São Paulo Research Foundation and Dedini to invest R$100 mio in cellulosic ethanol research
With oil prices closing in on record levels at $75 per barrel, Brazil's biofuels and bioproducts sector keeps attracting investments. From Ethanol Brasil [*Portuguese] we learn that São Paulo's Research Foundation (Fapesp) and Dedini SA, have signed a cooperation agreement [*.doc/Portuguese] to research new bioconversion technologies and to build a pilot plant for the production of cellulosic ethanol. The joint investment is worth 100 million reals (€39.1/US$53.8 million).
The 'Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo' (Fapesp) and Dedini's Indústrias de Base signed the agreement today during the 'International Symposium and Fair on Agro-industrial Sugar-ethanol Technologies' (Simpósio Internacional e Mostra de Tecnologia da Agroindústria Sucroalcooleira, Simtec), which saw its fifth edition being held in the city of Piracicaba.
The investment will be around 100 million reals, with Fapesp and Dedini each contributing 50 per cent. The collaboration will result in the creation of research teams with scientists recruited from universities and research institutions in São Paulo state, as well as from Dedini.
According to Sérgio Leme, vice-president of Dedini, the research may result in improved bioconversion of sugar cane - including the tranformation of cellulose rich bagasse into liquids - , an increase in the productivity of processing equipment and machines, as well as in improved fermentation processes to convert sugar and cellulose into alcohol. The agreement covers the coming five years.
A distillery for the industrial production of cellulosic ethanol will be built by Dedini, where the company will continue researching its DHR process (Dedini Hidrólise Rápida), which converts bagasse, the byproduct from sugar production, into liquids (earlier post). Dedini already established a pilot-plant in its São Luiz factory, which is managed by the Dedini Agro group, located in Pirassununga (São Paulo state)
Picture: vast streams of bagasse, piled up at a sugar factory and left to dry. Often, the bagasse is burned to generate green power that fuels the sugar-ethanol plant, with excess electricity sold to the grid. [entry ends here].
energy :: sustainability :: ethanol :: biomass :: sugarcane :: bagasse :: cellulosic ethanol :: biofuels :: Brazil ::
Article continues
The 'Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo' (Fapesp) and Dedini's Indústrias de Base signed the agreement today during the 'International Symposium and Fair on Agro-industrial Sugar-ethanol Technologies' (Simpósio Internacional e Mostra de Tecnologia da Agroindústria Sucroalcooleira, Simtec), which saw its fifth edition being held in the city of Piracicaba.
The investment will be around 100 million reals, with Fapesp and Dedini each contributing 50 per cent. The collaboration will result in the creation of research teams with scientists recruited from universities and research institutions in São Paulo state, as well as from Dedini.
According to Sérgio Leme, vice-president of Dedini, the research may result in improved bioconversion of sugar cane - including the tranformation of cellulose rich bagasse into liquids - , an increase in the productivity of processing equipment and machines, as well as in improved fermentation processes to convert sugar and cellulose into alcohol. The agreement covers the coming five years.
A distillery for the industrial production of cellulosic ethanol will be built by Dedini, where the company will continue researching its DHR process (Dedini Hidrólise Rápida), which converts bagasse, the byproduct from sugar production, into liquids (earlier post). Dedini already established a pilot-plant in its São Luiz factory, which is managed by the Dedini Agro group, located in Pirassununga (São Paulo state)
Picture: vast streams of bagasse, piled up at a sugar factory and left to dry. Often, the bagasse is burned to generate green power that fuels the sugar-ethanol plant, with excess electricity sold to the grid. [entry ends here].
energy :: sustainability :: ethanol :: biomass :: sugarcane :: bagasse :: cellulosic ethanol :: biofuels :: Brazil ::
Article continues
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
OPEC basket price hits record; analysts see $95pb this year
The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Minas (Indonesia), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and BCF 17 (Venezuela).
The crude price was 15 cents above the last record high of 72.68 dollars on August 8, 2006. OPEC analysts in Vienna believe the continued critical situation regarding Nigeria's oil production to be one factor behind the continued price hike. Other factors are technical problems which have marred production of North Sea oil and capacity problems of US-based refineries.
Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that Goldman Sachs warned that prices could hit a peak of $95 a barrel by the end of the year.
The key Middle Eastern members of oil cartel OPEC are urged to increase output immediately. Goldman Sachs said OPEC production was a million barrels per day down on last year at a time when demand is strong.
A further increase in oil prices would add to inflationary pressures in developed countries, with some analysts already fearful that dearer energy increases the risk of at least one more quarter-point increase in base rates from the Bank of England.
OPEC today sought to calm increasingly frenzied global energy markets when it predicted that world demand for oil would grow only modestly in 2008. It downplayed the need for extra production, citing greater energy efficiency, higher taxes and conservation as factors limiting the growth in demand [entry ends here].
energy :: sustainability :: ethanol :: biodiesel :: biofuels :: oil :: energy security :: inflation :: OPEC ::
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