Genomatica closed $118 million in Series C funding

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Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica during his speech at the Grand Opening of Mater Biotech’s plant in Bottrighe di Adria, Italy

US biotech company Genomatica closed $118 million in Series C funding to accelerate the global commercialization and expansion of sustainable materials, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100 million tons per year. Leading life science investor Novo Holdings led the round, with additional participation by existing and new investors including Viking Global Investors, Casdin Capital and others. Genomatica will use the investment to scale production for its portfolio of products and continue investing in new technologies to amplify the impact of sustainable materials across a range of industries.

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Manchester United signed a partnership with Renewable Energy Group for a more sustainable future

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Manchester United has reinforced its commitment to environmental sustainability through a global partnership with Renewable Energy Group, Inc., a leading producer of renewable fuels headquartered in Iowa (USA), with a shared mission to tackle climate change and create a cleaner world.

Dedicated to providing high-quality and easy-to-use renewable fuels, Renewable Energy Group recycles waste and by-product fats and oils into sustainable fuels. This enables organizations and individuals to become more environmentally friendly, without sacrificing quality or performance.

The Club and Renewable Energy Group will work together to raise awareness of the company’s biofuel products and encourage positive environmental change among Manchester United’s global fanbase and beyond.

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Lenzing Group is partnering with Orange Fiber to produce the first fiber made of orange and wood pulp

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Lenzing Group, a leading global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, is partnering with Orange Fiber, an Italian company headquartered in Catania which has patented the pulp production process for citrus by-products, to produce the first ever TENCEL™ branded lyocell fiber made of orange and wood pulp. This new product aims to realize both companies’ shared vision to enhance sustainability in the textile and fashion industry. The new TENCEL™ Limited Edition initiative – both companies claim – combines the imagination, innovation and inspiration of eco-responsible textiles, through reinventing TENCEL™ branded fibers using unconventional sustainable raw materials.

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USA: The introduction of the COMPOST Act is a major step forward for an activity that restores depleted soils

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Without soil there is not agriculture and without agriculture there is not bioeconomy. The USA celebrates the introduction of the Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion of Sustainable Techniques (COMPOST) Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. This far reaching new federal bill aims to proactively advance composting infrastructure and support across the country. Specifically, the proposed legislation would amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to officially define and designate composting as a conservation practice and activity. The US Composting Infrastructure Coalition (USCIC), of which the Institute for Local Self-Reliance is a founding member, played a pivotal role in the development of the bill.   

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LanzaTech partnered with Iululemon to create the world’s first yarn and fabric using recycled carbon emissions

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Jennifer Holmgren at IFIB 2018 in Turin, Italy

Biotechnology company LanzaTech partnered with lululemon athletica inc., an athletic apparel company, to create the world’s first yarn and fabric using recycled carbon emissions that would otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere as pollution. LanzaTech uses nature-based solutions to produce ethanol from waste carbon sources, and is working with partners India Glycols Limited (IGL) and Far Eastern New Century to convert ethanol to polyester.

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Novozymes is establishing new performance expectations for ethanol production thanks to Innova Element

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Novozymes Headquarter

After a challenging time during the pandemic, for the first time in over a year the ethanol industry will gather at large in Iowa, hoping also to welcome innovations that provide a substantial boost in efficiency and counteract other production challenges. At the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW), the world’s largest ethanol event, Novozymes will be introducing two advanced technologies, in yeast and fiber, that have significant potential to achieve this and more.

“By continuing to combine the biological synergies and sustainability of our enzymes, yeast, and technical service platforms, Novozymes is establishing new performance expectations for ethanol production,” said Brian Brazeau, Novozymes’ President for North America and Vice President, Agricultural & Industrial Biosolutions, Americas. “We love taking on tough challenges to create something meaningful and sustainable for our customers and the world – and we cannot wait to bring these two new innovations to FEW this year after such an extraordinary time for the industry.”

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Fulcrum BioEnergy completed construction of the Sierra BioFuels plant in Nevada

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Sierra BioFuels Chemicals Fulcrum Nevada

Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc., a pioneer in the production of low-carbon fuels, completed construction of the world’s first commercial-scale plant converting household garbage into low-cost, zero-carbon transportation fuels. Through Fulcrum’s revolutionary process, the Sierra BioFuels Plant located east of Reno, Nevada, will convert 175,000 tons of prepared municipal solid waste (MSW) into approximately 11 million gallons of zero-carbon syncrude annually, which will then be upgraded to transportation fuels such as sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel and renewable gasoline – Fulcrum FuelTM. With construction complete, start-up and commissioning on the plant has commenced and fuel production is expected to begin during the fourth quarter of 2021.

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NextChem and FerSam Group team up to develop green ammonia and bioethanol projects in Latin America

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President Fabrizio Di Amato, Founder Pierroberto Folgiero
Fabrizio Di Amato, Founder & Chairman of Maire Tecnimont Group and (right) Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Maire Tecnimont and of NextChem

Maire Tecnimont Group’s subsidiaries NextChem and MET Development have reached an agreement with FerSam Uruguay S.A. (FerSam), part of FerSam Group, to develop projects for the production of green ammonia and bio-ethanol in Latin America.

Under the agreement, Maire Tecnimont Group’s subsidiaries and FerSam will undertake feasibility studies for two projects. The first is to evaluate and assess the possibility of jointly producing green ammonia. Ammonia is a globally important commodity used in fertilizer and has potential use as a fuel and energy carrier. The production of green ammonia from renewable energy sources contributes to the reduction of carbon emissions.

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Clariant and India Glycols Limited created a JV for renewable ethylene oxide derivatives

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Source: Clariant

Clariant, a focused, sustainable and innovative specialty chemical company, and India Glycols Limited (IGL), a leading company in the manufacturing of green technology-based chemicals, successfully created their 51-49% joint venture for renewable ethylene oxide (EO) derivatives after receiving all necessary regulatory approvals. The joint venture will operate under the name Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals Private Limited.

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Danish partnership receives support for world’s first industrial green ammonia demo plant

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The Danish Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP) awards 81 million DKK (app. 11 billion €) to the green ammonia project managed by the three partners Skovgaard Invest, Vestas, and Haldor Topsoe. The project aims at building a 10 MW green ammonia plant directly coupled to local wind and solar power generation. The plant is expected to be operational by 2023, making it the world’s first green ammonia plant of its kind.

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