BioRefineries Blog

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. IKEA is switching from fossil-based to bio-based glues. Today, 5% of the climate footprint of the total IKEA value chain is connected to the use of glue in board materials. With this change, the goal is to reduce fossil-based glue use by 40% and greenhouse gas emissions from glue by 30% by FY30. Press release: " IKEA to use bio-based glue for reduced climate footprint ", 01/03/2023. Finding new glue solutions is one of the main approaches to reducing the IKEA climate footprint, and most glue consumption is used in board production. As a result of innovation and several years of trials, IKEA is now switching to bio-based alternatives to reduce fossil-based glue usage by 40% and the climate footprint from glue by 30%. Switching from fossil-based to bio-based glue solutions will be a stepwise approach, and the goal is to have most board-producing factories in the IKEA supply chain using glues that have lower climate footprints by FY30. In Kazlu Ruda,...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Accelera by Cummins, will supply a 90-megawatt (MW) proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer system for Varennes Carbon Recycling’s (VCR) plant in Quebec, Canada. Press release: " Varennes Carbon Recycling selects Accelera by Cummins to manufacture, supply 90MW electrolyzer system in Quebec ", 20/03/2023. VCR is a consortium between Shell, Suncor and Proman, with the support of the Canadian and Quebec governments. The biorefinery will be powered by the exclusive waste-to-methanol technology platform developed by Enerkem. This electrolyzer system will be comprised of four HyLYZER®-5000s (Accelera’s largest electrolyzer product). Each HyLYZER-5000 utilizes 25 MW of electricity and can produce up to 10 tons of hydrogen per day. This first-of-its-kind installation will provide the capacity needed to generate clean, renewable hydrogen and oxygen for VCR’s conversion of waste material to low-carbon-intensity fuels and circular chemicals. The facility...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Viridos  has raised a 25 M $  Series A equity investment. The Series A was led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) and joined by Chevron U.S.A. Inc . and United Airlines Ventures . The funding will be used for R&D to further increase algae oil productivity to reach commercially deployable levels. Press release: " Breakthrough Energy Ventures Leads $25M Series A for Viridos’ Revolutionary and Sustainable Algae Biofuels ", 13/03/2023. Globally, diesel and jet fuel account for over a third of the liquid fossil fuel used. The heavy transportation sector comprising aviation, shipping, and long-distance trucking relies on these fuels with demand expected to continue to grow for decades, creating major decarbonization challenges. Viridos aims to solve this challenge by leading the bioengineering of microalgae and has already achieved seven times the oil productivity compared to wild algae. This sets the stage for the scalable and sustainable produ...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Cepsa will build a new second-generation (2G) biofuel plant in Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, which will involve an investment of up to 1,000 million euros. This new plant, which will be located in the 'La Rábida' Energy Park, will produce both renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel and will mean the creation of up to 1,600 jobs, direct and indirect, during its construction phase.  2G biofuels will be made from organic waste, such as used cooking oil or agricultural waste, among others. Press release: " PLANTA DE BIOCOMBUSTIBLES DE SEGUNDA GENERACIÓN EN HUELVA CON UNA INVERSIÓN DE HASTA 1000 MILLONES DE EUROS ", 08/03/2023.

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. BASF has begun production of its first biobased polyol, Sovermol®, in Mangalore, India. This product serves the fast-growing demand of eco-friendly products for applications in New Energy Vehicles (NEV), windmills, flooring and protective industrial coatings in Asia Pacific. Utilizing the existing facilities at BASF’s Mangalore site, the Sovermol production facility is now operational after comprehensive planning and construction. Sourced from renewable materials, Sovermol contains zero volatile organic compounds (VOC). Sovermol products are used to produce sustainable coatings and adhesives for various industries, enabling customers to reduce their carbon footprint and to save resources. Press release: " BASF starts Sovermol® production in Mangalore, India ", 09/03/2023.

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. OQ Chemicals has launched “OxBalance Isononanoic Acid”, the world’s first commercially available isononanoic acid that is produced from both bio-based and circular feedstocks, and is ISCC PLUS certified.  The new product has a bio-based content of over 70 percent, providing manufacturers with a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional isononanoic acid. To meet the growing demand for carboxylic acids, OQ Chemicals has recently invested in a capacity expansion project in Germany. Isononanoic acid is widely used in the production of various industrial and consumer goods, such as energy-efficient lubricants, plasticizers, and surfactants. The new OxBalance product line uses the mass balance concept to trace renewable feedstocks in chemical production processes and allocate them to products. Press release: " OQ Chemicals Launches World’s First Bio-Based ISCC PLUS Certified Isononanoic Acid ", 07/03/2023.

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. KBR has launched Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technology in alliance with Swedish Biofuels AB. The alliance extends KBR's decarbonization and energy transition portfolio into the aviation sector with a differentiated SAF offering. In addition to processing ethanol, this technology can also convert carbon dioxide and synthesis gas to SAF, thereby expanding opportunities for KBR's clients to utilize captured carbon toward a cleaner, greener future. Validation of this advanced technology was performed in conjunction with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Press release: " KBR Launches Sustainable Aviation Fuel Technology in Alliance with Swedish Biofuels ", 10/02/2023.

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. PILI has  announced today 15.8 M $  in Series A funding to accelerate its industrialization by  producing the first tons of high-performance bio-based indigo. Bpifrance led this round  through the fund Ecotechnologies 2, with participation from Famille C Participations and  existing investors, such as Elaia Partners. Press release:" PILI, a French biotech and green chemistry company, raises $15.8M to accelerate  its industrial scale-up and the decarbonization of the color industry . ", 28/02/2023. Related posts: " PILI to industrialize biobased high-performance pigment production ", 12/03/2023. Since its creation in 2015, PILI's mission has been to develop and produce biobased dyes and  pigments to reduce the environmental footprint of the color industry. Thanks to its hybrid  technology combining industrial fermentation and green chemistry, the company offers an  ecological and competitive alternative to petroche...

  Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Zeon Corporation, through its Corporate Venturing subsidiary Zeon Ventures, has invested in Visolis, a US startup, developing an innovative biomanufacturing platform. Zeon will partner closely with Visolis to help accelerate development of the company’s sustainable biomanufacturing processes. Visolis is developing a biomanufacturing platform combining artificial intelligence, synthetic biology and traditional chemical catalysis to efficiently produce a portfolio of carbon negative chemicals. Visolis’s proprietary process transforms sustainable raw materials, including waste biomass, into bio-based chemicals with diverse applications ranging from active ingredients for personal care to drop-in replacements for commodity petrochemicals. To accelerate the transition to a sustainable society, Zeon will work together with Visolis in enabling cost-competitive, bio-based chemicals for a range of applications from cosmetics to cars. Press release: " Zeon Cor...