New transparency for emerging markets for hydrotreated biofuels in southeast Asia SINGAPORE, Jan. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global energy and commodity price reporting agency Argus has launched the world's first assessed prices for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) exported from the key production hub- the the strait of Malacca. The new prices expand Argus' coverage of Asian hydrotreated biofuels and will provide a transparent and robust pricing mechanism for the southeast ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call discusses the **Sustainable Aviation Alternative Fuels (SAAS)** and **biodiesel** industry, highlighting the potential for biodiesel (including first-generation and HVO) to become more popular than SAAS by 2026 due to economic conditions in Europe [2][3]. Core Insights and Arguments - **SAAS Demand and Economic Impact**: The overall volume of SAAS in 2026 may not meet expectations, with a 6% blending target achievable depending on the European economic situation [2][3]. - **Airline Industry Challenges**: Airlines face significant challenges due to high asset costs and poor profitability, with rising jet fuel prices potentially impacting internal competition [2][5]. - **Domestic Supply Issues**: There is insufficient supply of UCO (Used Cooking Oil) to meet SAAS demand, leading to a contraction in device authorizations by technology suppliers [2][6]. - **New Capacity Projections**: Domestic new capacity is expected to exceed 4 million tons in 2026, primarily concentrated in the southwestern region of China, but raw material supply remains a bottleneck [2][6]. - **Raw Material Quality**: Waste cooking oil is the primary raw material for SAAS, with kitchen waste oil being the highest quality. A shortage of waste oil could lead to price increases that affect the entire supply chain [2][7]. - **Price Stability**: The cancellation of large wave calculations may cause short-term price fluctuations in the UCO market, but overall prices should remain stable or slightly decrease in the long term due to strong demand and resource scarcity [2][8][10]. Additional Important Insights - **Production Costs**: The total processing cost for producing SAP (Synthetic Aviation Fuel) from UCO is approximately 11,000 RMB per ton, with raw material costs being a significant factor [4][12]. - **Market Dynamics**: The demand for UCO in the overseas market is significant, with high-quality UCO primarily being exported, which could impact domestic SAAS production if not retained [19]. - **Investment Trends**: There is a trend of overseas companies investing in biodiesel and astaxanthin products, driven by the oil content in waste oils and geopolitical risk considerations [20]. - **Biomass Char for Green Methanol**: The development of biomass char for green methanol production is facing challenges in China, with a need to shift towards pre-treatment methods to improve process efficiency [21]. Future Price Trends - **Market Price Fluctuations**: The UCO market is expected to follow a trend of stability in the first half of the year, with potential price increases in the second half due to stockpiling demands [23].

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **China's Economy**: The focus is on the 2026 outlook for China's economy, highlighting a K-shaped growth pattern where the new economy thrives while the old economy and domestic demand struggle [2][1]. Core Insights - **K-Shaped Growth**: Analysts from Citi, led by Xiangrong Yu, predict that the K-shaped growth pattern in China will become entrenched and self-reinforcing, with positive developments in the new economy and supply side, contrasted by challenges in the old economy and domestic demand [2][1]. - **Policy Expansion**: The base case for 2026 includes a measured policy expansion, which is expected to involve approximately RMB 1 trillion in additional fiscal stimulus, a 20 basis point cut in interest rates, and a 50 basis point reduction in the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) [2][1]. - **Growth Forecast**: The growth forecast for China in 2026 is maintained at 4.7%, indicating a cautious but optimistic outlook for the economy [2][1]. Additional Insights - **Venezuela's Oil Industry**: The potential engagement by the U.S. in Venezuela is likely to focus on oil concessions, with elevated supply risks supporting Brent crude prices around $60 per barrel in the near term. However, the global effects of these developments are expected to be short-lived [7][1]. - **Investment Opportunities**: The report suggests that the dynamics in the U.S. restaurant and biopharma sectors may present unique investment opportunities in 2026, with the restaurant sector facing volatility and the biopharma sector expected to maintain positive momentum [11][13]. Important Considerations - **Investment Risks**: Investors are advised to consider potential conflicts of interest due to the firm's business relationships with companies covered in the research reports. The report emphasizes that it should be one of several factors in making investment decisions [5][1][70]. - **Market Dynamics**: The report highlights the importance of monitoring macroeconomic indicators and industry-specific trends to identify potential investment opportunities and risks [19][1]. This summary encapsulates the key points discussed in the conference call, focusing on the outlook for China's economy, the implications of geopolitical events, and potential investment opportunities across various sectors.

Core Viewpoint - Future Fuel Corp. (FF) maintains a bullish outlook in the biofuels and chemicals sector, supported by a generous dividend policy [1] Company Summary - The company was last analyzed in October 2024, with a positive stance on its performance and potential [1] - Future Fuel Corp. is recognized for its strong balance sheet and minimal debt, making it an attractive option for income-focused investors [1] Investment Strategy - The investment approach involves purchasing undervalued, profitable stocks and writing calls against positions to generate additional income [1] - Risk management is emphasized through position sizing and the use of trailing stop losses over time [1]

Core Viewpoint - Microsoft is actively investing in carbon removal credits to support its sustainability goals and offset future fossil fuel emissions [1][2] Group 1: Carbon Removal Initiatives - Microsoft announced the purchase of 3.6 million carbon removal credits from a biofuels plant in Louisiana owned by C2X, which will begin operations in 2029 [1] - The Louisiana plant will process forestry waste into methanol, producing over 500,000 metric tons of methanol and capturing about 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide [1] Group 2: Recent Purchases and Sustainability Goals - In the past year, Microsoft has made several significant carbon removal purchases, including a 4.9 million metric ton deal with Vaulted Deep, a 3.7 million metric ton agreement with CO280, and a 7 million metric ton buy from Chestnut Carbon [2] - The company's rapid expansion of its data center footprint poses challenges to its 2030 pledge to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it generates [2] - Carbon renewal purchases are part of Microsoft's strategy to offset emissions from its operations, alongside its investments in renewable and nuclear power [2]

Core Insights - Haffner Energy has secured a significant strategic partnership in Canada, marking a turnaround after a challenging year in 2025 [1][5] - The partnership will focus on establishing a complete advanced biofuels sector in Canada, starting with a 5 MW project in Quebec expected to generate €4.2 million in revenue [1][4] - The agreement includes the creation of a joint venture, with Haffner Energy holding 49% of the capital without cash contribution, leveraging its technology license [2][3] Partnership Details - The Canadian partner's identity will be revealed soon, and the initial project will utilize existing equipment, allowing for immediate revenue recognition [1][3] - A significant advance payment of €250,000 will be made to Haffner Energy, with the joint venture responsible for marketing the technology and manufacturing equipment [3][10] - The first project is a precursor to deploying multiple multi-energy hubs across Canada, utilizing SYNOCA® 20 MW thermolysis units for diverse fuel production [4][10] Technological Advancements - The new H6 generation technology significantly reduces the cost of hydrogen production to less than €2.50/kg, compared to nearly €10/kg for similar electrolyzers [7] - The capital expenditure (CAPEX) per kilowatt of thermal energy produced is reduced by a factor of three for the SYNOCA® H6 compared to previous generations, enhancing competitiveness [7] Market Context - Canada, with its vast biomass resources, presents a unique opportunity for biofuel production, producing 18 times more biomass than France [8] - The partnership aligns with the growing strategic relationship between Canada and Europe, focusing on decarbonized energy and sustainable resource use [9]

Core Insights - Comstock Inc.'s strategic investee, Bioleum Corporation, has acquired Hexas Biomass Inc. for approximately $6.5 million, which includes stock, cash payments, and convertible debt [1] - Hexas specializes in high-yield energy crops with annual yields exceeding 25 to 30 dry metric tons per acre, significantly outperforming traditional forestry species [2] - The combination of Bioleum's refining platform and Hexas' crops can produce over 100 barrels of biofuel per acre annually, compared to only 2 and 10 barrels from soy and corn respectively [3] Company Overview - Hexas Biomass Inc. focuses on producing low-cost, plant-based raw materials that replace wood and fossil fuels, promoting ecological sustainability [7] - Bioleum Corporation develops technologies to convert lignocellulosic biomass into low-carbon fuels and operates commercial facilities in Oklahoma and pilot assets in Wisconsin [8] - Comstock Inc. innovates technologies for clean energy systems by converting under-utilized natural resources into reusable metals [9] Strategic Implications - The acquisition is expected to accelerate the commercialization and global deployment of Hexas' technologies in biofuels and other biobased applications [4] - Bioleum aims to enhance its refining solutions by integrating Hexas' proprietary feedstock model, ensuring a reliable supply of biomass [4] - The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that converting underutilized land into biomass farms could significantly increase renewable fuel production while reducing variability and risk [3]

Biofuel Program - Indonesia will initiate road safety tests for its planned B50 biofuel program early next month [1] Energy Policy - The information comes from an official at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry [1]

Core Insights - Aemetis reported a quarterly loss of $0.37 per share, which was worse than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.25, marking an earnings surprise of -48.00% [1] - The company generated revenues of $59.19 million for the quarter ended September 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 35.56% and down from $81.44 million a year ago [2] - Aemetis shares have declined approximately 23.4% year-to-date, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 15.6% [3] Earnings Outlook - The future performance of Aemetis stock will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the company's earnings outlook [4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.25 on revenues of $103.1 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is -$1.36 on revenues of $300.3 million [7] Industry Context - The Biofuels industry, to which Aemetis belongs, is currently ranked in the top 2% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook for stocks within this sector [8] - Empirical research suggests a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked using tools like the Zacks Rank [5][6]

Core Insights - Alto Ingredients Inc. reported a significant turnaround in profitability for Q3 2025, with a net income of $13.9 million compared to a loss of $2.8 million in Q3 2024 [2] - The company's stock surged 38% in after-hours trading following the earnings release, reflecting positive market sentiment [1] Financial Performance - Q3 2025 metrics include: - Net Income: $13.9 million vs. -$2.8 million in Q3 2024 - Earnings Per Share (EPS): $0.19 vs. -$0.04 - Gross Profit: $23.5 million vs. $6.0 million - Adjusted EBITDA: $21.4 million vs. $12.2 million [2] - Cost of goods sold decreased from $245.9 million to $217.5 million, while net sales fell from $251.8 million to $241.0 million [3] Business Strategy - The CEO highlighted robust improvements across all business segments, driven by increased renewable fuel export sales and greater demand for liquid CO2, alongside successful cost reduction efforts [4] - The company is optimistic about generating Section 45Z tax credits on domestic renewable fuel sales and is exploring ways to reduce carbon intensity to enhance the value of these credits [4] Cash Position - As of September 30, the company reported cash and cash equivalents of $32.5 million, with borrowing availability of $85 million [5] Stock Performance - Year-to-date, the stock is down 31.36% but has gained 36.47% over the past six months, with a 52-week range of $0.76 to $2.00 and a market capitalization of $89.78 million [6]