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”.
Ahead of the UN Climate Conference in Bonn, COP 23, 6-17 November, the Irish company Europe Renewables Ltd and UN Climate Change have partnered to boost the deployment of biofuels in the transport sector.
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.
Statoil, Shell and Total entered CO2 storage partnership. The three partners aims at maturing the development of carbon storage on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). The project is part of the Norwegian authorities’ efforts to develop full-scale carbon capture and storage in Norway.
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.
Tennessee-based Eastman Chemical Company and Origin Materials (formerly known as Micromidas) have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement for Eastman to license its proprietary 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid (“FDCA”) and FDCA derivatives production technology from renewable resources to Origin Materials. Origin also recently purchased an oxidation pilot plant from Eastman that will enable Origin to demonstrate the licensed technology. Terms of the license agreement and pilot plant sale were not disclosed.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 