Topics of Interest
---Aug. 14, 2009 - Biofuel market has been witnessing continuous growth and developments across the world during the past few years. Global ethanol production will rise at a compound annual growth rate of 6.04% during 2009-18 to reach 33,895 million gal. Also, global biodiesel production is forecasted to increase at a compound annual growth rate of more than 5% during the 2009-18 period.
On a regional level, RNCOS found that the American region - mainly the U.S. and Brazil - has been driving the global biofuel industry. The two accounted for around 79% of the world's total ethanol production in 2008. The U.S. ethanol production base will be credited for global growth as the U.S. accounted for 44% of the world's total ethanol production in 2008. Biodiesel production in the U.S. has been rising over the past few years (2005-08) and reached an estimated value of 700 million gal. in 2008.
The RNCOS report also foresees significant growth potential of the biofuel industries in developing counties, such as India and China. It states that Southeast Asia has an enormous potential in the field of production as a result of upcoming biofuel plants in the region. With increasing demand for biofuel, the region can become a net exporter of biouel to the developed world. – RNCOS Report.
---August 11, 2009 - “Beneficial Biofuels—The Food, Energy and Environment Trilemma” – an article appears in the July 17 issue of Science states that biofuels must be derived from feedstocks produced with much lower life-cycle greenhouse-gas emissions than traditional fossil fuel and with little or no competition with food production. The authors conclude that the global biofuels industry must focus on five major sources of renewable biomass:
---August 10, 2009- In July, China's National Bureau of Statistics said property sales measured by volume increased 31.7 percent in the first half, up from a gain of 25.5 percent in the first five months.
---June 27, 2009 - China’s reform in health care industry brings opportunities for overseas medical device manufactures. In the past five month of 2009, import of medical devices in Guang Dong province increased by 32% as compared with the same period last year, totaling US$140 millions. Top exporters include European Union, United States, and Japan, which account for US$54 millions, US$38 millions, and US$23millions, respectively.
---April 6, 2009 - State-controlled media in Beijing, China, reported that China’s Ministry of Commerce plans to send a delegation to the U.S. later this month to look into purchases of American goods and services. While details of China's Shopping list and budget were not Spelled out, officials said the delegation will spend 10 days traveling to Washington, D.C.; Chicago, III., and San Francisco, Cal. Two months ago, Chinese officials made a similar buying trip to Europe, where they signed agreements worth $13 billion. They are also planning buying missions to Japan and Africa later this year.
---April 6, 2009 - A Novozymes announced that it is investing $160 million to $200 million in a new facility in Blairs. Neb., to meet demand for enzymes for the production of first- and second-generation bioethanol.