bioeconomy

New Zealand meat-based bioplastics in commercial use by 2016

Il BioeconomistaLeave a comment

university of waikatoAduro Biopolymers, a natural resource materials and biopolymer company based in Hamilton, New Zealand, hopes to see its meat-based bioplastic, called Novatein, in commercial use by 2016 or 2017. The company, that is a spin-out of the University of Waikato, has announced it has secured investment from Wallace Corporation, by volume New Zealand’s largest service rendering business, processing a variety of co-products from the meat processing industry.

Aduro was formed to develop and market materials and biopolymers for use in the manufacturing sector and is currently developing a novel material based on an unconventional idea; turning bloodmeal into bioplastic.

Continue reading →

Waiting for the elections, dreaming Bastioli as the next Minister of Economic Development

Il BioeconomistaLeave a comment

Ministero dello Sviluppo economicoIt’s not just because she shows great vision and strategic economic sense (read the interview with our journal in this regard). It’s not just because she knows how to reconcile economic growth, creation of new skilled jobs and environmental sustainability. It’s certainly not just because she is a woman in a country, Italy, where women find thousand obstacles to occupy top positions in the economy, academia and politics. It’s not only for these reasons but for sure these are enough to dream Catia Bastioli, the current Ceo of Novamont and chairwoman of the Kyoto Club Italy, as the next Italian Minister of Economic Development.

Continue reading →

Exclusive interview with Catia Bastioli, Ceo of Novamont: “The Bioeconomy needs to start from local areas”

Il Bioeconomista2 Comments

catia bastioli novamont“The Bioeconomy needs to start from local areas and act in synergy with ecosystems and biodiversity. In this respect the Italian case is a cutting edge demonstrative example ”. To say it is Catia Bastioli, Ceo of Novamont, the company of Novara, in Italy, world leader in the field of biodegradable products, thanks to the use of plant materials and renewable energy sources with low environmental impact. In this long exclusive interview, the entrepreneur of Umbrian origin, who, among other things, awarded the “2007 European Inventor of the year Award” for her patents for Mater-Bi the bioplastics commercialized by Novamont, talks about bioeconomy and green economy, the emerging cluster of green chemistry, but above all she gives us a vision and a strategy. “We need – tells us Bastioli – to encourage the creation of a bioeconomy not based on subsidies but based on cutting edge applications which respect stringent standards and which can contribute to lower pressure on the planet limited resources”.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

Continue reading →

A Dublino si discute il futuro della Bioeconomia in Europa

Il BioeconomistaLeave a comment

parlamento irlandeseÈ tutto pronto a Dublino per il via alla Conferenza degli stakeholders europei della bioeconomia (Bioeconomy in the EU: achievements and directions for the future – potete seguirla in diretta su Twitter @bioeconomista). Nella splendida cornice offerta dal castello che domina la capitale d’Irlanda, Istituzioni, imprese e centri di ricerca provenienti da ogni angolo del Vecchio Continente si confronteranno giovedì 14 e venerdì 15 febbraio sui prossimi passi da realizzare per mettere in atto la strategia per la bioeconomia lanciata lo scorso anno dalla Commissione europea.

Proprio a Dublino si festeggerà il primo anniversario della strategia, di cui principale protagonista è la commissaria alla Ricerca, Innovazione e Scienza,  Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, chiamata a fare da padrona di casa in coincidenza con la Presidenza irlandese dell’Unione europea.

Continue reading →

Global Bioplastics market is expected to reach US$7.7 billion by 2016

Il BioeconomistaLeave a comment

mater-bi-03In Ireland Research & Markets reports that Global Bioplastics market is expected to reach US$7.7 billion by 2016 at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 24.3%, globally. Region-wise analysis shows that Asia-Pacific is forecasted to record the highest growth rate of 25.7% during the analysis period 2011-2016. The Americas follows Asia-Pacific with a CAGR of 25.2%. Europe forecasts to drive with a growth rate of 23.5%. Volume based studies reveal that Europe is expected to overcome Asia-Pacific region in terms of the growth rate. Poly esters and Poly olefins are expected to drive the growth. Among the end-users, electronic and electrical industries are expected to have a better support over packaging industry.

Continue reading →

Danish BioRefining Alliance: “We need the EU to speed up and decide on a better regulation with targets for 2G biofuels”

Il BioeconomistaLeave a comment

balle di fieno“By having the first full scale 2G biorefinery (Mossi & Ghisolfi’s Biorefinery in Crescentino, editor’s note) I am convinced that Italy will play one of the important and leading roles in 2G bioeconomy on a European level. We hope very much that the next full scale plant will be in Denmark.The EU countries have a unique chance to be first movers and preferred partners in the future global bioeconomy”. To say it, in this interview, is Anne Grete Holmsgaard, the director of the BioRefining Alliance, the Danish partnership organization working to promote 2G biofuels and bioeconomy in Europe. Denmark has a leading role in the European bioeconomy. With Anne Grete Holmsgaard we talk about BioRefining Alliance, but especially bioeconomy and  European policies to foster it. “We need – says the BioRefining Alliance’s director – the EU to speed up and decide on a better regulation with targets for 2G biofuels, which will give a very clear signal to investors.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

Continue reading →

New U.S. Biofuel Proposals Could Draw Heavily from Food Sources

Il Bioeconomista1 Comment

biofuelsNew biofuel requirements proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are being met with concern by a spectrum of interest groups from environmentalists to the oil industry, with some warning that a gap between the proposal and existing law could force the government to draw on food-based alternative fuels.

The announcement, which opens a 45-day feedback period, sets standards under the country’s landmark Renewable Fuel Standard programme. That 2007 legislation established long-term goals for alternative fuel use – 36 billion gallons a year by 2022 – for which the EPA is mandated to set yearly requirements for the country’s petroleum importers and refiners.

Continue reading →

Versalis and Yulex partner to produce guayule-based biorubber

Il BioeconomistaLeave a comment

versalis eniVersalis (Italy), a global leader in elastomers and a subsidiary of Eni, and Yulex Corporation (Arizona, USA), an agricultural-based biomaterials company, announced today they are forming a strategic partnership to manufacture guayule-based biorubber materials and will launch an industrial production complex in Southern Europe.

The partnership will cover the entire manufacturing chain from crop science to biorubber extraction to the construction of a biomass power station. Versalis will manufacture materials for various applications: after an initial focus on consumer and medical specialty markets, the target is to optimize the process to reach the tire industry.

The partnership will leverage Yulex’s core competencies including crop science and biorubber extraction technologies, to boost Versalis’ bio-based portfolio. The investment will include an ambitious research project to develop technologies targeting the tire industry.

Continue reading →

Exclusive interview with European Commissioner Màire Geoghegan-Quinn: “We must prepare ourselves for a post-petroleum society”

Il BioeconomistaLeave a comment

european commissioner maire geoghegan-quinn

“Europe and the rest of the world must cope with an expected 70 per cent increase in food demand, and a 100 per cent increase in energy demand, by 2050. Under these circumstances, we must prepare ourselves for a ‘post-petroleum’ society, one in which we use our natural resources more sustainably”. In this exclusive interview European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Màire Geoghegan-Quinn, talks about bioeconomy and European policies to support it. And tells us that “The Italian government is aware of the benefits of a coordinated bioeconomy strategy and expressed interest in possibly hosting the annual Bioeconomy Stakeholders Conference in Italy in 2014”.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

Continue reading →

Il secondo mandato di Obama è bio-based

Il BioeconomistaLeave a comment

secondo mandato obamaBarack Obama ha giurato per il suo secondo mandato. Nel discorso inaugurale pronunciato a Washington ha toccato tutti i temi del dibattito politico americano: economia, sanità, cambiamenti climatici (un punto su cui ha insistito molto e che invece era rimasto in secondo piano durante la campagna elettorale), armi da fuoco, diritti civili di donne, gay, immigrati e minoranze. “L’America è in ripresa, un decennio di guerre sta finendo, l’economia sta ripartendo. Ora più che mai dobbiamo agire insieme come una nazione, un popolo. Le nostre possibilità sono illimitate”.

Saranno quattro anni in cui l’America cercherà di spingere sull’acceleratore della ripresa economica. E a contribuire alla spinta sarà certamente il piano della Casa Bianca per la bioeconomia. A sottolineare quanto Obama crede alle enormi potenzialità dell’economia bio-based  è arrivata nei giorni scorsi la sua scelta di confermare capo del Dipartimento dell’Agricoltura, Tom Vilsack, uno dei pochi ad essersi salvato dalle modifiche apportate dal presidente al suo secondo gabinetto.

Continue reading →