April 2021

Biofuels Digest

In California, teams from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Sandia National Laboratories have collaborated to develop a streamlined and efficient process for converting woody plant matter like forest overgrowth and agricultural waste – material that is currently burned either intentionally or unintentionally – into liquid biofuel. Their research was published recently in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

Biofuels Digest

In Belgium, a new paper by the European Biogas Association mapped the opportunities of producing biogas from industrial wastewaters and quantified the biogas production potential of different EU industry sectors. The results show that biogas has a high potential to mitigate methane emissions from wastewater whilst at the same time providing a huge potential source of renewable energy.

Mining3, a research organization focused on the mining industry, and Engie, a global player in low-carbon energy, announced the starting of operations of the Hydra Consortium, a joint effort aimed at promoting the use of hydrogen fuel cell-based powertrain for heavy-duty mobility within the mining sector.

Porsche’s announcement related to the possible use of high-performance batteries with silicon instead of graphite anodes led analyst Roskill to publish a review on the market prospects for silicon metal.
According to the firm, demand for silicon metal is expected to continue the upward trend it has experienced in the past two decades, thanks to new-energy technologies underpinned by the growth of the polysilicon sector and its use in solar energy.

MIT researchers have identified a novel electrolyte that could be useful for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, increasing their power per weight without sacrificing the cycle life.

A projected spike in renewable diesel production, partnered with rising corn oil prices, presents a market opportunity for ethanol producers.

The Philippine Government has removed a nine-year moratorium on new mineral agreements in the country to increase revenues. This follows the signing of the executive order (EO) No.130 by Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte. It amends Section 4 of EO No.79, s. 2012 that was signed by President Benigno Aquino III. The new EO enables the government to make agreements for new mining projects, subject to compliance with local laws.

In Malaysia, The Edge Markets reports the Malaysian Palm Oil Board the further roll out of the B20 mandate has been delayed due to the economic impact of COVID-19 and will reach Peninsular Malaysia by the end of the year. It says the situation in Malaysia is different than in Indonesia so the two countries’ policies can’t be compared. The announcement came in response to criticism last week by a top analyst that the country’s implementation of its biodiesel mandate was a “disgrace”.

In Singapore, food scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have made an antibacterial gel bandage using the discarded husks of the popular tropical fruit, durian. Known as the “King of Fruits” in Southeast Asia, the durian has a thick husk with spiky thorns which is discarded, while the sweet flesh surrounding the seeds on the inside is considered a delicacy.

Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded the civils contract for the design and construction of a rail station and tunnels.

E-waste recycling company TES announced the opening of a multi-million-dollar facility to recycle lithium batteries in Singapore. Known as TES B, the plant is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, with the capacity to recycle up to 14 tonnes or the equivalent of 280,000 lithium-ion smartphone batteries a day.

In Malaysia, Fintech Global announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Eco-Sponge Sdn. Bhd. (“ECS”), had on March 23, 2021 entered into a five-year collaboration agreement with Ace Edible Oil Industries Sdn. Bhd.(“AEOI”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Ocean Corporation Berhad (“G Ocean”) to supply around 150,000 metric tons’ worth of biodiesel and biofuel related products to the end customers in Malaysia and any other countries mutually agreed by the Parties from time to time.

Eminetra

A coalition of rights groups has urged Chevron to freeze payments to Myanmar’s state-owned oil and gas company and prevent the flow of funds to the military junta of a country that has been criticized internationally for its coup and subsequent crackdowns. In a letter seen by the Financial Times, campaign participants urged the state-owned Myanmar oil and gas company not to pay royalties or other payments. That cash flow is currently under military control. Seized force From the Aung San Suu Kyi government on February 1st.

The Philippines has announced it will end a nine-year ban on new mining projects in a bid to expand the role of mining in the national economy and raise state revenues. The post Philippines lifts ban on new mining permits first appeared on ASEAN Today.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved the Philippines’ first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) which aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 75% by 2030, the Finance department said on Friday. The five-page NDC details the country’s goal of modernizing and pursuing low carbon and resilient development for the agriculture, waste, industry, transport and energy sectors over a ten-year period beginning 2020.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has lifted a moratorium on new mineral agreements imposed in 2012, reopening the door to investments in a move that will boost state coffers but has dismayed environmental activists. The Philippines, the top supplier of nickel ore to China and a major …

The high-tech factory will be located in Singapore and will be operational in the first quarter of 2026, the company said, adding that construction would start this summer.

The oil supermajor plans to octuple its global EV charging station fleet from 60,000 in February to around 500,000 by 2025 in realizing a net zero emissions plan by 2050, according to a Feb. 11 statement.

Petroliam Nasional Bhd’s (Petronas) subsidiary, PC Myanmar (Hong Kong) Ltd (PCML) has declared force majeure on its Yetagun gas production field in the Andaman Sea, offshore Myanmar.

French energy giant Total will not halt gas production in coup-hit Myanmar, its chief said Sunday, despite growing calls for foreign companies to sever ties with the junta as it escalates a brutal crackdown on dissent.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp is cutting production by a combined 7,500 vehicles in Japan and Thailand in April due to difficulty in securing computer chips, officials said.

In Germany, ExxonMobil and Porsche are testing advanced biofuels and renewable, lower-carbon eFuels, as part of a new agreement to find pathways toward potential future consumer adoption. The first iteration of Esso Renewable Racing Fuel is a blend of primarily advanced biofuels and is specially formulated by ExxonMobil’s in-house team of scientists and engineers. Analysis indicates the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a liquid fuel.