming to make fuel from algae. The process involves using carbon dioxide, salt water and sunshine to grow the microalgae which can produce oil to convert into fuel. The facility’s aim is to make production of fuel from microalgae commercially viable. Rob Thomas from the South Australian Research and Development Institute says the facility aims to develop fuel to power cars and planes.

Kansas University research turns microbes to biofuel

Mike — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:48 +0000

Belleville News-Democrat reports that Kansas University (KU) researchers are working to turn microbes from treated sewage into a commercially-viable biofuel. The KU effort is being financed by the university’s Transportation Research Institute, using money from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Bob Honea, the institute’s director, is confident that the work of KU researchers is on the right track. Using algae to make biodiesel simply makes sense, Honea said, given the aquatic organisms’ built-in advantages compared with traditional crops.

Event to discuss algae biodiesel from ponds

Mike — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:00:39 +0000

Domestic Fuel reports that the topic for the National Algae Association Mid-South Chapter’s workshop would be the use of algae-biodiesel from catfish ponds that have lost their fish. Experts in open pond production of algae will talk about the challenges and opportunities their industry faces in making biofuels and biomass for animal feedstocks. The workshop will be held on November 18 to 19.

JGRA prez: E10 damage reports are “overblown”

Mike — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:00:43 +0000

Jamaica Observer reports that stories of the fuel causing damage to vehicles are “overblown,” said Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association president Trevor Barnes. According to Barnes, the only problem that could arise with an engine using the E10 blend being sold in Jamaica is the clogging of gas filters. Barnes said E10 was no different from regular gasoline except that it has detergent properties and, as such, would remove contaminants from the gasoline. The gas filter, he said, would catch those contaminants.

Bartow plant reopens after April fire

Mike — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:00:47 +0000

The Ledger reports that the Bartow Ethanol plant in Bartow, Florida, celebrated its grand reopening after an April explosion and fire that caused $4 million in damage. In April, vapors ignited while a worker was welding near a storage tank. The incident, though it did not injure anyone, took a bite out of the plant’s business. Since the explosion and fire happened in April, the plant suffered about a 40% loss in production.

Deora pushing to sell ethanol-blended petroleum

Mike — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:28 +0000

NDTV Profit reports that India Petroleum Minister Murli Deora called a meeting of fuel retailers and sugar millers to ensure compliance with a program to sell ethanol-doped petrol. The India government had in 2006 mandated that ethanol should be blended in a 5% ratio with petrol. Subsequently, it stipulated that the amount of ethanol in petrol may be optionally ramped up to 10% from October 2007 and made it compulsory with effect from October 2008. However, oil marketing companies could not implement the 5% blend due to shortage of ethanol.

Adelanto to get two biodiesel plants

Mike — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:05 +0000

The Daily Press reports that two alternative energy companies are planning to begin biodiesel production in Adelanto, California, in the coming months. Operations city officials say the projects could pave the way for more “green” industries but will likely generate little local revenue. Canada-based Sunx Energy is opening a 21,500-square-foot biodiesel plant, and San Diego-based Dynasty Energy is opening a 20,164-square-foot biodiesel plant. Both facilities are located west of Highway 395 near the intersection of Beaver Road and Commerce Way.

Michigan universities team up to develop cellulosic plant

Mike — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:00:01 +0000

Michigan Tech reports that Michigan Technological University and Michigan State University have signed a partnership with Frontier Renewable Resources to develop Michigan’s first cellulosic ethanol plant. Frontier Renewable Resources is providing $2 million in research funding to the two universities to conduct four projects in support of the biofuel plant development. The research projects include the development of a model of the biofuel supply chain, tracking biomass from tree to the plant gate.

Pennsylvania plant receives grant

Mike — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:00:54 +0000

World Dairy Diary reports that Hero BX, a Pennsylvania-based biodiesel plant has been awarded a $1,640,250 million grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The grant was given to complete the company’s expansion project. Hero BX said it is matching the amount with its own funds for a total of $3,280,500. The grant was awarded as part of Governor Edward Rendell’s goal to increase alternative energy opportunities within Pennsylvania.

Cosan chairman pays fine

Mike — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:00:42 +0000

Reuters reports that Cosan chairman Rubens Ometto Silveira Mello, agreed to pay a fine of 200,000 reais to settle a dispute with Brazilian securities regulator CVM. Ometto was accused of having spoken to the press about the bioethanol producer’s initial public offering on the Sao Paulo stock exchange while the process was in the works.