Fruits of J. curcas. Fruits are produced terminally in the branches, and each fruit contains three seeds. Image credit: Dr. Wagner A Vendrame, University of Florida at Homestead.

 What if space held the key to producing alternative energy crops on Earth? That’s what researchers are hoping to find in a new experiment on the International Space Station.

The experiment, National Lab Pathfinder-Cells 3, is aimed at learning whether microgravity can help jatropha curcas plant cells grow faster to produce biofuel, or renewable fuel derived from biological matter. Jatropha is known to produce high quality oil that can be converted into an alternative energy fuel, or biofuel(biodiesel). Leer más »

Bernd Waltermann and Henning Streubel ,  Jakarta.

As Indonesia is today the world’s largest producer of crude palm oil (CPO) — a desirable feedstock for biodiesel production — it has the potential to grow into a world biodiesel leader and a model for plantation sustainability.

Biodiesel has the potential to become a significant industry sector in Indonesia, supported by two of its most valuable assets: its oil palm plantations, and more importantly, its people. Indonesia currently produces approximately 20 million tons of CPO per year from 7 million hectares of oil palm plantation, of which approximately 80 percent  is exported.  Leer más »

Following the publication of the EPA’s draft Regulatory Impact Analysis this week which includes proposed changes to the Renewable Fuels Standards Program, the Argentine Renewable Energies Chamber expressed both concerns and optimism regarding the possible effects this will have on the export-driven Argentine biodiesel industry. Leer más »

In the Fair of Detroit the presentation of hybrid and electrical vehicles was the tendency marked by the companies before an adverse economic panorama.Â

The vice-president and general manager of Toyota Bob Carter presents the Toyota Prius , a gas-electrical hybrid of third generation. Picture: EFEÂ

DETROIT, (AFP). – The electric and hybrid vehicles continue encouraging the recovery hope of the automotive market in crisis times. It is for that reason that the makers multiply announcements and reveal prototypes to seduce the public in the fair of Detroit with numerous prototypes of big manufacturers as Daimler, Toyota or General Motors that respond to the climatic concerns and the high price of the fuels. Leer más »

The Export.Ar Foundation again, is in the organization of the presentation of the argentine delegation in the “World Biofuels Markets Congress 2009” that will be carried out from March 16 to18 of 2009, in Brussels, Belgium.Â

This exhibition that offers a unique access to the world of the Biofuels in all its production and distribution chain, attracts 1400 participants from more than 78 countries being the biggest and most important Bio-fuel Congress of Europe. It will have 200 of the best lecturers of the sector and more than 100 exhibitors. Leer más »

From all the rage to the caution: biodiesel industry is paralyzed and suffers the strikes of the crisis.

The expectations were unbeatable for this industry. However, the collapse of prices from the level records and the credit for amplification and construction of new factories shortage put in the freezer an activity that depends on the external markets for its survival.  Â

If it were necessary to look for a parallelism to what happens with the biofuel industry in Argentina well would be worth the example of a soccer game: the managers of the sector, until middles of 2007, hugged the victory and predicted a full steam ahead 2009. Leer más »

Important announcements for the promotion of the biofuels will be made this Wednesday January 14th by the minister of Energy, Marcelo Tokman, during a visit to the facilities of the Laboratory of Microbial Ecology of the Faculty of Sea Resources of this Institute of Superior Studies.   Â

The academic unit welcomes an interesting initiative of this area, developed by the Technological Scientific Center of Investigation for the Mining, CICITEM and the University of Antofagasta. Leer más »

Algae Derived Biodiesel for airplanes.

Tim Zenk, of Sapphir Energy, explains the process to produce biodiesel from algae. Photo: AP.Â

The airplane, of the Continental Airlines company, has completed a 90 minutes itinerary through the Gulf of Mexico.Â

The development of the biofuels starts to pick up its first successes in the aeronautical industry. Continental American Airlines an airline company from the United States has completed with success the first flight of an airplane propelled with a mixture of algae derived biodiesel and fuel, as it was informed by the press of USA. The itinerary, that has lasted 90 minutes and that has been operated by a Boeing 737-800, has resulted “better than expected”, as a spokesman of the company informs. Leer más »

Barack Obama-EFE Técnicas Reunidas can suffer by the taxes to the oil companies and Iberia and Acerinox, due to the labor costs.

The victory of Barack Obama is not only going to have repercussions on the American companies. Many Spanish values have interests on the greatest economy of the world and its future growth on the other side of the Atlantic can be conditioned by the new president´s support to one or the other sector.

Esther Martin remembers that Obama was committed to invest 15,000 million annual dollars during 10 years in clean energies. In this point, she adds that Spain is the major foreign investor in wind power, with almost 5,000 MW installed in the USA. Therefore, she hopes that Acciona, Gamesa, Iberdrola Renovables, Abengoa y CIE Automotive will be favored. Leer más »

Does Binner have support or not?Â

The ARI that integrates the ruling alliance in Santa Fe, presented a bill to finish with the tax benefits. But now the opposition came out to speak against it and the industry is expectant.Â

Legislators justicialistas came out today to oppose to the suspension of thebiofuel promotion régime, as a bill presented by the ARI proposes. Leer más »