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    Kazakhstan will next year adopt laws to regulate its fledgling biofuel industry and plans to construct at least two more plants in the next 18 months to produce environmentally friendly fuel from crops, industry officials said. According to Akylbek Kurishbayev, vice-minister for agriculture, he Central Asian country has the potential to produce 300,000 tons a year of biodiesel and export half. Kazakhstan could also produce up to 1 billion liters of bioethanol, he said. "The potential is huge. If we use this potential wisely, we can become one of the world's top five producers of biofuels," Beisen Donenov, executive director of the Kazakhstan Biofuels Association, said on the sidelines of a grains forum. Reuters - November 30, 2007.

    SRI Consulting released a report on chemicals from biomass. The analysis highlights six major contributing sources of green and renewable chemicals: increasing production of biofuels will yield increasing amounts of biofuels by-products; partial decomposition of certain biomass fractions can yield organic chemicals or feedstocks for the manufacture of various chemicals; forestry has been and will continue to be a source of pine chemicals; evolving fermentation technology and new substrates will also produce an increasing number of chemicals. Chemical Online - November 27, 2007.

    German industrial conglomerate MAN AG plans to expand into renewable energies such as biofuels and solar power. Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson said services unit Ferrostaal would lead the expansion. Reuters - November 24, 2007.

    Analysts think Vancouver-based Ballard Power Systems, which pumped hundreds of millions and decades of research into developing hydrogen fuel cells for cars, is going to sell its automotive division. Experts describe the development as "the death of the hydrogen highway". The problems with H2 fuel cell cars are manifold: hydrogen is a mere energy carrier and its production requires a primary energy input; production is expensive, as would be storage and distribution; finally, scaling fuel cells and storage tanks down to fit in cars remains a huge challenge. Meanwhile, critics have said that the primary energy for hydrogen can better be used for electricity and electric vehicles. On a well-to-wheel basis, the cleanest and most efficient way to produce hydrogen is via biomass, so the news is a set-back for the biohydrogen community. But then again, biomass can be used more efficiently as electricity for battery cars. Canada.com - November 21, 2007.

    South Korea plans to invest 20 billion won (€14.8/$21.8 million) by 2010 on securing technologies to develop synthetic fuels from biomass, coal and natural gas, as well as biobutanol. 29 private companies, research institutes and universities will join this first stage of the "next-generation clean energy development project" led by South Korea's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy. Korea Times - November 19, 2007.

    OPEC leaders began a summit today with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez issuing a chilling warning that crude prices could double to US$200 from their already-record level if the United States attacked Iran or Venezuela. He urged assembled leaders from the OPEC, meeting for only the third time in the cartel's 47-year history, to club together for geopolitical reasons. But the cartel is split between an 'anti-US' block including Venezuela, Iran, and soon to return ex-member Ecuador, and a 'neutral' group comprising most Gulf States. France24 - November 17, 2007.

    The article "Biofuels: What a Biopact between North and South could achieve" published in the scientific journal Energy Policy (Volume 35, Issue 7, 1 July 2007, Pages 3550-3570) ranks number 1 in the 'Top 25 hottest articles'. The article was written by professor John A. Mathews, Macquarie University (Sydney, Autralia), and presents a case for a win-win bioenergy relationship between the industrialised and the developing world. Mathews holds the Chair of Strategic Management at the university, and is a leading expert in the analysis of the evolution and emergence of disruptive technologies and their global strategic management. ScienceDirect - November 16, 2007.

    Timber products company China Grand Forestry Resources Group announced that it would acquire Yunnan Shenyu New Energy, a biofuels research group, for €560/$822 million. Yunnan Shenyu New Energy has developed an entire industrial biofuel production chain, from a fully active energy crop seedling nursery to a biorefinery. Cleantech - November 16, 2007.

    Northern European countries launch the Nordic Bioenergy Project - "Opportunities and consequences of an expanding bio energy market in the Nordic countries" - with the aim to help coordinate bioenergy activities in the Nordic countries and improve the visibility of existing and future Nordic solutions in the complex field of bioenergy, energy security, competing uses of resources and land, regional development and environmental impacts. A wealth of data, analyses and cases will be presented on a new website - Nordic Energy - along with announcements of workshops during the duration of project. Nordic Energy - November 14, 2007.

    Global Partners has announced that it is planning to increase its refined products and biofuels storage capacity in Providence, Rhode Island by 474,000 barrels. The partnership has entered into agreements with New England Petroleum Terminal, at a deepwater marine terminal located at the Port of Providence. PRInside - November 14, 2007.

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) kicks off the meeting in Valencia, Spain, which will result in the production of the Synthesis Report on climate change. The report will summarize the core findings of the three volumes published earlier by the separate working groups. IPCC - November 12, 2007.

    Biopact's Laurens Rademakers is interviewed by Mongabay on the risks of large-scale bioenergy with carbon storage (BECS) proposals. Even though Biopact remains positive about BECS, because it offers one of the few safe systems to mitigate climate change in a drastic way, care must be take to avoid negative impacts on tropical forests. Mongabay - November 10, 2007.

    According to the latest annual ranking produced by The Scientist, Belgium is the world's best country for academic research, followed by the U.S. and Canada. Belgium's top position is especially relevant for plant, biology, biotechnology and bioenergy research, as these are amongst the science fields on which it scores best. The Scientist - November 8, 2007.

    Mascoma Corporation, a cellulosic ethanol company, today announced the acquisition of Celsys BioFuels, Inc. Celsys BioFuels was formed in 2006 to commercialize cellulosic ethanol production technology developed in the Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering at Purdue University. The Celsys technology is based on proprietary pretreatment processes for multiple biomass feedstocks, including corn fiber and distiller grains. The technology was developed by Dr. Michael Ladisch, an internationally known leader in the field of renewable fuels and cellulosic biofuels. He will be taking a two-year leave of absence from Purdue University to join Mascoma as the company’s Chief Technology Officer. Business Wire - November 7, 2007.

    Bemis Company, Inc. announced today that it will partner with Plantic Technologies Limited, an Australian company specializing in starch-based biopolymers, to develop and sell renewably resourced flexible films using patented Plantic technology. Bemis - November 7, 2007.

    Hungary's Kalocsa Hõerõmû Kft is to build a HUF 40 billion (€158.2 million) straw-fired biomass power plant with a maximum capacity of 49.9 megawatts near Kalocsa in southern Hungary. Portfolio Hungary - November 7, 2007.

    Canada's Gemini Corporation has received approval to proceed into the detailed engineering, fabrication and construction phases of a biogas cogeneration facility located in the Lethbridge, Alberta area, the first of its kind whereby biogas production is enhanced through the use of Thermal Hydrolysis technology, a high temperature, high pressure process for the safe destruction of SRM material from the beef industry. The technology enables a facility to redirect waste material, previously shipped to landfills, into a valuable feedstock for the generation of electricity and thermal energy. This eliminates the release of methane into the environment and the resultant solids are approved for use as a land amendment rather than re-entering the waste stream. In addition, it enhances the biogas production process by more than 25%. Market Wire - November 7, 2007.

    A new Agency to manage Britain's commitment to biofuels was established today by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly. The Renewable Fuels Agency will be responsible for the day to day running of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation, coming into force in April next year. By 2010, the Obligation will mean that 5% of all the fuels sold in the UK should come from biofuels, which could save 2.6m to 3m tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. eGov Monitor - November 5, 2007.

    Prices for prompt loading South African coal cargoes reached a new record last week with a trade at $85.00 a tonne free-on-board (FOB) for a February cargo. Strong Indian demand and tight supply has pushed South African prices up to record levels from around $47.00 at the beginning of the year. European DES/CIF ARA coal prices have remained fairly stable over the past few days, having traded up to a record $130.00 a tonne DES ARA late last week. Fair value is probably just below $130.00 a tonne, traders said. At this price, some forms of biomass become directly competitive with coal. Reuters Africa - November 4, 2007.

    The government of India's Harayana state has decided to promote biomass power projects based on gasification in a move to help rural communities replace costly diesel and furnace oil. The news was announced during a meeting of the Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA). Six pilot plants have demonstrated the efficiency and practicability of small-scale biomass gasification. Capital subsidies will now be made available to similar projects at the rate of Rs 2.5 lakh (€4400) per 100 KW for electrical applications and Rs 2 lakh (€3500) per 300 KW for thermal applications. New Kerala - November 1, 2007.


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Friday, November 30, 2007

EU makes available €1.75 billion for new research under 7th Framework Programme - emphasis on bioenergy and biofuels

The European Commission is today issuing calls for proposals in 32 research areas, making available about €1.75 billion from the 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7). Areas for support range from environmental science to sustainable transport, from biotechnology to nanotechnology. In the field of renewable energy the calls are mainly focused on bioenergy and biofuels. Other renewables retained for funding include hydropower and photovoltaics. No research calls were made for wind, geothermal, concentrated solar power or ocean power.

The FP7 calls for renewables seek to promote:
  1. new methods for the analysis of supply chains and the production of the full range of clean and carbon-efficient biofuels - gaseous, liquid and solid
  2. research into next-generation fuels from biomass such as lignocellulosic ethanol, syngas gas based fuels, pyrolysis-oil based biofuels and others
  3. improved systems to generate electricity from biomass, currently the most cost-effective form of renewable energy
  4. under the Collaborative Projects there are funds for joint research with Russia on biomass energy, and with Latin America on next-generation liquid biofuels
Further funds will be made available for the Marie Curie International Staff Exchange scheme, which will strengthen the relationships of European research organisations with their international counterparts, and there are specific calls for proposals working with researchers in India on materials and Russia on energy.
There is no time to lose in research. The EU's research framework programme has seen a smooth start in 2007, mobilising researchers from across Europe and beyond to compete with their best ideas and to cooperate in tackling many challenges. Today, we are continuing this effort and we call on all researchers to participate. - Janez Potocnik, European Science and Research Commissioner
There is a strong emphasis on international scientific collaboration in FP7, with all areas of research being open to partnerships including countries from outside the European Research Area. In addition there are some specific activities identified, such as joint research with India on materials science and with Russia on power generation from biomass and tools for large power systems. The sustainable production and analysis of supply chains of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels from biomass, especially next-generation fuels, is also a key research area to be funded.

Electricity from biomass
In the field of energy research there is the call for the development of improved biomass electricity generation systems (FP7-ENERGY-2008-1). Current costs of electricity from biomass are in the range of €0.05 – €0.08 /kWh. Development should aim at extending applications to a wider range of biomass materials by (1) solving specific problems hindering the use of biomass in direct co-firing and (2) addressing technical challenges for advanced biomass gasification systems for efficient power production.

Demonstrations should aim at medium to large scale bio-electricity systems, covering the whole process chain from sustainable feedstock supply over energy conversion to the recovery of by-products. Preference will be given to the ambitious use of biofuels with still high exploitation potentials such as forest residues, energy crops, agricultural residues including straw, refuse derived fuels etc. Medium-to-large scale power generation from organic waste also comprises mass burning of solid municipal waste as well as the separate use of pretreated and pre-separated municipal waste fractions.

Emphasis is put on innovations with high penetration potential throughout Europe while also paying due attention to overall sustainability aspects. Stakeholders relevant for the commercialisation of the innovation are expected to participate.

Proposals with bioenergy plants operating (at least partially) in combined heat and power (CHP) or combined heat, cooling and power (CCHP) will be preferred in case of similar performances in all other criteria.

The overall expected impact can be summarized thus: increased electricity production from biomass through the development and demonstration of improved biomass power generation and CHP plants which allow power generation costs below EUR 0.04 /kWh in 2020 whilst operating on a variety of sustainably produced biomass feedstocks.

Collaboration with Russia
A call for collaboration with Russia on research and technology development in the field of power generation from biomass is included as well. This collaborative research activity should be based on an assessment of ongoing research, the identification of best practices, gaps in knowledge, and barriers to implementation in both the EU and Russia. Expected impacts are an effective cooperation between key researchers and industries in the field of power generation from biomass, so as to foster the development and uptake of innovative methods and technologies to expand the use of biomass in power generation:
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

The typical consortium should be a partnership between EU and Russian teams. In order to ensure a balance between EU and Russian participants a minimum number of two participants established in Russia is requested. This is an eligibility criterion. The funding of all participants will follow the rules established for the Energy EU-Russia Call. Participants being established in the EU or in an associated country may jointly receive up to EUR 2 million from the European Commission and the Russian partners may jointly receive up to EUR 2 million from the Federal Agency for Science and Innovation. The project duration is normally 3 years.

Cooperation is encouraged between academic and industrial organisations from the EU and Russia which are actively involved in research and development on power generation from biomass.

Biofuel production and supply chains
Research into, development and demonstration of improved biofuel production systems and conversion technologies for the sustainable production and supply chains of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels from biomass (incl. biodegradable fraction of waste) receives funding. Emphasis should be on new types of biofuels in particular for transport and electricity as well as on new production, storage and distribution routes for existing biofuels, including the integrated production of energy and other added-value products through biorefineries.

Aiming to deliver ‘source to user’ carbon benefits, research will focus on improving energy efficiency, enhancing technology integration and use of feedstock. Issues such as feedstock logistics, pre-normative research and standardisation for safe and reliable use in transport and stationary applications will be included. To exploit the potential for renewable hydrogen production, biomass, renewable electricity and solar energy driven processes will be supported.

The structure and content of this Activity takes into consideration the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) of the Biofuels Technology Platform.

This research activity would facilitate the actual implementation of the Directive on the promotion of the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels for transport (2003/30/EC, O.J. L125, 17.05.2003).

Second generation biofuels from biomass
Second generation biofuels comprise a range of alternatives such as lignocellulosic ethanol, syngas gas based fuels, pyrolysis-oil based biofuels and others. Activities will cover process development and system integration focusing on the conversion process, with a view to improve cost-competitiveness of biofuels while minimising the environmental impact of biofuel production.

Results are expected to expand the biomass feedstock available for biofuel production, assisting the take-off of a large biofuel industry while helping to avoid food/fuel competition for the land use.

Technology developments should bring about substantial cost reduction to pave the way for large scale production of second generation biofuels by 2020, while improving the energy balance and environmental impact of biofuel production.

Enhancing international cooperation between the EU and Latin America in the field of biofuels
Proposals could address the characterisation of feedstock and pre-treatment technology, optimisation of the production processes for 1st and 2nd generation biofuels, sustainability issues and coproduction of biofuels and bioproducts (Open in call: FP7-ENERGY-2008-1)

This Collaborative Project with a predominant research component has the following expected impacts: the significant enhancement of the cooperation between key researchers and industries from the EU and Latin America in the field of biofuels.

This is a Specific International Cooperation Action. At least four legal entities must participate, two from EU Member States or Associated Countries, and two from Latin America. The consortium should include in a balanced way both Latin American and European partners with solid experience and competence in the field and strong project management skills. Key players in the consortium should have a proven track record of EU-LA collaboration. The partnership should demonstrate the added value of EU-LA collaboration in the proposed action. Expertise in the international context and knowledge of Latin America for European partners and vice-versa is important. Preference will be given to actions involving countries having a S&T bilateral agreement with the EU and/or specific arrangements.

CCS, smart energy networks
The new FP7 calls also focus on research into carbon capture and storage (CCS), and the wide range of issues that form part of this field: CO2 capture, CO2 transport and storage infrastructure development, public acceptance, the development of a suitable methodology for the qualification of deep saline aquifers for CO2 storage,

Further funds are available for research into smart energy networks, the development of interactive distribution energy networks, pan-European energy networks and infrastructures (gas), as well as into energy saving and efficiency in both the domestic as well as the industrial sector.


Under the grant scheme, the European Research Council will also be unveiling its new funding initiative, the Advanced Grant Scheme, opening the ERC for the first time to established researchers. Other areas covered are: research infrastructures; regions of knowledge; the role of science in society; and support to small and medium-sized companies.

A network of national contact points is availableto help researchers identify areas of interest and to help create the partnerships that are generally required for accessing European funding.

References:
European Commission, CORDIS: Seventh Research Framework Programme - Calls.

European Commission: Work Programme 2008, Cooperation Theme 5: Energy [*.pdf, manual download]- European Commission C(2007)5765 of 29 November 2007

AlphaGallileo: €1.75 billion of new research money available for European projects - November 30, 2007.

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Wealthy Commonwealth countries urged to help improve vital infrastructure facilities in poorer member countries


According to development economists and energy experts, bioenergy and biofuels offer major chances for rural development in the poor countries of the world. The new market may lift the bulk of the world's food insecure out of poverty, boost incomes, strengthen access to energy and reduce the impact of climate change. A large number of developing nations has an enormous potential for agricultural expansion - with huge countries like Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Angola or Mozambique utilizing less than 10 per cent of their potentially arable land -, but currently this is not being exploited. The reasons for this lack of investment are diverse, but one of the most obvious is the absence of the critical infrastructures needed to get food and biofuels to market: roads, railroads, waterways, ports.

A new report by the University of Nottingham now points at this core issue and urges wealthy Commonwealth nations such as the UK, Australia and Canada to help poorer member states improve these vital infrastructure facilities - it is, the researchers say, one of thes single best ways to lift them out of poverty and to turn them from a status of food and fuel importers into one of food and fuel exporters.

The report, Trading on Commonwealth Ties [*.pdf], produced by the Globalisation and Economic Policy Centre (GEP), which is based at the University of Nottingham, argues that investment in ports, rail and road facilities would make a substantial impact on exports and the strength of the economy in poorer countries: the economic model shows that in a country like Uganda, a 10 per cent improvement in trade-related infrastructure would raise the volume of exports to other Commonwealth countries by about 62 per cent. These are very large effects.
Arguably improving infrastructure is the most significant thing the Commonwealth can do to increase exports and imports between the partner nations. If you look at the roads and rail networks in many African countries you can see where the real barriers to trade lie. - professor Chris Milner, lead author, Globalisation and Economic Policy Centre
It is a true scandal that developing countries with a vast agricultural potential are food importers or rely on food aid, while in fact they should be major food and bioenergy exporters. The factors explaining this scandal, besides decrepit infrastructures, are multiple: unfair trade regimes with regions like the EU and the US subsidizing and protecting their farm sector, bad governance on the part of developing country governments (more here), the existence of a food aid industry and NGOs who thrive on it, lack of science and technology (S&T) capacity (previous post on the UNCTAD's call), and a general climate of political, financial and economic instability, to name but a few.

Researchers have found that if investments were made into modern agriculture and land in a single Commonwealth country like Zambia, all of Africa's food needs could be met. Projections about the sustainable biofuels and bioenergy potential have to be seen in this context: with basic investments in key infrastructures, agricultural science and modern inputs, Africa alone can produce more than 300 Exajoules worth of sustainable bioenergy for exports by 2050, after meeting all the food, feed, and fuel needs of its own growing populations (previous post and especially here). The entire world currently consumes around 200 Exajoules of oil.

In short, the problem of underdevelopment, food and energy insecurity or lack of agricultural expansion has no ground in a lack of carrying capacity, but is a purely man-made, economic and infrastructural problem. This also means we can change the situation. Biopact thinks that Africa's comparative advantages (land, climate, labor) and its vast scope for agricultural growth will make it the continent of the future. It will take time to develop the region's potential, but those not afraid to venture into this 'problematic' region - like China - are exactly undertaking one of the critical issues needed to unlock it: investing in infrastructures. The EU too has seen the need and recently proposed the creation of a €5 billion infrastructure fund for Africa.

The GEP report now urges highly Commonwealth countries to do the same. It was commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat's Economic Affairs Division to suggest ways to boost trade between Commonwealth nations. The 53 countries that make up the Commonwealth represent nearly one-third of the world's population, a quarter of the world's governments and one-fifth of all global trade. A quick list of selected African member states and their potential arable land, shows what the future may hold in store for food and bioenergy production if it can be exploited through upgraded infrastructures (graph, click to enlarge):
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

The GEP report values current annual intra-Commonwealth exports of goods at more than $US225 billion. It estimates that the UK exports $31.7bn (£15.5bn) of goods a year to Commonwealth countries.

Professor Milner, who is also the Head of the School of Economics at the University of Nottingham said the volume of trade taking place between Commonwealth nations shows that its value extends far beyond friendships and the Commonwealth Games. This trade is substantial. For a significant number of low-income and island economies, the Commonwealth is of considerable economic importance — for some countries, like Botswana, Namibia, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, around three-quarters of their international trade is with fellow Commonwealth nations.

The report further recommends that individual Commonwealth countries should negotiate favourable bi-lateral tariff deals between themselves, but warns against introducing a Commonwealth-wide free trade agreement in the near future.

Ransford Smith, the Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General thinks this is a timely and significant study. While the Commonwealth comprises some of the major global trading partners from both developed and developing countries, a large number of countries from Africa, Caribbean and Pacific regions have lagged behind in trade growth and haven't benefited as might have been expected from the robust trends of recent years. The situation, he said, calls for measures to address this challenge. This study provides important information and perceptive analyses as well as practical recommendations, such as the call to invest massively in infrastructures.

The Globalisation and Economic Policy Centre – is the major centre in Europe studying the impacts of globalisation and economic policy. One of the biggest of its kind in the world, the centre has an impressive international reputation, with its academics advising the Treasury, the OECD, the World Bank and the WTO. GEP is based at the University of Nottingham, and is substantially funded by grants from the Leverhulme Trust. In 2008 a branch of GEP will open at the University of Nottingham's Malaysia campus.

References:
Globalisation and Economic Policy Centre: Trading on Commonwealth ties: Review of the structure of Commonwealth trade and the scope for developing linkages and trade in the Commonwealth [*.pdf] - media release, November 2007.

University of Nottingham: Wealthy Commonwealth countries urged to help improve vital infrastructure facilities in poorer member countries — November 22 2007

Biopact: UNCTAD: poorest countries need investments in science and technology - July 19, 2007

Biopact: EU proposes €uro 5 billion aid for African infrastructure - July 16, 2006

Biopact: Opinion: the leading cause of hunger? Bad regimes - October 25, 2007

Biopact: IEA report: bioenergy can meet 20 to 50% of world's future energy demand - September 12, 2007

Biopact: A look at Africa's biofuels potential - July 30, 2006

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Neste Oil to build a €550 million NExBTL renewable diesel plant in Singapore: palm oil feedstock

Neste Oil announces it plans to invest approximately €550 million ($808 million) in building a plant in Singapore to produce NExBTL renewable diesel. The plant will have a design capacity of 800,000 tonnes per annum, making it the largest facility producing diesel fuel from renewable feedstocks anywhere on the planet. The investment forms part of Neste Oil’s strategic goal of becoming the world’s leading renewable diesel producer. The use of biofuels such as NExBTL is predicted to increase rapidly in developed economies over the next few years.

The fact that Neste chooses Singapore and palm oil from the region as its feedstock, demonstrates what Biopact has been saying: tropical countries will show their comparative advantages and become the new hubs for the biofuels of the future.

The plant will be based on Neste Oil’s proprietary NExBTL technology which is based on hydroprocessing fatty acids to yield a second generation, ultra-clean biofuel.
NExBTL technology is the first commercial new-generation renewable diesel production process, and can use any vegetable oil or animal fat as its input. The end-product is a premium-quality fuel that outperforms conventional fossil diesel fuel and can be used as such in existing vehicles and be distributed in existing logistics systems. (more here). The first NExBTL facility was commissioned in Finland at Neste Oil’s Porvoo refinery in summer 2007 (photo), and a second is due to come on stream there in 2009.

NExBTL renewable diesel is also a good performer in environmental terms. When produced from sustainably sourced raw materials, its total lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions are 40-60% less than those of conventional diesel fuel. In addition, NExBTL has lower tailpipe emissions, contributing to better air quality.

The main raw material planned for the Singapore plant will be palm oil. Neste Oil has committed itself to only using palm oil certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil as soon as sufficient quantities are available. Palm oil complying with the RSPO certification system, which was approved in November 2007, will probably be available from the early part of 2008 onwards.

Singapore is the world’s third-largest center of oil refining, and occupies a central location in terms of product and feedstock flows and logistics. This also gives Singapore excellent potential to develop into a center for Asian biofuel production. Singapore is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol and has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions:
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

The government of Singapore has played an important role in promoting Neste Oil’s investment, and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) has assisted Neste Oil at every stage of the preparations for the project. The EDB will also support the investment through e.g. R&D support and assistance with recruiting and training personnel.

Construction of the Singapore plant will begin in the first half of 2008, and the facility is due to be completed by the end of 2010. The plant will be built in the Tuas industrial zone in the southwest of the island, around 30 minutes from the centre of Singapore. The plant will be integrated into the area’s existing industrial infrastructure, and will make use of local site utilities and port and storage services. When operational, the plant will employ around 100 people.

Images: the NExBTL plant in Porvoo and palm oil fruits, feedstock for the new facility in Singapore. Credit: Neste Oil.

References:
Neste Oil: Neste Oil to build a NExBTL Renewable Diesel plant in Singapore - November 30, 2007.

Neste Oil: pictures of the Porvoo plant and palm oil plantations.

Biopact: Neste Oil to build a NExBTL Renewable Diesel plant in Singapore - November 30, 2007.

Biopact: Finland starts trials of Neste Oil's second-generation NExBTL biodiesel in buses - September 28, 2007

Biopact: Finnish oil major is considering jatropha oil for next-generation biodiesel - April 19, 2007



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