16/11/2008
São Paulo - Formula Indy cars are going to run on Brazilian ethanol in the 2009 season. This information was disclosed on Friday (14) by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex), which is negotiating the use of the fuel with Indy Racing, the organizer of the competition.
According to the Apex, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is going to speak about the novelty at the opening of the International Conference on Biofuels, on Monday, in São Paulo. The event ends on Friday.
The agency informed that a memorandum of understanding on the matter should be signed by the vice president of Indy Racing, Terry Angstadt, and by Apex president Alessandro Teixeira.
Lula is going to open the conference in the company of Minister Miguel Jorge (Development, Industry and Foreign Trade), and Dilma Rouseff (Chief of Staff), as well as Teixeira.
Source: http://www2.anba.com.br/noticia_agronegocios.kmf?cod=7886689&indice=0
Brazilian ethanol project receives $1 billion funding
12/11/ 2008
Vital Renewable Energy Company (VREC), a new Brazilian company, has secured funding amounting to $1 billion (€799 million) for ethanol and electricity generation projects in Brazil.
The funding was completed by an international consortium of private investors including Paladin Capital Group, Vision Brazil Investments, Leaf Clean Energy Company, Petercam Asset Management and PCG Clean Energy & Technology Fund.
VREC, in partnership with Grupo Farias, a traditional sugarcane and ethanol producer with over 10.5 million tonnes of installed crushing capacity and a nationwide presence, has already begun constructing its first production unit, located in the state of Sao Paulo.
As a result of over 20 months of detailed industry analysis and the review of numerous agricultural-industrial projects, we selected a portfolio of initial investments focused on ethanol production and associated energy generation capable of delivering the returns expected by our investors,' Ricardo Roccia, CEO of VREC, comments.
VREC plans to invest in a broad range of new projects in Brazil related to ethanol and energy generation. It will also consider purchases of existing ethanol facilities and investment opportunities in ethanol infrastructure.
Source: http://www.biofuels-news.com/industry_news.php?item_id=85
Syngenta develops new technology
04/11/2008
Syngenta’s innovation would reduce planting costs per hectare by 15 percent, driven by a novel approach to grow sugar cane from smaller cane segments using proprietary treatments.
The technology is planned for launch in 2010 under the brand name Plene and has a market potential of $300 million per year by 2015.
Syngenta is developing a method of producing sugarcane segments of less than four centimeters in length. These will be treated with proprietary crop protecting seed care applications to maximize early plant development.
The method would allow sugar cane growers to replant their fields more frequently, eliminating the typical yield degradation of the crop and thereby leading to a yield gain of up to 15 percent.
It would also enable growers to use lighter planting equipment which saves on fuel costs.
This planting machinery is under development in partnership with U.S. agricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere.
Brazil is the market leader in sugar cane production, with 8 million hectares under cultivation, two percent of the country’s arable land.
Current production of sugar cane is around 500 million tons. Increased demand for sugar cane comes from its use as sugar and as a raw material in the production of biofuel.
Source: http://www.brazilintl.com/agnews/agnews_sugarcane.htm
According to the Apex, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is going to speak about the novelty at the opening of the International Conference on Biofuels, on Monday, in São Paulo. The event ends on Friday.
The agency informed that a memorandum of understanding on the matter should be signed by the vice president of Indy Racing, Terry Angstadt, and by Apex president Alessandro Teixeira.
Lula is going to open the conference in the company of Minister Miguel Jorge (Development, Industry and Foreign Trade), and Dilma Rouseff (Chief of Staff), as well as Teixeira.
Source: http://www2.anba.com.br/noticia_agronegocios.kmf?cod=7886689&indice=0
Brazilian ethanol project receives $1 billion funding
12/11/ 2008
Vital Renewable Energy Company (VREC), a new Brazilian company, has secured funding amounting to $1 billion (€799 million) for ethanol and electricity generation projects in Brazil.
The funding was completed by an international consortium of private investors including Paladin Capital Group, Vision Brazil Investments, Leaf Clean Energy Company, Petercam Asset Management and PCG Clean Energy & Technology Fund.
VREC, in partnership with Grupo Farias, a traditional sugarcane and ethanol producer with over 10.5 million tonnes of installed crushing capacity and a nationwide presence, has already begun constructing its first production unit, located in the state of Sao Paulo.
As a result of over 20 months of detailed industry analysis and the review of numerous agricultural-industrial projects, we selected a portfolio of initial investments focused on ethanol production and associated energy generation capable of delivering the returns expected by our investors,' Ricardo Roccia, CEO of VREC, comments.
VREC plans to invest in a broad range of new projects in Brazil related to ethanol and energy generation. It will also consider purchases of existing ethanol facilities and investment opportunities in ethanol infrastructure.
Source: http://www.biofuels-news.com/industry_news.php?item_id=85
Syngenta develops new technology
04/11/2008Syngenta’s innovation would reduce planting costs per hectare by 15 percent, driven by a novel approach to grow sugar cane from smaller cane segments using proprietary treatments.
The technology is planned for launch in 2010 under the brand name Plene and has a market potential of $300 million per year by 2015.
Syngenta is developing a method of producing sugarcane segments of less than four centimeters in length. These will be treated with proprietary crop protecting seed care applications to maximize early plant development.
The method would allow sugar cane growers to replant their fields more frequently, eliminating the typical yield degradation of the crop and thereby leading to a yield gain of up to 15 percent.
It would also enable growers to use lighter planting equipment which saves on fuel costs.
This planting machinery is under development in partnership with U.S. agricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere.
Brazil is the market leader in sugar cane production, with 8 million hectares under cultivation, two percent of the country’s arable land.
Current production of sugar cane is around 500 million tons. Increased demand for sugar cane comes from its use as sugar and as a raw material in the production of biofuel.
Source: http://www.brazilintl.com/agnews/agnews_sugarcane.htm
