Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) has launched the creation of the $27 million Centre for Commercialization of Sustainable Chemistry Innovation (COMM SCI) through a $12 Million non-repayable contribution from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario’s (FedDev Ontario) Investing in Regional Diversification (IRD) initiative, a $3 Million grant from the Province of Ontario and a minimum $12 Million in matching contributions from BIC and their partners.
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Everything is ready in Glasgow, Scotland, to host the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy. Taking place on 18-20 October at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, EFIB 2016 – organised by EuropaBio and Smithers Rapra – will take advantage of the opportunity to increase engagement between policy makers and a broad range of stakeholders connected with the existing biobased value chain, and reach a new network of end users from a range of industries.
Flow Festival, which will take place between 12 and 14 August in Suvilahti, Helsinki, will be a carbon-neutral event, seeking to minimize emissions through comprehensive environmental work. Neste, the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel, will provide Neste Renewable Diesel made 100% from wastes and residues to the generation of electricity requirements of Flow. Most of the electricity required for the festival will come from generators, as the electric grid in the area can only supply a small fraction of the power required for the event.
“Creating a common framework and standardised system to evaluate the bio-based products, along with mandatory targets for biosourced products in public procurement, would certainly provide a boost the European bioeconomy. Improving access to finance for research and innovation would also foster growth.” Arno van den Ven, Senior Vice President, Innovation in Stora Enso’s Biomaterials division, talks to Il Bioeconomista. In this long exclusive interview he talks about Stora Enso Biomaterials, the wood-based economy and how to foster growth in the European bioeconomy.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
“Investments should be made in the bioeconomy because it is the future. Although it is still in the early years of development, there is little doubt that this area will become important.” To say it, in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista, is Christian Kemp Griffin, executive director and Ceo of CelluComp, a dynamic material science company based in Scotland that develops high performance products based on sustainable resources. With Kemp-Griffin we talk about CelluComp and the development of the bioeconomy.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
“It is time to act quickly and in a targeted manner in order to ensure the much needed decarbonisation of the European transport sector”. To say it is Piero Cavigliasso, director public affairs Biochemtex (Mossi Ghisolfi Group) and president of the Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels, an European group which brings together big companies such as Clariant, UPM, British Airways and Dong Energy
“Our companies – Cavigliasso writes in an note – re-confirm the willingness to further deploy and supply the most innovative technologies to produce advanced biofuels from currently unused, underutilized or otherwise wasted raw materials in order to contribute to the EU objectives outlined in the strategy (European Strategy for Low Emission Mobility, published by the European Commission last 20 July, editor’s note).”
The cutting-edge bio-plastic Minerv-PHA developed by Bio-on is now available in the prestigious database “Materials Library” of Material ConneXion, the world’s largest resource for innovative and sustainable materials and processes. This resource, both as a physical samples library and an online searchable database, with thousands of references, aims to collect only the most interesting materials from the point of view of innovation, technical characteristics and possible application.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last Monday announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking applications for funding to help support the development of advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals and biobased products.
“The bioeconomy is a catalyst for economic development in rural America, creating new jobs and providing new markets for farmers and ranchers,” Vilsack said. “Investing in the businesses and technologies that support the production of biofuels and biobased products is not only good for farm incomes. The whole economy benefits from a more balanced, diversified and consumer-friendly energy portfolio, less dependence on foreign oil and reduced carbon emissions.”
Cellulac yesterday formally requested Metabolix shareholders to consider merger proposal. Cellulac plc is an industrial biochemicals investment technology company, that have been interested in Metabolix Inc., ($MBLX) for some time and after their announcement, in May 2016, of a strategic review, Cellulac made a formal proposal via the CEO to merge both companies.
