Todays Latest Updates: 17 August 2026

Biobased chemicals: USA. Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS), a global leader in yeast, enzymes, microbials and nutrition, and Braskem, the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas and global leader in the production of biopolymers on an industrial scale,  announced an innovative bio-acetone production platform for the corn-ethanol industry that enables producers to generate a new coproduct alongside ethanol. Combining LBDS’ proprietary fermentation technology with Braskem’s bio-acetone recovery process, the solution creates a new revenue stream for biorefineries while maintaining ethanol production performance and providing access to a guaranteed demand for all bio-acetone produced. Link 17/08/2026.

e-fuels: Chile. Chilean forestry group Arauco said it has formalised an agreement with energy company Copec and liquefied gas distributor Abastible to officially commence the development of a pilot project to produce low-carbon synthetic fuels from green hydrogen and biogenic carbon dioxide in Chile's Biobio region. At this stage, the goal of SynFuels Biobio is to generate technical knowledge, develop local expertise and reduce risks associated with potential future industrial-scale projects. Future stages could explore production routes for low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) and synthetic liquefied gas. Link 17/08/2026

Feedstock: Vietnam. FatHopes Energy and PVOIL establish a strategic partnership to transform Used Cooking Oil (UCO) into a source of renewable energy, supporting them to meet their SAF aspirations via the proprietary technology and the upcoming refinery. This partnership will facilitate the aggregation of more than 200,000 tonnes of feedstock annually in Vietnam for export to FatHopes Energy, further strengthening its extensive feedstock portfolio. The partnership will support FatHopes Energy’s upcoming refinery, which is positioned to serve as a regional hub for processing waste feedstocks into SAF. Link 17/08/2026.

Policy: Brazil. Brazil issued regulations for its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate, setting the framework for airlines to begin reducing greenhouse gas emissions from domestic flights from 2027. The decree, published by the Brazilian government, establishes rules for the National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Program, known as ProBioQAV. Under ProBioQAV, domestic airline operators will be required to achieve a 1% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2027, with the target increasing progressively to 10% by 2037. Link 17/08/2026