27/01/2010 (Biofuels Digest) - China is repositioning as a major renewable energy center, as it comes under increasing pressure over emissions from the international community. More on the Energy Conservation Law and the Renewable Energy Law.

China’s Bright Food Group may have to “sweeten” its $1.5 billion bid for Australian sugar and ethanol giant CSR to prevent a demerger of the food and fuel business units.

In Malaysia and Indonesia, palm oil prices are expected to weaken following a bumper US soy crop that is putting downward pressure on global oilseed pricing: Malaysia and Indonesia produced a strong 41 million tons of crude palm oil.

In Malaysia, the 10-acre Senari Biofuels site in Sarawak is home to the state’s first biodiesel plant, a 34 Mgy facility.

In the Gulf region, 1,800 kilowatt/hours per square metre of solar energy is increasingly turning eyes towards solar and biofuels opportunities, though geothermal is also on the rise for GCC countries.