LIVE WEBCAST from 3.30pm UK time

Investing in Biofuels takes place on the afternoon of 4 October 2012, in the offices of Buchanan, London. The event, which will be broadcast live online, will involve investment presentations by companies in the biofuel industry and background 'scene setting' on the opportunities for investors in this sector - with a particular focus on ethanol.

The event will involve presentations by the folllowing companies:

BP - Olivier Mace, Head of Strategy & Regulatory Affairs, BP Biofuels, will provide a keynote address on BP's biofuel activities and the organisation's approach to the development of biofuels.

Maple Energy - Rex Canon, CEO, will represent Maple Energy, an AIM listed company which has established highly efficient sugar cane ethanol production facility, deploying advanced irrigation systems for high yields from its plantations, in Peru.

Whitefox Technologies - Gillian Harrison, CEO, will speak about Whitefox's membrane technology which offers to improve the sugar cane ethanol production process. Whitefox is operating in the Brazilian ethanol market.

TMO Renewables - David Weaver, CEO, will speak about TMO's second generation biofuel technology, which involves a three-stage conversion platform featuring a thermophilic organism that reduces the cost and time required to manufacture cellulosic ethanol.

China New Energy - Richard Bennett, Director, will represent China New Energy, an AIM listed company which is the largest builder of bio refineries in Asia.

LMC International - Rohaise Low, Economist.

First published on the Cleantech Investor website, July 2012

Air Fuel Synthesis pitches at the Cleantech Investor Future Transport Challenge during the Investing in Future Transport conference in City Hall, London, on 16 August 2012

A UK- based company, Air Fuel Synthesis Ltd (AFS) was founded in 2009 to create carbon-neutral liquid fuels from renewable energy sources. The entrepreneurial management team is led by Peter Harrison, CEO, a civil engineer with a career in civil engineering, offshore developments and the chemical industry. Other members of the team have considerable senior level experience in renewable energy businesses, research and the engineering industry, including Rolls-Royce, IMI, ICI Aldermaston and Clipper Wind.

Founder Professor Marmont is very much a renewable energy pioneer. He has managed wind farms in the US and has developed biomass businesses in the UK. Furthermore, his Leicestershire farm is virtually energy self-sufficient and low carbon.

AFS uses a process which captures CO₂ from a point source or the atmosphere, electrolyses water to make hydrogen and combines the CO₂ and hydrogen to make hydrocarbon fuels. The process uses established synthetic fuels and chemical techniques, but with unique variations. AFS products include methanol, petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and raw material for all forms of plastics. The company has already applied for two patents and is on the verge of applying for another whilst working on the development of more intellectual property.

First published in Cleantech magazine, Volume 6, Issue 1. Copyright Cleantech Investor Ltd

Dr Matthew Aylott of the NNFCC reviews the state of the ‘advanced’ biofuels industry in the UK

Five years ago the technology existed only in laboratories. Now advanced processes like pyrolysis and gasification are beginning to convert a wide range of feedstocks – such as municipal solid waste, lignocellulosic crops and algae – into sustainable fuels, and on an increasingly large scale.

Governments around the world are matching the promise of advanced biofuels with ambitious and far reaching legislation, which has seen millions of dollars invested – not only in research and development, but also in the deployment of these new technologies.

First published in Cleantech magazine, Volume 6, Issue 1. Copyright Cleantech Investor Ltd

Equity fundraising for bioplastics and related industry areas, including companies with a biorefinery approach to next generation biofuels, has been a relatively healthy space over the last year or so. One highlight last year was Avantium, which raised €25 million from investors including Sofinnova Partners, Aster Capital, De Hoge Dennen, Aescap Venture, Capricorn Cleantech Fund, ING Corporate Investments and Navitas Capital. In January this year, Avantium announced a collaboration with Rhodia (part of the Solvay Group) for the development of bio-based polyamides.  The deal expands upon an agreement between Solvay and Avantium in the field of bio-based engineering plastics.