Over the last seven years, the BBI JU has established itself as a game-changer in the European bio-based economy. By replacing fossil-based materials and products with bio-based ones, using local, sustainably sourced feedstock and developing circular production processes, the BBI JU-funded projects have given an important contribution to the green transition in Europe. A new publication takes stock of BBI JU’s achievements and impacts in the 2014-2020 period.
Braskem the largest biopolymer producer in the world has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the SCG Chemicals, one of the largest integrated petrochemical companies in Thailand and an industry leader in Asia, to perform studies to jointly invest in a new bio-ethanol dehydration plant in Thailand to produce bio-ethylene and I’m greenTM bio-based Polyethylene. If implemented, this cooperation could double the existing capacity of I’m greenTM bio-based PE.
Total Corbion PLA’s plant in Rayong Thailand has, since its grand opening in 2019, earlier this summer reached a cumulative production volume of 100kT of Luminy® PLA. The plant is now running at name plate capacity of 75kT annually in order to meet the evergrowing demand for PLA bioplastics.
Cargill and German company HELM entered into a joint venture, Qore, to help leading brands replace fossil-based chemistries with bio-based intermediates, enabling them to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the agreement, both companies are investing a combined $300M to build the first commercial-scale, renewable BDO facility in the U.S. Bio-based intermediates give the apparel, automotive, electronics and packaging industries the ability to improve their environmental footprint without sacrificing product performance or altering their existing downstream manufacturing processes.
Carbon transformation company Twelve and biotechnology company LanzaTech partnered to transform CO2 emissions into polypropylene, a key polymer used for medical devices including syringes and IV bags, as well as for large-scale applications in automotive, furniture, textiles and other everyday products.
Comet Bio, a Canadian manufacturer of healthy and sustainable ingredients, completed the company’s Series C with an initial close of $22M. The round was led by Open Prairie, a multi-faceted private equity fund management firm with headquarters in Effingham, Illinois. Other investors include Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), BDC Capital, and existing investor Sofinnova Partners.
“Thanks to the support of our exceptional investors, we will now be able to invest in a dedicated manufacturing facility to grow the supply of our upcycled ingredients,” said Rich Troyer, CEO of Comet Bio. “We will also be investing in innovation including our product pipeline and health claims development.”
Amyris, a US leading synthetic biotechnology company in Clean Health and Beauty markets, launched Terasana Clinical, a clean skin care brand. The launch represents the first of three the company has prepared this summer. Terasana Clinical’s first skincare product, Clear + Control Healthy Skin Serum – the company claims – addresses dry skin, flaking, irritation and redness with its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties which are designed to clear and balance the skin’s appearance.
“Already now, the circular and sustainable bioeconomy is contributing to all dimensions and objectives of the European Green Deal. Through the substitution of fossil-based products and materials and through carbon sequestration in soil and forests, together with its storage in harvested wood products, the bioeconomy can generate significant carbon savings to reduce the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030”. To say this is a European Commission’s official, who prefers to remain anonymous. In this long interview with Il Bioeconomista, the Commission’s official talk about the Green New Deal, the bioeconomy and the partnership Circular Bio-based Europe.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
lululemon Athletica inc. signed a multi-year collaboration with sustainable materials leader Genomatica to bring renewably-sourced, bio-based materials into lululemon’s products. This represents lululemon’s first-ever equity investment in a sustainable materials company and Genomatica’s largest partnership within the retail industry. Together, the two companies will create a lower-impact, plant-based nylon to replace conventional nylon, which is the largest volume of synthetic material currently used to make lululemon products.
Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, aims to halve its 2016 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its own operations by 2030. The acceleration of its initial 30% reduction target is based on the strong progress over the past few years. With this step-up DSM continues to be an ambitious climate leader in its sector and the updated target provides a firm foundation for DSM to achieve net-zero by 2050.
