Australia's Nufarm extends BP carinata offtake deal

Market: Biofuels
26/03/26

Australian agricultural chemical firm Nufarm has extended its global carinata biofuel feedstock offtake agreement with BP to 2050, according to a filing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) released today.

The companies first signed the deal in 2022. The programme has since expanded from Argentina into Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with a pilot under way in Australia.

The extended agreement maintains BP's long term access to carinata oil and is aimed at supporting wider production of the non-food oilseed crop on existing farmland through diversified rotations, the ASX filing said.

The amended terms are intended to support scaled growth of the crop while limiting the firm's capital commitments, Nusfarm said.

In related developments, Energreen Australia and Japan's Nippon Steel Trading formed a joint venture on 24 March to establish a 16,000-tree pongamia plantation near Emerald in Queensland. Pongamia is a non-edible oilseed crop that can be cultivated on marginal land.

By Tom Woodlock

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25/03/26

US issues waiver to allow E15 gasoline: Update

Updates throughout New York, 25 March (Argus) — The US will allow refiners and retailers to supply a gasoline blend with more ethanol than is usually allowed in some states, starting in May, and will waive other fuel rules, amid efforts to temper pump prices that have surged because of war in the Middle East. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday issued emergency waivers allowing continued nationwide sales of gasoline with up to 15pc ethanol (E15), administrator Lee Zeldin announced Wednesday in brief remarks at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston, Texas. The typically cheaper blend would have otherwise been restricted in much of the US during the summer because of rules to limit smog that do not apply to typical E10 gasoline despite a similar volatility profile. The waivers also standardize blending rules across the US, reducing the risk of price spikes in areas where boutique rules can create fuel islands. The agency said this would help create more of a "single national gasoline pool" this summer. For instance, EPA is allowing continued sales of E10 this summer in a group of Midwestern states that would have otherwise required that blend to be mixed with less volatile but costlier blendstocks. Governors of those seven states had asked for that carveout after war in the Middle East broke out. The agency will also suspend federal enforcement of requirements for other regions of the US to switch to similarly low-volatility "boutique" gasoline fuel blends this summer. California and major metro areas such as Denver, Colorado make the switch each year as part of federally approved plans to comply with national air quality standards. It will be up to states and local jurisdictions to decide whether to maintain those specific standards, the agency said. "Through the waiver, we are fortifying the domestic gasoline supply chain and providing Americans relief at the pumps ahead of the upcoming summer driving season," Zeldin said. EPA can issue emergency waivers in "extreme or unusual" fuel supply situations that last 20 days and will have to be renewed to last through the summer. The Wednesday announcement weeks ahead of the start of the summer driving season comes after oil refiners lobbied President Donald Trump's administration to clarify its summer plan s sooner than in years past. The first round of emergency waivers last year came just days before summer driving season kicked off, frustrating fuel makers and distributors that had already invested millions to move to the boutique Midwestern blend. Pipelines too start moving to summer blends well before fuel reaches motorists. Fight in Congress continues While EPA has issued emergency waivers allowing continued E15 sales for the last four years, ethanol advocates cheered the announcement. "With rising fuel prices and a war in the Middle East, this is the worst time to force retailers to bag E15 pumps," said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association executive director Monte Shaw. But they also pushed Congress to find a more durable solution that does not depend on regulators. Congress has struggled for months to reach agreement on biofuel policy legislation that would permanently adjust air quality rules to allow E15 sales year-round. Some refiners have objected to earlier proposals that would restrict their ability to win exemptions from biofuel blend mandates. Lobbyists close to the debate say there is disagreement in Congress over whether to continue pushing for far-reaching biofuel legislation that limits those exemptions or a slimmer E15 bill instead. Senate Agriculture Committee chair John Boozman (R-Arkansas) said at an event in Washington, DC on Monday that he supports E15 but that restricting exemptions could lead small refineries, including one in his state, to close. Ethanol is typically cheaper than gasoline blendstocks, and the spread has widened since Tehran has retaliated against US-Israeli strikes by attacking energy infrastructure and halting tanker traffic. At the same time, E15 is not sold at the vast majority of retail fuel stations in the US, limiting the role the biofuel can play in curbing pump prices without other changes. Farm advocates blame the lack of availability on the long-running impasse in Congress deterring retailers from investing in higher-blend infrastructure. EPA is separately planning to finalize new biofuel blend quotas, which shape production margins for ethanol and demand for crops like corn, sometime this month. By Cole Martin and Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Germany presents new climate action programme

25/03/26

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25/03/26

Germany presents new climate action programme

Berlin, 25 March (Argus) — Germany's cabinet today presented a climate action programme with a strong focus on renewable power and industry electrification, encompassing 67 measures designed to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 27mn t/yr of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) until 2030, although the country's climate experts warned that it is unlikely to achieve these reductions. The measures will plug the 25mn t CO2e annual reduction gap flagged in last year's official forecasts, environment minister Carsten Schneider said. The forecasts have since been superseded by data presented by federal environment office UBA earlier this month indicating a 42mn t/yr CO2e gap. The main drivers of the action programme are additional tenders for onshore wind power capacity over 12GW, and an extra €2.9bn of subsidies for industry electrification projects. The additional wind installations are expected to achieve emissions reductions of 6.5mn t CO2e in 2030 and lower wholesale power prices by €6/MWh, Schneider said. The majority will be installed in the relatively wind-poor but energy-hungry south of the country, or in priority areas, so it will not be affected by potential future legislation limiting grid access, Schneider said. Industrial electrification subsidies are expected to lead to emissions reductions of 4.3mn t CO2e in 2030. And Schneider stressed that his ministry expects the transport and buildings sectors, which have been lagging behind in recent years, to accelerate decarbonisation in the late 2020s. A €3bn subsidy scheme with income-based support will allow for the purchase of about 800,000 electric vehicles, leading to emissions savings of 1mn t CO2e in 2030. And the government expects the planned road transport GHG reduction quota now under parliamentary scrutiny to yield emissions reductions of 6.3mn t CO2e in 2030, while funding for new heat grids will save 2.3mn t CO2e in 2030. Germany's land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector will receive €4.7bn across 23 measures including the rewetting of peatlands and conversion of forests, although the effects will be felt mainly after 2030, Schneider said. Proposals by the economy ministry , which would take pressure off fossil fuel heating systems, are likely to be counterbalanced by the current energy crisis, Schneider said, as homeowners buying a new heating system are now likely to think differently about investing in another gas-fired system. The climate action plan will make Germany "more modern and more independent of oil and gas", Schneider said, reducing its natural gas consumption by almost 7 bcm³ in 2030 and its petrol consumption by about 4bn litres — down by 9pc on current annual levels, Schneider said. The government was legally obliged to present a climate action programme under the country's climate action law, and it must also be scrutinised by parliament. Germany aims to cut its emissions by 65pc in 2030 compared with 1990 levels. They stood 48pc below 1990 levels last year. The country's council of experts on climate change ERK, tasked with scrutinising the programme, said today that it lacks novelty and ambition and is unlikely to achieve the expected reductions. The ERK, which said it was commenting subject to a more detailed review, criticised the government's strong focus on the energy sector and its insufficient relief for households on low and middle incomes, particularly in the heating sector, even though the need for social measures to accompany climate change policy will continue to grow. The ERK urged the government to look at more innovative measures such as "white certificates" for energy efficiency or a bonus-malus system for cars. It is "questionable" whether the programme's measures "adequately" address the challenge of restructuring Germany's fossil fuel-dependent "capital stock", Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research chief economist Ottmar Edenhofer said. It lacks "credible" policy instruments providing "clear incentives" to switch to technologies such as electric cars or heat pumps, added Edenhofer, who is also chair of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change. Germany's solar association BSW flagged the "gap between aspiration and reality", given the economy and energy ministry's plans to axe support for small-scale rooftop solar systems. And German wood industry association HDH warned against restrictions to forestry management, which it said will limit the supply of raw materials for climate-friendly timber construction. Environmental group DUH announced it will once again sue the government for the programme unless it is improved, particularly regarding the transport sector. DUH won a case against the government's previous climate action programme in January . The climate action programme stands on "shaky ground", think-tank Agora Energiewende director Julia Blaesius warned, given that it is based on outdated data and in light of planned legislation changes. Blaesius emphasised the importance of a "reliable" carbon price to provide planning and investment security to households and companies, as well as revenues for Germany's climate and transformation fund, which finances much of the programme's measures. By Chloe Jardine Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Alkagesta signs biofuels storage deal in Antwerp

25/03/26

News

25/03/26

Alkagesta signs biofuels storage deal in Antwerp

London, 25 March (Argus) — Trading firm Alkagesta said today it has signed a multi-year lease agreement for biofuel feedstock and biodiesel storage at Pantank in Antwerp, Belgium. The facilities will not be able to store hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Alkagesta told Argus , but they will offer flexibility to store used cooking oil, acid oils, food waste-derived oils, and both crop-based and waste-based biodiesel, depending on market conditions. The new capacity is expected to come online in April. The firm declined to disclose the volume of storage secured. Alkagesta has "close to" 700,000 cubic metres of capacity across products and geographies, particularly in the Mediterranean, it said. Last month, the company said it will start supplying jet fuel blended with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through Nato's Central European Pipeline System (CEPS) in the first half of 2026. Alkagesta will deliver up to 300,000m³/yr (5,200 b/d) of jet fuel through the pipeline, alongside a further 100,000m³/yr (1,700 b/d) under a ship-or-pay capacity arrangement, the company told Argus . By Evelina Lungu Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US plans to allow E15 gasoline this summer

25/03/26

News

25/03/26

US plans to allow E15 gasoline this summer

New York, 25 March (Argus) — The US is planning to allow refiners and retailers to supply a gasoline blend with more ethanol than is usually allowed in some states in the summer, an effort to temper fuel costs that have surged because of war in the Middle East. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to soon issue emergency waivers allowing continued nationwide sales of gasoline with up to 15pc ethanol (E15), a blend typically restricted in the summer because of rules to limit smog, according to four people familiar with the plans. Most gasoline in the US is sold with 10pc ethanol, but higher-ethanol blends are typically cheaper. Clarity on the agency's plans is expected on Wednesday. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin was to address the CERAWeek conference in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon with an announcement "regarding nationwide E15 and E10 to boost energy supply and provide cost relief to Americans", according to a media advisory. EPA said that it was working to restore "American energy dominance" and was "monitoring the supply with industry and federal partners". EPA has issued emergency waivers allowing summertime E15 the past four years, citing "extreme or unusual" fuel supply issues. President Donald Trump's administration has more recently looked for ways to minimize the impact of war in Iran on US drivers. Last year's waivers also allowed continued sales of typical E10 gasoline in a group of Midwestern states that would have otherwise required that blend to be mixed with less-volatile but costlier blendstocks. Governors of those seven states, hoping to again halt their shift to the boutique blend that would leave them in a regional fuel island, have asked for similar treatment this year. Oil refiners have pushed EPA to clarify plans sooner than in years past. The first in a series of 20-day waivers last year came just days before summer driving season kicked off, frustrating fuel makers and distributors that had already invested millions to move to the boutique Midwestern blend. The focus on emergency waivers comes as a task force of Republican lawmakers in Congress has struggled to reach agreement on biofuel policy legislation that would permanently adjust air quality rules to allow E15 sales year-round. Some refiners have objected to earlier proposals that would restrict their ability to win exemptions from biofuel blend mandates. Lobbyists close to the debate say there is disagreement in Congress over whether to continue pushing for far-reaching biofuel legislation that limits those exemptions or a slimmer E15 bill instead. Senate Agriculture Committee chair John Boozman (R-Arkansas) said at an event in DC on Monday that he supports E15 but that restricting exemptions could lead small refineries, including one in his state, to close. By Cole Martin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US-EU clean freight crests $100/t for first time

23/03/26

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23/03/26

US-EU clean freight crests $100/t for first time

New York, 23 March (Argus) — Refined oil product shipments carried on medium range (MR) tankers for US Gulf coast-Europe voyages breached $100/t for the first time in nearly 20 years of Argus assessments today on the ongoing supply disruptions in Mideast Gulf exports. Commodity trader BB Energy put the MR tanker Nord Master on subjects for a US Gulf coast-Europe voyage today at Worldscale (WS) 545, or $108.08/t. The rate represents the highest heard for the voyage since Argus began assessing it in 2007, and is 43pc higher than the previous, pre-Iran war high of $75.59/t in April 2022. This means the de facto strait of Hormuz closure by Iran in the wake of US and Israeli strikes has far outstripped the impact on transatlantic freight rates of Russian diesel bans in Europe in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine — when European diesel buyers heavily shifted their demand from the Black Sea toward the US Gulf coast. The disruption to Mideast Gulf exports of crude and refined oil products has rattled freight markets globally, pushing buyers from regions outside of the typical US Gulf coast demand pool to provisionally hire MR tankers from the region, as evidenced on the BB Energy deal with the Nord Master . The trader included South Africa as a discharge option on the voyage at WS685, which is a country that imported 64.4pc of its refined oil product shipments, mostly diesel, from the Mideast Gulf since March 2024. The US Gulf coast accounted for only 1.5pc of the country's imports in that same period, Vortexa data show. Meanwhile, Jones Act waiver deals continued to hit the US Gulf coast spot market on Monday, which actively reduced the available tonnage pool for international shipments and provided further upward pressure on rates. Jet fuel wholesaler Nafco provisionally hired the Lakshmi today for a US Gulf coast-Alaska voyage at $7.75mn lumpsum. Nafco itself is a rarity within the US Gulf coast spot market, with no other spot market deals heard since 2022, suggesting the Jones Act waivers represented a unique trading opportunity for the company. This also demonstrates the waiving of typical Jones Act requirements, that US cabotage vessels be US flagged and US crewed, has introduced entirely new demand into the US Gulf coast spot market at a time when global buyers are already scrambling to secure shipments from the region. By Ross Griffith Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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