Economy

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
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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Total Corbion is the first company to launch commercial scale Lactic Acid to PLA capability in Europe

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Source: http://www.total.com

Total Corbion PLA, a 50/50 joint venture between Total and Corbion, kicked off the front-end engineering design stage for its new 100,000 tons per annum Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) plant in Grandpuits, France. The plant, due to be operational in 2024, will be the first of its kind in Europe. It would make Total Corbion PLA the global market leader in PLA, firmly positioned to cater for the rapidly growing demand for Luminy® PLA resins.

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Nouryon and Metsä Fibre join forces to boost the bioeconomy

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MetsaGroup-Aanekoski-pulp-mill
Metsa Group Aanekoski pulp mill. Source: http://www.metsafibre.com

Nouryon has signed a 10-year agreement with Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group. Under the long-term agreement, the Dutch company will provide Metsä Fibre with sodium chlorate for its new bioproduct mill in Kemi, Finland.

Metsä Group is investing 1.6 billion euros to build the mill which, once operational, will produce 1.5 million tons of softwood and hardwood pulp each year. As a key element of the partnership, Nouryon will invest in its Oulu production facility in Finland by expanding its production capacity and upgrading the facility to manufacture sodium chlorate with renewable energy.

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Reuters: Biden considers giving refiners relief from U.S. biofuel laws

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Joe Biden with former US President Barack Obama

According to the International Press Agency Reuters, President Joe Biden’s administration, under pressure from labor unions and U.S. senators including from his home state of Delaware, is considering ways to provide relief to U.S. oil refiners from biofuel blending mandates, three sources familiar with the matter said.

The issue pits two of the administration’s important political constituencies against each other: blue-collar refinery workers and farmers who depend on biofuel mandates to prop up a massive market for corn.

It could prompt an about-face for the administration, which had been rolling back former President Donald Trump’s dramatic expansion of waivers for U.S. refiners from the Renewable Fuel Standard.

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Metsä Group’s Kuura textile fibre takes a step forward in the sustainability

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The Spanish private research organisation CARTIF has completed the first assessment focusing on the environmental and social performance of Metsä Group’s Kuura textile fibre. Kuura is still in a R&D phase and the production process to make it is currently being tested and further developed at a tonne per day demo plant in Äänekoski, Finland. The outcome of the assessment conducted by CARTIF is very good for Kuura. In regard to environmental performance, when comparing to other commercial man-made cellulosic fibres (viscose and lyocell), and to cotton, Kuura shows the lowest impact on climate change, supporting its viability as a sustainable solution in the market of textile fibres.

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Stora Enso and Pulpex signed an agreement to produce wood-based bottles and containers

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Stora Enso Paper mill in Hyltebruk
Stora Enso paper mill in Hyltebruk (Sweden)

Stora Enso and packaging technology company Pulpex joined forces to industrialize the production of eco-friendly paper bottles and containers made from wood fiber pulp. These renewable products will offer an alternative to PET plastics and glass. The exclusive partnership leverages Stora Enso’s formed fiber technologies and ability to convert end-products at an industrial scale. 

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