<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Bioenergy Pro - 'THE' site for bioeneregy professionals]]></title><description><![CDATA[Articles]]></description><link>http://www.bioenergypro.com/</link><copyright><![CDATA[Copyright Bioenergy Pro - 'THE' site for bioeneregy professionals]]></copyright><generator>sNews CMS</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Fortum inaugurates new biomass CHP plant in Estonia]]></title><description><![CDATA[  Fortum's new biomass-fuelled CHP plant in Pärnu, Estonia, has been inaugurated. The plant, which uses local fuels such as woodchips, wood residues from industry and milled peat, has a production capacity of 24 MW of electricity and 50 MW of heat.  
  Its annual sales volume will be 110 GWh of electricity and 220 GWh of heat, which is expected to cover the district heating demand of all Pärnu.  
  In operation since November 2010, the Pärnu plant is Fortum's second CHP plant in Estonia that runs on local fuels.  
  The company estimates that 10 more towns in Estonia have the potential to adopt similar, but smaller capacity CHP plants in the future.  
  ‘Our new Pärnu CHP plant is highly efficient and environmentally friendly. The environmental impact from the production process of heat and electricity at the plant has been reduced to a minimum thanks to its fluidized bed technology boiler and local bio-fuels.  
  ‘This is well aligned with Fortum's strategy that aims at as low as possible carbon dioxide emissions in all production,’ said Per Langer, executive vice president, Fortum Heat Division.  
  The new plant has created 16 new positions in the operation of the plant and about 300 indirect jobs in the fuel purchase chain and other services for the plant.  
]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:19:00 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.bioenergypro.com/europe/fortum-inaugurates-new-biomass-chp-plant-in-estonia-922011/</link><guid>http://www.bioenergypro.com/europe/fortum-inaugurates-new-biomass-chp-plant-in-estonia-922011/</guid><author>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:19:00 +0000</author><comment></comment></item><item><title><![CDATA[Universal Bioenergy applies to list in Frankfurt]]></title><description><![CDATA[  Universal Bioenergy Inc. (Pink Sheets:UBRG), a natural and alternative energy company, announced today that it has started the application process to have its Company's stock listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Frankfurt, Germany. Subject to final approval of the application, Universal Bioenergy anticipates it would begin trading its common stock on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange early this year.  
  The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is owned and operated by the Deutsche Borse Group, and is one of largest trading exchanges for securities in the world. It is the largest of Germany's seven stock exchanges, and is the home of the DAX &quot;blue chip&quot; stock market index. Deutsche Borse Group also owns the international central securities depository company Clearstream, and with SIX Swiss Exchange, owns the European futures exchange Eurex. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is home to public companies from over 80 different countries with almost 40% from North America.  
  &quot;We're very excited about our application to be listed on one of the largest stock markets in the world. Many other Alternative Energy and Green Tech companies are listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. This will give us greater exposure on an international level to more than 250 international trading institutions, 4500 traders, many German investment bankers, broker dealers and investment advisors.   
  It should also expand our ability to raise capital for acquisitions through a larger pool of investors, increase our trading volume and liquidity, and enhance our reputation in the global marketplace. Although we cannot guarantee final approval for the exchange listing, we believe this is a very positive step, that will bring more value to our Company and our shareholders,&quot; says Universal's Vice President Solomon Ali.  
]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:18:00 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.bioenergypro.com/europe/universal-bioenergy-applies-to-list-in-frankfurt-922011/</link><guid>http://www.bioenergypro.com/europe/universal-bioenergy-applies-to-list-in-frankfurt-922011/</guid><author>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:18:00 +0000</author><comment></comment></item><item><title><![CDATA[Shell&#039;s algae biofuel shares bought out by Cellana]]></title><description><![CDATA[  Shell has stopped its efforts to partake in the algae biofuel industry after Cellana bought out its shares.  
  Cellana is a joint venture founded by Shell and HR Biopetroleum (HRBP).   
  Shell agreed through the transaction to give short-term funding to Cellana, which is now supported by stakeholders including the University of Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric Company, Maui Electric Company, the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts consortium and the US Department of Energy (DOE), reports Renewable Energy World.  
  “In keeping with Shell’s portfolio approach to the research, development and commercialization of advanced biofuels, this decision will allow Shell to focus on other options that have shown a better fit with Shell’s biofuel portfolio and strategy,” Shell said in its official response.  
  Last year, Shell Chief Technology Officer Gerald Schotman said his company was to taper the range of its research from the then-10 advanced biofuel technologies to five this year. This would let the company concentrate on the biofuels they consider most relevant toward establishing a lucrative future.  
  “Based on HRBP’s and Cellana’s results to date, we believe this technology holds great potential for the economical production of algae and algae-derived products for applications within the aquaculture and animal feed markets, as well as for the production of algal oil for conversion into biofuels,” said Ed Shonsey, HRBP CEO, reports Biofuels Digest.  
  Having already received all the permits it needs, Cellana can now build a processing facility. It will be located adjacent to Maui Electric Co’s Maalaea Power Plant.   
  Once the plant begins producing fuels in two to three years, it will burn algae biodiesel to create electricity.  
  Until that time, Cellana will keep its research and demonstration plants in Kona, Hawaii open.  
  “We’ve been working with Shell for a while, and we’d like to thank the company for its participation over the last few years and its willingness to enable us to do this,” said Cellana CEO Ed Shonsey.  
  In the meantime, Shell will be putting its efforts into its other biofuel ventures, such as a partnership with Cosan in Brazil for sugar-ethanol fuels, Iogen in Canada for the enzyme-based extraction of ethanol from straw, Codexis in the US for the development of stronger and faster fuel-production enzymes and a joint-technology scheme with Virent Energy Systems to turn plant sugars directly into high-energy liquid fuels.  
]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:17:00 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.bioenergypro.com/north_america/shells-algae-biofuel-shares-bought-out-by-cellana-922011/</link><guid>http://www.bioenergypro.com/north_america/shells-algae-biofuel-shares-bought-out-by-cellana-922011/</guid><author>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:17:00 +0000</author><comment></comment></item><item><title><![CDATA[Biofuel development needs to be shaped by laws]]></title><description><![CDATA[  We have recently seen debates on a proposed large-scale foreign investment for “jatropha” biodiesel crop in the Tana Delta area.  
  The debate is an indication that we need national policies to guide biofuel development and also large-scale leasing of community lands by foreign enterprises.  
  The debate on large-scale commercial jatropha farming in the Coast or elsewhere in Kenya for exports has more to do with policies on environment, community land leasing by foreign investors, and national food security.  
  It has less to do with energy policies as offshore biodiesel exports do not affect Kenya energy supply and demand balance.  
  Not so positive experiences from Tanzania on leasing of large tracts of community land for biofuel crops development may need to be analysed to advise Kenya on potential adverse social, environmental and economic effects.  
  Recent political upsets in Madagascar which were said to be partly influenced by large-scale leasing of community lands to foreign firms can also inform future Kenya policies.  
  Over the last few years, many countries have been reassessing their strategies on biofuels especially where biofuels developments are in direct competition with national food self sufficiency and where they interfere with existing primary forests.  
  The uncertainty on future global protocols on climate change, as the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, may also result in reduced enthusiasm on biofuels trade unless similar protocols are promulgated.  
  The Ministry of Energy has developed a yet to be published draft policy and strategy for biofuels.  
  There are two different types of biofuels, the biodiesel usually blended with petroleum diesel and bioethanol or power alcohol blended with gasoline.  
  The Kenya draft policy focuses mainly on biodiesel.  
  The bioethanol industry in Kenya received a regulatory boost last year when a 10 per cent blend of alcohol in gasoline was gazetted mainly for Western Kenya distribution.  
  Although alcohol blending with gasoline has yet to start being used in the market, we have seen indications of planned investments in power alcohol by a number of sugar firms in Kenya.  
  The sugar based bioethanol development is justified purely on its green and commercial economics.  
  It is common for the sugar industry across the world to integrate sugar, power alcohol and electricity cogeneration as a complimentary economic model for sugar sector development.  
  Potential carbon credits from the green energy (alcohol and co-generated electricity) under the CDM or any other future protocol will create extra cash flows for the sugar industry investors.  
  Cleaner energy  
  It is the biodiesel development that is starting to elicit debate here in Kenya.  
  Policy justification for biodiesel is to reduce use of biomass energy (charcoal and firewood) and conserve our national forest cover, while at the same time creating socioeconomic activities for the semi arid rural communities.  
  The draft policy and strategy for biodiesel in Kenya centers mainly around rural communities primarily in semi-arid areas, where locally grown diesel crops (jatropha, croton, castor etc) would provide affordable and cleaner alternative rural energy for lighting and heating using locally customised equipment.  
  The strategy also envisages surplus production of biodiesel being marketed through co-operative type of channels, and if sufficient critical mass is achieved, opportunities will be made for blending with petroleum based diesel.  
  However, a key caveat in the biodiesel strategy is that the diesel crops would not compete with food crops for land and water resources and this is the reason why only the semi-arid areas which are marginal in food production are targeted.  
  Understandably, the draft policy does not sufficiently address large-scale commercial diesel crop farming for exports.  
  Over the last few years, a number of scenarios have emerged in the world and also here in Kenya, and these may influence the direction of the draft biodiesel policy and strategy.  
  The key among them are the new experiences garnered on the target jatropha crop.  
  It is now reported that the jatropha plant, which has been the pillar of the biodiesel strategy, does not yield sufficiently in marginal semi arid areas as previously believed and that it requires water and fertiliser supplementation to give economic yields. Research is required here in Kenya to confirm assertions.  
  Secondly, there is increased urgency with national food security after the country experienced three successive serious droughts (2005/06, 2008/09, 2011) which appear to confirm permanent global warming effects on Kenya.  
  Many parts of our hitherto arable lands are now changing to semi-arid.  
  Areas previously defined as semi-arid are gradually becoming arid as desert encroachment becomes more of a reality.  
  Further, the recurrent droughts have prompted the government to put emphasis and budgetary commitments on irrigation and promotion of more drought resistant food crops for semi-arid areas.  
  We have also seen East African Breweries Limited promoting sorghum crop development in the Ukambani counties which are generally classified as semi-arid.  
  With this renewed focus on food crops in marginal areas, it is highly unlikely that the government will wish to emphasise promotion of biodiesel crops like jatropha in the same areas.  
  The government is likely to argue that intensified rural electrification and other customised solar gadgets will significantly sort our semi-arid areas energy needs especially for lighting.  
  The Ministry of Energy together with other relevant ministries need to reassess the biodiesel crops strategy to reflect these new developments.  
  Many farmers were encouraged to plant jatropha a few years ago and today they are waiting for guidance on what to do.  
]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:15:00 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.bioenergypro.com/africa/biofuel-development-needs-to-be-shaped-by-laws-922011/</link><guid>http://www.bioenergypro.com/africa/biofuel-development-needs-to-be-shaped-by-laws-922011/</guid><author>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:15:00 +0000</author><comment></comment></item><item><title><![CDATA[Biofuels Developer Gevo Raises $107 Million in Initial Public Offer]]></title><description><![CDATA[  Gevo Inc., the developer of biofuels backed by billionaires Vinod Khosla and Richard Branson, raised $107 million in a U.S. initial public offering, pricing its shares at the high end of the forecast range.  
  The Englewood, Colorado-based company sold 7.15 million shares at $15 each after offering them at $13 to $15 apiece, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and data compiled by Bloomberg. Proceeds will be used to buy and equip ethanol production facilities, the filing said.  
  Gevo is one of 10 companies trying to raise $3.3 billion after two deals were postponed this week and only six of 12 scheduled offerings priced the week ended Feb. 4, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Kinder Morgan Inc., the Houston- based pipeline company taken private in 2007, is the biggest IPO on the current calendar and will try to raise $2.3 billion Thursday after the Standard &amp; Poor’s 500 Index this week closed at its highest level since June 2008, the data show.  
  Gevo, 38 percent-owned by Khosla Ventures, the Menlo Park, California-based firm founded by billionaire Vinod Khosla, has had net losses totaling about $77 million since 2005, according to its SEC filing. Virgin Green Fund, backed by British billionaire Richard Branson, owns 15 percent of Gevo, the filing shows. Gevo is selling all of the shares in the offering.  
  UBS AG of Zurich, Minneapolis-based Piper Jaffray Cos. and Citigroup Inc. in New York led Gevo’s offering. The shares will start trading tomorrow on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker GEVO.  
]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:14:00 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.bioenergypro.com/north_america/biofuels-developer-gevo-raises-107-million-in-initial-public-offer-922011/</link><guid>http://www.bioenergypro.com/north_america/biofuels-developer-gevo-raises-107-million-in-initial-public-offer-922011/</guid><author>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:14:00 +0000</author><comment></comment></item></channel></rss>
