Ampol, Graincorp, IFM to study Australia SAF production

: Agriculture, Biofuels, Oil products
24/07/30

London-based fund manager IFM Investors and major east coast Australian grain aggregator GrainCorp will partner with Australian refiner and retailer Ampol to explore establishing an integrated renewable fuels business.

Ampol and IFM plan to assess the feasibility of producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel at the site of Ampol's 109,000 b/d Lytton refinery at the port of Brisbane, in Queensland state, Ampol said on 30 July.

The firms will work with GrainCorp on the supply of feedstocks, including additional crushing capacity to supply canola oil, to the potential plant.

The collaboration builds on an IFM-GrainCorp initial agreement signed last year, where the firms pledged to begin developmental plans for a 720,000 t/yr SAF facility.

With domestic feedstock potential for about 5bn litres/yr of SAF, Australia could become a major producer, the nation's federal science agency CSIRO has said. GrainCorp is a significant exporter of canola oil, tallow and used cooking oil for biofuel production.

Canberra has allocated funds for a low-carbon liquid fuel industry development plan in recent months, agreeing to develop a certification scheme to help establish domestic output.

Australia's aviation white paper which is due for release mid-year is expected to provide further strategic direction on the role of SAF and other emerging technologies in the sector.

Australia's jet fuel imports in 2024 have averaged 127,000 b/d, according to Australian Petroleum Statistics (APS), with Australia's domestic refineries producing 26,000 b/d of jet fuel during the same period.

APS data shows diesel imports of 514,000 b/d for the first five months of 2024, with refineries producing 73,000 b/d.

By Tom Major

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25/05/06

India launches attacks on Pakistan

Houston, 6 May (Argus) — India's military said it launched attacks today against nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in retaliation for an April terrorist attack that killed dozens. India's ministry of defense said its strikes were a "precise and restrained response" to a 22 April incident near Pahalgam in Kashmir where 26 tourists were killed. They were focused on "terrorist infrastructure sites", the ministry said on the social media site X in a post Tuesday at 4:49pm ET. "Importantly, no Pakistani military facilities were hit, reflecting India's calibrated and non-escalatory approach," the ministry said. The government of Pakistan said on its own X account that five sites had been hit in the attacks. "Pakistan has every right to respond forcefully to this act of war imposed by India, and a forceful response is being given," the Pakistan government wrote. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Existenz von suspendiertem HVO-Hersteller fraglich

25/05/06

Existenz von suspendiertem HVO-Hersteller fraglich

Hamburg, 6 May (Argus) — Die Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung stellt die Existenz eines HVO-Herstellers, der im April vom Biomasseregister Nabisy gesperrt wurde, in Frage. Kürzlich durchgeführte Untersuchungen würden darauf hinweisen. Die vorübergehend eingefrorenen Nachhaltigkeitszertifikate des Herstellers wurden wieder freigegeben. Argus identifizierte den betroffenen Hersteller als EcoSolution Limited. Die Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE) sperrte Mitte April den Nabisy-Zugang des Biokraftstoffherstellers , um eine Untersuchung auf Grundlage von Beweisen von Marktteilnehmern durchzuführen. Dabei hat die BLE mit der Zertifizierungsstelle ISCC zusammengearbeitet. Diese hatte dem suspendierten Nutzer am 8. Januar die Zertifizierung entzogen und ihn aufgrund mangelnder Kooperation mit dem ISCC-Integritätsprogramm für 48 Monate vom System ausgeschlossen. EcoSolution Limited gab an, hydriertes Pflanzenöl (HVO) aus Rohtallöl, Altspeiseöl und Öl aus Altbleicherde herzustellen. Das Unternehmen war auf seinem ISCC-Zertifikat mit Sitz in den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten aufgeführt, gab für das Audit – das laut Auditunterlagen am 5. September 2024 von der Zertifizierungsstelle Certi W Baltic durchgeführt wurde – jedoch eine Adresse in Hongkong an. Die BLE hat angekündigt, dass sie derzeit strafrechtliche Schritte prüft. Argus konnte keinen Biokraftstoffhersteller namens EcoSolution Limited für eine Stellungnahme ausfindig machen. Die BLE äußerte den Verdacht, dass der betroffene Hersteller seine gesamten Nachhaltigkeitsnachweise (PoS) auf das Nabisy-Konto eines Lieferanten gebucht habe, dessen Zertifizierungsunterlagen eine Adresse in den Niederlanden ausweisen. Der entsprechende Auditbericht des niederländischen Unternehmens weise jedoch dieselbe Adresse wie EcoSolution in Hongkong aus. Die ISCC-Zertifizierung des niederländischen Lieferanten ist noch aktiv, die BLE hat jedoch erhebliche Zweifel an der Existenz des Unternehmens. Bei dem niederländischen Lieferanten könnte es sich um das Unternehmen AEY Trading handeln. Laut ISCC-Auditunterlagen erhielt AEY Trading am selben Tag wie EcoSolution die ISCC-Zertifizierung "Händler mit Lagerhaltung", ebenfalls von Certi W Baltic. Aus der Auditzusammenfassung von Certi W geht hervor, dass AEY am 8. September von demselben Auditor wie EcoSolution vor Ort geprüft wurde. Argus bat Certi W Baltic und ISCC um eine Stellungnahme, erhielt jedoch bis zum Zeitpunkt der Veröffentlichung keine Antwort. Alle vom suspendierten Hersteller ausgestellten und vorübergehend eingefrorenen PoS wurden freigegeben und bleiben gemäß dem sogenannten "Vertrauensschutzprinzip" der deutschen Biokraftstoff-Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung, die Käufer im Biokraftstoffmarkt schützt, gültig. Um betroffene PoS, die an andere Marktteilnehmer verkauft wurden, zu löschen, müsste die BLE nachweisen, dass dem Käufer ein Betrugsfall im Zusammenhang mit dem gekauften Produkt bekannt war. "Das ist in der Praxis so gut wie unmöglich", so der deutsche Biokraftstoffverband VDB. "Der Vertrauensschutz ist zu einem Freifahrtschein für mangelnde Sorgfalt und fehlende Verantwortung geworden. Europäische Akteure müssen heute keine Konsequenzen befürchten, wenn sie billige Biokraftstoffe zweifelhafter Herkunft kaufen", erklärte der Verband gegenüber Argus . Er fordert eine dringende Reform des entsprechenden Gesetzesteils, um der BLE mehr Macht bei der Rücknahme gefälschter Nachhaltigkeitsnachweise einzuräumen. Marktteilnehmer erklären, dass quotenverpflichtete Unternehmen hingegen froh darüber sind, dass die PoS wieder freigegeben wurden. Im Falle einer endgültigen Sperrung der Nachweise wären diese sehr wahrscheinlich auch gerichtlich dagegen vorgegangen. Die Panik hat sich damit nun erstmal gelegt, Käufer für THG- Zertifikate sind jedoch vorsichtig geworden und sind im Laufe des Tages 10 €/t CO2eq mit ihren Bids für "Andere" Zertifikate heruntergegangen. Von Svea Winter, Sophie Barthel & Simone Burgin Senden Sie Kommentare und fordern Sie weitere Informationen an feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

US EIA will not release international outlook in 2025

25/05/06

US EIA will not release international outlook in 2025

Washington, 6 May (Argus) — The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) no longer expects to publish one of its major energy reports this year after losing some of its staff through President Donald Trump's efforts to downsize the federal workforce. The EIA does not plan to publish its International Energy Outlook (IEA) — which models long-term global trends in energy supply and demand — this year because of a loss of staff responsible for producing the report, according to an internal email initially reported by the news outlet ProPublica . The EIA confirmed the authenticity of the email. "At this point, you can assume that we will not be releasing the IEO this year," the EIA's Office of Energy Analysis assistant administrator Angelina LaRose wrote in the 16 April email. "This was a difficult decision based on the loss of key resources." Oil and gas producers, traders, utility companies, federal regulators and foreign governments have come to rely on the data and models from the EIA, an independent agency within the US Department of Energy. The 2025 version of the IEO might still be published early next year, the EIA said. The agency for now is focusing on trying to "preserve as much institutional knowledge as possible" with an "all hands-on deck" effort under which remaining staff will document models and procedures on long-term modeling, LaRose wrote in the email. Trump and his administration have worked to cut the size of the government's workforce through voluntary buyouts and a process known as a reduction in force. The EIA has yet to say how many personnel it has lost, but about a third of the agency's 350 staffers have accepted voluntary buyouts, according to a person familiar with the situation. The White House last week proposed an 18pc budget cut for the non-nuclear portions of the Department of Energy, but has yet to say if it is seeking to cut spending at the EIA. Last month, the EIA released its premier report, the Annual Energy Outlook , but omitted its traditional in-depth analysis. A technical issue on 1 May delayed the release of a key natural gas storage report by more than three hours, the EIA said. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Germany doubts suspended HVO producer exists

25/05/06

Germany doubts suspended HVO producer exists

London, 6 May (Argus) — German regulators have said a producer of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) that has been using the country's Nabisy biomass registry may not exist. The federal office of agriculture and food (BLE) said an investigation begun in mid-April found that biofuels sustainability verification scheme ISCC withdrew the suspended user's certification on 8 January, excluding the operator from the scheme for 48 months because of "a lack of co-operation with the ISCC integrity programme". The BLE had suspended Nabisy access for the company, which had the ID EU-BM-13-SSt-10022652. The company was listed on its ISCC certificate as based in the UAE, and provided an address in Hong Kong for its audit, BLE said. Matching details provided by BLE with Argus research show the producer is likely to be EcoSolution, which said it was producing HVO from crude tall oil, used cooking oil (UCO) and spent bleaching earth oil. The company's audit was done by certification body Certi W Baltic on 5 September 2024, according to ISCC documentation. Argus could not locate a biofuels producer by the name of EcoSolution for comment. Argus asked Certi W Baltic and the ISCC for comment but did not receive responses by the time of publication. BLE said it was suspicious that the concerned producer booked all of its proof of sustainability (PoS) onto the Nabisy account of a supplier whose certification records show an address in the Netherlands. But that company's audit report shows the same Hong Kong address as EcoSolution. ISCC certification of the Dutch supplier remains active, but the BLE also has "considerable doubts" about that company's existence. ISCC audit records show AEY Trading received ISCC 'trader with storage' certification on the same day as EcoSolution, also from Certi W Baltic. Certi W's audit summary shows AEY received an on-site audit on 8 September from the same auditor as EcoSolution. Any PoS issued by the suspended producer, which had been temporarily frozen, have been unblocked and will remain valid based on the 'protection of confidence' principle laid out in the German biofuels sustainability ordinance, which protects buyers in the biofuels market. To delete affected PoS that have been sold to others, the BLE would need to prove the buyer was aware of any fraud in relation to the product purchased. In practice this is "almost impossible", according to German biofuels association VDB. "The protection of confidence principle has become a free pass for lack of due diligence and care," the association said. "Today, European biofuels market participants do not have to worry about any consequences if they buy cheap biofuels with dubious origin." VDB wants urgent reform of the corresponding part of legislation, to grant the BLE more power when it comes to revoking fraudulent sustainability paperwork. PoS that has been re-released into the market could comprise a large amount of HVO, possibly in the hundreds of thousands of tons, according to market participants. By Sophie Barthel and Simone Burgin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Mexico's manufacturing contraction deepens in April

25/05/05

Mexico's manufacturing contraction deepens in April

Mexico City, 5 May (Argus) — Activity in Mexico's manufacturing sector shrank for a 13th straight month in April, with declines accelerating in production and new orders, according to a survey of purchasing managers. The manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 45.5 in April from 46.9 in March, finance executives' association IMEF said, moving further below the 50-point threshold that separates growth from contraction. US tariffs imposed since March are adding pressure to Mexico's manufacturing sector, which makes up about a fifth of the national economy. The auto industry, responsible for roughly 18pc of manufacturing GDP, may be the hardest hit by the new measures, including a 25pc tariff on auto parts that took effect 3 May. Mexico remains the top exporter of vehicles to the US, supplying 23pc of all US auto imports in 2024. But IMEF said tariffs compound broader, mostly domestic headwinds, including reduced public spending and investor uncertainty stemming from sweeping legal and regulatory reforms. New investment has stalled since late 2024. The PMI index for new orders fell by 2.5 points to 41.8, the lowest since June 2020. Production dropped by 2.5 points to 43.6, while employment fell by 0.6 point to 46.4. New orders and production have now been in contraction for 14 straight months, and employment for 15. Inventories saw the steepest drop in April, falling 4 points to 46.3 — sliding from expansion to contraction — as manufacturers accelerated shipments after tariff implementation dates were confirmed. IMEF's non-manufacturing PMI — which covers services and commerce — remained in contraction for a fifth consecutive month but edged up by 0.5 points to 49.0 in April. Within that index, new orders rose by 0.6 points to 48.1, employment increased 1.3 points to 48.6 and production held steady at 47.5. By James Young Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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