- Email: [email protected]
BASF modernizes and expands its emissions catalyst production operation in Nienburg, Germany
FOCUS isosorbide to produce BPA-free polycarbonate marketed as Durabio. Roquette aims to market one of its isosorbide diester plasticizers, Polysorb ID 37, as an alternative to phthalates. One of the material’s early commercial applications is in flooring manufactured by an unnamed European company. Another product of its BioHub participation is the development of fermentation technologies that convert starch into glycolic acid, succinic acid, methionine, and other derivatives. Roquette has also developed plantbased plastics that have properties akin to polypropylene or polyethylene. The Gaialene-brand plastics are produced from grains using an unidentified process. The material, which is 50-60% biobased and 40-50% petrochemical, is ideal as a film for packaging or for protecting crops. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 2 Jul 2012, 90 (27), 16-17 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) © American Chemical Society 2012
Sweetwater Energy secures $9 M funding to develop bio-fuel technology Sweetwater Energy, a cellulosic sugar manufacturer based in New York has been awarded with $9 M funds for developing bio-fuel and bio-chemical refining technology. The company has secured with $1.2 M as initial fund for developing decentralised sugar platform technology. The company will be utilising a special and unique technology for the production of low cost sugar from non-food plant material, the biomass obtained though this process can be used in production of biofuel, bio-chemicals and bioplastics. The technology will be used in setting up a small demonstration scale facility at Rochester, NY, to apply final touches to its commercial plans and the company expects to produce 100 tonne/day of biomass. The biomass will be used as feedstock to produce about 3.4 gallon/y of ethanol. Original Source: CTBR Clean Technology Business Review, 27 Jul 2012, (Website: http://www.cleantechnology-business-review.com/) © CTBR 2012
Verenium Corp and Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc celebrate the opening of a new state-of-the-art biotechnology facility Verenium Corp, a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on
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the development and commercialisation of highperformance enzymes, and Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc, the leading owner, operator, and developer of high-quality, sustainable real estate and technical infrastructure for the broad and diverse life science industry, celebrate the grand opening for Verenium’s new office and laboratory building in the Torrey Pines area of San Diego, CA. The Council of the City of San Diego will also present Verenium with a proclamation recognising the company for its service and commitment to the city and the biotechnology field. PR Newswire, 19 Jul 2012, (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Italian firms team up with Genomatica for bio-based butadiene Italy-based Versalis has signed a memorandum with Genomatica to manufacture biomass-based butadiene, a precursor for rubber manufacture. Versalis will provide its know-how in catalysis processes, while Genomatica will contribute technologies to the project. Original Source: European Plastics News, 24 Jul 2012, (Website: http://www.europeanplasticsnews.com/) © Crain Communications Inc 2012. Original Source: European Rubber Journal, 24 Jul 2012, (Website: http://www.european-rubber-journal.com/) © Crain Communications Ltd 2012
NEW PLANTS BASF modernizes and expands its emissions catalyst production operation in Nienburg, Germany BASF’s global catalysts division is investing to further expand and modernize its emissions catalysts production facility in Nienburg, Germany. The company is allocating a €2-digit M sum to increase capacity and keep pace with increasing demand for innovative and costeffective emissions control systems for cars, trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles with gasoline and diesel engines. The main part of the investment relates to expanding production lines for catalytic particle filters (Catalyzed Soot Filter, CSF) and SCR catalysts (Selective Catalytic
Reduction) for diesel engines. Stateof-the-art systems for coating and drying the catalysts will be procured. Original Source: BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany, tel: +49 (0) 621 600, website: http://www.basf.com (19 Jul 2012) © BASF 2012. Original Source: Handelsblatt Wirtschafts- und Finanzzeitung, 20 Jul 2012, (139), 23 (Website: http://www.handelsblatt.com) (in German) © Verlagsgruppe Handelsblatt GmbH & Co KG 2012
Brazil’s first cellulosic ethanol GraalBio Investimentos plans to build five commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plants in Brazil during the next few years with an investment of more than $700 M. The first plant, located in Alagaos, has 22 M gallon/y of capacity and is expected to begin production by Dec 2013. The plant will make ethanol from sugarcane bagasse and straw using enzymes from Novozymes and industrial yeasts from DSM. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Jul 2012, 28 (6), 6 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2012
Oxford reactors selected for California demo plant Oxford Catalysts Group PLC has announced that its technology has been selected by Sierra Energy for a California Energy Commission (CEC) funded synthetic fuels demonstration plant. With the help of a $5 M grant recently secured from the CEC, Sierra (a waste gasification and renewable energy company based in Davis, CA) is progressing with building a waste-tofuels facility in N California. The plant will produce clean diesel and other products using a combination of Sierra’s proprietary gasifier and the Group’s Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology. It will have a capacity of some 25-100 barrel/d and is expected to be operational in mid to late 2013. Sierra intends to use this demonstration as the basis for the design and roll out of multiple commercial plants that will convert waste biomass material into ultra-clean synthetic fuels. Original Source: Oxford Catalysts, 115E-H Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, UK, tel: +44 (0)1235 841 70, fax: +44 (0)1235 841 701, email: [email protected], website: http://www.oxfordcatalysts.com/ (30 Jul 2012) © Oxford Catalysts Group plc 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012
Sweetwater Energy secures $9 M funding to develop bio-fuel technology Sweetwater Energy, a cellulosic sugar manufacturer based in New York has been awarded with $9 M funds for developing bio-fuel and bio-chemical refining technology. The company has secured with $1.2 M as initial fund for developing decentralised sugar platform technology. The company will be utilising a special and unique technology for the production of low cost sugar from non-food plant material, the biomass obtained though this process can be used in production of biofuel, bio-chemicals and bioplastics. The technology will be used in setting up a small demonstration scale facility at Rochester, NY, to apply final touches to its commercial plans and the company expects to produce 100 tonne/day of biomass. The biomass will be used as feedstock to produce about 3.4 gallon/y of ethanol. Original Source: CTBR Clean Technology Business Review, 27 Jul 2012, (Website: http://www.cleantechnology-business-review.com/) © CTBR 2012
Verenium Corp and Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc celebrate the opening of a new state-of-the-art biotechnology facility Verenium Corp, a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on
6
ON
C ATA LY S T S
the development and commercialisation of highperformance enzymes, and Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc, the leading owner, operator, and developer of high-quality, sustainable real estate and technical infrastructure for the broad and diverse life science industry, celebrate the grand opening for Verenium’s new office and laboratory building in the Torrey Pines area of San Diego, CA. The Council of the City of San Diego will also present Verenium with a proclamation recognising the company for its service and commitment to the city and the biotechnology field. PR Newswire, 19 Jul 2012, (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Italian firms team up with Genomatica for bio-based butadiene Italy-based Versalis has signed a memorandum with Genomatica to manufacture biomass-based butadiene, a precursor for rubber manufacture. Versalis will provide its know-how in catalysis processes, while Genomatica will contribute technologies to the project. Original Source: European Plastics News, 24 Jul 2012, (Website: http://www.europeanplasticsnews.com/) © Crain Communications Inc 2012. Original Source: European Rubber Journal, 24 Jul 2012, (Website: http://www.european-rubber-journal.com/) © Crain Communications Ltd 2012
NEW PLANTS BASF modernizes and expands its emissions catalyst production operation in Nienburg, Germany BASF’s global catalysts division is investing to further expand and modernize its emissions catalysts production facility in Nienburg, Germany. The company is allocating a €2-digit M sum to increase capacity and keep pace with increasing demand for innovative and costeffective emissions control systems for cars, trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles with gasoline and diesel engines. The main part of the investment relates to expanding production lines for catalytic particle filters (Catalyzed Soot Filter, CSF) and SCR catalysts (Selective Catalytic
Reduction) for diesel engines. Stateof-the-art systems for coating and drying the catalysts will be procured. Original Source: BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany, tel: +49 (0) 621 600, website: http://www.basf.com (19 Jul 2012) © BASF 2012. Original Source: Handelsblatt Wirtschafts- und Finanzzeitung, 20 Jul 2012, (139), 23 (Website: http://www.handelsblatt.com) (in German) © Verlagsgruppe Handelsblatt GmbH & Co KG 2012
Brazil’s first cellulosic ethanol GraalBio Investimentos plans to build five commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plants in Brazil during the next few years with an investment of more than $700 M. The first plant, located in Alagaos, has 22 M gallon/y of capacity and is expected to begin production by Dec 2013. The plant will make ethanol from sugarcane bagasse and straw using enzymes from Novozymes and industrial yeasts from DSM. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Jul 2012, 28 (6), 6 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2012
Oxford reactors selected for California demo plant Oxford Catalysts Group PLC has announced that its technology has been selected by Sierra Energy for a California Energy Commission (CEC) funded synthetic fuels demonstration plant. With the help of a $5 M grant recently secured from the CEC, Sierra (a waste gasification and renewable energy company based in Davis, CA) is progressing with building a waste-tofuels facility in N California. The plant will produce clean diesel and other products using a combination of Sierra’s proprietary gasifier and the Group’s Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology. It will have a capacity of some 25-100 barrel/d and is expected to be operational in mid to late 2013. Sierra intends to use this demonstration as the basis for the design and roll out of multiple commercial plants that will convert waste biomass material into ultra-clean synthetic fuels. Original Source: Oxford Catalysts, 115E-H Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, UK, tel: +44 (0)1235 841 70, fax: +44 (0)1235 841 701, email: [email protected], website: http://www.oxfordcatalysts.com/ (30 Jul 2012) © Oxford Catalysts Group plc 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012