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Haldor Topsoe and project partners reach key milestone
FOCUS Studies are underway on the construction of the second unit. Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 1 Jul 2013, (639), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie) (in French) © ETAI Information 2013
Haldor Topsoe and project partners reach key milestone On 24 Jun 2013, Haldor Topsoe A/S and its project partners: Andritz Carbona, Gas Technology Institute, Phillips 66 Company, and UPMKymmene announced that it had successfully completed the first production of gasoline from woody biomass in an integrated 20 bbl/day demonstration plant located near Chicago, US. This represents a key milestone because all the individual technology steps that have been demonstrated individually in the past for other purposes have now been integrated into one plant with the intention to produce transportation fuel. The integrated pilot plant consists of Andritz Carbona gasification and Andritz Carbona/Haldor Topsoe catalytic reforming that produces clean syngas, GTI/Uhde’s MorphysorboRG process to capture acid gases, and Haldor Topsoe’s TIGAS process to convert syngas to gasoline. Woody biomass is supplied by UPM-Kymmene and Phillips 66 Company will conduct single engine emission tests and moderate fleet testing of the renewable drop-in gasoline. The project has been supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Golden Field Office, under its Integrated Biorefinery Platform program to demonstrate a new technology for thermochemical conversion of woody biomass into gasoline. The project team has worked under a cost sharing contract with DOE since 2010. The demonstration plant started operations in early 2013 and will continue with additional demonstration runs during the fall of 2013 and the spring of 2014. The primary objective of the additional demonstration runs is to validate performance and economics for commercialization of the technology. Original Source: Haldor Topsoe, website: http://www.topsoe.com/ (24 Jun 2013) © HaldorTopsoe A/S 2013
Henkel and c-LEcta collaborates for enzyme development Henkel and c-LEcta have announced that they will co-develop new
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enzymes for laundry detergents. The German industrial biotech company will be using its enzyme-engineering technology, while Henkel will be developing the detergent enzymes. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 24 Jun 2013, 91 (25), 19 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) © American Chemical Society 2013
INEOS Bio produces cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale INEOS Bio announced that its Indian River BioEnergy Centre is now producing cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale. First ethanol shipments will be released in Aug 2013. This is the first commercial-scale production in the world using INEOS Bio’s breakthrough gasification and fermentation technology for conversion of biomass waste into bioethanol and renewable power. Original Source: INEOS Bio, 2013. Found on PR Newswire, 31 Jul 2013, (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Micromidas develops chemo-catalytic process for producing bio-based PET from agricultural waste Micromidas Inc, a startup based in West Sacramento, CA, USA, aims to develop a completely plant-based PET by swapping typical building blocks of corn or sugar cane for old corrugated cardboard, paper sludge, and rice hulls. The firm uses a chemocatalytic process to convert cellulosic biomass directly into p-xylene, a precursor to PTA. According to the company, its process is designed to be efficient, selective and high-purity. Unlike other processes, Micromidas foregoes fermentation. And while most bioplastic typically requires first converting biomass to sugar before continuing the chemical conversion, Micromidas is able to skip that step. The process also doesn’t produce any of the excess co-products of aromatics, like m-xylene or o-xylene, created when making p-xylene from petroleum, allowing converters to skip an extra purification step. Using Micromidas’ process could allow for bio-based PET on par in price with traditional PET. The firm should finish construction on its first pilot plant within the next two months. The plant eventually will consume 1-2 ton/day of products, but it will take some time to
get there. The next step will be a commercial plant. Original Source: Micromidas, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 14 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com)
Mintek to keep focused on platinumbased catalysts for fuel cells South Africa’s state-owned mineral and metallurgical innovation research firm Mintek is to remain focused on platinum-based catalysts for fuel cells. Chief executive Abiol Mngomezulu told MPs that the company remains committed to R&D to promote efficient mineral processing technologies to produce value-added products and services for the mining industry, reports Independent Online. The comment came after it was revealed the Japanese government and its multinational companies would be involved in future fuel cell technology beneficiation in South Africa. Meanwhile, ministers have announced their support for a major new fuel cell trial involving Anglo American Platinum and Ballard Power Systems. Trade and industry minister Rob Davies has previously indicated he wants platinumbased technologies to supply smallscale electricity generators. Original Source: Johnson Matthey, website: http://www.platinum.matthey.com/ (19 Jun 2013) © Johnson Matthey plc 2013
Oxford Catalysts Group renamed Velocys Oxford Catalysts Group PLC is changing its name to Velocys plc on 25 Sept 2013. The former company acquired Velocys in 2008 and the two companies have worked together since then. Their activities embrace GTL process development, F-T reactors and catalysts, microchannel reactors, and catalyst production. Original Source: Velocys Inc, website: http://www.velocys.com (31 Jul 2013) © Oxford Catalysts Group plc 2013
World first in solid acid alkylation Shadong Wonfull Petrochemical Group Co Ltd has signed a contract with CB&I, an energy infrastructure company that will provide the licensing and processing engineering design of the world’s first solid acid alkylation unit, which is to be built in SEPTEMBER 2013
Haldor Topsoe and project partners reach key milestone On 24 Jun 2013, Haldor Topsoe A/S and its project partners: Andritz Carbona, Gas Technology Institute, Phillips 66 Company, and UPMKymmene announced that it had successfully completed the first production of gasoline from woody biomass in an integrated 20 bbl/day demonstration plant located near Chicago, US. This represents a key milestone because all the individual technology steps that have been demonstrated individually in the past for other purposes have now been integrated into one plant with the intention to produce transportation fuel. The integrated pilot plant consists of Andritz Carbona gasification and Andritz Carbona/Haldor Topsoe catalytic reforming that produces clean syngas, GTI/Uhde’s MorphysorboRG process to capture acid gases, and Haldor Topsoe’s TIGAS process to convert syngas to gasoline. Woody biomass is supplied by UPM-Kymmene and Phillips 66 Company will conduct single engine emission tests and moderate fleet testing of the renewable drop-in gasoline. The project has been supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Golden Field Office, under its Integrated Biorefinery Platform program to demonstrate a new technology for thermochemical conversion of woody biomass into gasoline. The project team has worked under a cost sharing contract with DOE since 2010. The demonstration plant started operations in early 2013 and will continue with additional demonstration runs during the fall of 2013 and the spring of 2014. The primary objective of the additional demonstration runs is to validate performance and economics for commercialization of the technology. Original Source: Haldor Topsoe, website: http://www.topsoe.com/ (24 Jun 2013) © HaldorTopsoe A/S 2013
Henkel and c-LEcta collaborates for enzyme development Henkel and c-LEcta have announced that they will co-develop new
4
ON
C ATA LY S T S
enzymes for laundry detergents. The German industrial biotech company will be using its enzyme-engineering technology, while Henkel will be developing the detergent enzymes. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 24 Jun 2013, 91 (25), 19 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) © American Chemical Society 2013
INEOS Bio produces cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale INEOS Bio announced that its Indian River BioEnergy Centre is now producing cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale. First ethanol shipments will be released in Aug 2013. This is the first commercial-scale production in the world using INEOS Bio’s breakthrough gasification and fermentation technology for conversion of biomass waste into bioethanol and renewable power. Original Source: INEOS Bio, 2013. Found on PR Newswire, 31 Jul 2013, (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Micromidas develops chemo-catalytic process for producing bio-based PET from agricultural waste Micromidas Inc, a startup based in West Sacramento, CA, USA, aims to develop a completely plant-based PET by swapping typical building blocks of corn or sugar cane for old corrugated cardboard, paper sludge, and rice hulls. The firm uses a chemocatalytic process to convert cellulosic biomass directly into p-xylene, a precursor to PTA. According to the company, its process is designed to be efficient, selective and high-purity. Unlike other processes, Micromidas foregoes fermentation. And while most bioplastic typically requires first converting biomass to sugar before continuing the chemical conversion, Micromidas is able to skip that step. The process also doesn’t produce any of the excess co-products of aromatics, like m-xylene or o-xylene, created when making p-xylene from petroleum, allowing converters to skip an extra purification step. Using Micromidas’ process could allow for bio-based PET on par in price with traditional PET. The firm should finish construction on its first pilot plant within the next two months. The plant eventually will consume 1-2 ton/day of products, but it will take some time to
get there. The next step will be a commercial plant. Original Source: Micromidas, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 14 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com)
Mintek to keep focused on platinumbased catalysts for fuel cells South Africa’s state-owned mineral and metallurgical innovation research firm Mintek is to remain focused on platinum-based catalysts for fuel cells. Chief executive Abiol Mngomezulu told MPs that the company remains committed to R&D to promote efficient mineral processing technologies to produce value-added products and services for the mining industry, reports Independent Online. The comment came after it was revealed the Japanese government and its multinational companies would be involved in future fuel cell technology beneficiation in South Africa. Meanwhile, ministers have announced their support for a major new fuel cell trial involving Anglo American Platinum and Ballard Power Systems. Trade and industry minister Rob Davies has previously indicated he wants platinumbased technologies to supply smallscale electricity generators. Original Source: Johnson Matthey, website: http://www.platinum.matthey.com/ (19 Jun 2013) © Johnson Matthey plc 2013
Oxford Catalysts Group renamed Velocys Oxford Catalysts Group PLC is changing its name to Velocys plc on 25 Sept 2013. The former company acquired Velocys in 2008 and the two companies have worked together since then. Their activities embrace GTL process development, F-T reactors and catalysts, microchannel reactors, and catalyst production. Original Source: Velocys Inc, website: http://www.velocys.com (31 Jul 2013) © Oxford Catalysts Group plc 2013
World first in solid acid alkylation Shadong Wonfull Petrochemical Group Co Ltd has signed a contract with CB&I, an energy infrastructure company that will provide the licensing and processing engineering design of the world’s first solid acid alkylation unit, which is to be built in SEPTEMBER 2013