June 2014
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Roquette starts microalgae production in Lestrem
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Remember when France-based Roquette announced last year that it has dissolved its microalgae joint venture with Solazyme (Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals LLC)? Well, it’s because Solazyme now has a competition in this area as Roquette announced its newly-started 4,000-5,000 tons/year production unit at its Lestrem, France, industrial site, which will cultivate chlorella by fermentation. The company…
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Enerkem starts commercial waste-to-biofuels plant
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Enerkem officially commissioned last week its first commercial biorefinery in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that will produce biofuels and chemicals using municipal waste. The facility, operated by Enerkem Alberta Biofuels, will have a capacity of up to 38 million liters/year initially producing biomethanol. A module converting the biomethanol into advanced ethanol will be added by the…
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Ford and Heinz collaborate on tomato fibers for cars
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This is an interesting news for the blog that you can use tomato skins to make composite plastics. According to Ford and H.J. Heinz Company, researchers at the companies have been exploring the use of tomato fiber to develop a more sustainable bioplastic material for vehicle manufacturing. The companies have been using dried tomato skins…
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Braskem opens renewable chems R&D
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Braskem has opened last week a new R&D center in Campinas, São Paulo, that will focus on research and development of biotechnology and related chemical processes from renewable feedstock projects, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainable technological alternatives. The R$30 million ($13.4 million) investment is being supported by Invest São Paulo, the state’s investment promotion agency.…
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Avantium Raises €36M, ready for commercial-scale
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I still have several interviews from last month that I need to post and I’m also receiving recent press releases so please bear with me as I try to juggle work and blogging. Next week, I will be at the ACSGCI Green Chemistry & Engineering conference in Bethesda, Maryland. Follow my tweets at @Dgreenblogger #gcande…
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Segetis gets $325K grant, plans commercial facility
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Segetis recently announced that Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture has awarded the company $325,000 in NextGen Energy grant funding through the state’s Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) program. In April, Segetis also received $21.2 million in funding from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB), a state economic development agency based in northeastern Minnesota.…
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INVISTA, Eucodis Bioscience on enzymes collaboration
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INVISTA has been very active this year in pushing through its industrial biotechnology projects and the blog just recently posted its recent announcement about expanding the company’s collaboration with LanzaTech and commercialization of its bio-based LYCRA® spandex. Last week, INVISTA and Austrian biotech company, Eucodis Bioscience, announce a collaboration for the screening and engineering of enzymes…