BioRefineries Blog

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Octarine Bio and Ginkgo Bioworks have announced a multi-stage partnership focused on compounds in the tryptophan pathway, with the objective of engineering a strain for producing violacein and its derivatives, a naturally occurring bis-indole pigment with potent bioactive properties including anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and UV protective properties. Although initially focused on violacein, the collaboration has the potential to expand to other tryptophan-derived compounds, each with their own unique applications. Press release: " Octarine Bio and Ginkgo Bioworks Announce Partnership to Produce Natural Colors ", 09/05/2023. The vast majority of textiles are still produced with synthetic colors and dyes derived from fossil fuels, a practice that has been linked to negative effects to human health and the environment. According to the United National Environmental Program and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, fabric dyeing and treatment produces abo...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Origin Materials  and Indorama Ventures  have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to explore initiatives related to the rapid commercialization of low-carbon, biobased materials. Initiatives include evaluating the use of existing Indorama Ventures’ units in the United States with some modification to commercially produce biobased materials. Under this arrangement, Indorama Ventures would convert derivatives of Origin Materials’ platform chemical CMF (chloromethylfurfural) into various sustainable chemicals and biobased plastics. Press release: " Origin Materials and Indorama Ventures Announce a Strategic Partnership to Accelerate the Mass Production of Bio-Based Materials ",  09/05/2023. Under the MOU, the companies will also study the potential to use production samples of biobased materials in limited-volume product launches in partnership with high-profile brands. The materials could potentially be used in packaging, textiles, fi...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Technip Energies announces the award of a contract for the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) phase of LanzaTech’s DRAGON Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Project based on LanzaJet Alcohol to Jet (ATJ) Technology, on track to be one of the first commercial SAF facilities in the UK. Press release: " Technip Energies Wins Contract from LanzaTech UK Ltd, for a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Facility ", 12/04/2023. LanzaTech UK’s DRAGON SAF Project has been awarded supplemental funding through The UK Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuel Fund to help decarbonise aviation fuel in the UK. The flagship facility, to be located in Port Talbot, Wales, will uniquely use feedstock (ethanol) derived from local waste sources, bringing circularity to the project’s green credentials. The development, which is expected to produce 79 KTA (thousand Tonnes per Annum) (ca.100million litres/year) of SAF will deploy LanzaJet’s proprietary ATJ technology. T.EN’s proprieta...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Lummus Technology and Citroniq Chemicals have signed a letter of intent for the development of Citroniq’s green polypropylene (PP) projects in North America. These projects will use Lummus’ VerdeneTM PP technology suite. Press release: " Lummus and Citroniq Sign Letter of Intent for Green Polypropylene Projects ", 25/04/2023. Citroniq and Lummus are creating the first world-scale sustainable bio-polypropylene production process in North America. The first plant will sequester about 1.2 MM tons of CO2 annually as solid polypropylene pellets, providing customers an impactful solution for reducing their carbon footprint and meeting their ESG goals.  With a projected investment of over US $5 billion and a combined PP annual capacity of over 3.5 billion pounds, Citroniq is prepared to execute a rapid expansion plan of its E2O process, to meet the market’s growing need for sustainable, carbon negative polypropylene at a competitive price.

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Gevo and LG Chem have entered into a joint development agreement to develop bio-propylene for renewable chemicals using Gevo’s Ethanol-to-Olefins (ETO) technology. Press release: " GEVO ENTERS JOINT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH LG CHEM TO DEVELOP BIO-PROPYLENE ", 12/04/2023. Gevo’s proprietary ETO technology can target carbon neutral or carbon negative drop-in replacements for traditional petroleum-based building blocks called olefins, including bio-propylene, that can be used for renewable chemicals or fuels including sustainable aviation fuel. These plant-based, renewable olefins would be derived from atmospheric CO2 captured through photosynthesis and are expected to deliver the same performance in final products on the market today. Under the terms of the Agreement, Gevo will provide the core enabling technology it has developed for renewable olefins to be produced from low-carbon ethanol and together the parties will collaborate to accelerate t...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Based on significant advancements over the past 5 years, Fibenol is now starting up its first lignocellulosic biorefinery in Imavere. The recalcitrant lignocellulosic structures are effectively opened with a combination of Sunburst™ pre-treatment technology and tailored enzymatic cocktails from Novozymes. This combination provides more than 90% conversion of birch wood processing residues into high-quality cellulosic sugars and co-products, including high-purity lignin. Press release: " Novozymes & Fibenol have entered a commercial partnership to demonstrate lignocellulosic biorefining on an industrial scale ", 02/04/2023.

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. NovoNutrients general carbon capture process upcycles approximately two tons of carbon dioxide for every ton of protein-rich ingredient. By utilizing carbon dioxide and renewable energy through gas fermentation, this biomanufacturing platform offers advantages of cost savings, scalability, and sustainability over conventional production, contributing to a greener future enriched by the vibrant hues of carotenoids. It enables the sale of natural carotenoids at synthetic price levels. Press release: " NovoNutrients to Reshape $2.3B Carotenoids Market with Innovative Carbon Capture Technology ", 27/03/2023 . Carotenoids function as antioxidants and are natural pigments found primarily in plants and marine organisms, creating bright colors, like the orange in carrots or the red in tomatoes. Specific carotenoids offer additional palatability and other benefits to humans, dogs, cats, and fish, contributing to good vision, immune system function, and ove...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Groupe Berkem has announced the completion of the acquisition of Biopress, a French producer of 100% natural vegetable oils and proteins.  With this acquisition, Groupe Berkem is consolidating its offering in the "Health, Beauty & Nutrition" area of expertise and more specifically in the cosmetics market thanks to the virtues of its oils and the nutraceutical market because of the benefits provided by plant proteins. Press release: " Strategic acquisition by Groupe Berkem of Biopress, a French producer of 100% vegetable oils and proteins ", 03/04/2023.

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Ampol Limited (Ampol) and ENEOS have  announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the production of advanced biofuels at the Lytton refinery in Brisbane, Australia. Press release: " Ampol and ENEOS Partner to Explore Advanced Biofuels Production in Queensland ", 23/03/2023. The parties have also executed a separate MoU with the Queensland Government and will continue to engage with the state as work progresses to discuss investment and project development as part of the Queensland Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap. Ampol and ENEOS will jointly explore the feasibility of delivering an advanced biofuels manufacturing facility with the capacity to generate up to 500 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel annually. Initial work will consider the use of agricultural, animal and other waste feedstocks prevalent in the Queensland market and seek to leverage the use of existing refinery manufacturing an...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Stora Enso and Kolon Industries have signed a Joint Development Agreement to develop and industrialise bio-based polyesters and their applications, as well as renewable binder resin formulations. Application areas can cover, for example, packaging, car tire reinforcements, and films for high value-added products such as electronics, panels and displays. The development work will combine FuraCore® by Stora Enso – a proprietary process for converting fructose into FDCA (Furandicarboxylic acid) via HMF (5-hydroxymethylfurfural) – and Stora Enso’s expertise in the packaging industry with Kolon Industries’ leading expertise in polyester and phenolic resin development as well as manufacturing for a range ofm applications.

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. I EA Bioenergy Task 39 (transport biofuels) commissioned India to lead a study on “Feedstock-to-biofuels”, especially a biomass supply chain assessment for the production of 2nd Generation (2G) ethanol, to help understand the developments in India and other groups/member countries. The study mainly focussed on biomass availability, prevalent biomass supply chain approaches, and different process schemes, including the type of pretreatment technologies used by 2G ethanol technology developers. Furthermore, the study included life cycle analysis and environmental impact assessment to identify the GHG emissions and energy consumption hotspots during the lignocellulosic bioethanol production process. Study: " Feedstock to Biofuels: Opportunities for advanced biofuels - Supply chain analysis and reduction in CAPEX/OPEX ". Press release: " Feedstock to Biofuels Opportunities for advanced biofuel ".

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. L'Oréal  has announced a new investment in a venture led by Geno  to create sustainable alternatives to key ingredients in beauty products. L'Oréal will be a founding member of the venture alongside Unilever and Kao. Press release: " BIOTECHNOLOGY VENTURE TO SCALE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT-BASED INGREDIENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY ", 21/03/2023. The investment, made through L'Oréal's corporate venture fund, BOLD, will support the creation of new, sustainable ingredients derived from living organisms. Through Geno’s biotechnology expertise, L’Oréal will replace traditional ingredients with bio-based alternatives, such as those made from plant-based sugars. These new ingredients will be used across various L’Oréal products, making a significant leap towards the company’s goal of 100% eco-designed formulas and ingredients that are 95%-derived from renewable or abundant sources.

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...