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SerEnergy launches H3 Outdoor Cabinet with methanol fuel cell
FOCUS SerEnergy launches H3 Outdoor Cabinet with methanol fuel cell Denmark-based SerEnergy has launched the H3 Outdoor Cabinet featuring a methanol fuel tank, battery pack, a hightemperature PEM fuel cell and control system. The methanol fuel cell solution is the result of the company’s development partnership with Aalborg University. The H3 Outdoor Cabinet can be easily and directly installed into existing telecom solutions in regions without stable electricity supply. The system has been trialed in different climatic conditions across various countries including Norway, Finland, India and the Philippines. Systems have been established atop a snowy mountain in Norway, and above an apartment complex in Manila. SerEnergy currently has the biggest manufacturing capacity for methanol fuel cell systems at 25 MW/y or 5000 units/y. The firm has also established sales and services offices in Indonesia, China, India and the Philippines to support the introduction of its technology. The development of H3 Outdoor Cabinet received around DKR 10 M ($1.6 M) of financial support from the Danish Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP). Original Source: Fuel Cells Bulletin, Sep 2017, 4-5 (Website: http://www.elsevierscitech.com/nl/fcb/ home.asp) ã Elsevier Ltd 2017.
SinoHytec opens China’s first automated fuel cell engine factory in Hebei Province In the Zhangjiakou Airport Technology Development Zone in Hebei Province, China, Beijing SinoHytec Co Ltd launched the country’s first automated manufacturing unit for hydrogen fuel cell engines. The 30,000 sq m factory is worth Yuan 1 bn ($150 M) and can manufacture 10,000 fuel cell engines annually. Original Source: Fuel Cells Bulletin, Sep 2017, 11 (Website: http://www.elsevierscitech.com/nl/fcb/ home.asp) ã Elsevier Ltd 2017.
FuelCell Energy SOFC unit for NRG Energy Center in Pittsburgh
ON
CATALYSTS
Clariant and Enviral announced first licence agreement on sunliquid cellulosic ethanol technology Clariant, a world leader in speciality chemicals, and Enviral, the largest producer of bioethanol in Slovakia, announced on 18 Sep 2017 that they have signed a licence agreement on sunliquid cellulosic ethanol technology. Enviral has acquired a license to use Clariant’s sunliquid technology as part of its goal to realize a full-scale commercial cellulosic ethanol plant for the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues. This new plant will be owned and operated by Enviral and is planned to be integrated into the existing facilities at Enviral’s Leopoldov site in Slovakia with a production capacity of 50,000 tonnes/y. It will use Clariant’s sunliquid technology as well as starter cultures from its proprietary enzyme and yeast platforms to process Enviral feedstock into cellulosic ethanol. Clariant and Enviral conducted extensive tests of Enviral’s feedstock with Clariant’s technology to ensure effective and efficient compatibility. These tests, conducted at Clariant’s precommercial sunliquid demonstration plant in Straubing (Germany), provided excellent results and formed the basis for the project decision. Next steps are detailed engineering studies before the official groundbreaking, which is expected at end-2017. As a further step in the commercialization of sunliquid, Clariant decided to set-up a new Business Line Biofuels, as part of the Business Area Catalysis, which is responsible for further developing the biofuels business across the board and reporting its performance. Original Source: Clariant, 18 Sep 2017, (Website: http://www.clariant.com) ã Clariant 2017.
PQ launches initial public offering Zeolite catalysts and silicates producer PQ has announced an initial public offering of around 30% or 33 M of its shares for a maximum share price of $23 for it to raise up to $767 M. Proceeds will be used to settle its debt. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 25 Sep 2017, 95 (38), 12 (Website: http://cen. acs.org/index.html) ã American Chemical Society 2017.
Air Products invests in Chinese syngas project
A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power unit from FuelCell Energy will be integrated at the NRG Energy Center in Pittsburgh, PA, US, under a contract previously granted by the US Department of Energy. The plant will power the NRG Yield facility, which delivers cooling and heating services for residential and commercial customers in downtown Pittsburgh. The SOFC plant will exclusively run on clean natural gas and reaches around 60% electrical efficiency, in addition to usable heat for combined heat and power (CHP) uses. As a result, it achieves 80-85% thermal efficiency.
Air Products will further invest $500 in a joint venture with Lu’An Mining in Shanxi, China. Air Products had already allotted $300 M to the Lu’An Clean Energy venture for the construction of four air separation units at the site. With the investment, Air Products will gain a 60% stake in the venture, in which the company will produce syngas. Lu’An Clean Energy will manufacture chemicals and liquid fuels using syngas produced by gasifying coal supplied by Lu’An Mining.
Original Source: Fuel Cells Bulletin, Sep 2017, 5 (Website: http://www.elsevierscitech.com/nl/fcb/ home.asp) ã Elsevier Ltd 2017.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 18 Sep 2017, 95 (37), 12 (Website: http://cen.acs.org/ index.html) ã American Chemical Society 2017.
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Royal Dutch Shell gets licensing rights to biofuel technology Anglo-Dutch oil and gas major Royal Dutch Shell has obtained exclusive licensing and development rights to a patented biofuel technology of SBI BIoEnergy. The technology can convert various greases and waste oils into drop-in replacements for petrol, jet fuel and diesel via a continuous catalytic process. The two companies will jointly develop the technology for commercial uses. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, JulAug 2017, 33 (6), 6 (Website: http://www. oilsandfatsinternational.com) ã Quartz Business Media Ltd 2017.
Global Bio operates Leuna isobutene demo facility Global Bioenergies (Global Bio) announced that it has successfully operated its entire technical process for isobutene by fermentation at its s11 M Leuna demo plant in Germany. The technical process, which involves fermentation, purification and packaging, has been achieved with the first bottle of renewable isobutene being filled. Original Source: PetroChemical News, 2 Oct 2017, 55 (38), 4 (Website: http://www. petrochemical-news.com) ã William F. Bland Co. 2017.
Evonik Industries is investing in NUMAFERM, a spin-off of Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf Through its Venture Capital unit, Evonik has invested in the start-up NUMAFERM and now holds a minority share in the biotechnology company, which is located in Duesseldorf, Germany. The investment was made as part of a seed-financing round and also includes investments by High-Tech Gruenderfonds, the Business Angels and Qiagen co-founders, as well as the European Investment Fund. The volume of the overall round of financing is in the singledigit million euro range. Initially, NUMAFERM plans to use the fresh capital to drive forward technological development and get the first products to market maturity. Evonik plans to invest a total of s100 M in promising start-ups with innovative technologies and in leading specialized venture capital funds as part of its venture capital activities. Regional focal points are Europe, the United States and Asia. Original Source: BioSpace, 19 Sep 2017, (Website: http://www.biospace.com) ã Biospace. com, 2017.
Aemetis completes enzymatic biodiesel production unit to supply US and Europe Aemetis Inc’s subsidiary Universal Biofuels has finished assembling the initial process equipment and has secured government approval to produce biodiesel at its facility in
November 2017
SinoHytec opens China’s first automated fuel cell engine factory in Hebei Province In the Zhangjiakou Airport Technology Development Zone in Hebei Province, China, Beijing SinoHytec Co Ltd launched the country’s first automated manufacturing unit for hydrogen fuel cell engines. The 30,000 sq m factory is worth Yuan 1 bn ($150 M) and can manufacture 10,000 fuel cell engines annually. Original Source: Fuel Cells Bulletin, Sep 2017, 11 (Website: http://www.elsevierscitech.com/nl/fcb/ home.asp) ã Elsevier Ltd 2017.
FuelCell Energy SOFC unit for NRG Energy Center in Pittsburgh
ON
CATALYSTS
Clariant and Enviral announced first licence agreement on sunliquid cellulosic ethanol technology Clariant, a world leader in speciality chemicals, and Enviral, the largest producer of bioethanol in Slovakia, announced on 18 Sep 2017 that they have signed a licence agreement on sunliquid cellulosic ethanol technology. Enviral has acquired a license to use Clariant’s sunliquid technology as part of its goal to realize a full-scale commercial cellulosic ethanol plant for the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues. This new plant will be owned and operated by Enviral and is planned to be integrated into the existing facilities at Enviral’s Leopoldov site in Slovakia with a production capacity of 50,000 tonnes/y. It will use Clariant’s sunliquid technology as well as starter cultures from its proprietary enzyme and yeast platforms to process Enviral feedstock into cellulosic ethanol. Clariant and Enviral conducted extensive tests of Enviral’s feedstock with Clariant’s technology to ensure effective and efficient compatibility. These tests, conducted at Clariant’s precommercial sunliquid demonstration plant in Straubing (Germany), provided excellent results and formed the basis for the project decision. Next steps are detailed engineering studies before the official groundbreaking, which is expected at end-2017. As a further step in the commercialization of sunliquid, Clariant decided to set-up a new Business Line Biofuels, as part of the Business Area Catalysis, which is responsible for further developing the biofuels business across the board and reporting its performance. Original Source: Clariant, 18 Sep 2017, (Website: http://www.clariant.com) ã Clariant 2017.
PQ launches initial public offering Zeolite catalysts and silicates producer PQ has announced an initial public offering of around 30% or 33 M of its shares for a maximum share price of $23 for it to raise up to $767 M. Proceeds will be used to settle its debt. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 25 Sep 2017, 95 (38), 12 (Website: http://cen. acs.org/index.html) ã American Chemical Society 2017.
Air Products invests in Chinese syngas project
A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power unit from FuelCell Energy will be integrated at the NRG Energy Center in Pittsburgh, PA, US, under a contract previously granted by the US Department of Energy. The plant will power the NRG Yield facility, which delivers cooling and heating services for residential and commercial customers in downtown Pittsburgh. The SOFC plant will exclusively run on clean natural gas and reaches around 60% electrical efficiency, in addition to usable heat for combined heat and power (CHP) uses. As a result, it achieves 80-85% thermal efficiency.
Air Products will further invest $500 in a joint venture with Lu’An Mining in Shanxi, China. Air Products had already allotted $300 M to the Lu’An Clean Energy venture for the construction of four air separation units at the site. With the investment, Air Products will gain a 60% stake in the venture, in which the company will produce syngas. Lu’An Clean Energy will manufacture chemicals and liquid fuels using syngas produced by gasifying coal supplied by Lu’An Mining.
Original Source: Fuel Cells Bulletin, Sep 2017, 5 (Website: http://www.elsevierscitech.com/nl/fcb/ home.asp) ã Elsevier Ltd 2017.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 18 Sep 2017, 95 (37), 12 (Website: http://cen.acs.org/ index.html) ã American Chemical Society 2017.
4
Royal Dutch Shell gets licensing rights to biofuel technology Anglo-Dutch oil and gas major Royal Dutch Shell has obtained exclusive licensing and development rights to a patented biofuel technology of SBI BIoEnergy. The technology can convert various greases and waste oils into drop-in replacements for petrol, jet fuel and diesel via a continuous catalytic process. The two companies will jointly develop the technology for commercial uses. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, JulAug 2017, 33 (6), 6 (Website: http://www. oilsandfatsinternational.com) ã Quartz Business Media Ltd 2017.
Global Bio operates Leuna isobutene demo facility Global Bioenergies (Global Bio) announced that it has successfully operated its entire technical process for isobutene by fermentation at its s11 M Leuna demo plant in Germany. The technical process, which involves fermentation, purification and packaging, has been achieved with the first bottle of renewable isobutene being filled. Original Source: PetroChemical News, 2 Oct 2017, 55 (38), 4 (Website: http://www. petrochemical-news.com) ã William F. Bland Co. 2017.
Evonik Industries is investing in NUMAFERM, a spin-off of Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf Through its Venture Capital unit, Evonik has invested in the start-up NUMAFERM and now holds a minority share in the biotechnology company, which is located in Duesseldorf, Germany. The investment was made as part of a seed-financing round and also includes investments by High-Tech Gruenderfonds, the Business Angels and Qiagen co-founders, as well as the European Investment Fund. The volume of the overall round of financing is in the singledigit million euro range. Initially, NUMAFERM plans to use the fresh capital to drive forward technological development and get the first products to market maturity. Evonik plans to invest a total of s100 M in promising start-ups with innovative technologies and in leading specialized venture capital funds as part of its venture capital activities. Regional focal points are Europe, the United States and Asia. Original Source: BioSpace, 19 Sep 2017, (Website: http://www.biospace.com) ã Biospace. com, 2017.
Aemetis completes enzymatic biodiesel production unit to supply US and Europe Aemetis Inc’s subsidiary Universal Biofuels has finished assembling the initial process equipment and has secured government approval to produce biodiesel at its facility in
November 2017