Avantium announced that it will officially open a pilot biorefinery for its Zambezi technology in Delfzijl, Netherlands next month. Opening ceremonies will take place in Amsterdam on 10 July and in Delfzijl on 13 July. The Delfzijl plant will pilot Avantium’s technology to convert plant-based non-food feedstock to high purity industrial sugars and lignin. The industrial sugars are used in chemistry and fermentation processes to produce a broad range of durable materials, while lignin is used in energy generation.
The province of Groningen is supporting the pilot biorefinery with a RIG (‘Regionale Investeringssteun Groningen’) subsidy of €1.8 million.
Avantium previously announced it had founded a consortium to develop an ecosystem for the biorefinery technology. The consortium consists of AkzoNobel, RWE, Staatsbosbeheer and Chemport Europe, each of which brings specific expertise for the planned commercial-scale biorefinery.
Early this month, Avantium also announced plans to start construction of its Mekong bio-MEG demo plant in the Netherlands, which is expected to start in 2019. I will write more information on the Avantium projects on Tecnon OrbiChem’s July Biomaterials issue.
