Biofuels and feedstocks
Overview
As governments continue their attempts to lower emissions in line with international targets, demand for biofuels is increasing significantly. Global biofuels output is expected to rise by more than 3mn b/d in the next five years, and such rapid growth means that new threats and opportunities are constantly emerging. Staying on top of the ever-changing biofuels landscape is becoming more challenging.
The Argus biofuels solution provides in-depth pricing and market analysis across the entire global renewable fuel supply chain, from original feedstock to finished fuel – with prices and key insights into regional biodiesel, ethanol and feedstock markets, and more.
Latest biofuels news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global biofuels industry.
Neste to supply renewable chemical feedstock to PCS
Neste to supply renewable chemical feedstock to PCS
London, 18 November (Argus) — Finland's Neste will supply Singapore-based chemicals company PCS with renewable material feedstock for production of plastics. The Neste RE material will be supplied to PCS for use at a site on Jurong Island, Singapore. Neste RE is based on waste products including used cooking oil (UCO) or waste residues from vegetable oil processing. PCS produces ethylene, propylene and butadiene for consumers across Asia-Pacific. The first deliveries from PCS will include butadiene, the company said. Initial buyers include Mitsubishi, Toray Plastics in Malaysia and Synthomer. Neste previously said beverage maker Suntory will produce PET bottles derived from bio-paraxylene converted from bio-naphtha by the Finnish refiner. By George Barsted Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Adv Fame marine blend premiums to fossil hit year lows
Adv Fame marine blend premiums to fossil hit year lows
London, 15 November (Argus) — The premiums of advanced fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) 0 ARA marine biodiesel blends to fossil fuel counterparts were marked at 2024 lows on 14 November, according to Argus assessments. Calculated B30 Advanced Fame 0 dob ARA prices fell by $31.54/t to $623.25/t, the lowest since March 2023. Calculated B100 Advanced Fame 0 dob ARA values tumbled by $102.77/t to just over $820/t, their lowest since 22 November last year. Consequently, the outright premium held by the B30 blend against very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) dob ARA narrowed by $30.54/t on the day to $123.25/t on 14 November — its narrowest since 29 December 2023. B100 held a $158.52/t premium to marine gasoil (MGO) dob ARA, down by $106.77/t on the day and its lowest premium this year. EU emissions trading system (ETS) prices were assessed at $71.79/t on 14 November. Accounting for EU ETS costs on the same day, ETS-inclusive premiums held by Advanced Fame blends against their fossil counterparts hit their lowest since the introduction of EU ETS into maritime at the turn of the year. B30 Advanced Fame 0's ETS-incorporated premium against VLSFO narrowed by $31.27/t to $96.11/t on the day to 14 November. B100 Advanced Fame 0's premium against MGO dropped by $109.28/t to $66.45/t when ETS costs were accounted for. Advanced Fame marine biodiesel blend values declined with thin spot demand owing to a shift in voluntary demand east of Suez. As a result, containerships seeking to deliver proof of sustainability (PoS) documentation to their customers, to offset the latter's scope 3 emissions, shifted their marine biodiesel demand to Singapore when feasible. PoS can be obtained on a mass-balance system, allowing shipowners flexibility with regards to the port at which a blend can be bunkered. Lacklustre demand for the blends was complimented by soaring values for Dutch renewable tickets. The calculated Advanced Fame dob ARA range prices incorporate a deduction for HBE-Gs. These are a class of Dutch renewable fuels units, or HBEs, used by companies that bring liquid or gaseous fossil fuels into general circulation and are obligated to pay excise duty/energy tax on fuels. Dutch renewable HBE-G tickets were marked at €22/GJ on 14 November, their highest since Argus assessments began. Soaring HBE-G values were attributed](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2628738) to gains in European hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) prices, tight supply because of a decline in tickets from biofuels used in shipping and less overall biofuel blending in the fourth quarter. By Hussein Al-Khalisy Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Advanced Fame ARA marine biodiesel blends hit 2024 lows
Advanced Fame ARA marine biodiesel blends hit 2024 lows
London, 14 November (Argus) — Marine biodiesel blends comprising Advanced Fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) 0 hit their lowest prices so far this year on 13 November, according to Argus assessments. Calculated B30 Advanced Fame 0 dob ARA prices fell by $15.05/t to $654.79/t, the lowest since 14 December 2023. Calculated B100 Advanced Fame 0 dob ARA values tumbled by $70.60/t to $922.79/t, their lowest since 29 December 2023. The calculated dob ARA range prices incorporate a deduction for HBE-Gs. These are a class of Dutch renewable fuels units, or HBEs, used by companies that bring liquid or gaseous fossil fuels into general circulation and are obligated to pay excise duty/energy tax on fuels. The sharp drop in blend values came despite firming prices in Advanced Fame 0 fob ARA range values, which rose by $11.50/t to $1,481.25/t on 13 November — their highest since 8 July. Fossil markets also rebounded from recent drops that day, with front-month Ice Brent crude futures and gasoil futures contracts edging higher by 16:30 BST. Market participants had pointed to sluggish demand for European marine biodiesel blends in recent sessions, which may have added pressure on Advanced Fame 0 blend prices. HBE-G values have soared, weighing on the blend values for which it is accounted as a deduction. Prices for 2024 HBE-Gs had almost doubled on the month at €18.75-18.95/GJ by 13 November, up from €9.70-9.90/GJ four weeks prior. Market participants attributed the increase in 2024 prices to recent gains in European hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) prices, tight supply because of a decline in tickets from biofuels used in shipping and less overall biofuel blending in the fourth quarter. HBE-Gs surpassed the like-for-like cost physical blending of HVO class IV by 13 November, albeit marginally, which could encourage physical blending. But high demand in a tightly supplied market in the Netherlands is continuing to drive HVO prices higher. The supply tightness is the result of a combination of fewer imports, with provisional anti-dumping duties in place on Chinese volumes, and some production problems. Italy's Eni confirmed on 7 November that it has halted output at its Gela HVO unit on Sicily, for planned maintenance. Finnish producer Neste said it stopped production at its plant in Rotterdam because of a fire on 8 November. France's TotalEnergies said that the shutdown of unspecified units at its La Mede plant would result in flaring on 8 November. By Hussein Al-Khalisy and Evelina Lungu Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Singapore bunker sales jump 19.5pc in October
Singapore bunker sales jump 19.5pc in October
Singapore, 14 November (Argus) — Bunker fuel demand at the port of Singapore rose by 19.5pc on the month to 4.8mn t in October, supported by stronger enquiries from shipowners. It takes total bunker consumption at the port to 45.3mn t in the first 10 months of the year, putting Singapore on course to break last year's record high sales of 51.8mn t. The latest statistics release from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) show consumption of both conventional and alternative marine fuels rose strongly last month as more ships refuelled in Singapore. Bio-bunkers and B24 demand hit a new record monthly high of 116,200t, taking the total for January-October to 586,500t. Consumption has already exceeded last year's 518,000t, driven by shipping emissions compliance requirements set by the EU and IMO. Demand for B24 is expected to steadily rise in the coming months ahead of the implementation of the FuelEU regulations from January 2025. Demand for LNG as a marine fuel at the port of Singapore increased by 37pc from September to 50,600t in October, which was also a new record high for monthly consumption. "In general, we are seeing bigger enquiries in the last month or so," said a London-based trader. Sales of very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) in Singapore rose by 11.8pc from September to 2.5mn t last month, while high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) consumption jumped by 11pc to 1.8mn t. By Mahua Chakravarty Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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