A study on the sustainability of a halophytes as candidates for renewable jet fuel feedstock has been commissioned by Boeing and Honeywell's UOP, both affilaites of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group. In a statement released today (6th October) Boeing said that the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi will lead the study, which will examine the overall potential for sustainable, large-scale production of biofuels made from salicornia bigelovii and saltwater mangroves - plants known as halophytes.

A group of advanced biofuels producers has set up a new trade association, the Low Carbon Synthetic Fuels Association (LCSFA), it was announced last week. The body was set up, it says, to address existing legislative and regulatory inequities that have slowed or even hindered the development of advanced biofuels.

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today (5th October) released a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer, chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, asking that recently drafted cap-and-trade legislation be amended to clearly state that biofuels, including the biofuel component of fuel blends, are not obligated under the emissions cap. Climate change legislation, argues, BIO, should not subject biofuels to double jeopardy in greenhouse gas emission regulation, since they are already regulated under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Process technology, developed by UOP, will be used to produce up to 600,000 gallons of renewable jet fuel from algae, animal fats and camelina for the US Navy and Air Force according to a statement eleased by the comapny today (1st October). The deal, awarded by the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), saw three feedstock providers awarded contracts to provide the biofuel.

A new power station that will use wood chip to produce electricity has been given the go ahead by the UK's Environment Agency. In announcement made today (30th September) the Environment Agency explained that the Prenergy plant, will be built in Port Talbot, South Wales and will produce electricity enough electricity of 500,000 home. It will be, says the Agency, Britain’s largest biomass power plant.

Swedish biofuels technology developer Chemrec has been awarded an investment grant of up to SEK 500 million ($73 million) to develop an industrial scale demonstration plant of its process to produce the renewable motor fuels BioDME and Biomethanol. The grant, from the Swedish Energy R&D Board, will be used to build the demonstartion plant at the company's Domsjö Fabriker biorefinery in Örnsköldsvik.

The sub-Saharan African biofuels market, is set to earn revenues of $26.9 million in 2009 growing to $229.9 million in 2017, according to the latest report from analysts Frost & Sullivan. Despite serious challenges to its development, says the company, the sub-Saharan African biofuels market should experience rapid growth in the next five years.

The international standards agency ASTM has released a new specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons ASTM D7566. This initial version of ASTM D7566, says the authority, provides criteria for the production, distribution and use of aviation turbine engine fuel produced from coal, natural gas or biomass using the Fischer-Tropsch process.