- Email: [email protected]
BioMCN produces biomethanol from by-product glycerol
F O C U S production and produce resin properties equivalent to standard MAO/silica type catalysts. Most notably, in repeated metallocene testing, ActivCat had double the typical productivity of conventional MAO/silica catalysts without modifying resin properties. Press release from: Albemarle Corp, 330, South Fourth Street, PO Box 1335, Richmond, VA 23210, USA. Tel: +1 804 788 6000. Fax: +1 804 388 7686. Website: http://www.albemarle.com (27 Oct 2008)
Algenol Biofuels announces opening of US headquarters Algenol Biofuels Inc announced the official opening of the company’s US headquarters in Naples, FL. The new headquarters joins established locations in Baltimore, MD and Palm Beach county, FL. The office will house the company’s business development and executive teams. Algenol’s Direct to Ethanol process links photosynthesis with the natural enzymes to produce ethanol inside each tiny algal cell and does not use food, farmland, or fresh water. The company currently has the capability of producing ethanol at a rate of over 6000 gallon/acre/y and will be producing ethanol for commercial sales in 2009. Press release from: Algenol Biofuels. Website: http://www.algenolbiofuels.com (27 Oct 2008)
Avantium refinanced by €18 M Avantium announced the successful completion of a €18 M private financing round. Avantium is active in the development and commercialization of Furanics, Avantium’s next generation biofuel and bioplastic, and the improvement of pharmaceutical products. The financing will be used to accelerate its two proprietary development programmes. The focus of the next-generation biofuel and bioplastic programme is on large scale production of Furanics and extensive car testing. Press release from: Avantium, Zekeringstraat 29, 1014 BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 0 20 586 8080. Fax: +31 0 20 586 8085. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.avantium.com (29 Oct 2008)
BASF unveils new catalysts New from BASF are the lead-free catalysts NanoSelect LF 100 and 200
DECEMBER 2008
O N
C ATA LY S T S
intended as a substitute for Lindlar catalysts, which are utilized in hydrogenation techniques. Chemical and Engineering News, 13 Oct 2008, 86 (41), 33 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org)
BioMCN produces biomethanol from by-product glycerol The Delfzijl-based biomethanol producer BioMCN has been awarded the European Responsible Care prize for medium size and small companies for its development of a patented technology for producing biomethanol from the biodiesel by-product glycerol. The company has completed various trials and should be able to start large-scale production in 2009. It is also consulting with, amongst others, the University of Groningen over further improving the necessary catalysts. Work has started on a 200,000 tonne/y glycerol purification unit at ChemiePark Delfzijl which will store, purify, and supply glycerol. Half the methanol produced will be based on natural gas and half on this “green” glycerol. Investment should be completed by Mar 2009 but a second 200,000 tonne/y facility is planned for 2010. Within 5 years BioMCN should have a production capacity of 800,000 tonne/y and, with an expected sales price of around €700 per tonne biomethanol, this should generate a turnover of more than €500 M. ChemieZine VNCI, 9 Oct 2008 (Vereniging van de Nederlandse Chemische Industrie (VNCI), The Netherlands. E-mail: [email protected]) (in Dutch)
Danisco invests in second-generation bioethanol project with DuPont Danisco wants to overhaul Novozymes as the leading supplier of enzymes for second generation bioethanol production and aims to accelerate the development of its ethanol business via its US daughter company Genencor through collaboration with DuPont and also via the product Accellerase which can be used to produce cellulose-based bioethanol. Danisco wants to be the first company with a full-scale plant for cellulose-based bioethanol. DuPont and Danisco have each invested $140 M in the jv project DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE) and have
also received $40.7 M from the state of Tennessee for the development of a pilot plant in collaboration with the University of Tennessee. The plant is to commission a demonstration plant in the period 2009-2012 and to produce 2-10 M gal/y ethanol. The first commercial ethanol plants will come online between 2009 and 2014, producing 20-50 M gal/y. Dagbladet Borsen, 30 Oct 2008 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Genencor becomes mainstay for Danisco Danisco says that its American enzymes producer Genencor will become its future growth engine and a major source of income. To achieve this there will be a sharp focus on core businesses and increased investment in R&D. Genencor has been struggling with its net profit ratio, which has stood at around 8% in the last few months, but the aim is still to achieve a figure of 15% within 5-6 years. There are no plans for major acquisition, rather the aim is small purchases and a 7-9% organic growth. The target is 6-8 new products plus 50-100 patent applications per year. Genencor also intends to boost earnings by looking into the possibilities for reducing energy and raw material costs. Dagbladet Borsen, 30 Oct 2008 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Dow and NREL join forces in a biomass gasification project Dow Chemical and the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will jointly develop a thermochemical process for producing biofuels such as ethanol, and chemical intermediates, from biomass. Under the terms of the deal, NREL will integrate its know-how in biomass gasification with Dow’s catalytic method to make mixed alcohol from syngas. The combined method can process practically any biomass, including agricultural and forestry waste, and energy crops. NREL will also integrate Dow’s catalyst in the existing 0.5 ton/day pilot plant. Chemical Engineering (New York), Aug 2008, 115 (8), 13
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Algenol Biofuels announces opening of US headquarters Algenol Biofuels Inc announced the official opening of the company’s US headquarters in Naples, FL. The new headquarters joins established locations in Baltimore, MD and Palm Beach county, FL. The office will house the company’s business development and executive teams. Algenol’s Direct to Ethanol process links photosynthesis with the natural enzymes to produce ethanol inside each tiny algal cell and does not use food, farmland, or fresh water. The company currently has the capability of producing ethanol at a rate of over 6000 gallon/acre/y and will be producing ethanol for commercial sales in 2009. Press release from: Algenol Biofuels. Website: http://www.algenolbiofuels.com (27 Oct 2008)
Avantium refinanced by €18 M Avantium announced the successful completion of a €18 M private financing round. Avantium is active in the development and commercialization of Furanics, Avantium’s next generation biofuel and bioplastic, and the improvement of pharmaceutical products. The financing will be used to accelerate its two proprietary development programmes. The focus of the next-generation biofuel and bioplastic programme is on large scale production of Furanics and extensive car testing. Press release from: Avantium, Zekeringstraat 29, 1014 BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 0 20 586 8080. Fax: +31 0 20 586 8085. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.avantium.com (29 Oct 2008)
BASF unveils new catalysts New from BASF are the lead-free catalysts NanoSelect LF 100 and 200
DECEMBER 2008
O N
C ATA LY S T S
intended as a substitute for Lindlar catalysts, which are utilized in hydrogenation techniques. Chemical and Engineering News, 13 Oct 2008, 86 (41), 33 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org)
BioMCN produces biomethanol from by-product glycerol The Delfzijl-based biomethanol producer BioMCN has been awarded the European Responsible Care prize for medium size and small companies for its development of a patented technology for producing biomethanol from the biodiesel by-product glycerol. The company has completed various trials and should be able to start large-scale production in 2009. It is also consulting with, amongst others, the University of Groningen over further improving the necessary catalysts. Work has started on a 200,000 tonne/y glycerol purification unit at ChemiePark Delfzijl which will store, purify, and supply glycerol. Half the methanol produced will be based on natural gas and half on this “green” glycerol. Investment should be completed by Mar 2009 but a second 200,000 tonne/y facility is planned for 2010. Within 5 years BioMCN should have a production capacity of 800,000 tonne/y and, with an expected sales price of around €700 per tonne biomethanol, this should generate a turnover of more than €500 M. ChemieZine VNCI, 9 Oct 2008 (Vereniging van de Nederlandse Chemische Industrie (VNCI), The Netherlands. E-mail: [email protected]) (in Dutch)
Danisco invests in second-generation bioethanol project with DuPont Danisco wants to overhaul Novozymes as the leading supplier of enzymes for second generation bioethanol production and aims to accelerate the development of its ethanol business via its US daughter company Genencor through collaboration with DuPont and also via the product Accellerase which can be used to produce cellulose-based bioethanol. Danisco wants to be the first company with a full-scale plant for cellulose-based bioethanol. DuPont and Danisco have each invested $140 M in the jv project DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE) and have
also received $40.7 M from the state of Tennessee for the development of a pilot plant in collaboration with the University of Tennessee. The plant is to commission a demonstration plant in the period 2009-2012 and to produce 2-10 M gal/y ethanol. The first commercial ethanol plants will come online between 2009 and 2014, producing 20-50 M gal/y. Dagbladet Borsen, 30 Oct 2008 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Genencor becomes mainstay for Danisco Danisco says that its American enzymes producer Genencor will become its future growth engine and a major source of income. To achieve this there will be a sharp focus on core businesses and increased investment in R&D. Genencor has been struggling with its net profit ratio, which has stood at around 8% in the last few months, but the aim is still to achieve a figure of 15% within 5-6 years. There are no plans for major acquisition, rather the aim is small purchases and a 7-9% organic growth. The target is 6-8 new products plus 50-100 patent applications per year. Genencor also intends to boost earnings by looking into the possibilities for reducing energy and raw material costs. Dagbladet Borsen, 30 Oct 2008 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Dow and NREL join forces in a biomass gasification project Dow Chemical and the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will jointly develop a thermochemical process for producing biofuels such as ethanol, and chemical intermediates, from biomass. Under the terms of the deal, NREL will integrate its know-how in biomass gasification with Dow’s catalytic method to make mixed alcohol from syngas. The combined method can process practically any biomass, including agricultural and forestry waste, and energy crops. NREL will also integrate Dow’s catalyst in the existing 0.5 ton/day pilot plant. Chemical Engineering (New York), Aug 2008, 115 (8), 13
3