Topics tagged with 'Biofuels'
Stand by for the golden age of gas
1 Jun 2012
Exploiting the world’s vast resources of unconventional natural gas holds the key to a golden age of gas, says the International Energy Agency.
Island nations commit to new fuels
11 May 2012
Twenty small island developing nations meeting in Barbados have announced new actions to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and end poverty.
It's a game-changer, says Aquaflow
20 Apr 2012
Kiwi clean energy company Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation believes it is poised to make refining next generation biofuels a commercial reality in New Zealand and in overseas projects within three years.
Build pulp-biofuel plant, urges expert
23 Mar 2012
New Zealand has a once-in-a-decade opportunity to build a mega pulp-and-paper mill that could also produce biofuel for the domestic market, the wood industry has been told.
Wood the answer, says biofuel expert
16 Mar 2012
New Zealand should be replacing fossil-fuel energy with wood, says the general manager of a Whakatane-based biotechnology business.
Biofuels get $15 million boost
16 Mar 2012
Australia’s biofuel industry has been given a boost with the Government’s announcement of a $15 million commitment to the new Advanced Biofuels Investment Readiness programme.
NZ could be centre for new fuel technology
24 Feb 2012
New Zealand could become a regional centre for emulsified fuel technology.
Why we must target the 2deg limit
9 Dec 2011
Scientists working on the Global Carbon Project have said that despite nearly 15 years of pledges to make cuts, the release of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels is still increasing at a record rate.
LanzaTech to make avgas for US
2 Dec 2011
New Zealand gas fermentation company LanzaTech has won an American government contract to make aviation fuel from waste products.
Sustainability study hailed as success
2 Dec 2011
The director of a ground-breaking graduate programme in sustainable practice says the first year of the course has been a success.
Business getting serious about green investment
18 Nov 2011
Businesses and governments are accelerating investment in the green sectors of the economy, a just-released United Nations report shows.
Aquaflow to show know-how in Australia
11 Nov 2011
New Zealand’s Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation is joining forces with an Australian company to build plants that turn waste into fuel.
Gas outage spurs forest biofuel option
4 Nov 2011
Major industries, hotels, hospitals and large schools in the central North Island should be seriously considering forest residues as an energy source, say forest owners.
Study urges care with harvesting for biofuel
28 Oct 2011
Turning trees into biofuel can release more carbon into the atmosphere than would have been released by fossil fuels, new American research says.
LanzaTech gases will fuel Virgin aircraft
14 Oct 2011
New Zealand’s LanzaTech has done a deal to that will provide Virgin Atlantic with low-carbon aviation fuel.
Windflow founder backs shares plan
7 Oct 2011
Windflow Technology founder Geoff Henderson is lending the company $150,000 to keep it afloat as the company extends the closing date for a share purchase plan.
Climate drives transport changes
16 Sep 2011
It is hard to overlook the issue of transport in New Zealand, particularly after the shambles that was Auckland’s public transport system for the Rugby World Cup opening ceremony last Friday.
Big business backs eucalypt biofuel
2 Sep 2011
A consortium of Australian businesses plans to use eucalypt trees to produce aviation biofuel from a pilot production unit operating by 2012.
Fund invites waste controls ideas
5 Aug 2011
Applications are open for grants from the Waste Minimisation Fund.
Biofuel plan stagnates while Government dithers
29 Jul 2011
Work on a multi-million dollar plant to turn tallow into biodiesel is on hold while investors wait to see whether the Government will continue its biofuel subsidy.
Renewable energy making its mark on the world
15 Jul 2011
The renewable energy sector has continued to perform well despite the global economic slowdown, cuts in incentives, and low natural-gas prices, according to a new United Nations-backed report.
Emissions trading is best, says Shell chief
17 Jun 2011
Emissions trading schemes are a better way of tackling carbon pollution than government subsidies of renewable energy projects, says a senior Shell executive.
Jet fuel industry viable, say scientists
3 Jun 2011
Establishing an Australian and New Zealand aviation biofuels industry is a viable proposition, according to scientists and the region’s major industry players.
Biofuels project wins $5m funding
13 May 2011
A government grant of $5 million is a further step toward establishing a Biofuels Research Institute in Australia.
Most Kiwis want renewables over fossil fuels
21 Apr 2011
Most New Zealanders do not support the Government’s strategy of prioritising more exploration and mining for fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas to sell off-shore, says WWF.
Wood processors want slice of the pie
8 Apr 2011
Wood processors want a slice of the scheme providing free carbon credits to trade-exposed industries.
LanzaTech boost follows Taiwan deal
8 Apr 2011
New Zealand’s LanzaTech is fast-tracking commercialisation of its bio-chemical production process after signing a deal with one of the world’s leading chemical companies.
What the IEA thinks of our ETS
1 Apr 2011
The International Energy Agency says there is no guarantee New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme will actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Government sets 50 by 50 emissions target
1 Apr 2011
The Government has confirmed New Zealand's long-term emissions reduction target of 50 per cent on 1990 levels by 2050.
Scientists show biochar slashes animal gas
25 Mar 2011
New Zealand scientists have proved that emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide from animal urine can be cut drastically by adding biochar to the soil.
LanzaTech NZBIO company of the year
25 Mar 2011
LanzaTech, which has taken its technology for converting waste gases in to ethanol and chemicals from its Auckland laboratory to the world, has won the NZBIO 2011 Company of the Year Award.
Biodiesel co-op wants to expand
18 Mar 2011
New Zealand’s first biodiesel co-operative is celebrating its first birthday with plans to expand into other towns.
Australia eyes 50% tax cut on new fuels
28 Jan 2011
Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten has released draft legislation for public consultation on the Australian Government's reform of the taxation of alternative fuels.
Dramatic emissions cuts possible, says UN
28 Jan 2011
Dramatic cuts in industrial emissions of greenhouse gas emissions are achievable in developed and developing countries at an acceptable cost, the United Nations says.
CANCUN: We're fooling nobody, says Chauvel
10 Dec 2010
Labour's Climate Change Issues spokesman, Charles Chauvel, reports from Cancun:
Lanzatech hits the hot 50
10 Dec 2010
Energy technology company LanzaTech (http://www.lanzatech.co.nz/) has climbed higher in the world ranking of the “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy”.
Aquaflow links with US firm in energy move
3 Dec 2010
New Zealand’s Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation is joining forces with a Californian company to develop next-generation technology to produce low-cost renewable energy and chemicals.
EECA 1 - bioenergy all the rage
26 Nov 2010
The 2010 EECA Awards have been dominated by bioenergy in various forms – showing an increasing interest from Kiwi businesses in new forms of renewable energy.
Macro companies vie for a mega Giga
26 Nov 2010
More than two dozen of the world's largest companies have made the shortlist for the first Gigaton Awards based on their leadership and efforts to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
LanzaTech to work on jet fuel development
19 Nov 2010
New Zealand's LanzaTech is to work with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on converting some of LanzaTech’s products to drop-in jet fuel.
Agency doubts Copenhagen pact energy goal
12 Nov 2010
A lack of ambition in the Copenhagen Accord pledges has increased by $1 trillion the estimated cost of holding the global temperature increase to under 2°C, says the head of the International Energy Agency, Nobuo Tanaka.
Frankly speaking - Groser addresses Brazil conference
29 Oct 2010
The challenges of life as an international climate change negotiator have been revealed.
World clean-tech spotlight shines on LanzaTech
15 Oct 2010
The work of a pioneering New Zealand clean-tech company has been recognised internationally not once but twice this week.
How the military's green energy transition can make you rich
15 Oct 2010
By Jeff Siegel.- It was all over the news last week ...
Greenpeace stages protest over oil drilling
8 Oct 2010
"Oil"-smeared people walked through central Wellington on Wednesday to protest Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee’s reckless determination to dig and drill for more dirty fossil fuels while ignoring the impacts on climate change.
New biodiesel mix aims to be cheaper
1 Oct 2010
Biodiesel made from vegetable oil and tallow is now available to the New Zealand public.
UN urges airlines to slash carbon emissions
17 Sep 2010
UN climate chief Christiana Figueres has urged the air transport industry to press on with curbs on emissions, underlining that it held "critical keys" to tackling global warming.
Bioenergy material going to waste, says report
10 Sep 2010
More than a quarter of New Zealand's energy needs - and nearly a third of our transport fuels - could come from energy crops and materials that are currently wasted, according to a new report.
Biofuel demand driving Africa land grab
3 Sep 2010
Biofuel demand is driving a new land grab in Africa, with at least five million hectares acquired by foreign firms to grow crops in 11 countries, a study by an environmental group said this week.
Urban rewilding combats global biodiversity decline
Wed 28 May 2025
Media release | A new study led by the University of Sydney reveals how cities around the world are restoring wildlife to their former habitats in the face of ongoing urban sprawl.
US dairy farmers consider return on climate-smart milk
22 May 2025
The approach is just one of many dairy practices now considered “climate-smart” because they could cut production of climate-warming gases.
Greenwashing is rife in Australia, but could its days be numbered?
Wed 28 May 2025
COMMENT: Have you ever ticked the box to “fly carbon neutral”, had something delivered via “carbon-neutral shipping” or chosen to pay a bit extra to buy “carbon-neutral gas” from your energy retailer?
Help sustainable aviation fuels take off or delay targets, airlines warn EU
20 May 2025
Earmarked funding, risk-reduction tools, and simplified imports top Airlines for Europe’s wish list for the EU’s upcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan.
Govt's RMA overhaul sparks fears for nature and climate
Fri 30 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has opened public consultation on the biggest overhaul of environmental planning rules in New Zealand’s history, with critics warning it puts nature and climate at risk in favour of fast-tracked development and industry expansion.
Govt mulls status quo for ETS auction settings
Thu 29 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has released its consultation on the Climate Change Commission’s latest advice on Emissions Trading Scheme auction settings and volumes, putting forward the option to ignore the commission’s advice to boost auction volumes from 2028-2030.
Pacific Island nations support China's Taiwan claims at high-profile foreign ministers' meeting
Fri 30 May 2025
Pacific nations have backed China's claim over Taiwan during a high-profile meeting, but have shied away from directly endorsing Beijing's push to "reunify" the democratically ruled island with the mainland.
Carbon price too low to fund carbon capture
20 May 2025
The government’s climate target to 2030 is at risk, after revelations that a carbon capture project which the government was relying on to deliver one third of its carbon reductions, might not go ahead.
Fight over coal mine heats up
Fri 30 May 2025
Forest & Bird is calling on the government to create a new scientific reserve covering the Denniston Plateau on the West Coast, which would stop a fast-tracked coal mine.
Trump’s actions are already having consequences for climate, especially for the IPCC - expert
11 Apr 2025
Leading climate scientist, Dr Kevin Trenberth, left the US and came home to New Zealand because of the rise of Donald Trump. In this comment piece, he writes that he is appalled in multiple ways by the so-called “war on science” unfolding through staff cuts and the president’s policy edicts.
Owning a green home could cut mortgage payback time by two years
9 May 2025
A green certified home plus a green mortgage and associated energy bill savings could save Kiwi families up to $98,800 over the course of their mortgage - the equivalent of being mortgage-free several years early, according to new research.
Cuts to climate finance put exports in jeopardy: Lawyers
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has halved international climate finance, a move aid organisations describe as “devastating,” and which lawyers say could put our Paris Agreement commitments and export market access at risk.
Watts talks big on energy reform, but barriers persist
Thu 29 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Energy and Climate Change minister Simon Watts says the government is doubling down on efforts to boost renewable energy generation, streamline regulation, and drive private sector investment as New Zealand faces mounting energy security and affordability challenges.
Could ‘orange’ hydrogen be NZ’s key to net-zero?
Fri 30 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand could be sitting on resources for a thriving multi-billion-dollar, low-carbon hydrogen economy, which might even be capable of creating a net reduction of carbon dioxide, according to scientists.
Govt budgets $200m for would-be gas investors
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | Energy Resources Aotearoa has welcomed the government's plan to co-invest $200 million in fossil gas expansion, while environmental and climate groups have reacted with horror.
Glacier collapse buries most of Swiss village
Fri 30 May 2025
The Swiss village of Blatten has been partially destroyed after a huge chunk of glacier crashed down into the valley.
Oceans Commission must have teeth – minister
14 May 2025
If an Oceans Commission were to be established under the government it would need genuine powers to make change, says Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones.
Water crisis on the horizon?
Mon 26 May 2025
Media release | Sewage contaminating Auckland oyster farms highlights the “dire state” of water infrastructure in Aotearoa, says University of Auckland Associate Professor Daniel Hikuroa.
Why expensive gas – not net-zero – is keeping UK electricity prices so high
Wed 28 May 2025
The UK’s high electricity prices have become intensely political, with competing claims over the cause of rocketing bills and how best to get them down.
Hotter and deeper: how NZ’s plan to drill for ‘supercritical’ geothermal energy holds promise and risk
2 Apr 2025
By David Dempsey, University of Canterbury | New Zealand’s North Island features a number of geothermal systems, several of which are used to generate some 1,000 MegaWatts of electricity. But deeper down there may be even more potential.
Electrification challenge for politicians, regulators
Tue 27 May 2025
Rewiring Aotearoa is calling for stronger political leadership to bring its vision of a cheaper, cleaner and stronger energy system to life, with the launch of its policy manifesto today.
Nelson backs ‘ambitious’ emissions target, but mayor nervous
Mon 26 May 2025
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Nelson’s mayor has been accused of “pouring cold water” on ambitious greenhouse gas emission targets proposed for the city.
Energy Australia is in court accused of greenwashing. What is the case about and why is it significant?
16 May 2025
Climate group alleges energy giant misled 400,000 customers about ‘Go Neutral’ product, arguing that carbon credits don’t actually remove emissions.
Methanex closure comes early this year
14 May 2025
The almost-now-annual closure of Methanex has come earlier this year, giving more confidence that the electricity system will get through the winter without a fuel shortfall.
While govt ‘refreshes’ fund for low carbon trucks, are transport emissions set to accelerate?
Wed 28 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has announced it is updating the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund, however cuts to funds to decarbonise transport in last week’s budget, and potential changes to road user charges, could stall transport emissions reductions.
Climate change could drive surge in foreclosures and lender losses, new study finds
22 May 2025
Extreme weather linked to climate change could spell financial ruin for many American homeowners and lead to billions in losses for lenders, a new study finds.
Will NZ walk away from the Paris Agreement?
20 Dec 2024
By Geoff Bertram | COMMENT: Unless the government can find very cheap offshore mitigation, the temptation to walk away from its Paris Agreement obligations may well be too strong to resist for a coalition government focused on fiscal austerity.
Energy Australia apologises to 400,000 customers and settles greenwashing legal action
22 May 2025
Energy retailer says carbon offsetting ‘not the most effective way’ to reduce emissions.
Kiwi cleantech companies on the world stage
Tue 27 May 2025
Six New Zealand 'cleantech' companies were in Singapore earlier this month, along with a venture capital firm and the MacDiarmid Institute, to meet investors and multinational partners.
Carbon News launches price index
24 Jun 2024
Today’s issue is the first to feature Carbon News’ own carbon price index for secondary market spot prices for NZUs on New Zealand’s compliance market.
New research reveals NZ’s natural resource footprint
Thu 29 May 2025
Media release | New research from the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment reveals that about 107 million tonnes of natural resources were required to produce the goods and services consumed by New Zealanders in 2019 – approximately 21 tonnes per person on average.
World’s nations to gather in France to tackle what UN says is a global emergency in the oceans
Fri 30 May 2025
The world’s nations are gathering in France next month to tackle what the United Nations calls a global emergency facing the world’s oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources.
Europe’s next climate target may already have been agreed in Berlin
Wed 28 May 2025
Germany’s new coalition has adopted a climate stance shaped by talks with the EU’s top climate official, signalling where the bloc may land on a likely upcoming 2040 emissions target.
Warm water affecting Antarctica’s largest ice shelf - new research
22 Apr 2025
While Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf is currently stable, new research shows warm water is reaching up to 170 kilometres under the front of the ice shelf.
NZ's first chance in 20 years to catch up on waste
Fri 30 May 2025
Media release | The government has announced proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Kiwis have a chance to catch up with other countries to reduce our waste and litter.
Dismissals 'massive win' for climate movement
13 May 2025
The outstanding charges against 25 climate activists who disrupted traffic in Wellington have been dropped, a move the group calls a win for the climate movement.
Straterra has a new name: the New Zealand Minerals Council
16 Apr 2025
Media release | Straterra has been renamed as New Zealand Minerals Council, says chief executive Josie Vidal.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
Thu 29 May 2025
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, long derided for its heavy carbon footprint, was dominated by wind and solar power projects for the first time from 2022 to 2023, according to a new analysis. But coal plants financed in earlier years are still coming online.
A fungus that can ‘eat you from the inside out’ could spread as the world heats up
Tue 27 May 2025
Infection-causing fungi responsible for millions of deaths a year will spread significantly to new regions as the planet heats up, new research predicts — and the world is not prepared.
Green budget 'ludicrous la-la land' – govt
15 May 2025
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the budget was "clown show economics" and an "absolute circus".
United Nations carbon market rules agreed but concerns remain
25 Nov 2024
New carbon market rules agreed at the fractious UN climate summit will be a relief to New Zealand and Singapore, who were leading the negotiations, but concerns about greenwashing and disadvantaging nature-based solutions remain.
More than 1 in 4 cars sold globally in 2025 expected to be EV: IEA report
Mon 26 May 2025
According to the Global EV Outlook 2025 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), 2025 is set to be big for EV sales. The report predicts that about one in four cars sold worldwide this year will be electric, despite overall market uncertainties.
Brazil seeks early deals on two stalled issues at Bonn climate talks
Mon 26 May 2025
Moving forward work on just transition and implementing recommendations from the Global Stocktake of climate progress are key priorities for upcoming UN negotiations.
Global sea levels rise spelling catastrophe for coastal towns and cities
14 May 2025
For around 2,000 years, global sea levels varied little. That changed in the 20th century. They started rising and have not stopped since — and the pace is accelerating.
Tropical forest loss hit new heights in 2024; fire a major driver in Latin America
23 May 2025
Tropical forest loss skyrocketed in 2024, with vast swaths of primary forest consumed by fire, according to new satellite data.
NZ moving too slowly to decarbonise – former commission chair
22 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand's energy transition is too slow and too controlled by vested interests, according to former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr.
