The comfortable and generously-sized Kuskoa Bi is the first chair on the market to be manufactured in bioplastic. Its particularly enveloping shell, cut out in such a way as to optimize back and arm support, is delicately placed on a solid wood trestle. The designer is Jean Louis Iratzoki. The manufacturer is Alki, a French company.
For the eighth year running the Innovation Award “Bio-based Material of the Year” will be awarded to the young, innovative bio-based material industry, finding suitable applications and markets for bio-based products. The competition focuses on new developments in these areas, which have had (or will have) a market launch in 2014 or 2015. The winners will be elected at the International Conference on Bio-based Materials, 13-15 April 2015 in Cologne, Germany, organised by nova-Institut. This year, six bio-based materials and products have been nominated for the Award by the advisory board – out of 24 submitted products. The nominated companies are from the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany.
The European bioeconomy and its contribution to the creation of jobs and economic growth. The Juncker agenda and the new plans of the European Commission to foster the development of the bioeconomy . These are just some of the topics addressed by John Bell – Director of Bioeconomy Directorate of the European Commission – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista.
“The Bioeconomy – Bell says – contributes to generating jobs and growth, whilst increasing Europe’s competitiveness worldwide as well as decreasing the environmental footprint of our economy. It is furthermore closely related with other key priorities of the Juncker Commission, such as the Climate and Energy Union.”
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
“The bio-based PolyTHF 1000 is identical in quality to the petrochemical-based product.” To say it is Andrej Brejc, director Renewable Diols from BASF’s Intermediates division (sales to third parties of about 2.8 billion euro in 2014), which has made bio-based Polytetrahydrofuran 1000 (PolyTHF® 1000) available for the first time. The chemical company headquartered in Ludwigshafen is now providing this intermediate to selected partners for testing various applications in a large scale.
“Europe has traditionally large and strong chemical, food and consumer goods industries, and these have shown that they are very aware of the necessities and opportunities to change more and more to biotech enabled or biobased production and products. Perhaps there should be more that do so and it should be faster, reflecting the often-heard statement that Europe is good in science and not so good in upscaling and commercialization. Some of them point however to the more attractive business environments in for example the USA and Brazil, and act subsequently”. To say it in this long interview with Il Bioeconomista is Ernst Kloosterman, CEO of the Industrial Biotechnology Network Norway, a not-for-profit member association of organizations and individuals who want to stimulate to more research, knowledge transfer and innovation within the Norwegian biobased industry and industrial biotechnology sectors. With him we talk about the bioeconomy in Norway and Europe, with a look outside Europe.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
For International Women’s Day, we dedicate a tribute to the eight women who have distinguished themselves in the bioeconomy in the last year. With their huge capacity and their infinite passion, they are the stars of the world bioeconomy. Of course, best wishes to all women.
In memory of Guido Ghisolfi we publish the interview he released to us in 2013.
The green technologies are the drivers of the modern economy
“The green technologies are some of the driving forces of the modern economy, this is not only my view, but also other important national and international groups have begun to invest and diversify their production in a green vision. The objectives that arises in such investments are long term but the results arrive, if one knows how to wait”. To say it, in this long interview, is Guido Ghisolfi, the vice president of MG Group headquartered in Tortona, and president and Ceo of Biochemtex, the architect of the conversion of the second Italian chemical group in one of the world major players in the bioeconomy, with the largest plant in the world for the production of second generation bioethanol inaugurated in Crescentino, in the province of Vercelli (Italy). With engineer Ghisolfi we talk about bioeconomy, research and industrial innovation, because “the industrial policy of the future can’t be separated from the concept of environmental sustainability”. “The raw materials alternatives to oil can be obtained through the use of biomass grown on marginal land without competing with food through innovative technologies. We must, however, continue to invest in industrial research to ensure the development of technological excellence in Italy, these are the variables of an equation that leads as a result of the competition system of the country”.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
Guido Ghisolfi, VP of Mossi Ghisolfi Group, died tragically today. We lose a great person and a great protagonist of world bioeconomy.
I was lucky enough to know him and to interview him for the blog. He was a gentleman with great vision. A true leader, as there are only a few in Italy.
MB
Walmart announced last Tuesday the debut of its Sustainability Leaders shop, an online shopping portal on Walmart.com that helps customers identify and purchase products from suppliers that are leading in sustainability.
Despite the dramatic recent weakening in global energy markets, ongoing economic expansion in Asia – particularly in China and India – will drive continued growth in the world’s demand for energy over the next 20 years. According to the new edition of the BP Energy Outlook 2035, global demand for energy is expected to rise by 37% from 2013 to 2035, or by an average of 1.4% a year.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 