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Fire breaks out at Malaysian biodiesel plant

  • Market: Biofuels
  • 24/07/20

Malaysian biodiesel producer Vance Bioenergy has halted production at its 100,000 t/yr Pasir Gudang plant in southern Johor state following a fire yesterday.

The cause is being investigated but the minor fire was quickly extinguished, with no injuries or major damage, according to a company source.

Vance is scheduled to return on line over the next few days and expects no major issues with fulfilling orders.

The plant produces biodiesel made from palm and used cooking oil for the domestic and European markets.

By Amandeep Parmar

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31/08/26

EPA grants 18 full refinery biofuel exemptions

EPA grants 18 full refinery biofuel exemptions

Houston, 31 August (Argus) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted exemptions from 2025 biofuel blending requirements to 18 refiners on Monday and partial exemptions to 11 others, many of which had been pending for more than a year. The agency exempted a total of 1.76bn credits by granting 18 full small refinery exemptions (SREs) and 11 partial exemptions. It denied three petitions and ruled two ineligible. In a supplemental document, the EPA said it would propose reallocating 100pc of the difference between projected and actual exempted volumes from the petitions that were fully or partially granted. Prior to deciding on the 2025 compliance year SREs, EPA estimated 990mn RINs would be exempted. SREs are a form of temporary exemption from Renewable Fuel Standard obligations for petroleum-based refineries with a nameplate capacity of 75,000 b/d or less. To receive a partial or full SRE, refiners must demonstrate that compliance would cause disproportionate economic hardship to qualify for an exemption. The EPA gave notice of the action ten days prior , when it outlined its intentions to delay the 2025 compliance deadline for RFS obligations while signaling it would first clear the backlog of unprocessed SRE petitions. In the meantime, speculation within Renewable Identification Number credit markets caused sharp swings in prices and liquidity. Concerns that total SRE volumes could reach 1.8bn credits pushed prices down to 175¢/RIN for current-year ethanol D6 credits and 188.5¢/RIN for biomass-based diesel D4 credits. RINs are credits produced and traded by refiners and importers to comply with the RFS program. Obligated parties generate credits when renewable fuels are blended into conventional transportation fuels or they can purchase credits from other RIN producers to meet their obligations. Immediately following the announcement, biofuel and agricultural industry groups voiced overall displeasure with the substantial exemptions but welcomed the EPA's intention to reallocate 100pc of the remaining volume. RIN markets moved higher sharply as well, with current year D6 credits trading at 225¢/RIN while concurrent D4 RINs last offered at 240¢/RIN. The EPA also set the date for 2025 RFS compliance at 1 October 2026, extending the deadline 30 days. By Matthew Cope US EPA 2025 Small Refiner Exemptions Refinery Location Capacity b/d 2025 SRE decision Delek Kortz Springs, Louisiana 80,000.0 Full Grant Delek Big Spring, Texas 73,000.0 Full Grant America Refining Group Bradford, Pennsylvania 11,000.0 Denial Big West Oil Salt Lake City, Utah 31,664.0 Partial Grant Calumet Great Falls, Montana 15,000.0 Full Grant Calumet Shreveport, Louisiana 57,000.0 Full Grant Chevron Salt Lake City, Utah 54,720.0 Full Grant CHS Laurel, Montana 62,500.0 Full Grant Countrymark Mount Vernon, Indiana 36,700.0 Full Grant Delek Tyler, Texas 74,000.0 Full Grant Ergon Vicksburg, Mississippi 25,000.0 Partial Grant Ergon Newell, West Virginia 22,000.0 Denial HF Sinclair Artesia, New Mexico 110,000.0 Ineligible HF Sinclair Evansville, Wyoming 31,000.0 Partial Grant HF Sinclair Sinclair, Wyoming 85,000.0 Partial Grant HF Sinclair Tulsa, Oklahoma 70,300.0 Full Grant HF Sinclair West Bountiful, Utah 41,700.0 Denial Hunt Tuscaloosa, Alabama 50,000.0 Full Grant Kern Bakersfield, California 26,000.0 Full Grant Delek El Dorado, Arkansas 83,000.0 Full Grant Marathon Mandan, North Dakota 74,000.0 Partial Grant Par Billings, Montana 61,500.0 Full Grant Phillips 66 Billings, Montana 66,000.0 Partial Grant Placid Port Allen, Louisiana 75,000.0 Partial Grant San Joaqin Bakersfield, California 15,000.0 Partial Grant Silver Eagle Evanston, Wyoming 3,000.0 Full Grant Silver Eagle West Bountiful, Utah 15,000.0 Partial Grant Cenovus Superior, Wisconsin 49,547.0 Full Grant Lazarus San Antonio, Texas 20,000.0 Full Grant Par Tacoma, Washington 40,700.0 Partial Grant United Refining Warren, Pennsylvania 67,000.0 Full Grant Vertex Saraland, Alabama 88,000.0 Ineligible CVR Wynnewood, Oklahoma 74,500.0 Full Grant HF Sinclair Sinclair, Wyoming 75,000.0 Partial Grant US Environmental Protection Agency Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Q&A: Brazil eyes tiered SAF certificates values

28/08/26
News
28/08/26

Q&A: Brazil eyes tiered SAF certificates values

Sao Paulo, 28 August (Argus) — Brazil's civil aviation agency Anac will launch a public consultation next week on how to calculate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions and monitor compliance under the ProBioQAV program requiring airlines to reduce domestic emissions starting in 2027. Anac will define the methodology and monitor compliance with the rules, while hydrocarbons regulator ANP will be responsible for monitoring issuance, registration and record-keeping of sustainability certificates for SAF — known as CS-SAF. Anac is suggesting that the certification carry different prices according to each production pathway's GHG reductions. Anac's governance and environment superintendent Marcelo Bernardes and technical manager for mitigation measures and energy transition Ricardo Dupont spoke to Argus about the next steps for the regulation and the outlook for Brazil's SAF market. Edited highlights follow: How should CS-SAF trading be standardized, given the different carbon footprints of the fuel? Dupont: CS-SAF is like a birth certificate. It is different from a carbon credit, which represents the reduction or removal of a metric tonne of CO2 from the atmosphere. The SAF blender agent will have the right to issue the CS-SAF. Each CS-SAF corresponds to a volume of SAF with specific characteristics, emissions and life cycle. There is no common unit. There is an abatement cost. The abatement cost per fuel will vary. If I have the same production cost for two types of SAF and one cuts emissions by 50pc and the other by 30pc, the abatement cost is different. Operators will always seek the one with the lowest abatement cost in R/tonne of CO2 so that their compliance cost is as low as possible. The decree assigns Anac to define the calculation methodology to verify emission reductions achieved by using SAF and other low carbon fuels or technologies. What parameters will be used and what will be the base year for measuring these reductions? Bernardes: The CO2 reduction targets will apply to the current year. Companies will look at all their 2027 emissions and calculate to reach 1pc by using SAF or another alternative fuel. Companies will have until 31 March of the following year to submit an emissions report to Anac. What will be the main challenges in monitoring the use of SAF, lower carbon aviation fuels (LCAF) and other alternatives, particularly regarding traceability and proof of environmental benefits? Bernardes: In terms of safety, aviation fuel is under tight control, so that is not a concern. CS-SAF will make monitoring much easier, ensuring traceability and avoiding double counting. It also helps that Anac has maintained an emissions inventory for 10 years. We receive air traffic control information for all flights in Brazil and know origin, destination, airline and aircraft model. That greatly facilitates inspections and allows highly reliable checks. Anac's regulation will go to public consultation next week. The material will include fines and penalties for non compliance. The decree splits responsibility between ANP and Anac for implementing ProBioQAV program. How will the two agencies coordinate? Bernardes: ANP and Anac have been coordinating for quite some time. We have weekly meetings with ANP on the law, so there should be no overlap. We have spoken extensively about the certificate and how trading will work. Is there any estimate of the regulatory and financial impact of the new requirements on airlines? Does the agency see a risk of ticket price increases? Bernardes: SAF can cost two-to-three times more than jet kerosine. The decree was cautious in setting a gradual increase in blending, precisely to allow Brazil to develop an SAF production chain. In addition, the decree introduces other mechanisms. CS-SAFs can only be traded among airlines. There will initially be no secondary market share. The focus will be on those needing to meet the mandate. By Natalia Dalle Cort Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Singapore's Aster to buy aviation fuel JV Cafhi stake

28/08/26
News
28/08/26

Singapore's Aster to buy aviation fuel JV Cafhi stake

Singapore, 28 August (Argus) — Singapore energy and chemicals firm Aster will buy a stake in Changi Airport's fuel storage and infrastructure joint venture Changi Airport Fuel Hydrant Installation (Cafhi), it said today. This will allow Aster to supply aviation fuel directly to international airlines at Singapore's Changi Airport. The transaction is subject to the requisite approvals and the fulfilment of customary closing conditions, Aster said. Further details such as the timing of the acquisition will be shared when appropriate, Aster told Argus on 28 August. It also declined to comment on the percentage of shares due to commercial sensitivities. Singapore's Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company (SAFCo) had required participants in its trial SAF tender to be a Cafhi member, or work with a member to supply volumes into the airport. Other Cafhi members include shareholders ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, and Singapore Petroleum Company (SPC), as well as Singapore-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer Neste, which has a minority stake. Aster previously partnered with fellow Singaporean firm Keppel in January to build one of Asia's first commercial-scale alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) SAF plants. The facility will be situated on Singapore's Jurong Island and have a planned capacity of 100,000 t/yr. The project is currently in its front-end engineering design (Feed) phase, which is targeted to be completed in next year's first quarter, a source familiar with the matter told Argus . Aster is also working with US-based climate technology firm Aether Fuels to develop a 2,000 t/yr next-generation SAF facility at its refining and petrochemical complex on Singapore's Pulau Bukom. The plant, named as Project Beacon, is scheduled to begin construction in 2027 and commercial operations in 2028, a source familiar with the matter told Argus . The plant will use Aether's enhanced Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology to convert industrial waste gas and biomethane into Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia)-certified SAF. By Sarah Giam Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Biodiesel could boost Brazil as bunker supplier

27/08/26
News
27/08/26

Biodiesel could boost Brazil as bunker supplier

Sao Paulo, 27 August (Argus) — Brazil is well-positioned to become one of the leading suppliers of biodiesel to the global maritime sector, supported by competitive costs, ample availability of raw materials and idle production capacity. Brazilian biofuel still faces barriers to meeting part of the international demand driven by European regulations, but progress in discussions at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) concerning the decarbonization of maritime transport could expand the market for biodiesel made from soybean oil and other feedstocks produced in Brazil. Prices for Brazilian biodiesel — traded both on the spot market and via contracts for delivery at the Port of Paranaguá in the southern state of Paraná — averaged $1,065/m³ and $1,016/m³, respectively, over the last 12 months, based on Argus indicators. European biodiesel originating in the Netherlands, adjusted to the same basis of comparison, recorded an average price of $1,146/m³. Brazil's current biodiesel production capacity is 15.8mn m³/y (272,700 b/d), assuming continuous plant operations. Actual production, however, is approximately 10mn m³/y, indicating idle capacity of around 37pc, according to data from hydrocarbons regulator ANP. State-controlled Petrobras and Raizen have both received ANP approvals to market their own blend of very low-sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) containing a minimum of 24pc biodiesel (B24). Currently, only Petrobras markets B24 at Brazilian ports. Brazilian biodiesel's ability to gain a foothold in the international bunker market depends on demand, which is constrained by regulatory factors. The main drivers of alternative fuel consumption in the bunker market are European regulations, which limit the eligibility of fuels derived from food or forage crops. The EU's RED III directive — which aims to increase renewable energy consumption in the transportation sector to 29pc of total consumption by 2030 — classifies soybeans as a feedstock with a high risk of indirect land-use change. The classification is based on higher emissions in the "well-to-wheel" cycle, which takes into consideration the total CO2 released into the atmosphere from production through the fuel combustion phase. For this reason, RED III prioritizes biodiesel made from waste feedstocks and advanced routes, such as product made from used cooking oil (UCO), agricultural waste, or industrial waste. The EU's specific regulation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector, FuelEU Maritime, uses the sustainability criteria defined by RED III and also favors advanced fuels and feedstocks with a lower climate impact. In December, the IMO could approve a regulatory package that supports the decarbonization of maritime transport in international waters by 2050. The potential approval of the so-called Net-Zero Framework could open a new avenue for Brazilian biodiesel in the maritime market. The proposal aims to establish a standard for fuel emissions intensity and an economic mechanism linked to ship emissions, with progressive reduction targets through 2050. Depending on the criteria adopted for life-cycle assessment, traceability and indirect emissions, soybean oil biodiesel could come to be counted as a lower-carbon alternative. The change could put Brazil in a more competitive position as a supplier of lower-emission marine fuels. It could also help unlock demand for biodiesel from various feedstocks starting in 2028 — the potential effective date of the new IMO requirements — which could reshape consumption decisions in the maritime sector. In parallel with international regulatory advances, Brazil is moving toward regulating biobunker in national waters. In late July, the ANP launched a public consultation to revise the specifications for marine fuels, aligning Brazilian rules with the IMO's most recent decarbonization targets. The proposal recognizes biodiesel, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and synthetic fuels as drop-in alternatives, which can be used without modifications to engines or refueling infrastructure. Tests with drop-in fuels have already been conducted with special authorization from the ANP since 2025. Efen — a joint venture between Prumo Logistica and BP — conducted a debunkering operation using HVO at the port of Acu, in the southeastern state of Rio de Janeiro. Local renewable energy firm Be8 tested BeVant, the biofuel produced by the company, in Sao Francisco do Sul, in the southern state of Santa Catarina, and in water in Rio Grande do Sul, also in Brazil's southern region. This year, Denmark's Bunker One also conducted tests with ethanol at Santos port, in the southeastern state of Sao Paulo. By Natalia Dalle Cort and Gabriel Tassi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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India’s sugar rally to curb cane use for ethanol

26/08/26
News
26/08/26

India’s sugar rally to curb cane use for ethanol

Mumbai, 26 August (Argus) — Sugar prices in India have risen dramatically in recent weeks on concerns of a weather-driven supply shortage, prompting expectations of a drop in ethanol production from the feedstock. Indian retail sugar prices rose to 63.97 rupee/kg (67¢/kg) on 25 August from Rs48.18/kg on 20 July, data from the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution show. Soaring prices prompted the government on 20 August to allow tariff-free imports of 1mn t of sugar until 31 October to ease rising prices and concerns over low stock availability. This could prompt the first major sugar import into India, the world's second-largest producer, since 2016-17 after prolonged poor rainfall in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the two largest sugarcane-producing states. Sugar prices have risen sharply globally due to the prospect of tight international supply because of weather concerns. Forecasts of a strong El Nino weather pattern have raised concerns about irregular rainfall in major sugar-producing countries such as Brazil , potentially affecting production. The October New York sugar futures on Ice has been trading at its highest level since May 2025, reaching 17.27¢/lb on 25 August. Retail sugar prices continued to rise in India following the government's intervention, while ex-mill prices have declined slightly. Kolhapur wholesale sugar prices on the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange have fallen by 12.8pc since last week to Rs5,220/quintal on 21 August. The diversion of sugar to ethanol towards India's E20 blending programme has been widely blamed for rising consumer prices. But the government has dismissed this, citing lower domestic production, increased demand ahead of the festive season, weather-related damage to sugarcane crops, and hoarding by some industry participants for the price hike. The government issued a temporary order imposing a 15-day stock limit on consumers buying ethanol in bulk, aiming to prevent hoarding. The order will take effect from 1 September. Market participants expect a reduction in sugarcane-based ethanol production for the upcoming seasons. There will be significantly less diversion of sugar for ethanol production going forward, a Delhi-based ethanol trader said. The source noted that the trend started well before sugar prices rose due to expected shortages. Sugarcane is highly susceptible to weather patterns, and as a long-harvest crop, its yield is difficult to forecast, he added. Sugarcane-based feedstocks, including sugarcane juice, B-heavy molasses and C-heavy molasses, account for the second largest share of total ethanol production, according to All India Distillers Association data. Grain-based feedstocks such as Surplus Food Corporation of India rice and maize are the main feedstocks, collectively making up over 75pc of ethanol production. Hence, massive grain-based manufacturing dominates ethanol output. Producers are expected to increasingly rely on underutilised grain-based capacity to compensate for the reduction in sugar-based ethanol production, said Dilip Patil, regional director-west for the Indian Federation of Green Energy. Investors expect untimely rains and higher rates to prompt manufacturers to prioritise sugar over sugarcane juice for ethanol, but grain-based ethanol plants will offset any shortfall, Praj Industries president Atul Mulay said. New grain-based units are coming online, and many existing ones are expanding capacity, he added. The existing E20 programme is unlikely to be affected despite debate over using sugar as a feedstock. "Sugar-based ethanol production will continue its journey. There will be cyclic high and low production because of external factors," Indian Federation of Green Energy director general Sanjay Ganjoo said. Volatility in the sugar market did not affect domestic ethanol rates, which are set by the government. The Argus assessment of US ethanol delivered to Mumbai remained unaffected, as global production and freight costs largely determine the price. Argus assessed the Mumbai cfr price at $770/t on 26 August. By Nikhil Sharma Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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