There is a new initiative in the European bioeconomy. The universities of Hohenheim (Germany), Bologna (Italy), Eastern Finland (Finland), AgroParisTech (France), BOKU Vienna (Austria) and Wageningen University and Research (Netherlands), some of leading European universities in the field of the bioeconomy, are planning to join forces in research, teaching/education, and innovation in this subject area.
Yesterday, in an event under the umbrella of the Austrian EU-presidency, the “FTP (Forest-based Sector Technology Platform) Vision 2040 of the European Forest-based Sector” was launched. The venue, the very prestigious Marmorsaal in the premises of the Federal Austrian Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism, was fully packed with representatives from some 20 European countries.
It’s a bad time for the bioenergies companies in UK. Due to the difficult market conditions, CropEnergies will pause production in its plant in Wilton, North East England, operated by Ensus from the end of November 2018 on.
Cargill and Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, established a new joint venture, Avansya, to significantly reduce calories in their offerings to consumers. Together, the companies will produce highly sought-after, sweet-tasting molecules, such as steviol glycosides Reb M and Reb D through fermentation, giving food and beverage manufacturers an even more scalable, sustainable and low cost-in-use solution than if these same molecules were extracted from the stevia leaf.
Unilever and Bio-on started a strategic partnership to develop, produce and sell personal hygiene and care products that guarantee a smaller or no environmental impact. Using patented bio-technologies for natural, biodegradable microplastics production, Unilever and Bio-on are taking an important step towards building a more sustainable economy and more responsible consumption in the personal care sector.
US companies Phillips 66 and Renewable Energy Group, Inc. joined forces for the construction of a large-scale renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast. The plant would utilize REG’s proprietary BioSynfining® technology for the production of renewable diesel fuel. Planned feedstocks include a mix of waste fats, oils and greases, including regionally-sourced vegetable oils, animal fats and used cooking oil.
Neste, the Espoo-based world’s leading provider of sustainable renewable diesel and an expert in delivering drop-in renewable chemical solutions, and Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, signed an agreement for a new partnership to join forces in developing and making new sustainable material solutions accessible to a variety of industries.
Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals), Tata Steel and the Port of Amsterdam have joined together to study the feasibility of a large green hydrogen cluster in the Amsterdam region. The three parties consider green hydrogen as vital for reaching climate targets and building a more circular economy, for example by combining it with emissions from steel manufacture to make new products.
“Avantium is a big story in the bioeconomy, but the relationships with big companies as investors are not easy”. To say it at the Sustainable & Circular Bioeconomy Conference in Brussels on October 22 was Jos Peeters, managing partner, founder and director of Capricorn Venture. Indeed, Avantium and BASF are in a dispute about the future of their Synvina joint venture. The companies disagree on the timing for the fulfilment of the criteria to invest in the commercial-scale plant for FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid).
World’s largest pension fund GPIF (Government Pension Investment Fund) of Japan is now supporting the Climate Action 100+ Initiative, adding further significant momentum in global growth of the investor-led corporate engagement initiative.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 