Valencia’s orange groves could soon be powering Spanish cars as a new technology is developed to turn the fruit’s peel into biofuel. In a region with 190,000 hectares covered with oranges and lemons – many of which are left to rot on the trees – citric-powered cars could reduce pollution while using a readily available … Read More
Biofuels
The Big Green Fuel Lie
Now the Independent newspaper has launched into biofuels with a front page lead in today’s paper. The biofuel bonanza is set to reach a landmark this week the US President, George Bush, arrives in Brazil to kick-start the creation of an international market for ethanol that could one day rival oil as a global commodity. … Read More
Shell’s Wood And Straw Biofuel
Shell plans to launch a new fuel made from wood chips and straw later this year from a pilot plant developed by Shell and Choren Industries, the German biofuel company. The synthetic diesel, made using a novel biomass-to-liquids (BTL) process, will shift the biodiesel industry into a higher gear by using waste plant material instead … Read More
BP Invests $500 Million In Biofuels Research
Oil giant, BP has selected a consortium led by the University of California, Berkeley for a $500 million research programme focusing mostly on clean energy and biofuels. “This is our generation’s moon shot,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau said at a press conference to announce the move. BP will allocate 80% of the money to … Read More
Devils in details: State of the Union
If you listened to, or read, President Bush’s speech last night, you might be thinking that a 20% reduction in gasoline use over the next decade sounds pretty good. That is, until you go to the White House website to read the details of the plan, in which they use a word the President conveniently … Read More
ConocoPhillips Produces “Renewable” Diesel
ConocoPhillips has started commercial production of “renewable” diesel fuel at the company’s refinery in Cork, Ireland. The refinery is currently producing 1,000 barrels of the fuel, which includes soybean and vegetable oils. The company argues it meets the European Union standards for diesel fuels.
Chevron and DOE Establish Alliance On Biofuels
Chevron may be reeling from being awarded a Greenwash award last week, but the company insists it is doing its bit for the environment. It has just announced a five-year strategic research alliance to advance the development of transportation biofuels with the U.S. Department of Energy.
South American Biofuel Boom Sparks Ecological Fears
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is aiming to turn his country into a biofuel superpower using ethanol and biodiesel. But environmentalists are warning that this could trigger a massive expansion of the agricultural frontier deeper into the Amazon, destroying habitat and biodiversity.
The Green Virgin or Green Conman?
Sir Richard Branson, the head of the Virgin group of companies, yesterday committed $3bn to “tackle” climate change. The billionaire pledged all profits from his Virgin air and rail interests over the next 10 years to combating rising global temperatures. However, the money will not go to charities but be invested in a new branch … Read More
Lib Dems Launch Green Tax Offensive
The World Bank may be meeting in Singapore, but in the UK the political party season has begun. First up it’s the Liberal Democrats. The environment and climate change will feature heavily like never before with the Tories and Lib Dems both trying to attract the green vote.