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Lanxess produces biobased PBT with Genomatica
This is the first time that the blog has heard about Germany-based specialty chemical firm Lanxess working on biobased engineering plastic polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) in partnership with US renewable chemicals company Genomatica. The companies announced today that Lanxess has produced biobased PBT at its 80 ktpy co-owned petro-based PBT production facility in Hamm-Uentrop, Germany, using … Continue reading
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACEMaking vanillin from wood pulp lignin
Researchers from the University Putra Malaysia say they’ve discovered an environmentally-friendly way to oxidise lignin — sourced from a local saw mill that processed rubber trees — into vanillin that has the potential to change the economics of vanillin synthesis. Their method is based on the relatively new chemistry of ionic liquids, salts that exist in … Continue reading
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACELanxess invests in enzymes
Enzymes technology developer evocatal GmbH has completed a Series B financing round with new investors NRW.BANK and LANXESS as well as existing investors also taking part on the recent financing. The investments from this round of financing will be used to extend the firm’s technology platform as well as its product portfolio. FOLLOW ME ON THESE … Continue reading
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACESolazyme, Roquette part ways
Solazyme is having a big setback today with the announcement of the termination of their microalgae joint venture with starch derivatives company Roquette. The companies said the decision to dissolve the joint venture, Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals LLC, came from separate opinions on their commercial strategy and timeline for the marketing and manufacturing of microalgae-based products. … Continue reading
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACEStyrene Under Fire Again – New York City Bans Polystyrene Food Packaging From July 2015
On 12 June 2013, the New York City Council passed an amendment to an existing law that effectively bans polystyrene food packaging from 1 July 2015. The legislation says that from this date, “…no food service establishment, mobile food commissary or store shall sell or provide single service articles that consist of expanded polystyrene.” The … Continue reading
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACENovel cellulose structure to lower feedstock costs
Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) are investigating the unique properties of crystalline cellulose nanofibers to develop novel chemical pretreatments and designer enzymes for biofuel production from cellulosic—or non-food—plant derived biomass.Novel biomass pretreatments can convert cellulose to a unique crystalline structure called cellulose III that reduces … Continue reading
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACEEnerkem raises C$50m in latest financing
Enerkem, a waste-to-biofuels and renewable chemicals company, has closed a C$50 million ($51.97m) financing, which brings total equity investment raised by Enerkem in 2013 to C$87 million. As part of this financing, institutional fund Investissement Québec joins existing investors Waste Management of Canada, Rho Ventures, Braemar Energy Ventures, The Westly Group, Cycle Capital, Fonds de … Continue reading
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACEVerdezyne seeks Asian market for bio-adipic acid
My apologies for posting this a bit late but it is an interesting development from Verdezyne as the California-based bio-adipic acid developer announced its collaboration with Malaysia’s biotechnology investment agency, Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp), to assess Malaysia as the location for its first biochemical production facility in the Asia Pacific Region. It has been more … Continue reading
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACEAmyris, Total Successful Demo Flight
Amyris and Total announced today a successful demonstration flight at the Paris Air Show using renewable fuel produced via engineered microorganisms that convert plant sugars into Amyris’ Biofene®. The companies expect the fuel to be commercially available as early as 2014, following approval by the ASTM International. FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACE
FOLLOW ME ON THESE SPACELanzaTech, Siemens on CO2-based ethanol production
Technology firm Siemens and its subsidiary Siemens Metals Technologies announced a partnership with LanzaTech for a 10-year collaboration to develop and market integrated solutions for the steel industry utilizing LanzaTech’s fermentation technology for converting waste gases from iron and steel mills into ethanol and other platform chemicals such as acetic acid, acetone, isopropanol, n-butanol or … Continue reading
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