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Ineos Bio begins advanced bio-ethanol plant feasibility study
F O C U S allocated for converting biomass to energy, fuels, or chemicals. Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been awarded $5.4 M to fund procuring of equipment to be installed at the DOE Bioenergy Science Center. The centre aims to study recalcitrance, the hindrance to the enzymatic breakdown of cellulosic biomass into sugars. Ethanol Producer Magazine, Oct 2009 (Website: http://www.ethanolproducer.com/)
Southeast Asia attracting greenchemistry investments Southeast Asia is drawing many investments for green technology and product developments from local companies as well as Japanese chemical producers and trading houses. Singaporean company Wilmar International plans to launch production of derivatives of glycerol in Indonesia. Chor-alkali maker Vinythai plc intends to produce epichlorohydrin from glycerol in Thailand via a green chemistry route developed by Solvay. Mitsui Chemicals is currently developing with an aim at commercialization a biocatalyzed process for propylene glycol at its technical hub in Singapore. Mitsubishi Chemical and Thai company PTT plc are jointly conducting a study to establish a business focused on the production of bio-succinic acid and bio-polybutylene succinate. Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co and Toyota Tsusho are also involved in green chemistry investments in the Southeast Asian region. Japan Chemical Web, 9 Nov 2009 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
COMPANY NEWS BASF 3Q 2009: functional solutions In 3Q 2009 BASF’s Functional Solutions division’s sales fell compared with 3Q 2008 (volumes 12%, prices 13%, portfolio 0%, currencies 1%), primarily as a result of lower prices for precious metals and a weaker business environment. In contrast, income from operations before special items declined only slightly overall thanks to cost reduction measures
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and higher margins in Construction Chemicals. All divisions made a positive contribution to the segment’s earnings. Sales in the Catalysts division were lower than in 3Q 2008, primarily due to a decline in prices of precious metals. BASF Interim Report 3Q 2009, 29 Oct 2009 (BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany. Tel: +49 (0) 621 600. Website: http://www.basf.com)
CNPC and UOP to collaborate on biofuels projects in China On 4 Nov 2009, UOP LLC and CNPC announced a collaboration to develop biofuels technologies in China. Demonstration plants for existing technologies will be established, and the UOP/Ecofining biodiesel process will be assessed. An Ecofining plant will be developed to manufacture both biodiesel and bio-aviation fuel. Ecofining technology involves catalytic hydro-processing for the production of biodiesel from natural oils. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Nov 2009, 20 (32), 11
Ineos Bio begins advanced bio-ethanol plant feasibility study Ineos Bio has started a feasibility study for a plant to convert locally generated biodegradable household and commercial wastes into carbon neutral road transport fuel and clean electricity, using the Ineos Bio technology process. The £3.5 M feasibility study, which includes detailed engineering design work for a plant at the company’s Seal Sands site in the Tees Valley, is being supported by a £2.2 M grant from the Regional Development Agency One North East and the Department for Energy and Climate Change. When completed, the feasibility study will inform an investment decision in 2010 for a commercial Ineos Bio bioethanol and bioenergy plant. Press release from: INEOS Group Ltd, Hawkslease, Chapel Lane, Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7FG, UK. Website: http://www.ineos.com/ (16 Nov 2009)
Novozymes pumping even more efficiency into the bioethanol industry In addition to supplying the biofuel industry with enzymes for fuel ethanol (bioethanol) made from corn, Novozymes is manufacturing enzymes that, from 2010, will start to
be commercially viable for producing bioethanol from materials that currently are seen as waste. This could include leftover crop residues after harvest and household waste. BioTimes (Novozymes’ Enzyme e-zine), Sep 2009 (Novozymes A/S, Krogshoejvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 8824 9999. Fax: +45 8824 9998. Website: http://www.novozymes.com/biotimes)
Novozymes wins contract to supply Inbicon with enzymes Novozymes has won out over Danisco in a 2 year contest for a contract to supply enzymes to the new ethanol plant of the Dong Energy company Inbicon at Kalundborg, Denmark. Novozymes will supply 7580% of the enzymes that will be used in Inbicon’s production of second generation bioethanol. NP Investor, 20 Nov 2009 (Website: http://www.npinvestor.dk/) (in Danish)
Nickel EnCat catalysts being trialled in bulk API production Pharma catalyst maker Reaxa reported that its Nickel EnCat product is being evaluated for bulk API production. The multiple-use catalyst is claimed to improve process output, minimize contamination levels and deliver better cost effectiveness than Raney nickel catalysts. In addition, Nickel EnCat’s reusability helps reduce both costs and metal use. Meanwhile, the firm is inaugurating a subsidiary, Reaxa India, to cater to the Indian and wider Asian market. Manufacturing Chemist, Nov 2009, 80 (11), 21
Sigma-Aldrich to distribute ThalesNano products Sigma-Aldrich announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with ThalesNano, the world leader in bench top flow chemistry instruments, the terms of which will see SigmaAldrich distribute ThalesNano’s complete line of approximately 400 CatCart catalyst products for flow chemistry solutions on a global basis. ThalesNano flow reactors and CatCart catalyst cartridges provide organic chemists in academic research, large pharmaceutical companies, and the chemical and petroleum industries with the means to perform catalytic reactions that are
JANUARY 2010
Southeast Asia attracting greenchemistry investments Southeast Asia is drawing many investments for green technology and product developments from local companies as well as Japanese chemical producers and trading houses. Singaporean company Wilmar International plans to launch production of derivatives of glycerol in Indonesia. Chor-alkali maker Vinythai plc intends to produce epichlorohydrin from glycerol in Thailand via a green chemistry route developed by Solvay. Mitsui Chemicals is currently developing with an aim at commercialization a biocatalyzed process for propylene glycol at its technical hub in Singapore. Mitsubishi Chemical and Thai company PTT plc are jointly conducting a study to establish a business focused on the production of bio-succinic acid and bio-polybutylene succinate. Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co and Toyota Tsusho are also involved in green chemistry investments in the Southeast Asian region. Japan Chemical Web, 9 Nov 2009 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
COMPANY NEWS BASF 3Q 2009: functional solutions In 3Q 2009 BASF’s Functional Solutions division’s sales fell compared with 3Q 2008 (volumes 12%, prices 13%, portfolio 0%, currencies 1%), primarily as a result of lower prices for precious metals and a weaker business environment. In contrast, income from operations before special items declined only slightly overall thanks to cost reduction measures
2
O N
C ATA LY S T S
and higher margins in Construction Chemicals. All divisions made a positive contribution to the segment’s earnings. Sales in the Catalysts division were lower than in 3Q 2008, primarily due to a decline in prices of precious metals. BASF Interim Report 3Q 2009, 29 Oct 2009 (BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany. Tel: +49 (0) 621 600. Website: http://www.basf.com)
CNPC and UOP to collaborate on biofuels projects in China On 4 Nov 2009, UOP LLC and CNPC announced a collaboration to develop biofuels technologies in China. Demonstration plants for existing technologies will be established, and the UOP/Ecofining biodiesel process will be assessed. An Ecofining plant will be developed to manufacture both biodiesel and bio-aviation fuel. Ecofining technology involves catalytic hydro-processing for the production of biodiesel from natural oils. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Nov 2009, 20 (32), 11
Ineos Bio begins advanced bio-ethanol plant feasibility study Ineos Bio has started a feasibility study for a plant to convert locally generated biodegradable household and commercial wastes into carbon neutral road transport fuel and clean electricity, using the Ineos Bio technology process. The £3.5 M feasibility study, which includes detailed engineering design work for a plant at the company’s Seal Sands site in the Tees Valley, is being supported by a £2.2 M grant from the Regional Development Agency One North East and the Department for Energy and Climate Change. When completed, the feasibility study will inform an investment decision in 2010 for a commercial Ineos Bio bioethanol and bioenergy plant. Press release from: INEOS Group Ltd, Hawkslease, Chapel Lane, Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7FG, UK. Website: http://www.ineos.com/ (16 Nov 2009)
Novozymes pumping even more efficiency into the bioethanol industry In addition to supplying the biofuel industry with enzymes for fuel ethanol (bioethanol) made from corn, Novozymes is manufacturing enzymes that, from 2010, will start to
be commercially viable for producing bioethanol from materials that currently are seen as waste. This could include leftover crop residues after harvest and household waste. BioTimes (Novozymes’ Enzyme e-zine), Sep 2009 (Novozymes A/S, Krogshoejvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 8824 9999. Fax: +45 8824 9998. Website: http://www.novozymes.com/biotimes)
Novozymes wins contract to supply Inbicon with enzymes Novozymes has won out over Danisco in a 2 year contest for a contract to supply enzymes to the new ethanol plant of the Dong Energy company Inbicon at Kalundborg, Denmark. Novozymes will supply 7580% of the enzymes that will be used in Inbicon’s production of second generation bioethanol. NP Investor, 20 Nov 2009 (Website: http://www.npinvestor.dk/) (in Danish)
Nickel EnCat catalysts being trialled in bulk API production Pharma catalyst maker Reaxa reported that its Nickel EnCat product is being evaluated for bulk API production. The multiple-use catalyst is claimed to improve process output, minimize contamination levels and deliver better cost effectiveness than Raney nickel catalysts. In addition, Nickel EnCat’s reusability helps reduce both costs and metal use. Meanwhile, the firm is inaugurating a subsidiary, Reaxa India, to cater to the Indian and wider Asian market. Manufacturing Chemist, Nov 2009, 80 (11), 21
Sigma-Aldrich to distribute ThalesNano products Sigma-Aldrich announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with ThalesNano, the world leader in bench top flow chemistry instruments, the terms of which will see SigmaAldrich distribute ThalesNano’s complete line of approximately 400 CatCart catalyst products for flow chemistry solutions on a global basis. ThalesNano flow reactors and CatCart catalyst cartridges provide organic chemists in academic research, large pharmaceutical companies, and the chemical and petroleum industries with the means to perform catalytic reactions that are
JANUARY 2010