Alternative Transportation Fuels Today articles from October 2006

Alternative Transportation Fuels Today archives from October 2006

Agrenco Group to invest $200 million in Brazilian biodiesel plants.(International Report)
October 2, 2006... Agrenco Group, headquartered in the Netherlands, recently announced plans to invest $100 million in three large-scale biodiesel plants in Brazil. The company plans joint ventures with Brazilian agricultural cooperatives. The plants will...

NewGen announces Biofuel company expansion into Asia.(International Report)
October 2, 2006... NewGen Technologies Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., recently announced its expansion into the Asian renewable fuels market with the formation of NewGen BioFuels Asia Pte. Ltd. Located in Singapore, NBA is a joint venture dedicated to the...

Economical liquid fuel production possible from biomass.(Industry Report)
October 2, 2006... A recent study by researchers at the Energy Research Center of The Netherlands claims that liquid fuels can be produced economically from biomass, even if the raw materials must be imported. The researchers focused on the biomass-to-liquids...

US ethanol use outpaces production in July.(Industry Report)
October 3, 2006... US ethanol production reached 316,000 barrels a day in July, according to the Renewable Fuels Association, but consumption hit 360,000 b/d. Stocks and imports of ethanol rose in July to 324.5 million gallons and 98.1 million gallons,...

Ethanol price tumbles.(Industry Report)
October 3, 2006... US ethanol prices plunged to an almost 15-month low last week. This extends a seven-week drop blamed on ramped-up ethanol production and slower gasoline demand after summer. Ethanol averaged $1.7327 a gallon at the end of last week, the...

US house bill encourages ethanol production.(Editorials, Reviews & Asides)
October 3, 2006... Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) recently introduced Senator Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) Ethanol Stimulus Act of 2006 in the House. The bill, HR 6212, would provide tax credits for ethanol plants in the four states that consume more than 2% of...

Indiana senator introduces fuel initiative legislation.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 4, 2006... US Sen. Dick Lugar recently introduced the National Fuels Initiative of 2006. The legislation proposes to create long-term assurances that alternative fuels could remain economically competitive if oil prices dropped below $45 per barrel. In...

Ethanol-production leftovers may be worth more than fuel.(Industry Report)(Brief article)
October 4, 2006... The fermentation residue from ethanol made using switchgrass may make the whole process cost-effective. So says Paul Weimer, a research microbiologist at the US Department of Agriculture-ARS Dairy Forage Research Center and associate professor...

Brazil may require more ethanol in fuel by November.(International Report)
October 4, 2006... Brazil, the world's largest exporter of sugar and ethanol, may boost the biofuel content in its gasoline mix to 25% as early as November as producers reap a record cane crop, according to Antonio de Padua Rodrigues, executive director of the...

Indonesia to spend $1.4 billion for biofuels development.(International Report)
October 5, 2006... The Indonesian government is setting aside a fund of 13 trillion rupiah ($1.4 billion) and nearly 500,000 hectares of land for the development of the country's fledgling biofuel industry. Most of the fund, about 10 trillion rupiah, will go...

Clean Diesel and Extengine enter agreement for particulate filter technology.(Industry Report)
October 5, 2006... Clean Diesel Technologies Inc. of Stamford, Conn., has entered into a license and distribution agreement with Extengine Transport Systems LLC that covers China and North America. Clean Diesel Technologies is a developer of solutions to...

Mercedes launching Bluetec diesel car in US market.(Industry Report)
October 5, 2006... On Oct. 15, Mercedes will launch the E 320 Bluetec model in the North American market. It will be the only model year 2007 diesel passenger car offered for sale in the US by any manufacturer. All new light-duty vehicles in the US must meet...

Bunge to invest in biodiesel plants in Spain.(International Report)
October 6, 2006... Bunge Iberica, the Spanish operating arm of Bunge Limited, recently announced the creation of a joint venture with renewable energy leader Acciona and other local partners to build two biodiesel plants in Spain. The proposed plants will be...

Grace announces new BioFuel Technologies Group.(Industry Report)
October 6, 2006... Grace Davison of Columbia, Md., an operating segment of W. R. Grace & Co., recently established formation of a BioFuel Technologies Group that will oversee intensified product development in the renewable fuels industry. The BioFuel...

Chevron and NREL establish research alliance on cellulosic biofuels.(Industry Report)
October 6, 2006... San Ramon, Calif.-based Chevron Corp. and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently announced a strategic research alliance to advance the development of renewable transportation fuels. Chevron...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
October 6, 2006... BIOFUELS FINANCE & INVESTMENT SEMINAR, October 24-25, 2006, 3 West Club, New York, NY

D1 Oils concludes first major offtake deal for biodiesel.(International Report)
October 9, 2006... D1 Oils plc, the U.K.-based global producer of biodiesel, has concluded its first major U.K. offtake contract for biodiesel. The contract covers the sale of approximately 24,000 tonnes (26,455 tons) of biodiesel over a 12-month period to...

Abengoa collaborating with Ford, GM to promote E85 in Spain.(International Report)
October 9, 2006... Technology and energy company Abengoa S.A. of Seville, Spain, recently signed deals with both Ford and General Motors to promote bioethanol use in Spain. Spain will be the second European market to introduce Ford cars that run on E85. Ford...

Clean Energy launches CNG projects on both coasts.(Industry Report)
October 9, 2006... Clean Energy, a Seal Beach, Calif., supplier of natural gas for transport recently launched projects in Smithtown, N.Y., and Los Angeles, Calif. Smithtown is the first municipality in New York State to convert its entire refuse truck fleet...

DuPont and Broin Partner on cellulosic ethanol.(Industry Report)
October 10, 2006... Biofuels technology leaders DuPont and Broin Companies recently announced a partnership to bring cost-effective ethanol derived from corn stover to market. The partnership taps research at both companies. Since 2003, DuPont and the US...

Broin Companies selects Alexandria, Ind., for ethanol project.(Industry Report)
October 10, 2006... The Broin Companies recently announced plans for the development and construction of Ultimate Ethanol LLC near Alexandria, Ind. Alexandria is located about 55 miles northeast of Indianapolis. The 60-million-gallon-per-year project will...

Alberta gets $239 million biodiesel boost from province.(International Report)
October 10, 2006... The Alberta government recently committed $239 million over the next five years to develop the province's renewable fuels industry. The investment will be used to administer the Renewable Energy Producer Credit program. The funds will help...

DuPont sees $300 million in 2006 biofuel products.(Industry Report)
October 11, 2006... DuPont expects revenue of more than $300 million this year from selling seeds and crop protection products to the biofuels market, the chemicals company recently claimed. Its Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. unit has selected over 135...

Total plans sale of e-85 fuel throughout France.(International Report)
October 11, 2006... Total S.A. recently announced it has begun retail sales of ethanol-based E-85 vehicle fuel in France. The Paris-based oil and gas firm plans to build its sales network up to 200 sites, 70 of which have already been determined. The French...

Australian motorists switch to LPG in droves.(International Report)
October 11, 2006... Australia's "LPG Vehicle Scheme" to help drivers convert their vehicles from gasoline to less expensive liquefied petroleum gas has proven extraordinarily popular. Some 50,000 calls have been received at a special hotline since Aug. 14,...

National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey observed at 60 sites today.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 12, 2006... The third National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey will be held today at 60 sites in the United States, Canada and Germany. Coordinated by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium, this event is dedicated to educating the nation...

Argentina, Brazil cooperate on biodiesel, ethanol production.(International Report)
October 12, 2006... Argentina and Brazil recently agreed to work together on the development of biofuels. Argentine Planning Minister Julio De Vido and Brazil's Development and Industry Minister Luiz Furlan reached the agreement in Buenos Aires, a spokeswoman for...

Australian Renewable Fuels secures major biodiesel sale from Adelaide plant.(International Report)
October 12, 2006... Australian Renewable Fuels Limited recently executed a major biodiesel supply agreement from its Adelaide plant to an independent fuel trader, accounting for between 53% and 80% of the new plant's design capacity. The agreement is for...

ADM Brazil sees soyoil as fuel.(International Report)
October 13, 2006... Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Archer Daniels Midland will soon be diverting parts of its soyoil production into refined oil for fuel as construction gets under way on the company's first biodiesel plant in Brazil. ADM is currently building a...

Visy trialing biodiesel.(International Report)
October 13, 2006... Australia-based Visy Industrial Packaging, one of the world's largest private packaging and recycling companies, recently announced it will trial biodiesel fuel in its Australian fleet. The move has been heralded as a major step for the...

German automakers band together to push diesels in the United States.(International Report)
October 13, 2006... German carmakers will join forces to introduce clean diesel cars under the trade name Bluetec in the North American market, according to press reports. Volkswagen, including its Audi unit, has agreed with DaimlerChrysler to use the Bluetec...

Strong demand for biofuel lifting corn prices and growing costs.(Industry Report)
October 16, 2006... Corn prices have been steady near the $3 level on the Chicago Board of Trade, thanks in part to a growing demand for biofuel. While that may mean more income for farmers, the cost of fuel and fertilizer is weighing in against any market gains....

Pacific Ethanol completes construction of first plant.(Industry Report)
October 16, 2006... Pacific Ethanol Inc., based in Fresno, Calif., recently announced the completion of its first ethanol production facility in Madera, Calif. The plant is expected to be operating at its nameplate capacity of 35 million gallons per year by...

Toyota to build 100% ethanol vehicle.(International Report)
October 16, 2006... Toyota recently announced plans to come out with a car in Brazil in spring 2007 that can run on 100% ethanol, as well as on a blend of gas and ethanol. The pricing and the name of the car have not yet been revealed. Brazil is considered a...

US DOE to invest in bioenergy centers.(Industry Report)
October 17, 2006... The US Department of Energy recently announced it will spend $250 million over the next five years to set up two bioenergy centers. The intent is to develop new bioenergy crops and processes for next-generation ethanol plants fueled by biomass...

Andersons and Marathon agree to build ethanol plants.(Industry Report)
October 17, 2006... The Andersons Inc. of Maumee, Ohio, and Marathon Oil Co. of Houston, Texas, agreed recently to be equal partners in construction of one or more ethanol-producing factories. The two firms said in July they planned to jointly develop plants...

UK Biodiesel Expo opens Wednesday.(International Report)
October 17, 2006... The United Kingdom's first dedicated Biodiesel Expo opens Wednesday, with nearly 2,000 visitors pre-registered. "We set out to provide a meeting point for all those interested in the growing biodiesel sector and have been overwhelmed by...

AgriFuels to acquire biodiesel equipment maker NextGen Fuel.(Industry Report)
October 18, 2006... GS AgriFuels Corp. of New York, N.Y., recently agreed to buy biodiesel equipment producer NextGen Fuel Inc. GS AgriFuels will acquire 100% of the stock of NextGen in return for some $20 million in cash, about $2 million of which is to be paid...

AFV Institute expands alternative fuel information services.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 18, 2006... The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute recently announced a partnership with Clean Energy of Seal Beach, Calif., to provide additional information to alternative fuel end users that will help them make vehicle purchasing decisions. The...

Linde wins $88 million order to build Romania liquid-gas plant.(International Report)
October 18, 2006... Linde AG of Wiesbaden, Germany, the world's largest producer of industrial gases, recently won an order to build a liquefied petroleum gas plant in Romania valued at more than 70 million euros ($88 million). Linde will build the facility...

Better biodiesel acquires Domestic Energy Partners.(Industry Report)
October 19, 2006... Better Biodiesel Inc. of Orem, Utah, recently announced it successfully completed a share exchange with Domestic Energy Partners LLC, a company that produces biodiesel fuel and develops biodiesel production technology Better Biodiesel...

Americans open to hybrids and other alt-fuel vehicles.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 19, 2006... A new survey by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium in Morgantown, W.V., says nine in 10 Americans agree that developing alternative fuel sources is very important. A majority said they would be willing to put their money where...

Europe's biggest biofuel facility comes online.(International Report)
October 19, 2006... The largest biofuel power plant in Europe has begun operations in Velky Karlov in southern Moravia in the Czech Republic. Zevo, which runs the CZK 180 million ($8 million) facility, says the plant produces 2.7 MW of electricity per hour....

Indiana University and military to collaborate on ethanol fuel cell development.(Industry Report)
October 20, 2006... Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis recently announced it will receive $1.5 million from the U.S. Army to help develop fuel cells powered by ethanol and grain alcohol. Scientists at the university said the project could lead...

Green Plains Renewable Energy announces commitment for debt financing on ethanol project.(Industry Report)
October 20, 2006... Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. of Shenandoah, Iowa, recently announced it has received a commitment from Co Bank and Farm Credit Services of America for $51.6 million toward its ethanol plant in Superior, Iowa. GPRE is currently...

Merrill Lynch emerges as physical LNG player.(International Report)
October 20, 2006... Merrill Lynch is delving into the physical market for liquefied natural gas by launching a spot trading desk before the end of the year. The company plans to start delivering cargoes from a new plant in Papua New Guinea by 2011, an executive of...

Weekly report.(Conferences)(Calendar)
October 20, 2006... BIOFUELS FINANCE & INVESTMENT SEMINAR, October 24-25, 2006, 3 West Club, New York, NY (EIN STAFF: 10/18)

First large-scale biodiesel plant to open in Wales.(International Report)
October 23, 2006... A 1.2 million [pounds sterling] ($2.3 million) biodiesel plant in Swansea is expected to become the largest biodiesel plant in Wales when it begins production later this year, according to owner BioWales. The 4.4-acre Fforestfach site will...

Heartland Energy receives first shipment of ethanol production equipment.(Industry Report)
October 23, 2006... Heartland Energy Group Inc. of Alexandria, La., recently announced that it has received the first shipment of ethanol production equipment from Dogwood Energy LLC. As part of a previously signed agreement, Heartland Energy will exclusively...

Pacific Ethanol acquires 42% of front range energy.(Industry Report)
October 23, 2006... Pacific Ethanol Inc. of Fresno, Calif., recently announced the acquisition from Eagle Energy LLC of a 42% minority interest in Front Range Energy LLC. Front Range owns a 40 million gallon nameplate ethanol plant located in Windsor, Colo. ...

Renewable agricultural energy announces plan for ethanol plant.(Industry Report)
October 24, 2006... Boulder, Colo.-based Renewable Agricultural Energy recently announced plans to build a 100 million gallon-per-year fuel ethanol plant near Cayuga, Ind. Finalizing the plan depends on state and local economic incentives and appropriate permits....

Petrobras signs agreement to develop synthetic oil production technology.(International Report)
October 24, 2006... Brazilian state energy company Petrobras recently signed a Technological Cooperation Agreement with Compact GTL to build and test a pilot plant. The plant will produce synthetic oil from associated natural gas. The three-year agreement,...

Survey shows US adults support government incentives for biofuels.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 24, 2006... Four in five US adults (80%) strongly or somewhat agree that national and state governments are not doing enough to promote production of biofuels. So says a new survey recently released by the Biotechnology Industry Organization. The...

Brazilian ethanol demand to double by 2015.(International Report)
October 25, 2006... Brazil, the world's biggest ethanol producer, will probably consume twice as much of the alternative fuel within a decade, according to JOB Economia, a Sao Paulo- based industry consultant. Ethanol consumption in Brazil will rise to 32.7...

China's COFCO to invest 10 billion yuan in ethanol.(International Report)
October 25, 2006... State-owned China National Cereals, Oils & Foodstuffs Corp. recently said it will invest more than $1 billion in ethanol projects as part of Beijing's plan to develop clean energy. Yue Guojun, general manager of COFCO's biochemical and...

Neste Oil's biodiesel to cut public transport emissions in greater Helsinki.(International Report)
October 25, 2006... Neste Oil, Helsinki City Transport and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council have signed a letter of understanding covering extensive trial use of Neste Oil's second-generation biodiesel to power buses and waste disposal trucks across Greater...

Alternative Energy unveils plans for third ethanol plant.(Industry Report)
October 26, 2006... Kansas City, Mo.-based Alternative Energy Sources Inc. recently announced plans to construct a third ethanol plant. Alternative Energy said it has taken an option on 100 acres at a business park in Greenville, Ill., 45 miles east of St....

DTN delivers ethanol economics dashboard to capital markets.(Industry Report)
October 26, 2006... Omaha, Neb.-based DTN, a leading business-to-business provider of real-time market information services, today announced the release of an economic analysis tool for the ethanol investment community. DTN ProphetX(TM) Ethanol Edition is designed...

Royal Society studies next gen biofuel.(International Report)
October 26, 2006... The U.K.'s national academy of science, The Royal Society, recently launched a new study that explores the potential of next-generation biofuels to provide more economic, low-carbon fuel for cars and other forms of transport. The study...

U.S. government to hold LNG forum.(Industry Report)
October 27, 2006... The U.S. Department of Energy says it will conduct a public education forum on liquefied natural gas in Houston on Nov. 29 to help increase U.S. energy security. The Energy Information Administration estimates the United States will have...

OPEC to keep oil prices low to discourage alternative fuel use.(Industry Report)
October 27, 2006... OPEC announced late last week that they were planning on cutting oil production by 1.2 million barrels per day in hopes of keeping crude costs at about $60 per barrel. This cut is intended to bring the cost of gasoline up but keep it low enough...

BioFuel energy starts work on second ethanol plant.(Industry Report)
October 27, 2006... Denver, Colo.-based BioFuel Energy LLC has begun construction on the second of five planned ethanol plants. The Buffalo Lake plant near Fairmont, Minn., is targeted to produce 110 million gallons per year of ethanol when completed. The...

EPA unveils voluntary program encouraging biodiesel use.(Industry Report)
October 30, 2006... US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson announced last Thursday a voluntary initiative that encourages the nation's businesses to try out ethanol and biodiesel. The SmartWay Grow and Go program aims for 25% of...

San Paulo bus company fuels 1,900 buses with biofuel and diesel mix.(International Report)
October 30, 2006... A bus company in Sao Paulo, Brazil is powering 1,900 buses, about a quarter of Sao Paulo's bus fleet, with a new biofuel and diesel mix. The new mix is a blend of 30% bio-diesel, 8% alcohol and 62% petroleum diesel. It was developed as...

Palm oil value forecasted to explode.(International Report)
October 30, 2006... According to Oil World, palm oil futures in Malaysia, the world's biggest supplier of the oil, are set to explode. Oil World is an independent forecasting service for oilseeds and oils. Palm oil is the most competitive biodiesel...

Energy experts tout ethanol at forum.(Industry Report)(Discussion)
October 31, 2006... According to a panel of energy experts, ethanol is the short-term favorite among alternative fuels. The panel members gathered Monday at the US Department of Energy's Opportunity Forum, and said ethanol is used in many vehicles today,...

Broin and Novozymes continue collaboration on ethanol.(Industry Report)
October 31, 2006... Broin and Novozymes have announced a collaboration to take the next steps to bring cost-effective ethanol derived from corn stover to market. The collaboration is an extension of a close partnership between the two companies. "I am...

Patriot renewable fuels constructing ethanol plant in Illinois.(Industry Report)
October 31, 2006... Patriot Renewable Fuels LLC has begun construction on a 100 million gallon per year ethanol plant near Annawan, Ill., the Renewable Fuels Association said in a press release Friday. The plant will use 37 million bushels of local corn and...