Biofuels roundup: Commission resumes work, US funds, plant closure

Guatemala reactivated a national biofuels commission created in June 2007 but which lacked government backing, the energy and mines ministry reported. The announcement followed a meeting of the group which includes representatives from the energy and mines, environment and natural resources, agriculture, economy and foreign ministries. The commission's first task will be to draft a law to establish the regulatory framework for biofuels research, production and sale. Other action areas include the installation of a biodiesel plant donated by Colombia's agriculture research corporation Corpoica. *** El Salvador's economy ministry reported the US government provided US$250,000 in technical assistance to help the national energy council CNE advance renewable energy initiatives, including biofuels. CNE officials have been invited to the US in August to visit a number of energy plants, including a biofuels facility. *** And Paraguay's biodiesel chamber Biocap reported to the industry and trade ministry that member Frigorifico Concepcion has closed its 250,000l/month biodiesel plant. Although the company had invested to increase capacity to 500,000l/month, the producer chose to stop operating due to a poor sector business climate and a long series of mistakes in the management of the national biofuels plan, paper Ultima Hora quoted the chamber as saying. The 1% biodiesel admixture is not enforced, according to Biocap president Eduardo Vuyk.