Press

After the significant decline of the biofuels market share in transportation from 7,1% in 2007 to 5,9% in 2008, the new German government has promised a revitalization of the biofuel markets in their coalition agreement. In the now published draft law of the so called “Wachstumsbeschleunigungsgesetz” (“Law for accelerated growth”) the government proposes to freeze the actual tax on B100 and pure vegetable oils to this years’ rate for the next three years instead of the originally scheduled tax increase. But this measure won’t be sufficient to revitalize the markets, the more than 450 participants of the 7th International BBE/UFOP Conference on Biofuels, “Fuels of the Future 2009” on November 30th and December 1st in Berlin agreed. more…

On the occasion of the general meeting of AGQM Arbeitsgemeinschaft Qualitätsmanagement Biodiesel e.V., the Association activated its redesigned internet platform. The website of AGQM contains an abundance of information on biodiesel, quality assurance, research and development as well as a constantly wider array of the Association’s service activities. more…

The worst fears seem to be confirmed as the result of a hearing in the European Parliament on 3 November 2009. The Committee concludes that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) responsible for the registration of chemicals under the European Chemicals Directive (REACH) is utterly unable to handle the situation and is grossly understaffed.Meanwhile they are even talking of an emergency plan in order to cope with the spade of applications which, according to ECHA Director General Geerd Dancet, is higher than expected by factor 20. more…

AGQM is announcing its forthcoming Focus Seminar for Analysts and Plant Operators. It will be held from 18.11.-20.11.09 at ASG Analytik Service GmbH, Neusaess near Augsburg/ Germany. more…

Currently Biodiesel (RME) is mixed according to EN 14214 and EN 590 with up to 5% of fossil Diesel fuel. With a further increase of RME fraction to 10% (B10 blend), there are uncertainties regarding the undisturbed longlife behavior due to variations of the physicochemical properties of RME more…

Modern cars can run on B10 fuel, i.e., fuel containing 10 per cent by volume biodiesel, under certain conditions. So far, suppliers have only released B7 fuel (7% admixture). This is the result of fleet tests organized by the Association of the German Bio Fuel Industry (VDB) with assistance of the Union for the Advancement of Oil and Protein Crops (UFOP). more…

Germany has been world champion in the number of filling stations selling biodiesel as B100 for many years. No other country had more filling pumps for pure biodiesel than Germany. The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Qualitätsmanagement Biodiesel e. V. (AGQM) assumes that the number of filling stations selling biodiesel until last year amounted to about 1,900 in this country more…

At the round table discussions on biofuels held on 17 January and 5 June 2007 respectively, a joint strategy to promote biofuels – the Biofuels Roadmap – was agreed between Germany’s automotive industry, oil industry, SMEs operating in the oil industry, agricultural sector, Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) and Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV). more…