- Key Market Prices
- WTI Settles Higher Closing at US$91.54
- Public Policy
- Vehicle CO2 Emissions Likely to Jump 40-130% by 2050: Study
- CARB Unveils Low Carbon Fuel Standard Expert Reports
- CCS Gets Black Eye over Alleged CO2 Leakage
- Margins & Economics
- Essar Confirms Talks to Buy Shell’s Stanlow Refinery
- Chesapeake Energy to Reduce Long-Term Debt by 25%
- NYMEX WTI Ends 4% Higher on Week; February ICE Brent Expires
- Gulf Coast 3-2-1 Crack Spread Up 8% for Week Ending January 7
- Gulf Coast Aromatic Prices Remained Mostly Flat for Week Ending January 14
- Fuels & Processing
- Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Refiners Team-up on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Refueling
- Study: Plenty of Land for Biofuels
- Qteros, Praj Industries Partner for Cellulosic Ethanol Commercialization
- Dominion Considers PPG Site for Gas Processing, Fractionation Facility
- GTI, Criterion Ink ‘IH2’ Licensing Agreement
Fuels & Processing
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Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Refiners Team-up on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Refueling
Toyota, Nissan and Honda are teaming up with Japan refiners including JX Nippon, Idemitsu Kosan and Cosmo Oil to build some 100 hydrogen refueling stations in Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka.
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Study: Plenty of Land for Biofuels
Researchers at the University of Illinois, Champaign, have found that biofuel crops cultivated on available land could produce up to half the world’s current fuel needs, leaving plenty for food crops or pastureland for livestock.
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Qteros, Praj Industries Partner for Cellulosic Ethanol Commercialization
Qteros, Inc., developer of a unique and highly efficient Consolidated Bioprocessing (CBP) platform for the lowest cost production of cellulosic ethanol, and Praj Industries Ltd., a leader in the development of innovative technology and engineering solutions for the production of biofuels and biochemicals, on January 4 announced a strategic partnership to accelerate commercialization efforts for industrial-scale cellulosic ethanol production.
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Dominion Considers PPG Site for Gas Processing, Fractionation Facility
Virginia-based electric utility Dominion Resources, Inc., announced January 12 that it has reached an agreement with PPG Industries, a global supplier of paints, coatings, chemicals and specialty materials based in Pittsburgh, on an option for Dominion to purchase land at PPG’s Natrium, W.Va., site for the construction of a natural gas processing and fractionation facility.
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GTI, Criterion Ink ‘IH2’ Licensing Agreement
Gas Technology Institute (GTI) announced January 13 that it signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with CRI/Criterion for GTI’s “Integrated Hydropyrolysis and Hydroconversion” (IH2) technology.
Feature
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USDA’s Baumes Discusses 2011 Biofuels Landscape
Both political and economic devices designed to support the biofuels industry are needed more than ever, with a tough economy, a new government and an industry that’s still reeling from the downturn seen over the past year. Harry Baumes, recently-promoted director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Energy Policy and New Uses under the Office of the Chief Economist, spoke to Ethanol & Biofuels News to share his thoughts on what the political landscape related to biofuels is facing in the coming year and some of the initiatives USDA has in place and is pursuing in order to help bring the industry forward.
Key Market Prices
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WTI Settles Higher Closing at US$91.54
Transportation & Logistics
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Ford: Easy-to-Install Home EV Charging System
Ford announced January 13 that the 240-volt electric vehicle (EV) charging system for its new Focus EV will requite relatively simple installation, compared to competitor systems.
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Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Power Biofuel Tests for U.S. Air Force
A Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 engine recently powered its first biofuel test flight of a U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., the company announced January 6.
Margins & Economics
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Essar Confirms Talks to Buy Shell’s Stanlow Refinery
Essar Oil Ltd. of India is still negotiating to buy the Stanlow refinery in the U.K., and this confirmation reportedly comes from the buyer’s side.
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Chesapeake Energy to Reduce Long-Term Debt by 25%
Chesapeake Energy Corp. officials announced plans to reduce the company’s long-term debt by 25% over the next two years by substantially reducing leasehold spending and various asset monetizations by utilizing the advantages of its strong asset base, which it called the industry’s largest U.S. natural gas and oil resource base.
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NYMEX WTI Ends 4% Higher on Week; February ICE Brent Expires
NYMEX light sweet crude for February delivery settled at US$91.54 per barrel (/bbl), up 14¢ on January 14, on the back of a rally in the refined products complex.
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Gulf Coast 3-2-1 Crack Spread Up 8% for Week Ending January 7
The 3-2-1 crack spread for the Gulf Coast was up 8% and the New York 3-2-1 crack spread advanced 12% for the week ending January 7.
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Gulf Coast Aromatic Prices Remained Mostly Flat for Week Ending January 14
U.S. Gulf Coast aromatic spot prices remained mostly flat while other markets were mixed for the week ending January 14.
Public Policy
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Vehicle CO2 Emissions Likely to Jump 40-130% by 2050: Study
A new study financed by the European Commission (EC) finds that global vehicle carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are likely to jump by 40% to 130% by 2050, despite “low-carbon” technology advancements such as electric hybridization.
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CARB Unveils Low Carbon Fuel Standard Expert Reports
California Air Resources Board announced January 14 that it has now posted new “expert work group” documents to its “low carbon fuel standard” Web site.
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CCS Gets Black Eye over Alleged CO2 Leakage
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is seen by many as a crucial enabler for “green” technologies including integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and coal-based synthetic natural gas (SNG). But the scheme is getting bad press in Saskatchewan, Canada.
