News Update - 10/20

News Update:

• Two more fuels are added to the list of renewable diesel types that fall under UK RTFO (Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation) - http://www.greenbang.com/5760/government-takes-more-cautious-approach-to-biofuels/:
  -- biobutanol renewable diesel
  -- hydrogenated renewable diesel

• The U.K. proposed pushing back a target for mixing biofuels with road fuel and will fund 6 million pounds ($10.5 million) of research to address concern that biofuel production may have damaging environmental and social impacts. (http://bioenergy.checkbiotech.org/news/2008-10-16/U.K._to_slow_biofuel_target_on_environmental_concerns/)
• Impact to environment: "Biodiesel - the most destructive crop on earth?
  Palm oil produces significantly better yields than other crops and so is a favoured source of biodiesel. It is grown mainly in South East Asia, where ancient rainforest is commonly cleared and peat bogs drained to make way for plantations, both processes leading to the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide. Indonesia has already established some six million hectares of oil palm plantations and plans a further 20 million. A recent Friends of the Earth report found that between 1985 and 2000, oil-palm plantations were responsible for an estimated 87% of deforestation in Malaysia. As a result, 90% of the orang-utan's habitat has been destroyed, threatening extinction within twelve years.(5) " - http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/FreeBuyersGuides/traveltransport/diesel.aspx

• Another Renewable Diesel Producer - New Generation BioFuels: "Based on current projections of sales and timing to complete financing, New Generation Biofuels (NGB) expects to complete construction of the first 25 million gallon per year facility in the first quarter of 2009 and to launch production shortly thereafter. Once completed, NGB expects the facility to have a production capacity of up to 50 million gallons of second-generation biofuel a year to serve potential customers in Maryland and the mid Atlantic region. " (http://www.newgenerationbiofuels.com/technology.php)