Australia-based Leaf Resources has secured a license for an innovative biodegradable coating product for the packaging market. The product is based on lignin and also utilizes glycerol, two of the products that Leaf’s Glycell process will produce. According to the company, “Leaf’s Glycell process break down plant biomass at lower temperature and pressure and generate a higher yield of cellulose than conventional approaches”.
The U.S. bioeconomy moves forward (despite of Trump). The University of Arizona has received a five-year grant of up to $15 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to lead a new center focusing on the mass production of biofuels and bioproducts in the Southwestern U.S.
Italian biochemicals multinational Mossi Ghisolfi is considering selling its Italian business in the biofuels sector as part of a restructuring deal, a source close to the matter said to the International press agency Reuters.
The company, Italy’s second-biggest chemicals business behind that of oil group Eni, has hired Mediobanca to run the process, the source said to Reuters.
A total of eight promising start-ups were invited to pitch at the event “Connecting Bright Innovations 2017” organised by Royal DSM and held this year in Delft (Netherlands), which focused on new and innovative products and biotechnologies for food, health and (bio)tech applications. A panel of expert venturing and innovation specialists is evaluating the pitches with a view to their suitability for further financing and partnering opportunities.
More than 300 delegates from EU, USA, Russia, Turkey, Israel, Latin America and Canada, 40 presentations, 20 scientific posters and a round table on “The role of Shared pilot facilities in fostering the bioeconomy”. These are the numbers of IFIB, the Italian Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy, which opens today to the world in Rome at Palazzo Rospigliosi.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
The demo plant of French company Global Bioenergies, located at the Leuna refinery site, has successfully operated its entire technical process: fermentation, purification, and filling station. The first bottle containing renewable isobutene has been filled.
“By taking the time to scale up efficiently and deliberately, our position in the bioeconomy is growing. Circa remains focused on creating non-toxic, high-performance chemicals from cellulose, using our FuracellTM technology. We are targeting a market of over 900,000 tonnes per annum, growing at 4%. While we do not want to compete in the inevitable price war currently unfolding, as companies vie to be ‘last man standing’ to extract some cash out of legacy plants producing these toxic products, we do see plenty of opportunity to sensibly scale into the market over the next 5-10 years”. To say this – in this long, exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, an Australian innovative company which is converting biomass into advanced biochemical materials.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
Swiss Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, and Enviral, the largest producer of bioethanol in Slovakia, have signed a license agreement on sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol technology.
Bio-on and Kering Eyewear join forces to develop new materials based on Minerv PHAs, the revolutionary bioplastic which is 100% natural and biodegradable. “This is the first time in the world that a company in the eyewear industry has decided to carry out research with our biopolymers,” explains Marco Astorri, Chairman and CEO of Bio-on.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 