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.
“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).
Italian bioplastics company Bio-on signed today an agreement with the Russian TAIF JSC group, which will acquire a license to build the Russian Federation’s first plant producing 100% natural and biodegradable PHAs bioplastic, in the Republic of Tatarstan.
“You know, the name of our company is Italian. Anello (ring in English) wants to mean the circularity, but also the bond as it is represented by the wedding ring”.
It is very pleasant to talk with David Sudolsky, one of the entrepreneurs who is making the bioeconomy happen at global level. He co-founded Anellotech in 2008, secured the initial angel funding for the company, recruited the management team and scientific advisory board, and is leading the expansion of the company.
The company based in New York develops a technology platform for producing petrochemicals and transportation fuels from renewable non-food biomass.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
Mater Bipolymer, a 100% company owned by Novamont, today celebrates its Grand Opening in Patrica (Frosinone, Central Italy). The plant represents a new important element of Novamont’s bioeconomy model. “Another virtuous example of territorial regeneration of industrial infrastructures that are no longer competitive”, the company headquartered in Novara claims.
Neste, the world’s leading renewable products producer headquartered in Espoo (Finland), and Air BP, the international aviation fuel products and services supplier, entered into an agreement to explore opportunities to increase the supply and availability of sustainable aviation fuel for airline customers.
The European Commission launched today the updated Bioeconomy Strategy “A sustainable Bioeconomy for Europe. Strengthening the connection between economy, society and the environment”.
“We expect full support for the bioeconomy in close connection with the circular economy. Together they can tackle two very pressing societal issues i.e. climate change (through lowering carbon footprint) and the plastic waste problem (through collection, reuse and recycling)”. Marcel Lubben, President of Reverdia, the JV between Royal DSM and Roquette which is producing bio-based succinic acid, talks to Il Bioeconomista. In this exclusive interview he talks about Reverdia and his expectations related to the new EU bioeconomy strategy that will be presented next October 22 in Brussels.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
Rubbish is about to take off, thanks to BP’s interest in turning household waste into low carbon jet fuel. The chemical process behind the technology that can turn rotting organic matter into liquid fuels has been around 100 years. But, recent developments, including the use of ‘clever baked beans cans’, have transformed its commercial potential, leading BP-backed US start-up Fulcrum Bioenergy to use it to produce biojet fuel.
