Biofuels and feedstocks
Overview
Demand for biofuels is increasing significantly, driven by the need to decarbonise road transport as part of the energy transition. 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 challenges and opportunities are constantly emerging. Keeping on top of the ever-changing biofuels landscape requires accurate pricing, insightful analysis and access to the latest data.
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.
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SAF needs nuanced crop feedstocks policy: Panel
SAF needs nuanced crop feedstocks policy: Panel
London, 25 September (Argus) — Fuel producers and crop suppliers increasingly support the careful use of intermediate crops for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), aiming to ease feedstock shortage concerns, attendees heard at the SAF Global Summit in London this week. Policymakers are wary of increasing use of crops in biofuels because of food scarcity and previous deforestation scandals. But delegates said Europe urgently needs more feedstocks to curb costs, and that nuanced policy can address these concerns. Farmers grow intermediates crops between rotations to regenerate soil. German life sciences firm Bayer said they could grow oilseeds like camelina, winter canola or pennycress. Farmers already monitor vast field-level data that could enable certification, Bayer's biofuels lead Peter Muller said. Current policy oversimplifies the issue, favouring binary choices of "crop bad, used cooking oil (UCO) good, electricity good", said BP's vice president of regulatory affairs, bioenergy, Eirik Pitkethly. "There's a whole layer of nuance we need to get into," he said. Using a fraction of intermediate crops that EU farmers already grow and do not harvest could yield 2.5mn t of SAF, enough to meet the EU's 2030 SAF mandate, Pitkethly said. "The scale is massive," he said. "It's too good to ignore. But it's difficult and there are challenges in getting the rules right." Lax regulations in the early days of the biofuels industry led to "deforestation in carbon-sensitive environments" and created "more emissions than using fossil fuels," which still makes policymakers hesitant, Pitkethly said. Pragmatic policy would find a "sweet spot", avoiding overburdening farmers while setting enough protections, such as requiring multi-year data to prove no land use change. Policymakers could block carbon-sensitive geographies from supplying feedstock if necessary, he said. The EU appears closer than the UK to opening the door to intermediate crops, Pitkethly said. Cover crops are allowed under EU rules, but details are lacking on which crops qualify and what evidence producers must provide on sustainability. Pitkethly said none of the European Commission's several drafts have provided the clarity needed. Other panellists said companies should be allowed to grow crops for SAF in desert regions, where there would be no competition with food. Egypt could make SAF with its non-edible desert crop jojoba, said grower Saraya's chief operations officer, Middle East, Omar El Mougy. Keeping costs down Narrowing the feedstock pool for hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA), the most established and cheapest route for making SAF, forces aviation to rely on larger amounts of more expensive SAF types instead, Pitkethly said. Replacing fossil jet fuel with SAF may need in the region of 400mn t/yr of SAF, but using only waste oils may reach a ceiling of 40mn t/yr because of global constraints on the main UCO feedstock, he said. The shortfall could be filled with novel SAF types like alcohol-to-jet or synthetic SAF from electrolytic hydrogen and carbon (e-SAF). These are more costly than HEFA, and it would be far more economical to maximise the HEFA feedstock pool as far as possible first, Pitkethly said. By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Brazil bunker suppliers ask for ethanol regulation
Brazil bunker suppliers ask for ethanol regulation
Sao Paulo, 24 September (Argus) — Brazilian bunker suppliers are urging Brazil's hydrocarbons regulator ANP to include ethanol in its upcoming national marine biofuels regulation, arguing that the biofuel was only partially addressed in the initial proposal released for public comment. The proposed regulation aims to align Brazil's bunker fuel framework with international standards and would allow suppliers to market biodiesel, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and gas-to-liquids (GTL) products without requiring specific authorization, provided the fuels meet ANP specifications. Ethanol, however, would remain subject to special authorization requirements, a provision that has drawn criticism from both bunker suppliers and ethanol producers. ANP initially argued that ethanol was not included because the proposal is intended to align domestic regulations with ISO 8217:2024 specifications and standards recognized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO has not yet developed specific guidelines for ethanol bunkering operations. During a public hearing on Wednesday, the Brazilian bunker association Abrabunker and ethanol producers' association Unica jointly called on ANP to establish a dedicated ethanol standard that would allow suppliers to market the fuel without obtaining special approval. The groups proposed that the specification of ethanol set in Brazil's existing Resolution 907 — aimed at ethanol for road-fuel use — also be accepted for marine fuel use. The proposal covers both anhydrous and hydrous ethanol grades for bunkering operations. Industry participants argued that including ethanol in the regulation would help stimulate domestic production and logistics infrastructure development ahead of wider global adoption of the fuel in the maritime sector. According to Abrabunker, the measure would position Brazil to capitalize on its large ethanol industry and strengthen its role in the emerging alternative marine fuels market. Brazil ethanol output has been growing rapidly with the expansion of corn-based production. The country is expected to produce 39.8bn liters (686,959 b/d) of ethanol in 2026, up by 6.4pc from a year earlier, according to energy research firm EPE. The firm sees a 20pc growth to 50bn l by 2035 from 2026 levels. Brazil currently lacks a comprehensive regulatory framework defining storage requirements and fuel specifications for biodiesel, HVO and ethanol sold to vessels. Suppliers must obtain special authorization from ANP to conduct alternative bunker fuel operations. Petrobras and Raizen are the only companies currently authorized to market biodiesel bunker blends containing up to 24pc biodiesel. Ethanol authorizations have been granted on a case-by-case basis for testing purposes. Bunker One received approval earlier this year to conduct a 100pc ethanol bunkering trial in Brazil. By Gabriel Tassi Lara and Maria Lígia Barros Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Firms join WEF, GenZero Asia-Pacific SAF initiative
Firms join WEF, GenZero Asia-Pacific SAF initiative
Singapore, 23 September (Argus) — The Singapore Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company (SAFCo) and US-based non-profit Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) have joined Singaporean investment platform GenZero on the steering committee of the Green Fuel Forward (GFF) initiative. The GFF initiative was jointly launched by the World Economic Forum and GenZero last May , and aims to scale corporate demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Asia-Pacific. GenZero will continue to lead this initiative alongside GMA and SAFCo from 1 October. The company additions were announced on 22 September as part of the ongoing New York Climate Week, and marks GFF's shift from building SAF awareness and procurement readiness to facilitating more corporate participation in Asian SAF and SAF certificate (SAFc) transactions, according to a joint press release. SAFcs enable companies to provide demand signals at scale and claim associated emission reductions towards their climate targets, even where there is no or limited access to physical SAF. GFF will work with industry, policymakers and standards bodies to establish a trusted framework for corporate engagement, to support the development of a robust Asia-Pacific SAFc market, it said. GMA's chief executive Kim Carnahan expressed interest in bringing their book-and-claim model to Asia to scale SAF uptake, while ensuring it complements existing global initiatives like the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance. US technology giant Amazon, management consulting firm Bain & Company, and Singapore's Temasek Holdings' philanthropic arm Temasek Trust have also joined the GFF initiative, bringing its total membership to 48. Temasek Trust will provide funding to offset SAF procurement costs as well. The organisation did not reply to Argus ' queries by the time of publication regarding funding amount, or a start date. GFF's members span three key groups: companies with a significant business-travel footprint, those with substantial logistics and air-cargo operations, and international corporations looking to decarbonise their value chains in Asia. Corporate interest in SAF is growing, but buyers still face practical barriers to procurement. Questions remain around how SAFc purchases can be reported under international standard Greenhouse Gas Protocol, while buyers may also have limited visibility on credible regional supply and lack dedicated in-house procurement capabilities. Through GFF, participating companies can better understand the SAF market, explore credible procurement pathways, and stay updated on accounting and reporting mechanisms for SAFcs. Cost offsets and co-matching for select first-time buyers can also help lower cost barriers and support early participation. By Sarah Giam Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
UK's higher SAF goal needs anti-tankering policy: IAG
UK's higher SAF goal needs anti-tankering policy: IAG
London, 22 September (Argus) — The UK needs rules to deter airlines from tankering fuel into the country, because its higher target for blending sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will lead to elevated fuel costs compared with EU aviation hubs, airline group IAG said today. Refuelling at UK airports will probably become "materially" more expensive than EU hubs by the end of the decade, because the UK's annually rising target will reach 8.2pc by 2029 while the EU target will stay flat at 2pc, only jumping to 6pc in 2030, IAG sustainability officer Jonathan Counsell told delegates at the SAF Global Summit in London. The difference could encourage airlines to load extra fuel at EU departure hubs to avoid refuelling in the UK for their return flight. IAG's company policy is to avoid tankering because of resultant higher emissions, he said. Extra weight leads to more aircraft emissions. The UK's higher costs could also lead to some "carbon leakage" if airlines avoid its airports in favour of EU competitors, he said. A way to solve the imbalance would be for the EU to adopt gradual annual increases, which may lessen the disparity. But even that may not fully solve the 2029 disparity because of the UK's more aggressive target. Italian integrated Eni hopes the European Commission could introduce "smoother" year-on-year targets in its expected 2027 review of the ReFuelEU legislation, the company's head of biofuels business development and analytics Paolo Torelli said. Eni and other EU fuel suppliers have called for annual targets between the headline targets. By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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