BioRefineries Blog

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Smallholder farmers in Uganda are starting to experience the benefits of a new bio-based technology that turns locally grown elephant grass into nutritious livestock feed. One of the flagship technologies of the BIO4Africa project, the green biorefinery is the first of its kind on African soil – and a step towards replacing expensive soy imports with a home-grown source of sustainable, high-quality protein. Press release: " Africa gains first green biorefinery for sustainable livestock feed ". Related posts: - " Biorefinery models - Green biorefinery ", 05/04/2016. - " Profile: Biorefinery Glas - Small-scale farmer-led green biorefineries ", 10/12/2018. Figure 1. The BIO4Africa biorefinery in Uganda is up and running (taken from the press release) The biorefinery lies in Fort Portal on the premises of Kabarole Research & Resource Centre, one of the 25 partners in the EU-African BIO4Africa consortium. Another partner, Dutch ...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Ananas Anam has introduced a next textile innovation made from pineapple leaf fibre: Piñayarn. Press release: " Ananas Anam launches low impact yarn ", 08/11/2022. Piñayarn offers a 100% plant-based, recyclable, and biodegradable textile solution for a world otherwise dominated by petroleum-based textiles and resource intense virgin fibres. By repurposing waste leaves that would usually be burnt after the pineapple harvest, innovative technologies are used to extract the natural fibres and blend with other plant-based fibres into yarns for the textile market. The spinning technology used to create Piñayarn uses no water and zero harmful chemicals, making a naturally breathable and biodegradable yarn, with a low environmental impact. Complementing the existing product offering of Ananas Anam (Piñatex), Piñayarn provides a second solution to support brands with reducing their environmental impact. As a versatile yarn, Piñayarn can be tailor...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Averda and WasteFuel have announced a partnership to develop the first commercial scale municipal waste to renewable methanol plant in the Middle East. Press release: " Averda and WasteFuel partner to address the climate crisis by turning waste into low carbon fuels in the Middle East ", 07/11/2022. Related post: " Maersk invests in WasteFuel to develop renewable methanol production ", 24/09/2021. The location for the first plant is being researched, and it is expected to be in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. The plant will produce renewable methanol for shipping from unrecyclable waste currently being collected and disposed of by Averda. This renewable fuel would help shipping companies achieve up to 90% reductions in CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases and pollutants compared to conventional fuels.

  Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Sinarmas Cepsa Pte Ltd (SCPL) and its parent companies, the chemicals business of CEPSA and agribusiness Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand the production of bio-based chemicals at SCPL’s site in Lubuk Gaung, Indonesia. Press release: " Sinarmas Cepsa Pte. Ltd. signs agreement to expand bio-based chemicals production ", 08/11/2022. Related post: " Sinar Mas Cepsa starts up production at vegetable-based alcohols plant in Indonesia ", 15/09/2017. The site is ideally positioned to serve customers worldwide and the existing facility, which started production in 2017, is fully utilised. SCPL has a strong ambition to grow along the fatty alcohols value chain, with sustainable development at the heart of its strategy and operations. Global demand for fatty acids and natural alcohols is driven by growing demand for home and personal care products, as well as increasing demand for sustainable, bio-b...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Shell has agreed to buy a total of 3.25 billion litres of sugar-cane cellulosic ethanol under a long-term agreement with Brazil’s Raízen. The low-carbon fuel is expected to be produced by five plants that Raízen plans to build in Brazil, bringing its total portfolio of cellulosic ethanol facilities to nine.  Press release: " Shell and Raízen sign large cellulosic ethanol deal ", 07/11/2022. Related posts:  - " Raízen to build its second cellulosic ethanol plant ", 28/06/2021. - " Raizen to build 2 new cellulosic ethanol plants ", 14/05/2022. CELLULOSIC ETHANOL Under the agreement, Shell Trading Rotterdam will buy the cellulosic ethanol produced during the first 10 years of each new facility’s operational life. Raízen will supply cellulosic ethanol with a carbon intensity that is approximately 75% lower than gasoline. Raízen expects to invest around $1.5 billion in the plants, the last of which is expected to be operational by t...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Alder Fuels has selected BTG Bioliquids to be part of the first Alder Greencrude (AGC) processing facility in the United States Southeast. Press release: " BTG Bioliquids Fast Pyrolysis Technology Chosen by Alder Fuels as Part of Pioneering Southeast Facility ", 31/10/2022. Related posts:  - " Biorefinery platforms – Pyrolysis oil / Biobased oil / Biobased crude ", 04/01/2022. - " Fast pyrolysis plants ", 17/07/2019. - " Pyrocell commences pyrolysis oil production in Sweden ", 27/09/2021. The initial step in the fuel production process is the conversion of sustainable biomass residues into fast pyrolysis bio-oil. As one of the world’s leading fast pyrolysis technology providers, BTG Bioliquids develops production plants through their engineering, procurement, and construction partner, TechnipEnergies. These plants aim to convert non-food, diverse, and sustainable biomass sources into fast pyrolysis bio-oil that can he...