I’m beginning to hate school…Good thing I still have this blog so I can vent my school frustration in a productive way. Here are this week’s news roundup:
Biosuccinium in solvents
Bio-succinic acid producer Reverdia has collaborated with Belgium-based fine chemical company Proviron for the manufacture of Proviron’s Provichem 2511 Eco, a di-methyl-succinate (DMS) that can be used as a solvent and a raw material for fine chemicals such as pigments and UV stabilizers. Commercial volumes for the product are now available, according to the companies. Reverdia’s 10,000 tonnes/year commercial bio-succinic acid facility in Cassano Spinola, Italy, is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2012.
Cereplast sells bioplastics in India
Cereplast has begun selling its first Hybrid resins “Sustainable Biopropylene H-101” in India initially for safety helmets application. The resins will be delivered by A.R.M.Y India, Cereplast’s partner in Hyderabad. Cereplast opened its corporate office in Hyderabad in August.
Fraunhofer Center now open
The new Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes (CBP) in Leuna, Germany, is now open. The aim of the CBP is to transition innovative biotechnological and chemical processes to industrial-scale production. Linde Engineering Dresden GmbH was commissioned by the Fraunhofer Institute to build five pilot-scale process units known as modules for the CBP in December 2009.
Allylix expands in research campus
Allylix is investing more than $1.6m in a laboratory space at the University of Kentucky’s Coldstream Research Campus, and planning to add 14 full-time jobs. The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $300,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
Bio-PP/PE products get USDA Ok
SPB Solutions Inc. has earned the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Biobased Product label for its products: Ekstend 50/50 OH-PP and Ekstend OH-PE. The polypropylene and polyethylene master batch resins for injection molding reportedly contain 50% renewable biomasterials. The resins are developed specifically to allow molders to incorporate 25% renewable, post food biomaterials in their materials while optimizing performance and characteristics, according to SPB Solutions. The USDA Certified Biobased Product label verifies that the product amount of renewable bio-based ingredients meets or exceeds prescribed USDA standards.
DuPont demonstrates enzyme benefits
DuPont Industrial Biosciences has presented results of collaborative trials with Pacific Textiles Limited, a Hong-Kong based fabric manufacturer, that demonstrate sustainability benefits of DuPont’s PrimaGreen enzymes. DuPont said the enzymes can eliminate the need for caustic chemicals in cotton textile processing at bulk scale production, and at the same time reduce water, energy use and processing time.
Applied Cleantech’s waste-to-plastic tech
Israel-based Applied Cleantech has developed a technology that converts solids in municipal sewage systems into raw materials for plastic or paper manufacture. The company said the technology is currently being used in several cities around the world, and the company is in advanced negotiation phases with municipalities and investors in Europe and the US.
Bio-methionine construction starts
Arkema and CJ starts the construction of their bio-methionine and thiochemicals complex in Malaysia, which is scheduled to come onstream by end 2013. The facility will produce 80,000 tonnes of bio-methionine additives for poultry and 50,000 tones of sulfur derivatives for the petrochemical markets. CJ owns a patented bio-fermentation process to produce L-Methionine, a bio amino acid for animal feed.
BIOFUEL
Genesis, AES forms algal JV
Genesis Biofuel will form a joint venture with Abundant Energy Solutions (AES) to engineer and construct algal biofuel refineries. The jv’s first objective will be to complete their combined technology demonstration laboratory within the next 90 days located in AES’s research facility in Englewood, Colorado. This will lead to the construction of their pilot facility at an undisclosed cement plant, and is tentatively scheduled to begin first quarter 2013.
Evonik launches bio-MTBE
Evonik is now offering oil companies its Bio-MTBE (methyl-tert-butyl ether) as biofuel component for gasoline. The Bio-MTBE is made from isobutene and glycerine-based biomethanol, which is classified as a waste product according to the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) – doubling its value for determining bioenergy content. Evonik’s Bio-MTBE is produced in Evonik’s Marl, Germany site with a full capacity of 550,000 tonnes/year since March 2012 along with conventional MTBE.
Ensyn, Fibria cellulosic JV
US renewable fuel and chemical company Ensyn Corporation has formed a joint venture with Brazilian wood pulp producer Fibria Celulose S.A. for the production of cellulosic biofuel and chemicals in Brazil. Fibria has also invested $20m in Ensyn providing Fibria with 6% ownership of Ensyn, and certain rights that would allow Fibria to invest additional capital and increase its holdings of Ensyn as much as 9%.
Petrobras record biofuel sales
Petrobras said it has hit record daily production of biodiesel at 2m gallons on September 29, and record sales of 145m liters along with its partner BSBios in the third quarter this year. Petrobras’ last record-high biofuel sales were 111.2m liters of biodiesel in the fourth quarter of 2011. Petrobras Biofuel operates three plants itself and two in partnership with BSBios. Together the units have the capacity to produce 721.4m liters/year.
TMO Renewables signs feedstock deal
UK-based TMO Renewables plans to partner with Usina Santa Maria Cerquilho, an associate of Copasucar – the largest Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer, for a 25-year feedstock supply agreement to support TMO Renewables’ planned 10m liter/year second generation ethanol refinery in Sao Paulo. The planned agreement includes 400,000 tonnes/year of bagasse. TMO’s ethanol facility is expected to be built alongside the sugar mill owned by Usina Santa Maria Cerquilho, in a joint venture with the mill owners.
Clariant joins Advanced Ethanol Council
Swiss specialty chemical company Clariant has become a member of Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC), according to the group. Clariant started operation of its cellulosic ethanol demonstration facility in Straubing, Germany, in July, which can produce up to 330,000 gal.year cellulosic ethanol using wheat straw, corn stover and sugarcane bagasse. The company uses a process trademarked sunliquid owned by Clariant’s subsidiary Sud-Chemie.
