According to BP's annual 'Statistical Review of World Energy 2006' released yesterday, ethanol production increased 10% in 2005 to 16 million tons and made up 0.4% of world transport fuel consumption.

VeraSun Energy Corporation, America'a second largest ethanol producer, rose by 30% yesterday on their debut in New York. The spectacular opening for VeraSun affected other biofuel producers, among them Pacific Ethanol, rising 10%.  Fears over security of supply and high prices for petroleum products are fuelling a scramble to invest in alternative energy producers worldwide.

London, June 14 - BP has announced today that it plans to spend USD $500 million over the next ten years to establish a dedicated biofuels research laboratory attached to a major academic centre in the US or UK, the first facility of its kind in the world.

Washington, June 7 - Delivering the keynote speech at the WorldWatch Institute conference “Biofuels for Transportation: Global Potential and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture, Energy, and Security in the 21st Century”, Paul Wolfowitz singled out Brazil's President Lula for special praise for his efforts on behalf of Brazil's biofuels market.

Under an ambitious government plan, China aims to produce 12 million tons of biofuels, including ethanol and biodiesel, annually by 2020.  This will account for 15 percent of the nation’s transportation fuel use.

The EU has issued a 'Call for Proposals' for bioenergy projects to help the poor. The European Commission has approved US $276 million (EU €220 million) for the ACP-EU Energy Facility. This will allow the Commission to co-finance selected biofuel and bioenergy projects contributing to sustainable energy services in the African, Caribbean and Pacific Island countries. The €220 million is the largest single allocation ever made by the EU for energy projects in the ACP countries.  The 'Call for Proposals' takes place on the 19th June.

Donald, Victoria, June 13 - Farmer and entrepreneur Josh Pearse is making waves in the Australian state of Victoria.  Josh, along with partners Alisdair Turnbull and James Matthews, started Mission Diesel in 2003, and currently produce 100,000 litres annually using locally grown canola (rapeseed) and tallow.  Realising that to get the business to the next stage would require funding, they approached Peter Walsh, MP for Swan Hill.

If you want to see the future of sustainable transport, look to Brazil. While in 2004, ethanol blended into gasoline made up only 2 percent of all fuel sold in the United States, the South American country of Brazil already relies heavily on such alcohol-based fuels. The fuel—hydrated alcohol derived from sugar cane—powers more than two million of Brazil’s cars and produces no benzene or sulfur emissions, and very little carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.