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The following content is sponsored by AFPM
In 2005, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was enacted so that transportation fuel like diesel and gasoline will contain renewable fuel. The motives behind this were to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil markets, improve climate initiatives, and bring gas prices down.
However, over time it became evident that the forecasts that the RFS was built on were largely incorrect. This infographic from AFPM dives into the world of biofuel and breaks down why the current policies are out of sync with modern transportation.
But before we begin, let’s first explore the basics of biofuels.
Biofuel is transportation fuel derived from biological resources, like plants. This is in contrast to fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel, which are made up of nonrenewable petroleum. In addition, biofuels break down into conventional biofuels and advanced ones.
Conventional biofuels are any fuel derived from starch feedstocks like corn and grain. In fact, ethanol derived from corn represents one of the largest components of the biofuel market in America. For instance 97% of gasoline in the U.S. contains ethanol and 94% of that ethanol comes from starch in corn grains.
Advanced biofuels are second generation biofuels. They’re considered more complex, and come from non-food biomass like plant materials and animal waste. More advanced technologies are required to extract fuel from these resources. However, the impact on the food chain is minimized.
Here are two examples of advanced biofuels:
Since the 1990s, the amount of ethanol in gasoline has creeped upwards of 10% from less than 1%. This is a problem that stems from gallon specific mandates. As the amount of gasoline consumed in the U.S. declines, ethanol’s portion of the fuel mix represents a larger portion of the overall pie.
The bulk of automobiles on U.S. roads as well as water-born engines have what’s referred to as an ethanol limit—the highest ethanol blend a vehicle can safely be fueled with. E10, which is 10% ethanol, is the recommended limit for most existing cars today. And filling up with anything higher may lead to corrosive damage, extensive repairs, and engine failure.
The 10% limit is an issue most didn’t anticipate at the time the RFS came to be, and here’s why things are going awry.
RFS mandates are out of touch with supply and demand dynamics. Biofuel and ethanol consumption in America is near all-time-highs with some 12 billion gallons consumed in 2020. At the same time, gasoline demand is some 30 billion gallons below the forecasts when the RFS passed.
What’s more, this is leading to unintended consequences and ineffective business practices:
When congress passed the RFS in 2005, few, if any, could have predicted the state of energy markets today.
Key projections like increasing fuel consumption and decreasing domestic crude oil production failed to transpire. As a result, the RFS needs to undergo urgent reform in order to be better aligned with the realities of modern gasoline and diesel markets.
For more information, visit afpm.org
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With the passing of a Brexit deal, is now the time to invest in UK equities? This data-driven infographic helps you decide.
Over the past several years, UK equities have traded at a relative discount compared to other developed markets. This was largely due to ongoing Brexit negotiations, where uncertainty around trade deals and other legislation created significant headwinds.
Fast forward to today, and much of the uncertainty has passed. Does this mean it’s time to invest in the UK?
This infographic from BlackRock covers four reasons for why investors should consider an allocation to UK equities.
So, why should investors consider an allocation to UK equities?
The UK equity market is represented by many leading multinational companies from a variety of sectors.
For example, consider the FTSE All-Share Index, which contains over 600 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. As of March 31, 2021, 72.5% of these companies’ total revenue was derived from outside of the UK.
A large share of overseas revenue provides investors with exposure to a range of global themes, where outcomes are not dictated by the UK economy itself.
The confirmation of a Brexit trade deal has provided UK companies with clarity around the rules of engagement, as well as the confidence to look ahead.
As a result, the UK has been ranked as the most attractive place in Europe for future investment.
Based on the results of 550 C-suite interviews. Source: EY (2021)
This optimism has also spread to the UK equity market, where initial public offering (IPO) issuance in the first half of 2021 has already exceeded the entirety of 2020.
Among those 47 IPOs were a number of high profile tech companies including Moonpig (online greeting cards), Darktrace (cybersecurity), and Deliveroo (food delivery).
The UK’s venture capital scene is also thriving, with U.S.-based Sequoia opening its first European office in London. Sequoia was an early investor in world-class businesses such as Apple, Google, and Airbnb.
UK companies have historically been early adopters of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. In fact, 45% of FTSE 100 companies have begun integrating ESG metrics into their executive compensation schemes.
UK firms are also leaders in gender diversity, consistently tracking ahead of other developed markets.
This leadership may bring further interest to the UK equity market, especially as awareness around social issues continues to rise.
Over a 10-year time frame, UK dividends rates have exceeded those of other global markets.
This outperformance even lasted through the COVID-19 pandemic, when dividend rates around the world were rebased (a term used for dividend cuts).
While these factors provide UK equities with an attractive backdrop, the presence of zombie companies has dragged down the performance of the overall market.
Zombie companies are ones that are close to insolvency and do not generate enough profits to pay off their debts. Their survival is only made possible due to record low interest rates, which allows them to continue borrowing instead of shutting down.
So how many zombie firms are operating in the UK equity market?
According to Onward, a UK-based think tank, roughly one-in-five UK companies had become zombified in March 2020. Because of this, investors may find an actively managed approach to be beneficial. Unlike an index ETF, actively managed funds have the ability to avoid unprofitable businesses.
The market value for Graphene is going to be $2.8 billion in 2027. Here we introduce you to the material and its various applications.
There is a new wonder material in town, and its name is graphene. Since it was first successfully isolated in 2004, graphene, with its honeycomb-like 2D structure and its wide gamut of interesting properties, has been keenly studied by material scientists.
This naturally transparent 1 millimeter thick lattice of carbon atoms has multiple applications and could even one day potentially solve the world’s water crisis.
The faith in the material is so strong that, according to numbers projected by Fortune Business Insights, its market value will be $2.8 billion in 2027.
In this infographic from HydroGraph, we are introduced to the fascinating world of graphene, including its properties, applications, history and production.
It is a single layer (monolayer) of carbon atoms, tightly bound in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. It is the building block of graphite, which is made up of multiple layers of these monolayer carbon atoms on top of each other.
Here is a quick breakdown of its properties:
Given that graphene is a pure carbon-based material, it is potentially a sustainable solution for an almost limitless number of applications.
The future of science and technology is boundless, and graphene can help accomplish that future sooner than we expect.
Here are several profound inventions to look forward to in the near future:
A team of UK researchers led by Nobel Laureate Andre Geim have shown that graphene can be used as a proton exchange membrane in fuel cells.
The find surprised everybody since no one expected the membranes to allow protons to pass through its tight, one-atom-thick hexagon structure. In addition, graphene membranes could be used to sieve hydrogen gas out of the atmosphere, making it possible for mobile fuel cells to run on nothing but air.
Graphene could help solve the world’s water crisis. Membranes made from graphene can be big enough to let water through, but small enough to filter out the salt. In other words, these membranes could revolutionize desalination technology.
In fact, a type of graphene has proven so effective at water filtration that it rendered water samples from Sydney Harbor safe to drink after passing through the filter just once.
Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) used “graphair” to make seawater drinkable after a single treatment.
Because it is virtually impermeable, a coat of graphene-based paint could one day be used to eradicate corrosion and rust. This is highly important because the estimated global cost of corrosion is $2.5 trillion annually.
Researchers have also recommended using glassware or copper plates covered with graphene paint as containers for strongly corrosive acids.
Graphene offers several material advantages: it can be produced in large, thin sheets; it blocks ultraviolet light; and is impermeable to oxygen, moisture, and other corrosive agents.
Layered overtop an artwork, researchers posited that it could prevent irreversible color fading due to light exposure and oxidizing agents (like air). Their findings revealed that a single protective layer could avert color fading by up to 70%.
Work still needs to be done before there can be widespread adoption of the material. Several production issues need to be addressed before more advanced sectors opt to implement it.
One current challenge of mass production revolves around chemical vapor deposition (CVD). While it is the best method for producing single-layer graphene, it is not ideal in terms of scale.
These challenges also make mass production a costly affair. It takes about $100 to produce a single gram of graphene. Even then, the methods used for mass-producing graphene yield low-quality products and release carbon into the environment.
To overcome these issues, HydroGraph has created a process to mass-produce graphene powder. It is environmentally conscious and highly efficient compared to other methods currently used in the market.
The HydroGraph process is the next step in the energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and customizable mass production of graphene.
Click here to learn more about HydroGraph and its wide array of product offerings.
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