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This new first edition ABS report is concerned with the technologies, markets and development of global biofuel energy, both primary and secondary. The report has extensive quantified information of the world biofuel industry and market with historical profiles of major biofuel-using countries. Detailed sections of the report provide surveys of principal biofuel technologies and crops together with their usage. Environmental issues are discussed in the report, including national positions and incentives. The report also contains a valuable directory of the key market players.

Executive Summary – Overview of the market

2009 was a hard year for the biofuels sector with low oil prices and reduced demand for transport fuels. Investment was down by just over a third compared to the previous year. Plants were idle or operating at less than capacity. The industry in the EU, US, Malaysia and Indonesia were particularly feeling the effects; both the US and EU were struggling to compete with cheaper fuels from Latin America.

The projects that did receive investments mainly used mixed feedstocks and thus could adapt to changing commodity prices and supply shortages. Projects using sugar cane or next generation feedstocks such as jatropha, cellulosics or algae received significant investments. Petrobras and Amyris made the biggest investments in sugar cane. The former to produce pure and blended fuels for both the domestic and export market, and the latter to create high value products from sugar cane such as farnesene. High value products, rather than biofuels themselves, seemed to drive investment in next generation feedstocks. The three top algae developers in terms of investments have developed a range of high value products derived from algae, and two of the top three cellulosic ethanol producers have disclosed that they are developing other products. These products would provide revenue for developers in the short term before the commercialisation of next generation fuels.

Key investors in next generation biofuel projects are the oil and gas incumbents. The majority of which have covered their bases across all the next generation feedstocks. With the exception of jatropha which has performed poorly in field trials, and subsequently few investments have been made by the industry in it. BP also sold its stake in D1 Oils, a major jatropha developer, last year.

A key market for biodiesel producers is likely to be the aviation sector. In 2012 flights entering into and out of the EU have to join the emissions trading scheme. Biofuels are likely to be a part of meeting emissions targets. Other emissions and biofuel blend mandates are planned both compulsory and voluntary. To date eight test flights have been conducted using Biojet derived from petroleum and biomass blends; a further four flights are in the planning stages. Feedstocks used for Biojet include Camelina, algae, jatropha, coconut oil and babassu oil. The military has announced supply investments in biofuels, especially in fuels derived from Camelina.

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For more information on the rest of the topics we cover within the renewable energy market please go to our renewable energy market research page.