September 7, 2023
BY Erin Krueger
The USDA on Aug. 30 awarded $266 million to 1,334 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects under the Rural Energy for America Program. Two of the awards will support projects at biodiesel plants.
Illinois-based Incobrasa Industries Ltd. has been awarded a $1 million grant to support the installation of a 7.5 MW solar array to help power the company’s biodiesel plant located in Gilman, Illinois. The project is expected to save the business more than $1.21 million annually and replace 12.46 million kWh of power, which is enough to power 1,149 homes.
A biodiesel plant in Pennsylvania has also been awarded a REAP grant. That $79,900 award has been made to World Energy Harrisburg LLC to help support the installation of a condenser unit at its facility in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. According to the USDA, the condenser unit, components and ancillary infrastructure of a cooling tower will improve methanol recovery and boost biodiesel production at the facility by 4.68 million gallons per year.
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A full list of awards is available on the USDA website.
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Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited has officially announced the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on its commercial flights, reinforcing Thailand’s green aviation industry. The initiative took effect starting July 1, 2025.
Avalon Energy Group LLC and Sulzer Chemtech have signed a strategic alliance and partnership agreement to scale up the production of SAF. Under the agreement, Avalon has selected BioFlux technology for its portfolio of SAF projects.
The USDA has announced it will delay opening the first quarterly grant application window for FY 2026 REAP funding. The agency cited both an application backlog and the need to disincentivize solar projects as reasons for the delay.
Neste and DHL Express have strengthened their collaboration with the supply of 7,400 tons (9.5 million liters) of neat, i.e. unblended, Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel to DHL Express at Singapore Changi Airport starting July 2025.
CoBank’s latest quarterly research report, released July 10, highlights current uncertainty around the implementation of three biofuel policies, RFS RVOs, small refinery exemptions (SREs) and the 45Z clean fuels production tax credit.