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UPDATED 1 Sept: The EI library in London is temporarily closed to the public, as a precautionary measure in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The Knowledge Service will still be answering email queries via email , or via live chats during working hours (09:15-17:00 GMT). Our e-library is always open for members here: eLibrary , for full-text access to over 200 e-books and millions of articles. Thank you for your patience.
Ethanol and biodiesel production fell slightly in 2012
The combined global production of ethanol and biodiesel – which together account for almost all liquid biofuels – fell for the first time since 2000 in 2012, down 0.4% from the figure in 2011, according to a Vital Signs Online report written by Tom Prugh for the Worldwatch Institute.
The report states that global ethanol production declined slightly for the second year in a row, to 83bn litres, while biodiesel output rose fractionally, from 22.4bn litres in 2011 to 22.5bn litres in 2012. Biodiesel now accounts for over 20% of global biofuel production.
The top five ethanol producers in 2012 were the US, Brazil, China, Canada, and France. The US and Brazil dominate production, accounting for 87% (61% and 26%, respectively) of the global total. US ethanol production was down around 4% from 2011 due to an increase in corn prices in 2012 following a severe summer drought in the Midwest. Brazil’s production rose 3% to 21.6bn litres, partly because of a drop in sugar prices.
The US also led in biodiesel production, with 3.6bn litres, while Argentina took second place with 2.8bn litres, and Germany and Brazil had roughly the same output at 2.7bn litres. Worldwide, biodiesel production grew at an average annual rate of 17% from 2007 through 2012, although the rate of growth slowed considerably.
Biofuel demand is strongly driven by blending mandates and supported by subsidies, says the Worldwatch report. Global subsidies for liquid biofuels were estimated in 2012 to be over US$20bn.
Biofuels for transport currently account for around 0.8% of global energy use, 8% of global primary energy derived from biomass, 3.4% of global road transport fuels, and 2.5% of all transport fuels, says the report.
Despite ethanol production being down slightly in the US, the country is still investing in new ethanol plants – the biggest ethanol plant on the East Coast of the US has commenced construction in Hopewell, Virginia.
The plant is being built by the British Vireol Bio-Energy and will use Virginia’s corn and small grain production to produce the fuel. It has the capacity to produce up to 235mn litres of bioethanol a year which will be blended with petrol to help the US reach targets under its Renewable Fuel Standard.
