Technology

Nine European partners launch project PRODIAS to decrease bio-based products production costs

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Basf is the leader of the PRODIAS project
Basf is the leader of the PRODIAS project

Nine partners, under the consortial leadership of German chemical giant Basf, will collaborate to develop cost and energy-efficient technologies for water purification, removal and product-recovery needed to support downstream processing in white biotechnology. This consortium of companies in the European process industry from the areas of biotechnology, renewable resources, chemistry, process engineering, equipment supply as well as research organizations recently launched project PRODIAS (PROcessing Diluted Aqueous Systems). The project focuses on unlocking the potential of renewable-based products made via white biotechnology, by significantly decreasing production costs, increasing productivity and efficiency, lowering energy consumption, and accelerating process developments.

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The John Bell interview: the reaction of Michael Carus, Ceo of nova-Institut

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Michael Carus, managing director of the nova-Institut. Copyright: nova-Institut 2014
Michael Carus, managing director of the nova-Institut. Copyright: nova-Institut 2014

We receive and publish with pleasure this comment by Michael Carus, managing director of the nova-Institut, regarding our exclusive interview with John Bell, Director of Bioeconomy Directorate, European Commission.

We are glad to promote the debate.

Dear Mario,

with interest, we read your interview with John Bell. While we were glad to read that DG RTD is now somewhat recognizing the adverse effects of the RED, we found the later parts of the statement concerning the RED still too short-sighted. They make clear why the sector of chemicals and materials is developing so slowly and why we are losing shares of worldwide investment.

We would like to comment on two aspects:
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Six bio-based materials and products nominated for the Award Bio-based Material of the Year

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Maternushaus, venue of the conference

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.

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John Bell talks to Il Bioeconomista. An interview with the Director of Bioeconomy Directorate

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John Bell, Director Bioeconomy Directorate EU Commission
John Bell, Director Bioeconomy Directorate EU Commission

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

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We will have bio-based ski boots, skates and shoe soles

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Headquarter of Basf in Ludwigshafen

“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.

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Exclusive interview with Ernst Kloosterman, Ceo of the IBN Norway: “Europe is good in science and not so good in upscaling and commercialization”

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Ernst Kloosterman, CEO of the Industrial Biotech Network Norway
Ernst Kloosterman, CEO of the Industrial Biotech Network Norway

“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

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Finnish bioeconomy takes another step forward

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Alexander Stubb, prime minister of Finland

The Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy is implementing the Government’s bioeconomy, cleantech, and digitalisation strategy for accelerating new areas for growth. In June 2014 an international competition was launched as part of the bioeconomy strategy to expedite the commercialisation of bioeconomy innovations and the emergence of new biorefineries in Finland.

Spinnova Ltd. has won the international biorefinery competition with its new textile fibre production technology. Two other proposals to receive awards in the competition are Biovakka Suomi’s concept for combining the production of biogas, nutrients, and transport fuel, and a proposal by the  that incorporates novel Finnish technology for the production of new biomaterials and biochemicals.

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In memory of Guido Ghisolfi: The green technologies are the drivers of the modern economy

Il Bioeconomista1 Comment

 

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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

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Guido Ghisolfi died tragically today

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9 October 2013 in Crescentino: Guido Ghisolfi inaugurates the biorefinery

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

GFBiochemicals is starting commercialization of its biobased levulinic acid

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Royal Palace of Caserta

Despite the lack of a National strategy, the Italian bioeconomy is a reality. Italian biobased chemicals company GFBiochemicals is starting commercialization of its levulinic acid thanks to its proprietary breakthrough technology. Commercial-scale production will start in Summer 2015 in Caserta, Italy plant, close to Naples.

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