GFBiochemicals expands in the United States and puts itself in a position of world leadership in the levulinic acid production from biomass. The Italian company, co-founded in 2008 by the young Italian entrepreneur Pasquale Granata and Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini, bought the production facilities and intellectual property rights of Segetis, which is based in Minnesota, according to a statement. Terms weren’t disclosed.
Comet Biorefining, a leading provider of sustainable and cost-competitive cellulosic dextrose technology for applications in renewable biochemicals and biofuels, has announced the location of its commercial-scale biomass-derived sugar facility in the TransAlta Energy Park in Sarnia, Ontario. The 60 million pounds per year plant will come online in 2018, producing dextrose sugar from locally-sourced corn stover and wheat straw. Corn stover consists of residues left in the field after harvest including stalks, leaves, husks and cobs.
It is not a good time to Versalis. But, despite the uncertainty about its future, the chemical company of Italian oil giant Eni continues to focus on green chemistry together with Elevance Renewable Sciences. The high-growth company (headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois), that creates novel specialty chemicals from natural oils, has recently and successfully completed scale-up of a second-generation biorefinery technology of the company’s olefin metathesis technology, utilizing ethylene and natural oil feedstocks.
Mitsui & Co., one of the most diversified and comprehensive trading, investment, and service enterprises in the world (with 140 offices in 66 countries) and BioAmber’s partner in the Sarnia bio-based succinic acid plant, is investing an additional CDN$ 25 million in the joint venture for 10% of the equity, increasing its stake from 30% to 40%. Mitsui will also play a stronger role in the commercialization of bio-succinic acid produced in Sarnia, providing dedicated resources alongside BioAmber’s commercial team. BioAmber will maintain a 60% controlling stake in the joint venture.
Cool Terra earns the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label. The product developed by Cool Planet – Cool Terra Engineered Biocarbon – fulfills all federal purchasing requirements for biobased products through the USDA BioPreferred program.
Novozymes, Danish industrial biotech giant, announces the formation of three divisions: Household Care & Technical Industries, Agriculture & Bioenergy and Food & Beverages.
The aim of the organizational change – the company writes in a note – is to enhance Novozymes’ ability to deliver more innovation to customers with more speed and commercial impact.
The Komi Republic in Northern Russia could host a plant that would produce 100,000 tonnes of bioethanol per year from wood waste. The proposal, coming from Egregor Biotech and Evolution Group, was presented last week, Komiinform news agency reported. Over 15 million rub (196,000 US dollars and 177,000 euro) have already been spent on the project. The total investment required is estimated at 136 million euro. A process to create a pool of investors is underway, with different options for the realisation of the project being considered, including a public private partnership.
Gevo, a leading renewable technology, chemical products, and next generation biofuels company, announced yesterday that it has entered into a license agreement and a joint development agreement with Porta Hnos (“Porta”), one of the leading alcohols companies in Argentina, producing almost 100 million liters annually, to construct multiple isobutanol plants in Argentina using corn as a feedstock.
“Outside of Brazil, today Europe has the most existing infrastructure, some of the most developed technologies and the most favorable policy supporting the bioeconomy. However, theoretical concerns about land use are being allowed undue sway, which makes the outlook uncertain. Climate change deniers are having a similar effect in America. In contrast, China is showing singular resolve in its commitment to climate and carbon”. To say it – in this interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Anna Rath, founder and Ceo of NexSteppe, the U.S. company dedicated to pioneering the next generation of scalable, reliable, cost-effective feedstock solutions for the biofuels, biopower and biobased products industries. Using advanced breeding techniques and cutting-edge analytical technologies, NexSteppe is developing Malibu sweet sorghum and Palo Alto biomass sorghum to produce feedstocks tailored for these biobased industries. With Anna we talk about biomass and bioeconomy at a Global level.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
Starting from last Friday, jet biofuel is offered to all airlines that refuel at Oslo Airport, making the airport the world’s first to offer this service through the normal supply mechanism. Air BP is the supplier of the jet biofuel and Lufthansa Group, SAS and KLM have already signed agreements to purchase the fuel.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 