Growth Energy, Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Farmers Union, and National Sorghum Producers sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling on Administrator Michael Regan to act swiftly on an emergency waiver for E15 sales. New and ongoing conflicts across the... Read more →

Researchers from Tohoku University have identified a promising alternative to the conventional means of synthesizing ammonia, one that is more environmentally friendly. Details of their research are published in an open-access paper in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A. The Haber-Bosch synthesis, developed in the early 20th century to synthesize... Read more →

Fortescue, with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), government agencies, research institutes, and industry partners, has successfully conducted the world’s first use of ammonia, in combination with diesel in the combustion process, as a marine fuel onboard the Singapore-flagged ammonia-powered vessel, the Fortescue Green Pioneer,... Read more →

MAN Energy Solutions announced that its MAN 51/60DF engine has passed the milestone of 10 million operational hours. The dual-fuel engine has proved popular with 310 engines currently in service—an increase of almost 100 units since 2022. The 51/60DF engine, which can run on a wide variety of fuels including... Read more →

Sasol and Topsoe have launched their joint venture, Zaffra. (Earlier post.) With its headquarters based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Zaffra is focusing on the development and delivery of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Zaffra combines the extensive experience of Sasol in asset development, plant construction, and robust operating and technology expertise... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23), which shows that the US could sustainably triple its production of biomass to more than 1 billion tons per year. The report—the fourth in a series of assessments of potential biomass resources in the United States since 2005—finds... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final amendments to the Gasoline Distribution National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), including both major and area source categories. In addition, EPA issued final updates to the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Bulk Gasoline Terminals. Gasoline distribution facilities include storage... Read more →

The Volvo Group has signed an agreement according to the previously announced Letter of Intent with Westport Fuel Systems Inc to establish a joint venture to accelerate the commercialization and global adoption of Westport’s High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) fuel system technology for long-haul and off-road applications. (Earlier post.) The... Read more →

Sales of E85 fuel in California reached an all-time high of 103,521,770 118,473,719 gallons in 2023 according to data released by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This marks a 14.4% increase from the 2022 level of 103,521,770 gallons. California is the only state in the US where E15—a blend... Read more →

Ampaire, a developer of hybrid electric aircraft systems, has acquired Magpie Aviation, a developer of innovative electric aviation technologies. The acquisition will broaden Ampaire’s IP and contract portfolio through Magpie’s multiple pending patents and government contracts. With the acquisition of Magpie, Ampaire continues to multiply applications for its hybrid electric... Read more →

Since early January 2024, US refinery utilization has decreased 11%, falling as low as 81% during the two weeks ending 9 February and 16 February, and briefly dropped below the five-year (2019–23) low. Although US retail average prices for gasoline and diesel are below 2023 prices for this time of... Read more →

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its Energy Transition Fund, has signed a memorandum of understanding with LOTTE Chemical Corporation (LOTTE), Korea’s leading chemical company and one of the world’s largest producers of chemical products, to strengthen collaboration on clean ammonia projects. As part of the agreement, the two companies agree... Read more →

A team at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) has compared the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) and methanol pathways for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) derived from renewable energy sources. The results, published in an open-access paper in the journal Fuel, show a very high carbon efficiency of the FT pathway... Read more →

International Airlines Group (IAG) announced its largest Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) purchase agreement to date, with e-SAF (power-to-liquid) producer Twelve, which will supply advanced e-SAF made from made from CO2, water and renewable energy. (Earlier post.) Under the terms of the fourteen-year contract, Twelve will supply IAG with 785,000 tonnes... Read more →

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group Wärtsilä, introduced an Ammonia Fuel Supply System (AFSS) for ships able to operate with ammonia fuel. The system is available for both liquid and gaseous fuel. In line with shipping’s transition to decarbonized fuels, ammonia is widely seen as one of the most... Read more →

Westport Fuel Systems announced a proof-of-concept project with a leading global supplier of power solutions for marine applications to test Westport’s High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) fuel system utilizing methanol for marine applications. The project, expected to start in the first quarter of 2024, will be fully funded by the... Read more →

Researchers from the Beijing University of Technology have found that the combustion of NH3/H2 can be effectively improved by using turbulent jet ignition (TJI), especially under high NH3 fraction conditions. A paper on their work appears in the journal Fuel. Although NH3 is a potential carbon-free fuel with good storage... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy released a Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0003178) for up to $9.4 million for the development of advanced biofuels. This investment through a new agreement between EPA and DOE is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and will support high-impact... Read more →

Lake Charles Methanol II, LLC (LCM) plans to invest $3.24 billion to construct a new manufacturing plant that will produce low-carbon intensity methanol and other chemicals at the Port of Lake Charles, Louisiana. The company plans to use advanced auto thermal gas reforming technology and employ carbon capture and secure... Read more →

The New Mexico legislature passed The Clean Transportation Fuels Standard (HB 41). New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, who supported the legislation, is expected to sign it into law. The bill provides the Environmental Improvement Board the authority to adopt rules setting a carbon intensity standard for transportation fuels and... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) intend to issue funding (DE-FOA-0003276) to support research and development projects for converting algae and other wet waste feedstocks to low-carbon fuels, chemicals and agricultural products. The intended Mixed Algae Conversion Research... Read more →

Verde Clean Fuels and Cottonmouth Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Diamondback Energy executed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for the proposed development, construction, and operation of a facility to produce commodity-grade gasoline utilizing associated natural gas feedstock supplied from Diamondback’s operations in the Permian Basin. The JDA provides a pathway... Read more →

The partnership announced in March 2023 between BMW Motorrad Motorsport and NORDOEL has led to the development of a fuel aimed at reducing the environmental impact of racing. By integrating advanced technologies and sustainable production processes, a fuel has been developed that not only keeps engine performance but also significantly... Read more →

Biologists at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have demonstrated a new way to boost the oil content of plant leaves and seeds. As described in an open-access paper in the journal New Phytologist, the scientists identified and successfully altered key portions of a protein that protects... Read more →

Sumitomo Corporation of America (SCOA), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, has entered into a Joint Development Agreement for the Louisiana Green Fuels (LGF) project with Strategic Biofuels (SBF), the developer behind LGF. SCOA will take an anchor position and lead the formation of a Japanese-based investment consortium aimed at funding... Read more →

Aether Fuels and GTI Energy announced a partnership and global exclusive licensing agreement to commercialize a scalable and economical solution to produce sustainable fuels from low-value and abundant waste streams. The fuels will help aviation and ocean shipping companies (which combined generate more than 4% of the world’s carbon emissions)... Read more →

Lhyfe and SAF+ International Group (SAF+), a leader in the production and marketing of e-SAF (electro Sustainable Aviation Fuel), wish to combine their expertise to develop the production of e-SAF using green hydrogen, at a production site located in the Le Havre area. This is the first announcement of its... Read more →

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has been awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) for an ammonia dual-fueled vessel. Along with the investment in 12 methanol dual-fueled vessels, this marks another milestone for ONE on its journey towards net-zero by 2050. The newly AiP-awarded 3,500 TEU vessel was jointly developed by ONE, Nihon... Read more →

BASF process catalysts, a leading provider of innovative catalyst technology, announced a new collaboration with Envision Energy. The collaboration aims to develop further the conversion of green hydrogen and CO2 into e-methanol through an advanced, dynamic process design. Backed by their respective expertise, the two companies aim to optimize the... Read more →

Growth Energy, the US’ largest biofuel trade association, released updated data showing that American drivers recently surpassed a massive milestone: 100 billion miles driven on E15 fuel. The 15% biofuel blend is saving motorists nationwide an average of up to 15 cents per gallon at the pump, Growth Energy said.... Read more →

The world’s first large methanol-enabled container vessel has been named “Ane Mærsk” at a ceremony in the shipyard of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) in Ulsan, South Korea. The vessel is named after Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, the Chair of the A.P. Moller Foundation and A.P. Moller Holding. Ane’s... Read more →

A total of 45 e-kerosene projects could see the light in the European Economic Area (EEA), enabling sufficient supply of green fuels to meet the EU’s law on sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). However, without final investment decisions, these projects are at risk as well as the targets stipulated by the... Read more →

Crude oil production in the United States reached a record high in August 2023, led primarily by more production in Texas, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). In 2023, most of the crude oil produced in Texas was relatively dense for the state. Data source: U.S.... Read more →

Topsoe, a global technology and solutions provider for the energy transition, has signed a licensing and engineering agreement with Preem, Sweden’s largest fuel company, to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel, using Topsoe’s HydroFlex technology. The demand for SAF is rapidly growing. According to the International Energy Agency’s... Read more →

Amogy, a developer of ammonia power solutions (earlier post), and leading eFuels provider Infinium (earlier post) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore opportunities to integrate their technologies and develop commercial applications across the ammonia and eFuels value chain. To accelerate the decarbonization of heavy industry sectors,... Read more →

MAN Cryo’s design for an ammonia fuel-supply system to provide ammonia safely to marine-engine applications has been awarded an Approval in Principle from classification societies DNV and Bureau Veritas. Part of MAN Energy Solutions and a leading expert in the field of storage and handling of LNG and natural gas,... Read more →

Sunoco and NuStar Energy entered into a definitive agreement whereby Sunoco will acquire NuStar in an all-equity transaction valued at approximately $7.3 billion, including assumed debt. Under the terms of the agreement, NuStar common unitholders will receive 0.400 Sunoco common units for each NuStar common unit, implying a 24% premium... Read more →

Low-emission e-fuels produced using renewable hydrogen produced by green electricity and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) are suitable for segments that are difficult to electrify, such as aviation and marine. A joint E-Fuel research project demonstrating high temperature electrolysis (SOEC), carbon capture, and hydrocarbon synthesis technologies (earlier post) has now... Read more →

France-based industrial biotechnology company Global Bioenergies (earlier post) has signed a new development contract with Shell Global Solutions (Deutschland) GmbH (“Shell”) further to develop low- carbon road fuels. While the previous phases of the collaboration, starting at the end of 2022, were dedicated to exploring different potential options based on... Read more →

Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd. (ONE) has signed Ship Building Contracts with Jiangnan Shipyard and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding for a total construction of twelve 13,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ships. Each shipyard will build six vessels; all are scheduled to be delivered from 2027. This significant milestone represents ONE’s inaugural fleet... Read more →

Fairway Methanol LLC, a US-based 50-50 joint venture between Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Celanese Corporation, a global specialty materials and chemical company, has begun the production of methanol by using carbon dioxide captured from Celanese’s Clear Lake, Texas site. Fairway Methanol is expected to capture 180,000 metric tons of... Read more →

OptiFuel Systems will begin testing a prototype 5600 hp Total-Zero Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Line Haul Locomotive and 2500 hp Total-Zero Powered Tender with 7,500 DGE (diesel gallon equivalent) capacity in January 2025. (Earlier post.) The RNG-powered line haul locomotive produces 5100 hp of continuous power from Cummins RNG engines... Read more →

Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Nigeria (earlier post) has begun production of diesel and aviation fuel. The refinery can load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck-loading gantries. Gas flare stack at the refinery. The products from the refinery will conform to Euro V specifications. The refinery design complies with the... Read more →

MAN Energy Solutions and Turkey-based Karpowership have signed a contract for the delivery of a total of 48 dual-fuel engines for Karpowership’s fleet of power plant ships (Powerships). The engine order consists of MAN 18V51/60DF dual-fuel engines with a mechanical output of 20.7 MW each. The main advantage of dual... Read more →

The latest stats from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform found that a total of 298 ships with alternative fuel propulsion were ordered in 2023—an 8% increase year on year. The year also saw methanol go mainstream, with a sharp increase in orders (138, 10.8% of all roders), edging it... Read more →

US-based eFuels provider Infinium (earlier post) and Mo Industrial Park (Mo Industripark AS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop Norway’s first advanced eFuels production facility in Mo i Rana, Norway. Infinium eFuels are made using waste CO2 and green hydrogen and can help decarbonize hard to abate... Read more →

Researchers with the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have defined quantitatively the relative positioning and arrangement of the polymers in Populus wood and to create a computer model that details the findings. The research into solving this macromolecular puzzle, which appears in an open-access paper... Read more →

Metafuels, a start-up focused on sustainable aviation fuel made using renewable electricity (eSAF), announced its first institutional funding round—an $8-million seed round—led by climate VCs Energy Impact Partners (EIP) and Contrarian Ventures. Metafuels’ eSAF, and that of its competitors, can replace normal kerosene regardless of the size and type of... Read more →

Convion and Elcogen announced the successful conclusion of a field test for an industrial-scale Solid Oxide Electrolyzer system delivering green hydrogen at superior efficiency compared to incumbent technologies. The partners concluded a test period of 2000 hours of the first Convion Solid Oxide electrolyzer equipped with Elcogen’s cell technology, validating... Read more →

Researchers from Zhejiang University have developed a highly active, selective, and durable copper nanoparticle catalyst for converting CO2 to dimethyl ether (DME). This was achieved by loading Cu nanoparticles onto hydrophobic and gallium (Ga)-modified silica supports. The Ga-modified silica provided moderate acidity for methanol dehydration to DME, which hindered deep... Read more →