IBN-One – A Joint Venture to build a bio-isobutene plant

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Global Bioenergies, one of the few companies worldwide that is developing a process to convert renewable resources into hydrocarbons through fermentation, has just taken a great leap forward after starting the commercialization of its technology. The company was founded in 2008 jointly by Marc Delcourt (a biotechnologies entrepreneur) and Philippe Marlière (the program’s creator) and it has matured through several stages:
Stage 1: Proof of concept. Laboratory-scale prototype.
Stage 2: Refinement of the process on a laboratory scale.
Stage 3: Industrialization. An industrial pilot with an isobutene production capacity of 10 tonnes per year was set up at the Pomacle-Bazancourt agro-industrial site close to Reims.
Stage 4: Commercialization.

Figure 1. IBN-one Logo

This fourth stage (launching the technology in the marketplace) is only just beginning. Global Bioenergies and Cristal Union announced in May that they had formed IBN-One, a joint venture to build and operate the first plant in France converting renewable feedstock into isobutene. In fact, Global Bioenergies has granted IBN-One a non-exclusive license to use its isobutene process for a 50,000 tonnes capacity plant to be located in France. IBN-One is expected to fund the cost of the engineering work with a financing round scheduled for 2016. In this sense, Global Bioenergies communicated on June 11 having been already granted a “Zero Percent Interest Innovation Loan” (Prêt à Taux Zéro Innovation) from Bpifrance to adapt its isobutene process to certain specific industrial environments. This financing is structured in the form of a 1.4 million euro interest free loan over seven years.

 Construction and start-up of the plant will require additional funding. Ahead of IBN-One’s formation, Global Bioenergies and Cristal Union have conducted a preliminary design study at several potential industrial sites. Looking at the medium term, Global Bioenergies states in its web that the tax incentives for biofuels existing in Europe and the USA would enable it to achieve profitability at its first few plants at oil prices above $50 per barrel.

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