BioRefineries Blog

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. AFYREN has announced the finalization on time and at cost of the construction of AFYREN NEOXY, the first industrial-scale biobased carboxylic acid plant using sugar beet co-products as raw material. Press release: " AFYREN announces the industrial commissioning of its AFYREN NEOXY plant and publishes its 2021 Full-Year Results ", 24/03/2022. Related post: " AFYREN starts construction of its first biorefinery to produce biobased organic acids ", 25/11/2020. Figure 1. AFYREN completes construction of its first industrial-scale plant for the production of biobased carboxylic acids In the second half of 2020, AFYREN launched the construction of AFYREN NEOXY, its first large-scale plant, located in Carling-Saint Avold, in the Grand Est region. Today, the construction phase for this plant is nearing completion: all the equipment has been delivered and the acceptance and start-up process is underway in accordance with the planned schedule. Thes...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Braskem and Sojitz have signed an agreement to establish a joint venture which will produce and market bioMEG (monoethylene glycol) and bioMPG (monopropylene glycol). Press release: " Braskem and Sojitz Corporation join hands to bring renewable MEG technology to the market ", 25/03/2022. Related post: " Braskem and Haldor Topsoe start production of biobased MEG at their demo plant in Lyngby ", 25/11/2020. Subject to the conclusion of technology development in 2022, the business plan includes the construction of three industrial units, with the startup of the first plant in 2025, taking advantage of market opportunities and feedstock availability. With the agreement signed, the establishment of the joint venture has been submitted to antitrust authorities for approval. The joint venture will combine Braskem's expertise in the industrial production and sale of chemicals and plastics made from renewable sources with Sojitz's strong ...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Yield10 Bioscience has announced recent advances in the development of Camelina as a platform for the production of PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) bioplastics directly in the seed. Press release: “ Yield10 Bioscience Announces Recent Advances in the Development of Camelina as a Production Platform for PHA Bioplastic ”, 08/03/2022. Figure 1. Yield10 Bioscience announces advances in the production of PHA directly in Camelina seeds Those advancements include: - 2021 Field Test results: In 2021 Yield10 tested the two prototype PHA (C3014 and C3015) producing spring Camelina lines at sites in the U.S. and Canada. Results showed that C3015 lines produced PHA at the 6 percent level as measured as a percent of seed weight, consistent with results observed in field tests conducted in 2020. - 2022 Seed Scale up Plan: Field work completed during 2021 supports the Yield10’s decision to begin seed scale up of prototype PHA spring Camelina lines. Permitting is underw...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Carbon transformation company Twelve and biotechnology company LanzaTech have transformed CO2 emissions into ethanol as a part of an ongoing research and development partnership. Press release: “ Twelve and LanzaTech Partner to Create Ethanol From CO2 ”, 03/03/2022. Related post: “ LanzaTech and Twelve partner to transform CO2 emissions into polypropylene ”, 02/09/2021. Figure 1. LanzaTech and Twelve join forces to transform CO2 emissions into ethanol Twelve and LanzaTech are eliminating fossil fuels from ethanol production by converting CO2 to CO through Twelve’s carbon transformation technology, and subsequently using LanzaTech’s small Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) to convert CO to ethanol. This approach is highly scalable and could ultimately produce ethanol at an industrial scale, while simultaneously eliminating CO2 emissions. In Fall 2021, Twelve and LanzaTech also announced plans to develop polypropylene from CO2 with a grant from Impact...

English version PLATAFORMAS DE BIORREFINERÍA Concepto - La lignina es un polímero amorfo natural, que actúa como el adhesivo esencial que proporciona a las plantas su integridad estructural. La naturaleza produce lignina mediante la polimerización deshidrogenativa enzimática del alcohol coniferílico (común en las maderas blandas), el alcohol siringílico (común en las maderas duras) y el alcohol cumarílico (común en las gramíneas). - De los tres polímeros naturales principales que componen las plantas comunes (celulosa, lignina y hemicelulosa), la lignina es la segunda fracción más abundante después de la celulosa. - La lignina se basa en unidades aromáticas. La estructura de la lignina es compleja y cambia según la fuente de biomasa. Está compuesto por unidades ramificadas aleatoriamente de fenilpropenilo (C9). Los bloques de construcción de fenilpropenilo, guayacoles y siringoles, están conectados a través de enlaces carbono-carbono y carbono-oxígeno (éter). Las unidades conectadas...

Versión en Español BIOREFINERY PLATFORMS Concept - Lignin is a natural amorphous polymer, which acts as the essential glue that gives plants their structural integrity. Nature produces lignin by the enzymatic dehydrogenative polymerization of coniferyl alcohol (common in softwoods), syringyl alcohol (common in hardwoods) and coumaryl alcohol (common in grasses). - Of the three major natural polymers that make up ordinary plants (cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose), lignin is the second most abundant fraction behind cellulose. - Lignin is based on aromatic units. The structure of lignin is complex and changes according to biomass source. It is composed of phenylpropenyl (C9) randomly branched units. The phenylpropenyl building blocks, guaiacols and syringols, are connected through carbon-carbon and carbon-oxygen (ether) bonds. Trifunctionally linked units provide numerous branching sites and alternate ring units. - Currently, most lignin on the market is a by-product from the pulp an...