Circa Group AS takes a step forward. The ReSolute™ project in France – the Australian company claims – has continued to progress well, with significant work undertaken to ensure plant costs are kept within updated estimates. In early Q1 2022 Circa announced €8.2 million in funding from the French government for the development of the ReSolute™ plant in Eastern France as part of the ‘France Relance’ programme.
French company Global Bioenergies has developed a process for converting plant resources into isobutene, one of the main building blocks of chemistry, whose derivatives are used in cosmetics, fine chemicals, commodities and fuels. A production unit is currently under construction in Pomacle to serve high value-added markets.
German specialty chemicals company Lanxess, and Matrìca, Italian JV between Versalis (Eni) and Novamont, have partnered to produce sustainable biocide preservatives from renewable raw materials. The Matrìca plant at Porto Torres (Sardinia) will supply Lanxess with bio-based raw materials from vegetable oils, which Lanxess will use to manufacture a new series of industrial preservatives broadening its Preventol range.
Chris Patermann is considered as the father of the European bioeconomy and is still a central figure in the world bioeconomy community. In this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista, he talks – 10 years after the first Bioeconomy strategy launched by the European Commission – about the new challenges we are facing to make the new economy based on biological resources happen.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
DSM, a global purpose-led science-based company, completed its acquisition of Vestkorn Milling for an enterprise value of €65 million. This acquisition of one of Europe’s leading producers of pea- and bean-derived ingredients for plant-based protein products was first announced on 29 November 2021.
Anellotech and South Hampton Resources, Inc., a subsidiary of Trecora Resources, renewed their agreement for SHR to serve as site host and provide operations services for Anellotech’s TCat-8TM process development pilot plant, which is located inside of SHR’s Silsbee, Texas production plant. SHR owns and operates a 128-acre specialty petrochemicals facility at the Silsbee site, specializing in high purity hydrocarbons. The company originally began its site hosting relationship with Anellotech in 2016 with Anellotech’s development of its Bio-TCat process for producing petrochemicals from wood.
The original services agreement between Anellotech and SHR allowed Anellotech to install and then operate the TCat-8 unit inside the SHR plant.
In response to rapid growth in the market for sustainable biomaterials, NatureWorks is going to open a new headquarters and advanced biopolymer research facility in Plymouth, Minnesota. Expanded laboratory capabilities will support research into the full circular lifecyle of Ingeo biopolymers from next generation fermentation technology to new applications, to increased functionality.
British biotechnology company Ingenza has concluded its recent six-month project with Johnson Matthey, a speciality chemicals and sustainable technologies supplier. Together, the companies have developed new, efficient approaches for the production of industrially-relevant enzymes – including cytochrome P450 – through judicious selection of suitable microbial hosts.
Material manufacturer Covestro and biotechnology pioneer Genomatica announced an important industry milestone to advance sustainability resulting from their partnership. The two companies have teamed to be the first to successfully produce significant volumes of a plant-based version of the chemical raw material HMDA (hexamethylenediamine).
LanzaJet, a sustainable fuels technology company and renewable fuels producer, has secured financing for its Freedom Pines Fuels plant in Soperton, Georgia, through the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund. The Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund has made a $50M investment to support the construction of LanzaJet’s (and the world’s) first alcohol-to-jet sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant. The innovative structure of Microsoft’s financing will enable LanzaJet to bring lower-cost sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel to the global market.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 