Today in Biofuels Opinion: “Brazilian sugarcane ethanol…is an almost perfect closed-loop system.”

Philip New, CEO, BP Biofuels: “Provided we don’t deplete scarce resources, the more relevant question is whether the chosen biofuel feedstock is resource efficient, carbon efficient and cost efficient. For example, you get less than 4000 litres of ethanol from a hectare of corn, growing corn intensively requires lots of fertiliser, the price of corn [...]

October 06, 2009 | Jim Lane | Comments 0

Indian sugar crop failure threatens ethanol

In India, sugar prices have jumped 70 percent after a plunge in output to 14.7 million metric tonnes from last year’s supercrop of 28.5 miliion metric tons. The Indian government is warning that next year’s crop may be in the 20 million metric tonne range.
While sugar prices are floating to high levels, maintaining close to [...]

July 03, 2009 | Jim Lane | Comments 1

Brazilian government, industry agree on sugar cane worker reforms

In Brazil, the national government announced that it had reached a non-bindin g accord with the sugarcane industry to improve worker conditions. According to the government, more than 300 of the total of 400 sugar cane growers in Brazil signed the agreement.
The accord sets hygiene and safety standards, after a series of reports on unsavory [...]

June 30, 2009 | Jim Lane | Comments 0

Dedini, Sudanese Kenana Sugar open 19 Mgy sugarcane ethanol plant, first in Sudan

In Sudan, Dedini opened the country’s first sugarcane ethanol plant, which has a capacity of 19 million gallons per year. The plant is now owned by the Sudanese Kenana Sugar Company, which purchased the plant after it was completely manufactures in Sao Paulo province, Brazil, and then transported in two shipments to the Sudan.
The company [...]

June 11, 2009 | Jim Lane | Comments 0

Craton Equity invests $10 million in 60 Mgy sugarcane ethanol project in Mozambique

In Mozambique, Craton Equity Partners has invested $10 million in Principle Energy Limited, a biofuel development company with a $60 Mgy sugarcane ethanol project located in Dombe. Craton’s investment will contribute to the ramp-up and working capital needs of the Dombe Project, including the construction of the ethanol production facility, the cultivation of 18,000 hectares [...]

February 24, 2009 | Jim Lane | Comments 0

80 percent of sugarcane plantations in Brazil’s Alagoas province cited for worker conditions; deforestation cited

In Brazil, a report by EUBrasil as reported by ReportérBrasil found that 95 percent of tropical rainforest destruction was attributable to the increase in sugar cane cultivation in the north eastern section of the country. ReportérBrasil also indicated that an investigation of 15 sugar cane plantations operating in Alagoas resulted in proceedings against 12 of [...]

January 12, 2009 | Jim Lane | Comments 0

Emerald Energy’s MegaFlora tree has 2X the biomass yield compared to sugar cane, 4X of switchgrass, say company execs

In Ohio, Emerald Energy said that it is in the process of commercializing its MegaFlora tree, a high biomass density tree for cellulosic ethanol production. The company said that the MegaFlora tree can be grown in marginal soils, with an annual harvestable yield of up to 27 bone dry tons of biomass per acre, compared [...]

December 26, 2008 | Jim Lane | Comments 0

Indian state oil companies pull back from $600 million in Brazilian sugarcane, ethanol investments

In India, state oil firms have cancelled or deferred more than $600 million in planned Brazilian sugarcane acreage as the low prices of crude oil have taken their toll and made ethanol blending largely uneconomical in India. The plans called for state oil companies such as Bharat Petroleum, IOC and Hindustani Petroleum to acquire stakes [...]

December 24, 2008 | Jim Lane | Comments 0

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