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.
Latest biofuels news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global biofuels industry.
Malaysia's Fathopes defers FID on biofuels plant
Malaysia's Fathopes defers FID on biofuels plant
Singapore, 12 February (Argus) — Malaysian biofuel feedstock supplier Fathopes Energy has postponed the final investment decision (FID) and commissioning target date for its upcoming 300,000 t/yr hydrotreated biofuels plant in Port Klang, Malaysia. Fathopes now targets an FID by the first quarter of 2027, instead of mid-2026 as announced in April 2025. It also aims to commission the plant in mid-2030, instead of 2029 — the original target for commissioning of the plant. The plant will produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) via the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (Hefa) pathway, depending on commercial considerations. It decided to commission operations later to ensure greater technical accuracy and bankability for the plant, Fathopes Energy told Argus . Fathopes integrated Abu Dhabi conglomerate Bin Zayed International (BZI) as a financial investor in the project in October 2025, after the companies signed an initial agreement to build the plant in April 2025. Fathopes has also allocated more time to find reliable technology partners for the plant's technical feasibility study, with a formal announcement expected in late February, they said. Front-end engineering design (FEED) for the plant is slated to begin in early third quarter 2026 and will be completed by the end of the year. Fathopes also pushed back the plant's commissioning date to incorporate standard oil and gas industry quality for the plant's FEED, as well as its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) phases. Meanwhile, the plant's 300,000 t/yr capacity captures economies of scale and avoids higher capital outlays typically associated with larger projects, it said, adding that the plant's estimated capital expenditure (Capex) was within industry range. These findings come after the company completed an independent financial feasibility study for the plant, it said last week. Malaysia's access to competitively priced domestic natural gas for hydrogen production provides a cost advantage over plants reliant on imported LNG, Fathopes said. Proximity to regional feedstock supply, direct access to the jetty via pipeline and access to the Port Klang Free Zone, which affords duty exemptions on re-exported goods and streamlined customs procedures, are some of the plant's competitive advantages. The plant is also located near port operations manager and services provider Westports in Port Klang. Fathopes will tap on its original position as a biofuel feedstock aggregator and supplier to source feedstocks for the plant — with feedstock such as used cooking oil, palm oil mill effluent oil, empty fruit bunch oil, spent bleaching earth oil, among others — from locations including Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Brunei, it said. It also has an advantage with its in-house applications — one for commercial partners like restaurants and industrial kitchens, and another for households and small vendors — which track each litre of feedstock to ensure compliance with International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) requirements, it added. By Sarah Giam Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Asian, Finnish firms start Sony bioplastic supply chain
Asian, Finnish firms start Sony bioplastic supply chain
Tokyo, 6 February (Argus) — Asian and Finnish companies in chemicals, refining and trading have created a bioplastic supply chain for Japanese electronics maker Sony to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in electronics production. In the supply chain, Finnish biofuels producer Neste will supply bionaphtha to four petrochemical companies, the companies said on 6 February. The supply chain of multiple companies works like this: Japanese refiner Eneos and South Korean chemicals firm SK Geo Centric will process the bionaphtha supplied by Neste at their crackers to produce bio-paraxylene (bio-PX); this bio-PX will be used by South Korea's Hanwha Impact to make renewable terephthalic acid; that is then converted to renewable polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) resin and films by Japanese firm Toray's South Korean subsidiary Toray Advanced Materials Korea. Eneos has already started supplying the bio-paraxylene produced at its Mizushima refinery in western Japan, the company said. Other companies involved in the supply chain are Japanese refiner Idemitsu which uses bionaphtha at its cracker to produce renewable styrene monomer, which Taiwan's Formosa Chemicals and Fibre (FCFC) converts to renewable polystyrene resin. Another Japanese chemicals firm, Mitsui Chemicals, also uses Neste's bionaphtha to produce bisphenol-A. Japan's Adeka also uses a bio-derived feedstock to make flame retardants, while Chinese firm Qingdao Haier New Material Development produces polycarbonate or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin. Taiwan-based Chimei also supplies renewable polycarbonate resin. All these biochemical materials will be processed by plastics molding companies for Sony's new products. Using a mass balance approach, biomass-based attributes will be allocated to the products across the supply chain. Japanese trading house Mitsubishi will coordinate the entire chain and manage the delivery of environmental credits. The total volume of bio-naphtha needed for the chain was not disclosed. Using Neste's bionaphtha typically reduces GHG emissions by around 85pc compared with using only conventional fossil-derived naphtha, Mitsubishi said. Sony plans to roll out new audio-visual products made with these renewable plastics globally as it aims to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2040. Argus last assessed bionaphtha delivered to northeast Asia at $1,875/t cfr on 6 February, $1,270/t over Japanese fossil naphtha. The range of downstream bio-based products in development continues to expand, but high prices for bionaphtha and downstream biochemicals continue to inhibit wider adoption and commercialisation, according to chemical producers in the region. By Kohei Yamamoto and Lauren Moffitt Supply chain partners Company Role Neste Production of bionaphtha Idemitsu Kosan Production of renewable styrene monomer Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Production of renewable polystyrene resin SK Geo Centric Production of renewable para-xylene Eneos Production of renewable para-xylene Hanwha Impact Production of renewable terephthalic acid Toray Advanced Materials Korea Production of renewable PET resin Mitsui Chemicals Production of renewable bisphenol-A CHIMEI Production of renewable polycarbonate (PC) resin ADEKA Production of renewable flame retardants Qingdao Haier New Material Development Production of renewable PC/ABS resin Sony Design and manufacturing of finished products Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
E15 'council' convenes without Dem. lawmakers
E15 'council' convenes without Dem. lawmakers
New York, 5 February (Argus) — A council of Republican lawmakers tasked with negotiating major changes to US fuel policy held its first meeting Tuesday evening, leaving out Democrats that had pushed for a seat at the table. The US House of Representatives last month punted on a proposal that would have allowed year-round sales of gasoline with up to 15pc ethanol (E15) and restricted how many refiners can win hardship exemptions from annual biofuel mandates. Instead, lawmakers tasked a new "rural domestic energy council" with developing policy recommendations by 15 February in the hopes that Congress will weigh legislation by 25 February. The full council met for the first time Tuesday evening, four people familiar with the matter said. The task force includes more than 20 House Republicans with a range of views on biofuel policy, but no Democrats, two of the people said. The office of House speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), who was in charge of appointing council members, did not respond to Argus' requests for comment. "My Democratic colleagues and I have been clear about the need for Democratic voices on this council — a concern leadership has so far failed to address," representative Nikki Budzinski (D-Illinois) said. "I will continue to press for real, bipartisan action that our growers deserve." Proposals to expand E15 have historically drawn bipartisan support, particularly from Midwestern lawmakers keen to help the region's farmers. Democrats could still support legislation that includes an E15 deal even if left out of negotiations this month. But some lobbyists close to the debate privately doubt that the council will reach any substantial compromise, especially after the earlier E15 proposal drew strong opposition from mid-sized oil refiners that want to maintain their ability to avoid the costly biofuel quotas. The council includes members from states with those refineries, including Gabe Evans' district (R-Colorado), where a Suncor refining complex is located, while CVR Energy and HF Sinclair have units in council co-chair Stephanie Bice's state (R-Oklahoma). Some Republican US senators that have long wanted deeper reforms to the biofuel mandate program are also skeptical of the earlier proposal, complicating any deal's chance of passage. "The federal government should not force Americans to put ethanol in their gas tanks," senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) said. "It is not good for the economy, the environment or car engines. We should not subsidize the corn industry at the expense of hardworking American families." The latest E15 proposal was developed partly by the American Petroleum Institute — an influential lobby within the Republican Party — and has won the support of larger oil refiners like Valero. Farmers' and fuel groups that support the earlier bill have urged the council to focus narrowly on improving it, rather than considering more divisive fuel market issues too. President Donald Trump, who has backed the biofuel industry with a proposal last year for record-high blend mandates, has made clear that he would sign legislation expanding E15 access. He said in an Iowa speech last month that he was optimistic Congress could strike a deal. It is unclear when the council, which includes a number of farm-state biofuel supporters too, plans to meet again. The large majority of gasoline in the US is sold as a 10pc ethanol blend. Farm advocates have pushed for over a decade to loosen summertime smog rules that forbid sales of higher blends in much of the country without emergency waivers . By Cole Martin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
STJ endossa Cbios, mas estoques limitam preços
STJ endossa Cbios, mas estoques limitam preços
Sao Paulo, 5 February (Argus) — A decisão do Superior Tribunal de Justiça (STJ) de suspender liminares que blindavam distribuidoras inadimplentes em créditos de descarbonização (Cbios) de sanções previstas na legislação pode ampliar a demanda esperada por títulos no ciclo de 2026, mas com efeitos limitados sobre os preços. O movimento foi visto por participantes do mercado como um endosso institucional relevante para a Política Nacional de Biocombustíveis (Renovabio) em um momento ainda desafiador para autoridades públicas no enforcement da nova lei dos Cbios (Lei nº 15.082/2024) e diante de persistente judicialização. A avaliação é de que o instrumento confere maior autoridade à Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) na aplicação de retaliações contra empresas em desconformidade com a política pública e pode frear novas decisões contrárias ao Renovabio em instâncias inferiores do Poder Judiciário. Ao menos 43 processos questionando o Renovabio tramitam em diversas esferas do Poder Judiciário, sendo que seis haviam resultado em liminares favoráveis a distribuidores, segundo levantamento feito pelo governo federal. Na prática, a suspensão das liminares tende a aumentar a percepção de risco de distribuidoras inadimplentes, gerando um impulso na demanda por Cbios, mas com capacidade limitada de pressionar a abundância de créditos em estoque e um ritmo acelerado de emissões esperadas para o ciclo atual. Perfil da inadimplência Das 160 distribuidoras registradas no Renovabio, 61 iniciaram o ano de 2025 com algum saldo de Cbios devidos de ciclos anteriores, segundo a ANP. O grupo de empresas enquadradas como inadimplentes do programa encerrou o ano com 29 nomes. A redução na taxa de inadimplência ao Renovabio contribuiu para elevar o percentual de cumprimento da meta em 2025 para 82pc, ante 77pc registrados no ano anterior. O resultado foi comemorado por defensores do programa, mas ainda é avaliado como tímido, considerando alterações legislativas recentes que endureceram a punição a empresas em desconformidade. Os dados da ANP mostram que 17 distribuidoras mantinham algum processo judicial relacionado ao Renovabio ao final do ano passado, sendo que apenas 7 apareciam com volumes de títulos aposentados abaixo do mínimo de 85pc estabelecido pela Lei dos Cbios (Lei nº 13.576/2017). Deste grupo, só 3 não aposentaram nenhum Cbio em 2025, de acordo com os registros oficiais. Oferta forte limita avanço de preço Na avaliação de participantes do mercado, as próximas semanas darão pistas relevantes quanto aos impactos concretos da decisão do STJ sobre a demanda por Cbios, mas os preços podem ter avanços limitados no período. O elevado nível de estoques herdado dos ciclos anteriores e as expectativas por produção recorde de etanol na próxima safra devem pressionar o preço para baixo. O ano de 2026 começou com 19,611 milhões de Cbios nas mãos dos mais diversos atores do mercado, sendo 71pc com a chamada "parte não-obrigada" (produtores de biocombustíveis registrados no Renovabio) e o restante concentrado em distribuidores. Além disso, parte dos distribuidores inadimplentes se antecipou à compra de papéis, mesmo ainda questionando o Renovabio em diferentes instâncias do Poder Judiciário, buscando aproveitar os níveis de preço mais baixos praticados neste momento no mercado. O preço médio do Cbio atingiu R$29,60 em 3 de fevereiro, cerca de 61pc abaixo do patamar observado um ano antes. Apesar de insatisfeitos com os níveis atuais, muitos produtores de biocombustíveis intensificaram movimentações na última quarta-feira, acelerando vendas na faixa de R$30 em busca de reforço de caixa. Tal postura reforçou entre agentes do mercado a percepção de que podem ser necessários outros vetores para sustentar altas mais expressivas nos preços, como não só diminuição expressiva na inadimplência, mas também metas mais agressivas de aposentadorias de Cbios nos próximos ciclos. Por Marcos Mortari Envie comentários e solicite mais informações em feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . Todos os direitos reservados.
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