In Belgium, Euractiv reports that Europe’s starch industry, represented by Cofalec, has said the policy to make molasses an emission-free biofuel feedstock is a “nightmare” for beer and wine producers. The bloc’s sugarbeet industry has long sought the designation of molasses as a residue so that it could be used as an advanced biofuel feedstock […]
Four companies developed the first process in the world to produce compostable bioplastic from food and feed production side streams. A biopolymer plant will be built in Uusikaupunki, Finland, in which bioplastic production will be piloted on an industrial scale. Finnfoam, Brightplus, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Nordic Soya have explored together the […]
In India, the Press Trust of India reports the Food Ministry has approved up to $1.68 billion in soft loans for 185 sugarcane mills and distillers to set up standalone ethanol production, four times the volume of loans approved under the program in the past two years. Once installed, the new projects represent an increase […]
In Egypt, Egypt Today reports the Ministry of Petroleum, Mining, and Mineral Resources has undertaken a feasibility study for a proposed $110 million ethanol plant. The facility would use molasses as feedstock and discussions are currently underway with sugar producers to create MOUs for feedstock supply. Egypt is one of the few countries in the […]
In the Philippines, Platts reports that domestic ethanol prices have risen by $10 per metric ton to $1,210/cu m on the back of rising molasses prices that rose nearly 6% from January to February. Sugarcane prices also rose during the period but only 1.6%. Imports of US ethanol continue to face delays of around 10 […]
In India, the Indian Express newspaper reports that 15 sugar mills in Maharashtra who had planned to divert sugar production towards ethanol through the use of heavy-B molasses are still waiting for permission to start producing ethanol. It is taking longer than expected for the state to finalize its cabinet who needs to sign off […]
In India, the Hindu newspaper reports that the government announced distilleries producing ethanol from b-heavy molasses won’t need to seek additional environmental permissions in order to expand capacity. The environment minister said the reason was because changing feedstocks to b-heavy molasses from the traditional c-heavy molasses won’t increase the pollution produced and therefore doesn’t need […]
In the Philippines, legislators from both chambers are coming together in an effort to find a way to increase imports of molasses feedstock for ethanol producers in light of tight domestic supplies that risks making ethanol prices even more inviable than the typical 2:1 price differential with landed imported ethanol. The Sugar Regulatory Agency insists […]
In the Philippines, the Sun Star newspaper reports that ethanol producers are seeking permission to import molasses for feedstock due to the high prices of domestic molasses supplies. El Niño is expected to boost sugarcane yields for the next crop but this season was poor, leaving less molasses availability that has pushed up prices beyond […]
In the Philippines, Platts reports that ethanol prices have risen again during the first half of March to $1,197/ cu m, nearly 2% higher despite molasses prices rising more than 6% during the second half of February. Landed CIF Philippines prices were $466/63/cu m during H1 March. Molasses prices are seen easing coming July when […]
