Economy

Andrew Richard, Comet Biorefining: Canada is at the forefront in the bioeconomy

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The site in Ontario where the plant will be located

“The bioeconomy is an important piece of the puzzle in creating a more sustainable future”. To say it – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Andrew Richard, founder, chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Comet Biorefining, a Canadian provider of sustainable cellulosic glucose technology for applications in renewable biofuels and biochemical. With Richard, who received his B.E.Sc. degree in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from The University of Western Ontario in 1990, an M.B.A. from the Richard Ivey School of Business in 1993, we talk about his company and the bioeconomy in Canada.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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Stora Enso invests 63 million euro to improve competitiveness in strategic growth areas

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Stora Enso, the Northern European leading provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wood and paper on global markets, is investing a total of approximately 63 million euro to further improve competitiveness in strategic growth areas in China and Sweden in the Consumer Board and Biomaterials divisions. The Nordic company will invest 31 million euro in a new polyethylene (PE) coating line in the new consumer board mill in Beihai, China. The Beihai Mill is expected to be in operation during the second quarter of 2016, as communicated earlier. The investment will enhance Stora Enso’s strategy for profitable growth and supports competitiveness by enabling short lead-times and full quality control for PE-coated prime Food Service Board (FSB). The investment is expected to be completed in mid-2017.

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A tribute to the 8 women who have distinguished themselves in the bioeconomy in 2015

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mimoseFor International Women’s Day, we dedicate a tribute to the 8 women who have distinguished themselves in the bioeconomy in 2015. With their huge capacity and their infinite passion, they are the stars of the world bioeconomy. Of course, best wishes to all women.
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MCNS launched its joint venture bio-polyol manufacturing company in India

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Opening Ceremony for Bio-Polyol Joint Venture in India
Opening Ceremony for Bio-Polyol Joint Venture in India

Mitsui Chemicals & SKC Polyurethanes Inc. (“MCNS”) celebrated the official launching of its joint venture bio-polyol manufacturing company in India, Vithal Castor Polyols Pvt. Ltd. (“VCP”), with an opening ceremony.

At the ceremony, Co-CEOs of MCNS Ki Don Won and Hiroyasu Ishimaru and Jayant Agro-Organics Ltd. Chairman Abhay V. Udeshi addressed the guests which included ministers from the South Korean and Japanese missions in India and other important persons.

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EU Bio-based industries show 600 billion euro turnover and 3.2 million employees

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Berlaymont, European Commission's Headquarter in Brussels

The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) announced at its general assembly the results of the first extensive macro-economic study on the European Bioeconomy. The study, performed by nova-Institut, shows a turnover of 2.1 trillion EUR and employment of 18.3 million jobs for the European Bioeconomy.

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Corbion completed the pre-engineering for a PLA polymerization plant in Thailand

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Tjerk de Ruiter, CEO of Corbion. Copyright Corbion

Corbion, the global market leader in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives and lactides, yesterday announced it has completed the pre-engineering for a PLA polymerization plant and is entering the basic-engineering phase. Following strong customer interest in PLA, Corbion commenced with pre-engineering in 2015.

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Leonardo Di Caprio: “Climate change is real. Let us not take this planet for granted”

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“Making The Revenant was about man’s relationship with the natural world,” Di Caprio said. “A world that we collectively felt in 2015 was the hottest year in recorded history. Our production team needed to go to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow; climate change is real, and it’s happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work together and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters or the big corporations, but who speak for all of humanity; and for the indigenous people of the world; for the billions and billions of underprivileged people who will be most affected by this; for our children’s children; and for all the people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed. Let us not take this planet for granted; I do not take tonight for granted.”

Metsä Group leads the Finnish bioeconomy

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Ilkka Hämälä, CEO of Metsä Fibre, a part of Metsä Group

Metsä Group, the Port of Helsinki and the City of Helsinki have reached an agreement on the use of the harbour and the lease of an area for a terminal building of around 30,000 square metres. The terminal will serve as an export warehouse for the bioproduct mill and will be completed before the mill is inaugurated in the third quarter of 2017.

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Boeing, Aeromexico, Mexican Government Collaborate on Sustainable Aviation Biofuel

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Boeing, Aeromexico and Mexico’s Airports and Auxiliary Services (ASA) will collaborate with a biojet program supported by Mexico’s Sector Fund for Energy Sustainability (SENER-CONACYT) to advance research and development of sustainable aviation biofuel in Mexico.

The initiative, announced last Thursday and coordinated through the Mexican Bioenergy Innovation Center, will support Mexico’s aviation sector as well as its environmental and socio-economic goals. Executives at Boeing, Aeromexico, ASA and the Potosinian Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IPICYT) formalized the initiative at a ceremony in Mexico City.

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Henri Colens, Braskem Europe: “At the moment biobased is seen as a niche alternative”

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Henri Colens
Henri Colens

“At the moment biobased is seen as a niche alternative. It’s well-respected and is seen to be developing in the right way, but it hasn’t achieved the market penetration to be considered a genuine competitor to the conventional industry – yet. For me, it’s all about reaching that ‘tipping point’. Many stars must align for this to happen, but we’re quite positive that they will in due course”. To say this – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Henri Colens, Public Affairs Manager, Renewable Chemicals, at Braskem Europe, the European subsidiary of the Brazilian petrochemical giant. With Colens we talk about bioeconomy and circular economy. “The bioeconomy – he says – is a way of harnessing the power of nature in order to create more sustainable products and processes. We all need to work harder on raising public awareness, so that citizens understand what we are doing and the potential of the bioeconomy.”

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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