BioRefineries Blog

Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.  Chevron Products Company (a division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc.) and Novvi LLC (a joint venture of Amyris, Inc. and Cosan S.A. Industria e Comercio) have announced the first production of 100% renewable base oil from Novvi’s facility in Deer Park (Houston). Novvi products bring sustainable high-performance alternatives to oil and lubricant product lines.  Press release: “ Chevron Announces First 100% Renewable Base Oil Production ”, 5/8/2020.  Figure 1. Chevron and Novvi announce the first production of 100% renewable base oil from Deer Park plant  Chevron, leading manufacturer of premium base oils and one of the world’s largest suppliers of finished lubricants, is an equity investor in Novvi, a California-based company that engages in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of high-performance base oils from renewable sources. The agreement was announced in 2016. The Chevron-Novvi partnership combin...

Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Following a construction period of just two years, Veramaris has commissioned its production plant in Blair (Nebraska, USA). Through the fermentative manufacture of natural marine algae, the new plant produces a special algal oil that contains the key omega-3 fatty acids needed for healthy salmon farming. Press release: “ Unique facility begins production of omega-3 fatty acids for sustainable salmon farming ”, 10/7/2019. Related posts: - “ DSM and Evonik to build an algal oil plant at commercial-scale in USA ”, 13/3/2017. - “ The construction of the algal oil biorefinery of Veramaris is on track ”, 1/2/2018. - “ Half-time for Veramaris algal oil biorefinery in Nebraska ”, 12/6/2018. Figure 1. New Veramaris facility for the production of omega-3 EPA and DHA from natural marine algae (taken from the press release) The two parent companies (DSM and Evonik) of Veramaris have invested a total of 200 M$ in equal parts for the construct...

Type of post: NEWS. Interesting movement in the biobased chemicals sector. Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) has completed the sale of substantially all assets of REG Life Sciences’ to Genomatica on May 29, 2019. The deal allows the technology to develop with a new owner while REG retains the opportunity to participate in its successful commercialization in the future. The core group of REG LS team members will join Genomatica at its San Diego Innovation Center to continue driving the platform. Press releases: - “ Genomatica Acquires REG Life Sciences’ Assets ”, 6/6/2019. - “ Renewable Energy Group completes sale of reg life sciences' assets to genomatica ”, 6/6/2019. REG acquired the Life Sciences business in 2014. Since then, the team has successfully advanced the technology development and has forged a key strategic partnership with Exxon Mobil and Clariant. Genomatica will continue to work with them to progress the research program for advanced biofuels from ...

Type of post: NEWS. DSM and Evonik announced their intention to start Veramaris in March 2017 (see post , 13/3/2017) but the official launch of this joint venture took place two day ago (see press release , 30/1/2018) after receiving all necessary approvals. The new company is focused on the production of omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from natural marine algae for animal nutrition. The press release contains some details about its first production facility: Location Evonik site in Blair (Nebraska, USA). Production capacity The initial annual production capacity will meet roughly 15% of the total current annual demand for EPA and DHA by the salmon aquaculture industry. Cost 200 M$. Timeline - Construction has commenced and is proceeding according to plan. - Commercial quantities of the algal oil will be ready for sale in 2019 (pilot quantities for market development purposes are already available.). ...

Recent news from the renewable oleochemicals sector. Sinar Mas Cepsa announced yesterday the official opening of its first oleochemicals plant in Indonesia, which represents an investment of 300 M€ made over 2 years (see press release ). Sinar Mas Cepsa is a joint venture between Cepsa , a leading integrated energy company and world leader in the production of linear alkylbenzene (LAB), and Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), part of the Indonesian consortium of Sinar Mas businesses which is the world’s second largest palm oil company focused on sustainable palm oil production. The plant’s inauguration ceremony was attended by officials and dignitaries from the Indonesian Ministry of Industry. Figure 1. New vegetable-based alcohols plant of Sina Mar Cepsa in Indonesia (extracted from the press release) Project datasheet: Location Dumai (Sumatra, Indonesia). Owner Sinar Mas Cepsa (JV between Cepsa and GAR). Feedstock Palm kernel oil. ...

The construction of VerdePalm plant, the first commercial-scale renewable chemicals manufacturing facility of Verdezyne , has officially started. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 30 th (see press release ). The new facility is designed to produce biobased long chain diacids. The first product manufactured at VerdePalm will be dodecanedioic acid (DDDA), a 12-carbon diacid that is a component of many consumer products currently made from petroleum. Project datasheet: Location Bio-XCell Malaysia Park in Nusajaya (Iskandar, southern Malaysia). It is a 160 acres (65 ha) biotechnology park dedicated to biobased industry located within the Southern Industrial Logistics Cluster (SiLC). It is developed by Malaysian Bio-XCell Sdn Bhd, a joint venture company formed between Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation and UEM Sunrise Bhd in 2009. Technology Fermentation with Verdezyne’s proprietary yeast. The starting yeast will be ...

The blog followers already know Neol Bio through a post published early this year ( Neol Bio in the spotlight – Advanced bioprocesses for the oleochemical industry ). It is one of the most promising companies of the Spanish biotechnology industry. In fact, the US organization BIO (Biotechnology Innovation Organization) has recently published a report positioning Neol Bio beside the main international companies of that sector. Today, the company heardquarted in Granada announced the signing of a collaboration agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop microorganisms able to produce fatty alcohols from lignocellulosic sugars (see press release ). This collaboration is geared towards meeting DOE’s goal of achieving cost-competitive liquid transportation fuels derived from renewable lignocellulosic biomass.  Over the last couple of years, NREL has been working with a species of yeast called Rhodosporidium to...