News Archive
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Wood-derived biofuel may be impacted by EU legislation
New EU rules to reduce the prevalence of illegally logged timber in imports to the continent could impact on biofuel derived from wood.Under classification 4401 of the legislation's annex, wood in logs, chips, sawdust and waste forms is all brought under the remit of the new regulations.They place a due diligence duty of care on importers to ensure that the wood they purchase from overseas has been felled in accordance with the laws of its country of origin.According to the Timber Trade Federati...
New Ultrasonic Flowmeter For The Hydrocarbon Industry
Siemens Industry, Inc. (USA) have announced the U.S. introduction of a new ultrasonic flowmeter for the hydrocarbon industry, the Sitrans FUT1010, which features the nearly maintenance-free TransLoc mounting system. The TransLoc mounting system allows the transducers to be mounted on the outside of the pipe, preventing contact with the medium. This approach, which only Siemens offers, enables the externally mounted transducers to be calibrated for higher accuracy. It also has the additional bene...
Biodiesel predicted for double-digit growth
Biodiesel is expected to grow in the double digits by 2013, according to a report from Research and Markets.The market insight provider has published Global Biofuel Market Analysis, anticipating 15.5 per cent compound annual growth between 2010 and 2013 for biodiesel production worldwide.At the same time, ethanol production is expected to rise by eight per cent in each year until 2013.Biodiesel is primarily produced in the EU, accounting for around 60 per cent of worldwide capacity.Meanwhile, th...
Green Alliance calls for second-generation biofuel research
Research into second-generation biofuel options is required in order to develop them for use in private vehicles, according to the Green Alliance.Senior policy adviser Rachel Cary, when asked about the issue of biofuel, claims that there is only so much that can be achieved through their use.A good alternative, once infrastructure is in place, might be electric vehicles, she claims.However, at present she adds that first-generation biofuel can be useful in cutting emissions from individuals' car...
Govt could help homes to use biofuel
More home biofuel installations could soon be in place as the UK government looks to ways to increase the uptake of microgeneration technologies.Biomass boilers, which release energy by burning biofuel and household waste, are one option.Others that qualify under the Microgeneration Strategy include solar power and water heating, micro combined heat and power, heat pumps, flue gas recovery systems, fuel cells and small-scale wind or hydropower schemes.To qualify, generating installations must ha...
Government help could boost biofuel production at Ford
The support of the government could allow iconic vehicle manufacturer Ford to increase its use of biofuel as a primary source of powering its cars in the years to come.Ford is taking a £450 million loan from the European Investment Bank, £360 million of which is guaranteed by the UK government, as part of a five-year mission to raise the use of low-carbon technologies in its engines.Business minister Mark Prisk says: "Ford has an impressive track record in research and development...
Private biofuel investment could be among bulk of UK renewables growth
With the government looking away from hand-picking renewable power projects to receive funding, private investment into biofuel and other eco-friendly energy sources could be among the bulk of the sector's growth in the future.MPs Chris Huhne and Vince Cable explain that the UK government has a poor track record at choosing the correct projects to place investment into.Instead of continuing this troubled process, the coalition is now looking instead to provide incentives to spur private investme...
Government gets ambitious on biofuel production through anaerobic digestion
The government has outlined plans to be "far more ambitious" in its efforts to produce biofuel through the anaerobic digestion of waste.Climate change minister Greg Barker explains that "turning waste into something usable is a no-brainer" and that he wants to look into ways to make better use of anaerobic digestion.As part of this desire, he and environment minister Lord Henley jointly chaired a roundtable on July 6th to discuss with industry figures the possibilities for th...
Biofuel yields boosted by scientists
Scientists at North Carolina State University have developed a technique to boost biofuel yields obtained from woody plants.The research focused on the process of breaking down lignin, the woody material that protects the core of the plant - which, in many cases, is where the energy needed for the biofuel is locked away.Instead of using harsh chemicals, the scientists used gaseous ozone to process the lignin.The result was a solid rich in carbohydrates, which can be processed without creating an...
Green grants could fund biofuel uptake
Household switching to power derived from biofuel may be able to benefit from grants and subsidies provided through the utility bills of fossil fuel consumers.Mark Todd, director of energyhelpline.com, explains that between £50 and £100 of the typical energy bill at present is going towards government funding for eco-friendly initiatives.With targets in place for sustainability between now and 2020, he predicts that this is likely to increase, unless the targets are revised downwards.H...
Biofuel testing conducted at Empa
Swiss materials science and technology institution Empa has seen biofuel testing conducted as part of an attempt to work out the precise benefit that the next generation of energy sources could have for the country as a whole.Empa researcher Rainer Zah conducted the biofuel testing, focusing on next-generation sources of energy.These include power produced through the use of waste products, including off-cuts of wood, sawdust and green waste.Former biofuels were derived from crops grown especial...
Biofuel energy generation up a seventh from 2007 to 2009
Newly published figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) show an increase of around a seventh in the amount of energy generated from biofuel sources between 2007 and 2009.During the two-year period, biofuel - incorporating gas captured from landfill sites - rose by 14.5 per cent in terms of the number of TWh of electricity produced using it.In 2009, 44 per cent of the renewable energy produced could be accounted for by biomass sources.These figures are encapsulated within...
Biofuel 'to raise food demand'
Expanding biofuel production could see demand for some staple foods soar in the years to come, coupled with the pressures placed by energy consumption during the farming process and the cost of production.The warning comes from the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA), which notes that the materials used in biofuel must come from somewhere.As the production of biofuel increases - with government targets one driving force behind this occurring - the supply of raw material...
Biofuel esters produced in two-stage process
Research conducted at Tohoku University in Japan has uncovered a two-stage process capable of producing fatty acid esters for use in biofuel with a conversion rate of more than 98.6 per cent.The findings are published in the latest issue of Energy & Fuels and looked at a continuous biofuel production technique using rice bran oil as a raw material.Oil was first fed into an expanded-bed reactor for esterification of the free fatty acid contained within to occur using a cation-exchange resin c...
OECD considers biofuel principles
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is considering drawing up a set of principles to guide governments on the introduction of bio-based products.Proposals are due to be discussed at the annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, where other industry trends and issues are also open to debate.Among the topics are biofuel, sustainability, climate change and issues relating to financing and policy for organisations within the sector.In order to...
Biofuel could contribute to Welsh renewable energy mix
As Welsh authorities look to the planning process for renewable energy projects, biofuel could play a growing part in achieving the anticipated mix of different technologies for power production.The Welsh Assembly Government is assessing how best to implement a sustainable and efficient planning process for renewable energy projects, given the existing split-level system in place.Schemes with anticipated output of less than 50 MW can be approved within Wales itself; however, larger energy genera...
Biofuels 'remove energy need' from biomass refinement
The refinement of biomass for use as raw material in manufacturing can be made fully sustainable through the use of biofuels like ethanol, one researcher suggests.Maria Gonzalez Alriols, an engineer at the University of the Basque Country, explains the benefits of using biofuels derived from the same biomass that is being refined.An alternative is to use caustic soda in the refinement process; this relies on some of the energy contained in the sub-products of the biomass being released as part o...
Fast and Accurate Biofuel Analysis
The Irox FTIR from Grabner Instruments (Austria) analyses fuel for fully automatic, fast, reliable and portable fuel testing. IROX measures the entire mid-IR spectrum and provides comprehensive and highly accurate information about fuel composition. It consists of more than 30 different components, as well as important parameters such as octane and cetane numbers, and RVP. Distillation properties are accurately assessed by the instrument. The Irox is efficient, portable and precise. Tests from...
Biofuels 'a growing industry in Canada'
Biofuels are becoming an increasingly important part of the Canadian economy, a new study has suggested. The survey, commissioned by the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, noted sustainable fuels derived from alcohol, fat and plant oils currently generate $2.2 billion (£1.5 billion) in the country, the Toronto Sun reports. President of the organisation Gordon Quaiattini said: "We thought this was the right time to sort of tell the story of what we've accomplished, given that Septemb...
Biofuels start-up signs China agreement
A small firm based in Indiana, US, has agreed a deal with biofuel technology developers Cofco Corp and Novozymes in China.Start-up company Green Tech America (GTA) is to travel to Beijing to the China-US Advanced Biofuels Forum to sign a licence agreement with the two energy giants after it created a yeast-based cellulosic ethanol technology, the Lafayette Journal and Courier reports. According to the news provider, the innovative development allows the production of the biofuel in a more cost-e...
New Website featuring Products for Biofuels, Wastewater, Ambient Air, and Soot in Lube Oil Measurements
Wilks Enterprise (USA) is pleased to announce a new website – www.WilksIR.com – focused on providing simple analytical solutions for practical on-site measurements. The website features easy-to-use application specific mid-infrared (mid-IR) analytical instruments – both for qualitative and quantitative measurements. While all Wilks instruments are designed for easy, on-site field or at-line use, they are equally as useful in a testing laboratory - virtually anywhere repetit...
Fast, Easy Detection of Biodiesel in Diesel Fuel to 0.05% featured in New Application Note
A new application note from Wilks Enterprise (USA) features its InfraSpec VFA-IR Spectrometer, with a flow-through sample system, for the accurate measurement of biodiesel in diesel fuel down to 0.05% in less than one minute. This is particularly important for nuclear power plants and pipeline operators as they need to ensure that little or no biodiesel is in their system. # The ASTM Method D 975 currently allows up to 5% biodiesel in diesel without the requirement for biodiesel content label...
Norway begins work on biodiesel
Collaboration on biodiesel production has been announced by Norwegian fuel supplier Xynergo and the energy processes department of Norwegian research organisation SINTEF.The department addresses a range of disciplines, from natural gas consumption to CO2 production, with biodiesel generated from wood shavings its latest research target.Chief scientist Lars Sorum explains that two main methods of developing green fuels from wood already exist - but that they differ in terms of complexity and in t...
Biofuels 'enable large carbon savings'
Biofuels are an excellent way of reducing carbon emissions and boosting energy-efficiency savings. This is the opinion of Caroline Bedell, Country Land & Business Association regional director, who told the Evesham Journal that farming procedures in particular could benefit. "We know that UK crops when grown and processed sustainably can make very large carbon savings and that the best renewable transport fuel is biomethane made by anaerobic digestion," she explained. According to...
Biofuels are a sensible choice, expert says
Using biofuels as a sustainable energy source has been highlighted as an increasingly viable option by one industry expert. Dr Phillip Westmoreland, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and director of the Institute for Computational Science and Engineering at North Carolina State University, noted his observations in a recent study on the subject. "Biofuels are a sensible choice as a renewable energy source, but of course there are complications," he remarked, adding tha...
FT-IR Solutions Effectively Characterise Algae Biomolecules for Biofuels Programs
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (USA) have announced that its FT-IR sampling solutions are designed to provide a cost-effective approach to characterising the chemical composition of biological systems, such as lipids, in algae. Algae are a promising source for the large quantities of biomass required for a successful biofuels program. Industry-leading Thermo Scientific FT-IR-based automated sampling techniques, originally created for pharmaceutical high-throughput screening systems, can be applie...
Biodiesel Application Flash
Horiba Jobin Yvon (France) provides a complete analytical support to help first-time users as well as experienced analysts. It consists of a series of application notes or application flash which describes the operating conditions, the benefit of a specific accessory or analytical optimization to improve sensitivity, stability, accuracy. This application flash describes the analytical procedure for all products from raw materials to biodiesel, following the international norms (ASTM D-6751, pr...
Biofuel analysis published by Companies and Markets
Industry research provider Companies and Markets has published its latest global biofuel analysis, highlighting the most important trends in the sector at present.The latest biofuel analysis from the firm notes the importance of the renewable resource in the EU, where a target is in place to reach annual production by 2020 of biofuels as ten per cent of all liquid energy products consumed.Biofuels - A Global Market Overview adds that operators the world over are currently balancing a number of d...
Obama: Biofuels are a priority
Biofuels should be an integral part of US energy production, president Barack Obama has claimed. While visiting an ethanol plant in Missouri, he noted the importance of developing sustainable sources of power. Obama said: "There shouldn't be any doubt that renewable, homegrown fuels are a key part of our strategy. I want to be first when it comes to biofuels."Talking to an audience of about 200 people, the president said biofuels could help to reduce US reliance on oil from abroad. Chi...
Biofuels need 'driven by oil price rises'
Increased interest in biofuels is largely being driven by a rise in oil prices, it has been suggested. According to EngineerLive, there are a range of potential sources being explored due to the leap in cost of crude, including sugar, domestic waste, wood, tobacco and grass. The publication stated algae is currently one of the frontrunners to replace traditional substances as it is fairly easy to farm and the oil obtained from it is "very energy efficient". Algae-based biofuels are li...
Biofuels 'benefiting from second-phase research'
The secondary phase of biofuels research is starting to highlight the benefits renewable energy can have for both the environment and businesses. This is the opinion of Peter McManners, an author and consultant on green issues, who noted biofuels are increasingly becoming a viable source of sustainable power for the future. According to Mr McManners, much of the work in the sector originally resulted in minimal gains as it required input from agricultural sources, which he said is "going to...
Angola clears 500,000 hectares for biofuels production
Biofuels production in Angola may be set to receive a boost after the country's director of agriculture announced 500,000 hectares of land will be set aside to aid manufacture. Domingos Nazare said Luanda - the nation's capital and largest city - will be where the territory is located, the Angola Press reports. According to the news provider, the specific areas for use will be defined under the agro-ecologic zone - a region that will be identified in the upcoming National Programme on Biofuels r...
Pressure-cooking 'could lead to biofuels breakthrough'
Laboratory experts at the University of Michigan have developed a way of pressure-cooking microalgae that could help to boost biofuels development. According to the academic institution, scientists have been able to manufacture crude oil through the process within minutes, which may lead to quick, affordable biofuels production. Professor Phillip Savage said the experiment is unique because it reuses all old materials through hydrothermal, catalytic and biological methods. "This research co...
Australian government boosts biofuels production
Biofuels producers and manufacturers in Australia could be about to receive a boost from the country's government, it has been claimed. The Australian newspaper reports that the authorities are hoping to fast-track a number of initiatives in the sector by designating biofuels facilities as 'critical infrastructure'. According to the news provider, this would rank them alongside major roads, desalination facilities and gas pipelines in terms of importance. New South Wales (NSW) in particular is b...
Biofuels facility to be built in Ontario
A biofuels pilot plant is to be constructed in Ontario, Canada by a Toronto-based company. Woodland Biofuels is building its new facility at the Bioindustrial Innovation Centre in the University of Western Ontario's Sarnia-Lambton Research Park and the province will be investing $4 million (£2.5 million) into the project. According to Woodland Biofuels, it will be using its patented technology to produce energy sources from "virtually any type of biomass". This will enable sustain...
'Stage is set' for biofuels
Biofuels are becoming increasingly popular as global organisations look to produce a reliable renewable energy source. This is the opinion of Barb Zuehlke, senior editor of Aircraft Maintenance Technology magazine, who stated in an article for the publication that the focus is now firmly on sustainability. "The needs of the marketplace are bringing the innovation focus to biofuels as the answer to alternative fuels," she remarked. According to Ms Zuehlke, the US aviation industry in p...
Hawaii receives biofuels investment
The Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S) has revealed it will be working closely with state authorities to develop biofuels research on the island group. According to the organisation, it will be working closely with the University of Hawaii and federal agencies to boost renewable energy production and distribution. Chris Benjamin, general manager of the firm, said the move is a "significant step forward" for the state's sustainable efforts in the power sector. He comment...
Beetle-destroyed pine biofuel developed
A new biofuel being developed by one organisation could see forest resources devastated by pests put to good use. Cobalt Technologies announced it has developed an energy source using lodgepole pine feedstock ravaged by beetles, with the commercial viability of the product currently being explored. The company has signed an agreement with Colorado State University to test the biobutanol-based biofuel for its potential. "With this breakthrough, we've been able to turn a problem into an oppor...
Global paper industry 'to focus on biofuels'
Companies in the paper and packaging sector will experience growth through the rapid expansion of the biofuels industry, a new report has claimed. The study by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Global Manufacturing Industry group noted difficult economic conditions will drive interest in the burgeoning sustainable power market. John Dixon, leader of paper and packaging at Deloitte, said: "Growing investments in biofuels from wood residues could improve operating margins and create a lower depend...
Series of ICP-AES Systems Offer a Wide Range of Rapid, Analytical Solutions
Horiba Jobin Yvon’s (France) Ultima 2 ICP Series provides a variety of solutions for a laboratory. Based upon the best selling Ultima 2, which features the lowest detection limits available today using a single view radial plasma and the best optical resolution, there are two additional models. By adding a directly viewed simultaneous optical system one has the Ultima 2C, which provides a complete solution for a laboratory with the speed and flexibility required for many applications wher...
Fast and Accurate (Bio-Fuel) Analysis
Refineries and regulatory agencies worldwide prefer Grabner Instruments’ (Austria) Irox FTIR-fuel analysers for fully automatic, fast, reliable and portable fuel testing. Irox measures the entire mid-IR spectrum and provides comprehensive and highly accurate information about fuel composition. More than 30 different components as well as important parameters such as octane and cetane numbers, RVP, distillation properties are accurately assessed by the instrument. Tests from independent la...
Tobacco targeted as biofuel
Scientists are increasingly viewing tobacco as a viable biofuels source due to its ability to generate large amounts of oil and sugar. This is according to Vyacheslav Andrianov, a researcher at the Biotechnology Foundation Laboratories at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, who told the Associated Press that the substance is an attractive "energy plant". The news provider noted that experts judge it as a valuable commodity because using it will not affect major food sources -...
Shell biofuels production plant 'a success'
Royal Dutch Shell has revealed its new biogasoline plant in the US is running smoothly. Launched in conjunction with Virent Energy Systems, the Wisconsin-based facility is the first in the world to demonstrate how plant sugars can be converted into gasoline and its components. According to Shell, the biofuel can then be blended with gasoline in high concentrations and used in normal engines, eradicating the need for specific infrastructure or modifications. Vice-president of alternative energies...
Ethics Body Asks: How Green are New Biofuels?
The UK Nuffield Council on Bioethics is calling for people’s views on the potential of new types of biofuels, such as fuel produced by algae, to provide us with a greener source of renewable energy. First generation biofuels are produced mainly from food crops such as sugar cane, soy bean and wheat. But in some cases their net greenhouse gas emissions are not much better than those of fossil fuels and there have been concerns about their impact on the environment, food availability, and...
Malaysia makes biofuels compulsory
The Malaysian government has made it mandatory for vehicles to run on biofuels from 2011. According to the Agence France-Press, the country is the world's second-largest palm oil producer and the new plans will be phased in throughout different states from June next year. The Plantation and Commodities Ministry said the proposals "will benefit the country as biofuel is environmentally-friendly and it will reduce our dependence on petroleum diesel".Along with Indonesia, Malaysia account...
Performing In line/In Tank Biodiesel Content Analysis with the FPS2830 Biodiesel Sensor
Based on a Tuning Fork flexural resonator for fluid properties measurement, MEAS France now provides an innovative, miniaturised and rugged Biodiesel sensor – FPS2830. The multi-parametric fuel properties measurement capability of the sensor allows direct and simultaneous measures of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) content from 0 to 100% in Diesel fuel and fuel temperature from -40 to 150°C. Designed for fuel environmental conditions, the Biodiesel Sensor – FPS2830 is a fully int...
Biofuels "critical" to UK transport development
The UK's transport sector will be transformed by the development of environmentally-friendly biofuels. This is the opinion of Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust, who said "genuinely sustainable biofuels" will be "critical" to reducing CO2 emissions in the industry. "In just a few years, pyrolysis could change the way in which we produce biofuels and by 2020 be a commercially viable option," he remarked. According to Mr Delay, in ten years' time there may...
Biofuels result in "significant carbon reductions"
Biofuels can potentially make huge cuts in the amount of CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere, Britain's transport minister has claimed. Sadiq Khan said the development of such energy sources can lead to "significant carbon reductions", adding that it is now important to isolate the most advantageous options. According to Mr Khan, this is why the government is "leading the way" in funding studies that explore the benefits of alternative energy choices. "Research l...
Fast and accurate (bio-)fuels analysis with Grabner IROX
Refineries and regulatory agencies worldwide prefer the GRABNER INSTRUMENTS IROX FTIR-fuel analyzers for fully automatic, fast, reliable and portable fuel testing. IROX measures the entire mid-IR spectrum and provides comprehensive and highly accurate information about fuel composition. More than 30 different components as well as important parameters such as octane and cetane numbers, RVP, distillation properties are accurately assessed by the instrument. Efficient, portable and precise Tests...
Shell reveals biofuels Formula One fuel
A new fuel supplied to Scuderia Ferrari contains a biofuels component that comes from straw, Royal Dutch Shell has revealed. According to the natural resources giant, the advanced energy source is derived from cellulosic ethanol and it will mark the first time a biofuel of this type has been used by Ferrari. Dr Lisa Lilley, Shell’s technology manager for the motor car team, said she is "delighted" with the news. "This announcement clearly demonstrates our commitm...