MyKAI, the cosmetic product line born from the alliance between Bio-on and Unilever landed on the market. The distribution by Unilever of the first products of the line, namely the MyKAI solar products, started last week. They represent the first products in the world to bring the environmental value, as well as protection, of the innovative Bio-on technology into the hands of consumers.
German materials manufacturer Covestro and California-based biotechnology company Genomatica joined forces to research and develop high-performance materials based on renewable feedstocks. With their collaboration announced on March 27, both partners are aiming to reduce the use of fossil-based resources such as crude oil. These are today still the most common carbon and raw material sources of the chemical and plastics industries. Using carbon from plants instead would help reduce CO2 emissions and close the carbon loop in another move towards a circular economy.
Dutch biochemical company Avantium will locate the new demonstration plant for its Mekong technology in Chemie Park Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The construction of the demonstration plant – with a capacity of around 10 tons of plant-based mono- ethylene glycol (MEG) – is on track, with the opening scheduled for the second half of 2019. This is an important step in commercializing the production of plant-based MEG, a fossil-free raw material for products such as plastic materials and textiles.
Climate change, population growth, soil degradation, biodiversity loss. These are the main challenges that humanity is called to face at the beginning of the millennium. The bioeconomy is one of the keys to tackling them and overcoming them, reconciling the economy, the environment and society. Based on the use of renewable biological resources as raw materials for industrial, energy, food and feed production, according to the European Union it has the potential to create at least one million jobs by 2030. The book that I wrote together with Irene Baños Ruiz aims at drawing a precise and up-to-date picture of the concept of bioeconomy, its origins, connections with sustainability and the circular economy and the multiple applications that we find in different products of our daily life.
I would like to thank particularly Philippe Mengal, executive director at BBI JU, and Marc Palahì, director at the European Forest Institute, who have written in a truly passionate way the foreword and the introduction of the book. Now “Che cosa è la bioeconomia” (What is the bioeconomy) is available only in Italian, soon also in English.
I would also like to thank all those who have accepted to be interviewed (Fabio Fava, Chris Patermann, Catia Bastioli, Massimo Centemero, Sandy Marshall, Mathieu Flamini, Jennifer Holmgren, Michael Carus and Frank Rijsberman) and in general all those who are making the sustainable and circular bioeconomy possible worldwide.
Mario Bonaccorso
“Roquette is taking a holistic approach of bioeconomy by integrating various applications of plant-based resources and in particular those serving Nutrition and Health markets.” Christophe Rupp-Dahlem, Head of Global Public Affairs at Roquette, talks to Il Bioeconomista. In this exclusive interview he tells us what are Roquette’s main achievements in the bioeconomy and what the next steps.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
BP, Virent Inc. and Johnson Matthey (JM) signed an agreement that will further advance the commercialization of Virent’s Bioforming® process for production of bio-paraxylene (PX), a key raw material for the production of renewable polyester.
More and more women are protagonists of the bioeconomy. This year, as every year, for the International Women’s Day, we dedicate a tribute to all women who are making the bioeconomy happen all around the world. With their huge competences and their infinite passion, they are the stars of the world bioeconomy. Our best and warmest wishes to all women.
This is just a partial list.
Royal DSM and Cargill established Avansya V.O.F. The 50:50 joint venture is a partnership between the two companies. Both parties announced their intention to establish this joint venture on 8 November 2018 subject to regulatory approvals. Avansya will produce zero-calorie, great-tasting sweeteners through fermentation and will be headquartered at the Biotech Campus Delft (Netherlands).
Royal Dutch Shell will join a consortium of world-leading companies comprising Air Liquide, Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals), Enerkem and the Port of Rotterdam as a partner in Europe’s first advanced waste-to-chemicals facility in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Shell will become an equal equity partner in the proposed commercial-scale waste-to-chemicals (W2C) project, which will be the first of its kind in Europe to make valuable chemicals and bio-fuels out of non-recyclable waste materials.
Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals) and Gasunie have agreed to supply green hydrogen to BioMCN for the production of renewable methanol from CO2. The companies say it marks the next step in the sustainability of processes in the industry.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 