The production of biobased succinate via (bioengineered) microbes typically requires mono- or poly-saccharides as a feedstock. Researchers at the Kobe University Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation discovered that the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 which can produce organic acids such as succinate from CO2 not supplemented with sugars increase the yield of succinate when cyanobacteria is grown above the ideal temperature for cell growth.
UK – Ten biobased chemicals for advancing economic growth [Registered]
The UK is well placed to benefit from the emerging bioeconomy and has the potential “to reclaim its world leading position, building new industries out of old ones” as it has the “leading biochemical R&D, relevant skills and infrastructure to build the industry, and established supply chains to chemical buyers at home and abroad” according to a recently published report.
Lignin to chemicals facilitated by metabolically engineered E. coli [Full subscriber]
Researchers at the Sandia National Laboratories in California have demonstrated a new technology based on bio-engineered bacteria that can make it economically feasible to produce chemicals from lignin.
Enerkem partners with AkzoNobel and Air Liquide for waste-to-methanol plant in Rotterdam [Full subscriber]
A facility to convert non-recyclable municipal waste into valuable raw materials is being planned at the port of Rotterdam. The Canadian start-up Enerkem is working with Akzo Nobel Specialty Chemicals, and industrial gases group Air Liquide to develop a plant that will convert 350,000 tonnes of waste, including plastics, into 270 million litres of ‘green’ methanol, each year.
Microalgae lipid converted into benzene [Full subscriber]
Researchers at the University of Konstanz, Germany have synthesized benzene from eicosapentaenoic acid, a lipid found in microalgae.
BioAmber files for bankruptcy and Rennovia ceases operations [Full subscriber]
The biotech start-ups Bioamber and Rennovia add to the list of companies in the renewable chemicals market space that have either folded or acquired.
DuPont and Archer Daniels open biobased pilot plant producing furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME) [Full subscriber]
DuPont Industrial Biosciences (DuPont) and Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) recently announced the opening of the world’s first biobased furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME) pilot production facility in Decatur, Illinois, USA.
Thailand – Total Corbion commences production of PLA at a pilot plant [Full subscriber]
Total Corbion PLA, a global technology leader in poly lactic acid (PLA) and lactide monomers recently announced that it has successfully started up its 1,000-tonne-per-year PLA pilot plant in Rayong, Thailand.
Audi test drives Global Bioenergies bio-isobutene blended in gasoline [Registered]
The car maker Audi and the biotech start-up Global Bioenergies recently announced a milestone test for a renewable gasoline blend (termed e-benzin) containing over 34%of two isobutene-derived compounds produced by Global Bioenergies.
Breakthrough in the production of biobased toluene from bacterial enzyme [Registered]
Researchers at the US Department of Energy Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered a new enzyme that will enable the microbial production of a biobased alternative to petroleum-based toluene, a widely used octane booster in gasoline that has a global market of 29 million tonnes per year.
Monthly Snapshot
Market overview Sugar is one of the most volatile commodities traded on the ICE futures exchange. Since way back in 1971, the commodity has traded as high as 66 cents […]
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