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Buenos Aires will trial the use of B100 biodiesel on one of its major public transport routes by the end of this year, local press reported, another initiative aimed at hiking domestic demand for one of its main agricultural commodities.

Denmark’s 2030 energy plan that was approved by the country’s parliament last week has earmarked DKK 4 billion (EUR550 million) for the delivery of biogas to the gas grid or the transport sector, but producers and consumers of renewable gas will have to wait for details on how the transport market can benefit.

SAS and advanced biofuels producer Preem have signed a tentative deal to produce renewable aviation fuel as part of the Scandinavian airline’s ambition to use biofuels in domestic flights by 2030.

Global production of biofuels is expected to grow at much slower pace in the coming decade than in the 10 years previously, mainly because of a slower rate of growth in blending mandates, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in an outlook this week.

One of the UK's biggest ethanol plants has re-opened after a planned 21-day maintenance, with the side-benefit of helping to alleviate a chronic shortage of industrial carbon dioxide that has threatened to halt production in the country's food and drinks sector.

A major study on the impact of palm oil on deforestation and biodiversity has warned a move away from its use would mean that other environmentally-damaging vegetable oils would need to fill the gap, with potentially serious environmental consequences for countries in Africa and Latin America.

Sweden’s new biofuels obligation comes into force on 1 July, which will require fuel suppliers to reduce emissions by 2.6% in gasoline and 19.3% in diesel, potentially paving the way for a substantial increase in biofuels.

The main US ethanol lobby has given a frosty response to a 3% increase in the US biofuels blending mandate, which it said was undermined by exemptions granted to small refiners.

Identifying the biofuels content of gasoline and diesel at the pump, and the ability of new vehicles to use these fuels, will become much easier as EU-wide labelling laws come into force later this year.

Czech chemicals company Chemoprojekt said on June 19 that it will soon start production of biofuels based on used cooking oil, the first company in the central European country to invest in second-generation biofuels.

Talks on the UN aviation agency ICAO’s greenhouse gas reduction scheme may fail to agree guidelines on the use of biofuels and carbon offsets next week, prolonging uncertainty for fuels suppliers who are looking for clearer investment signals to emerge.

Palm oil producers in south-east Asia will have limited scope to find replacement markets after the EU begins a likely phase-down of the commodity’s use in biofuels after 2023, mainly because China and India are keen to protect domestic farmers.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is to propose a biofuels blending mandate of 19.88-billion gallons for 2019 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), an increase of 3% from the 2018 level, Reuters reported on 22 June.

The government of Argentina’s Santa Fe province has launched an initiative through which half of the bus fleet in the city of Rosario will use biodiesel.

China’s Commerce Ministry said on 16 June it will impose import duties of 25% on at least 545 US products, among them ethanol, that will go into effect in three weeks – retaliation for a new round of duties imposed against Chinese goods by the Trump administration. 

In an overwhelming vote in favour, Brazil’s Senate has approved a bill to allow cane mills to sell ethanol directly to retailers which, if cleared by the lower house, would break up the country’s current fuel distribution oligopoly.

Seven UK companies will receive a share of £2 million to develop proposals for advanced biofuels that would be used in aviation and road freight, the UK's Department for Transport said on June 18. 

Producers of first generation biofuels are weighing the impact of the EU's new Renewable Energy Directive, which is likely to grant them some concessions but also agreed advanced biofuels, electric vehicles and other fuels, such as biomethane and hydrogen, should have a much larger share.

Swedish automotive firm Scania and French transport company RATP are planning to use biogas for a mass transit scheme for Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, in what could be one of the biggest transport biomethane projects in Africa.  

EU institutions have agreed to cap the use of crop-based biofuels at 7%, set a 14% threshold for renewable fuels and will gradually phase out most palm oil and some imported soy by 2030.