Dec 17 2007
The global drive toward "clean diesel" and petroleum alternatives continues to accelerate, creating opportunities in the ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) and biofuels industries for certain products and services, according to analysts at Kline, an international consulting and research firm.
Two recently published FlashPoint reports from Kline examine potentially lucrative openings in markets related to ULSD and next-generation biofuels. Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel: Opportunities in Developing Markets and Next-Generation Biofuels: Steps Toward Commercial Viability provide insights into strategies for companies in petroleum and biofuels-related industries to take advantage of legislative mandates and emerging markets.
"Lack of petroleum resources is a global issue," says Nancy Mills, Kline FlashPoint project manager. "Many countries have initiated low-sulfur mandates to curb greenhouse gas emissions. This highlights a need for fuel alternatives in many countries, indicating a large potential growth market."
While the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries are leading this drive for more environmentally friendly fuels, significant growth for ULSD will come from emerging economies, where both the growth rate of diesel consumption and the level of desulfurization needed is high. Opportunities exist for companies to sell extraction technology equipment, engineering services, and refinery catalysts to national oil companies or refineries in those countries to help them reduce the sulfur levels in diesel fuels.
Ultra-Low-Sulfur Diesel: Opportunities in Developing Markets analyzes opportunities in the major developing economies, including Brazil, China, India, and Russia, and provides valuable intelligence for the stakeholders in the diesel value chain, including governments, refineries, delivery systems, fuel marketers, and car manufacturers.
In addition, the global impetus for reducing fossil fuel usage is stimulating research for better biofuels. Next-Generation Biofuels: Steps Toward Commercial Viability discusses developments in biofuels and the advantages and disadvantages associated with several materials and processes, including Fischer-Tropsh diesel, cellulosic ethanol, and biosynthetic natural gas, among others. The report examines a range of transportation fuels made from lignocellulosic and agricultural waste biomass feedstock. It provides a qualitative overview of the market, the most important issues to consider, and the significant factors in supply and demand within the competitive landscape.
For more information about Kline's two most recently published FlashPoint reports, go to http://www.klinegroup.com/market-research/research_petroleum.asp.