BY Ron KotrbaNeste's acquisition of 51 percent of the shares and controlling interest in animal fat trader IH Demeter B.V., first announced in May, is now complete. The former owners remain co-owners and the new name of the company is Neste Demeter B.V. READ MORE

BY Argent Energy Rietkerk takes over leadership of Argent from the former managing director, Jim Walker, following the company's recent agreement to acquire Biodiesel Amsterdam. Rietkerk comes to Argent from Amsterdam Commodities, a trading firm in the Netherlands. READ MORE

BY Neste Corp. Neste is exploring ways to introduce liquefied waste plastic as a raw material for fossil refining. The company aims to proceed to industrial-scale trial in 2019. Its target is to process more than 1 million tons of waste plastic a year by 2030. READ MORE

BY UFOP Soybean meal prices have come down significantly since the beginning of May. Ample supply from Brazil, favorable growing conditions in the U.S. and an escalating trade dispute between China and the U.S. are putting downward pressure on prices. READ MORE

BY Ron KotrbaThe French Federation of Oilseeds and Protein Producers is giving France's largest farmers' union, FNSEA, its complete support in planned blockades at strategic sites June 10 to protest policies and actions that jeopardize French crops and farmers. READ MORE

BY Eni S.p.A. Italian oil refining giant Eni will begin collecting used cooking oils from the homes of its employees for conversion to renewable diesel at its biorefinery. This pioneering initiative is part of its commitment to adopt a circular economy program. READ MORE

BY UFOP In the first quarter of 2018, Germany's biodiesel exports increased more than 30 percent from same period last year to 128.67 million gallons. Around 84 percent of exports were shipped to EU countries. U.S. imports of German biodiesel grew the most. READ MORE

BY Ron KotrbaThe new QC material offering for PhGly can be used internally to check various analysis methods for glycerin from the European Pharmacopeia such as glycerin and water content, along with additional standard methods such as color via EN ISO 6271-2. READ MORE

BY Ron KotrbaAustrian plant engineering firm and biodiesel tech provider BDI-BioEnergy International has been contracted for a scale-up project funded by the German environmental ministry to recover phosphorus from sewage sludge with Remondis and Hamburg Wasser. READ MORE

BY Ron KotrbaADM announced plans in March to temporarily cease production of biodiesel at its facility in Mainz, Germany, as a result of increased biodiesel imports into the EU. Last fall, looming imports caused France's Saipol to make a similar decision. READ MORE

BY Ron KotrbaAemetis announced that its 50 MMgy Universal Biofuels subsidiary in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India, has completed construction of a biodiesel pretreatment unit to process low-cost feedstocks, which was part of a supply deal inked with BP Singapore. READ MORE

BY Ron KotrbaNeste Corp. has announced that tractor manufacturer Valtra, part of AGCO Corp., is factory-filling its new tractors with Neste MY Renewable Diesel made from waste and residues. Valtra will use approximately 185,000 gallons a year of renewable diesel. READ MORE

BY AGQM University of Rostock research shows off-road engines conforming to exhaust emission category EU Stage IV are suitable for operation with pure biodiesel. Special attention was given to the operational stability of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems. READ MORE

BY The European Biodiesel Board Following an EBB complaint, the EU Commission initiated an antisubsidy investigation Jan. 31 targeting subsidized Argentine biodiesel exports. Since September when EU tariffs were reduced, Argentina shipped 600,000-plus tons of biodiesel to the EU. READ MORE

BY Ron KotrbaBiodiesel technology and engineering firm BDI-BioEnergy International AG officially broke ground Jan. 26 on its new algae biomass production plant at Hartberg Ecopark in the Austrian state of Styria. The milestone is the culmination of years of R&D. READ MORE