Biofuels Journal - January/February 2009 - (Page 75)

Fiji According to a late October report, Fiji is one of the contenders for BioFuels International’s “Renewable Energy Transformation Initiative” that includes a $97 million biodiesel project. Still in the planning stages, the proposed project is part of an attempt to reduce the country’s reliance on imported diesel through the use of pongamia oil. Phase one of the development would planting an estimated 100,000 hectares of pongamia during a three-year period. The company began cultivating jatropha in Ghana in 2005 and says it plans to begin production of biodiesel at its farm in Nkawkaw soon. urged officials of the Philippine National Oil Company’s Alternative Fuels Corp. in late July to accelerate plans and preparation of converting jatropha into biodiesel in Sarangani Province. India In late September, Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. announced it would invest $480 million to produce biodiesel in about four years, in a joint venture deal with several other companies. Bharat Petroleum subsidiary Bharat Renewable Energy Ltd. will grow the jatropha plants on 1 million hectares in the nothern state of Uttar Pradesh. The joint venture coincides with the a Sept. 11 government decision to set a 20% biodiesel target by the end of 2010. Scotland In mid-October, the Scottish government announced plans to increase the use of biofuels, including biodiesel. The government’s goal is to go from using less than 1% to 10% by 2020 and reducing emissions by 80% by 2050. Government officials noted that the majority of the biodiesel will be converted from European sunflower oil and imported palm oil. Officials also noted that in order to get more biodiesel use from blends higher than 10%, a mandatory compatibility standard for vehicles may need to be enacted. Ghana • A new sunflower biodiesel plant that began production early this year will utilize sunflowers grown on 230 hectares located at Tumu, Walewale, Mpaha, and Damongo in the northern part of Ghana, and Agoan Asafo in the central region. In early November, officials from Tropical Agricultural Marketing and Consultancy Service (TRAGRIMACS) Sunflower Ghana said the equipment for the plant, located at Tema, cost $25,000. • Gold Star Biofuels, a subsidiary of Gold Star Farms Ltd., announced in late December it will begin cultivating 5 million acres of land in Ghana to plant jatropha. Gold Star officials say it has secured a commitment from area farmers to grow the jatropha needed for the production of biodiesel for export. Malaysia In mid-October, the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry announced it would be pushing for mandatory biodiesel use in the public transportation industry. Minister Datuk Peter Chin said the ministry wanted to introduce B5 biodiesel first in the public transportation sector, before gradually moving it to other areas. He said that about 500,000 tons of B5 palm oil-based biodiesel could be used each year. Spain In late November, Italian oil refiner Saras announced plans to build a 200,000-ton biodiesel plant in Cartagena. The $44 million plant would use various feedstocks including vegetable oils. Spain will introduce a 2.5% biofuels compulsory target—which would displace 655,000 tons of petroleum—for vehicle use this year and raise it to 3.9% by 2010. Compiled from news reports by Adam Tedder, associate editor JAN/FEB 09 | BFJ Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo 75

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Biofuels Journal - January/February 2009

Biofuels Journal - January/February 2009 Contents Safety Training Expanding Safety Pays Top 2008 OSHA Citations Ethanol Terminal Safety Preventing Falls Fighting Ethanol Fires Biodiesel Safety Bridgeport Ethanol John Kruse, Global Insight Barley Ethanol New DDGS Market—Fish Mary Beth Stanek, General Motors RINs As Commodity POET BioRefining Ethanol Pipeline—Florida DDGS Causing E. coli Community College Biofuels Ethanol Plants in the Pipeline State Report: Ohio Ethanol World Profile: Adam Dunlap, BlueFire Ethanol When to Harvest Switchgrass, Miscanthus Indirect Land Use Change Profile: Greg Olson, POET-Corning Growth Energy Monthly Ethanol Production Case Study: Fuelzyme Ethanol Industry News Greg Poe, Ethanol Pilot Sponsored by Fagen Inc. Blackhawk Biodiesel Biodiesel Roundup Biodiesel World Peanut Biodiesel Pennycress Biodiesel Radish Biodiesel Profile: Joe Korpi, Renewable Energy Group Biodiesel Convention NBB Eye on Biodiesel Awards Calendar of Events Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Under Construction Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Construction Map Breaking Cellulosic Ground Show Me’s Collecting Biomass Inland Empire Oilseeds POET’s Project Liberty Update Vermeer’s Cob Harvester Iowa State Cob Harvest Research Europe’s Energy Parks Imported Deere Cob Harvest Kit/Case IH Coskata Sugar/Mascoma Update Range Fuels Update Tom Warne, Schutte-Buffalo Hammermill University of Illinois Biofuels Master’s Roger Ladig, Laidig Systems, Inc. Miscanthus vs. Switchgrass Biofuels Automation Scott Martin, LeMar Industries Biodiesel Financing EISENMANN Corp. GATX / Beta Tec ProSonics / S.K. Patil DOE Grant Action Unloaders Ad Index

Biofuels Journal - January/February 2009

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