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Abengoa Bioenergia obtains DOE grant to produce ethanol
F O C U S share is growing. The investment cost of the new plant is several DKR 100 M. Danisco currently has 1200 employees in China. Dagbladet Borsen, 20 Apr 2007 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish) & Press release from: Genencor International Inc, 200, Meridian Centre Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14618 3916, USA. Tel: +1 585 256 5200. Fax: +1 585 256 6952. Website: http://www.genencor.com (20 Apr 2007)
Abengoa Bioenergia obtains DOE grant to produce ethanol The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a $76 M grant to Abengoa Bioenergia for the design, construction, and operation of the first commercial enzymatic hydrolysis plant which will produce ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. It is expected that the plant will produce 15 M gal/y of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass and 85 M gal/y from starch. The energy required by the plant will be produced via a process involving biomass gasification. The plant should be operational by the end of 2010 and is expected to cost over $300 M. Oilgas, Mar 2007, 40 (457), 14,16
PE/PP research plant opens A €3 M ($4 M) pilot polyolefin facility has been opened by Repsol at its chemicals complex in Tarragona, Spain. The new plant is equipped to manufacture both polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). It can also be used to study the different aspects of PE and PP. Repsol seeks to establish new processes, technology and catalysts to develop advanced polyolefin-based products. ICIS Chemical Business, 26 Mar 200 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
NEW TECHNOLOGY Make more olefins economically with this new catalytic-cracking process SK Corp has come up with the Advanced Catalytic Olefin (ACO) process, a method for boosting the olefins output from the catalytic cracking of paraffinic feeds. The process utilizes a proprietary zeolite-
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type granular catalyst in a fluidizedbed system. The ACO process operates at around 650°C with an olefins output of approximately 65% while traditional paraffinic crackers operate at around 850°C with a 50% olefins output. A lower operating temperature reduces energy use by 20%. SK Corp intends to launch the first commercial ACO reactor in 2009 at its Naphtha Cracking Center at its plant in Ulsan, Korea. It also has established a worldwide marketing and licensing agreement with KBR Inc for the ACO process. Chemical Engineering (New York), Mar 2007, 114 (3), 20
further technology development, establishing a pilot plant, engineering work to prepare for commercial-scale ethanol production, and positions the company to raise significant capital in the near future. This technology could produce 50 bn gallons of ethanol from the world’s steel mills alone, turning the liability of carbon emissions into valuable fuels worth over $50 bn/y at very low costs and adding substantial value to the steel industry. The technology will also be a key contributor to the cellulosic biofuels business as it can convert syngas produced through gasification into ethanol.
Styrene breakthrough: engineered catalyst opens up alternative route
Press release from: LanzaTech NZ Ltd, 24 Balfour Road, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand. Tel: +64 9 373 4929. Fax: +64 9 929 3038. Website: http://lanzatech.co.nz (24 Apr 2007)
At Livingston, NJ, Exelus Inc has developed a lab-scale process for the single-step synthesis of styrene from toluene and methanol. Productionscale implementation could result in significant savings in terms of feedstock and energy costs compared with the two-step process using benzene and ethylene as starting materials. Global demand for styrene in the manufacture of plastics and synthetic rubber is put at over 25 M tonne/y. The two-step process would enable elimination of the energyintensive high-temperature dehydrogenation step and the replacement of carcinogenic benzene with less toxic toluene. The new process uses a novel engineered catalyst, ExSyM, which consists of a proprietary zeolite with basic active sites in a highly optimized pore structure. Full-scale implementation of the EsSyM process could reduce styrene production costs by at least $350/tonne. Exelus is carrying out long-term stability tests on the new catalyst before seeking to license the new technology to styrene producers. Chemical and Engineering News, 19 Mar 2007, 85 (12), 46-47
LanzaTech NZ secures Series A funding from Khosla Ventures for ethanol production from CO in waste gases LanzaTech has secured $3.5 M in Series A funding, led by Khosla Ventures and supported by two existing New Zealand based investors. This funding will support
DSM launches ACE new catalyst system DSM Elastomers, a synthetic rubber manufacturer, has launched a new catalyst system for EPDM production. The company, which also produces the Keltan line, developed the technology platform named ACE (Advanced Catalysis Elastomers) using the site advanced catalyst system of Nova Chemicals of Canada to improve its existing Ziegler-Nattatype. Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 30 Mar 2007, 3
Novel, simple desulfurization process A joint project between the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, the University of Oxford, and Imperial College has devised a simple system for the deep removal of sulfur from diesel. It uses sodium tungstate as the catalyst, together with hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid. The thiophenes are oxidised to sulfones which can easily be removed by physical processes. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 11 May 2007, 73 (3-4), 311-316
Inexpensive transesterification process for biodiesel Spanish workers have shown that a specially activated calcium oxide is an effective and inexpensive catalyst for the methanolysis of sunflower oil. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 11 May 2007, 73 (3-4), 317-326
JUNE 2007
Abengoa Bioenergia obtains DOE grant to produce ethanol The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a $76 M grant to Abengoa Bioenergia for the design, construction, and operation of the first commercial enzymatic hydrolysis plant which will produce ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. It is expected that the plant will produce 15 M gal/y of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass and 85 M gal/y from starch. The energy required by the plant will be produced via a process involving biomass gasification. The plant should be operational by the end of 2010 and is expected to cost over $300 M. Oilgas, Mar 2007, 40 (457), 14,16
PE/PP research plant opens A €3 M ($4 M) pilot polyolefin facility has been opened by Repsol at its chemicals complex in Tarragona, Spain. The new plant is equipped to manufacture both polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). It can also be used to study the different aspects of PE and PP. Repsol seeks to establish new processes, technology and catalysts to develop advanced polyolefin-based products. ICIS Chemical Business, 26 Mar 200 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
NEW TECHNOLOGY Make more olefins economically with this new catalytic-cracking process SK Corp has come up with the Advanced Catalytic Olefin (ACO) process, a method for boosting the olefins output from the catalytic cracking of paraffinic feeds. The process utilizes a proprietary zeolite-
6
ON
C ATA LY S T S
type granular catalyst in a fluidizedbed system. The ACO process operates at around 650°C with an olefins output of approximately 65% while traditional paraffinic crackers operate at around 850°C with a 50% olefins output. A lower operating temperature reduces energy use by 20%. SK Corp intends to launch the first commercial ACO reactor in 2009 at its Naphtha Cracking Center at its plant in Ulsan, Korea. It also has established a worldwide marketing and licensing agreement with KBR Inc for the ACO process. Chemical Engineering (New York), Mar 2007, 114 (3), 20
further technology development, establishing a pilot plant, engineering work to prepare for commercial-scale ethanol production, and positions the company to raise significant capital in the near future. This technology could produce 50 bn gallons of ethanol from the world’s steel mills alone, turning the liability of carbon emissions into valuable fuels worth over $50 bn/y at very low costs and adding substantial value to the steel industry. The technology will also be a key contributor to the cellulosic biofuels business as it can convert syngas produced through gasification into ethanol.
Styrene breakthrough: engineered catalyst opens up alternative route
Press release from: LanzaTech NZ Ltd, 24 Balfour Road, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand. Tel: +64 9 373 4929. Fax: +64 9 929 3038. Website: http://lanzatech.co.nz (24 Apr 2007)
At Livingston, NJ, Exelus Inc has developed a lab-scale process for the single-step synthesis of styrene from toluene and methanol. Productionscale implementation could result in significant savings in terms of feedstock and energy costs compared with the two-step process using benzene and ethylene as starting materials. Global demand for styrene in the manufacture of plastics and synthetic rubber is put at over 25 M tonne/y. The two-step process would enable elimination of the energyintensive high-temperature dehydrogenation step and the replacement of carcinogenic benzene with less toxic toluene. The new process uses a novel engineered catalyst, ExSyM, which consists of a proprietary zeolite with basic active sites in a highly optimized pore structure. Full-scale implementation of the EsSyM process could reduce styrene production costs by at least $350/tonne. Exelus is carrying out long-term stability tests on the new catalyst before seeking to license the new technology to styrene producers. Chemical and Engineering News, 19 Mar 2007, 85 (12), 46-47
LanzaTech NZ secures Series A funding from Khosla Ventures for ethanol production from CO in waste gases LanzaTech has secured $3.5 M in Series A funding, led by Khosla Ventures and supported by two existing New Zealand based investors. This funding will support
DSM launches ACE new catalyst system DSM Elastomers, a synthetic rubber manufacturer, has launched a new catalyst system for EPDM production. The company, which also produces the Keltan line, developed the technology platform named ACE (Advanced Catalysis Elastomers) using the site advanced catalyst system of Nova Chemicals of Canada to improve its existing Ziegler-Nattatype. Plastics and Rubber Weekly, 30 Mar 2007, 3
Novel, simple desulfurization process A joint project between the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, the University of Oxford, and Imperial College has devised a simple system for the deep removal of sulfur from diesel. It uses sodium tungstate as the catalyst, together with hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid. The thiophenes are oxidised to sulfones which can easily be removed by physical processes. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 11 May 2007, 73 (3-4), 311-316
Inexpensive transesterification process for biodiesel Spanish workers have shown that a specially activated calcium oxide is an effective and inexpensive catalyst for the methanolysis of sunflower oil. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 11 May 2007, 73 (3-4), 317-326
JUNE 2007