Biofuels
EPA proposes near 9% increase in 2013 for US renewable fuels mandate
The agency said it intended to require US refiners and fuel importers to use a total of 16.55 billion gallons of renewable fuel during 2013, compared to 15.2 billion gallons last year. As in previous years, the lion's share of that mandate is expected to be met with ethanol made from Midwestern corn.
KBR named engineering partner by CRI for catalytic thermochemical technology
Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide basic engineering services for broad, full scale commercial deployment of IH2 units. IH2 technology is a cost-effective catalytic thermo-chemical process to produce liquid transportation fuels from renewable resources.
US appeals court overturns key portion of EPA's renewable fuels mandate
The decision means the EPA will have to be more cautious in setting future requirements for buying advanced renewable fuels, including a mandate for this year that is still pending. In previous years, developers relied on the EPA's mandate to show investors there will be a market for their product.
US weekly ethanol production sinks to record low
The figure was the lowest since the EIA began releasing weekly ethanol production data in mid-2010. It was slightly below the previous low of 785,000 bpd in late September. US ethanol producers have struggled with weak margins since early last year, pressured by several factors.
IEA says Middle East oil producers are increasingly accepting renewables
Many Gulf countries have made ambitious plans for increasing the share that renewables play in their energy mix. Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia has said it will adopt a renewable energy program at the start of 2013 while Kuwait said in December that it aims to produce 15% of its energy from renewables by 2030.
Pacific Ethanol eyes yield-enhancing ethanol technology at US plant
Pacific Ethanol Inc. will implement yield-enhancing technology at its Stockton, California ethanol plant. The company has awarded Edeniq, a biomaterials and sustainable fuels developer, with a contract for Edeniq's Cellunators technology to boost ethanol yields by increasing available starch for conversion.
Delek buys North Texas biodiesel plant from EQM
The biodiesel facility has a production capacity of 12 million gal/year. Delek said it intends to spend approximately $3.0 million in capital expenditures during 2013 to improve the feedstock flexibility. At present, the facility produces biodiesel exclusively for Delek under a tolling agreement.
US votes to reinstate biodiesel tax incentive
The $1/gal incentive was first implemented in 2005, though Congress has allowed it to lapse twice. It will be reinstated retroactively to Jan. 1, 2012, and to the end of 2013.
Refiners now have a new biofuel option
Biobutanol is coming to market as a gasoline blendstock and can be efficiently made by a range of renewable feedstocks.
HP Brief
Uncertainty looms in EU economyEuropean chemicals output contracted by 2% in 2012 compared with 2011, according to European chemicals group Cefic. By lowering its forecast released in September, the c..
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