China Biodiesel commences trading on AIM

"The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may become in course of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time." – Rudolf Diesel, 1912 (pic MAN Diesel Truck 1926 Berlin Motor Show - the first diesel engined automobile)

China Biodiesel has raised £8Mn and trading commenced today (despite today's Daily Torygraph saying it floats next Friday) - Bid 87p Offer 90p at mid-day with light trading.Evolution, who have offices in Shanghai, have been handling the launch whci presages a great deal of interest in renewable fuels in China. Closed the day with 600,000 shares changing hands and closed at 98/100.

China Resources Alcohol Corporation (CRAC) announced last week a deal in buying or licensing the North American / Danish / Spanish cellulosic ethanol technology see here

The Chinese central government recently announced a $5.0 Billion US capital investment over the next 10 years on ethanol capacity expansion with a focus on cellulosic ethanol.

Biodiesel is a relative newcomer to the United States where there is litle if any retail delivery structure for diesel,In the US where only about 1 percent of automobiles are diesel powered and tax policies are generally not as favorable, the number of gas stations offering biodiesel is just over 200. In Europe, biodiesel it has enjoyed widespread acceptance as a vehicle fuel (as well as a heating fuel in some countries) due to deliberate government tax policies that favor its use. In Germany,where diesel engines power close to 40 percent of passenger cars, more than 1,800 filling stations offer price competitive biodiesel and biodiesel accounts for 4% of total annuals sales (Source : DeGussa). The expansion of the European Union in May 2004 offered a good deal of additional potential for continued growth in biodiesel production and use in the so-called new accession nations. For example see ww.biodiesel.cz (in Czech no translation)

It is possible that EU based companies such as the German based , Degussa who already employ 2.600 in China generating sales of more than Euro 320 Mn. in 2005 with a target of tripling their China business by 2008 to Euro 900 Mn. plus may get involved in this market.

DeGussa already market Alkoxides such as NM 30 (Sodium methylate 30% solution in methanol )as a catalyst for transesterification of native oils, canola etc., and (Potassium methylate 32% solution in methanol) KM 32 – especially for processes using cooking grease. Biofuels are subject to oxidation and age faster than mineral oil diesel Degussa‘s new antioxidants, specifically designed for biodiesel, are marketed under the brand name IONOL® for Bio-Fuel, or IONOL® BF.

DeGussa can also offer de-foaming agents that suppress problesm of faoming as the fuel is pumped.

Poor Old Diesel

Rudolf Diesel was French born but worked in Germany and took out his first patent in 1892. In August 1893 he went to Augsburg, Germany, where he showed the forerunner of MAN AG (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nuerenberg).
In 1908 Diesel and the Swiss mechanical firm of Saurer created a faster-running engine that turned at 800 rpm, but the automotive industry was slow to adopt Diesel's engine.

MAN was the first, and in 1924, and the MAN truck became the first vehicle to use a direct-injection diesel engine. At the same time Benz & Cie in Germany also presented a diesel truck, but Benz used the mixing chamber that Daimler-Benz kept into the 1990s. The first diesel Mercedes-Benz hit the road in 1936.

A highly strung man, who had an exquisite skill in upsetting people he comitted suicide by jumping off a cross channel steamer in 1913.

Hot Links

Sharecast

MoneyWeek
European Biodiesel Board (V. interesting EU statistics !)

5th European Motor BioFuels Forum 11 – 13 September 2006 Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, United Kingdom Conference & Trade Show

Brochure to the BioFules Forum PDF Alert !