US firm Verdezyne opens pilot plant for renewable adipic acid

30 November 2011 14:30  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--US industrial biotechnology firm Verdezyne has opened a pilot plant to produce bio-based adipic acid (ADA), it said on Wednesday.

Verdezyne said its project, at Carlsbad in California, will make ADA from renewable sources, such as non-food based vegetable oils.

“This is the first demonstration of the production of bio-based adipic acid at scale from a non-petroleum source,” said William Radany, Verdezyne’s CEO.

“Our novel yeast platform enables production of adipic acid at a lower cost than current petrochemical manufacturing processes,” Radany added.

Capacity and financial terms were not disclosed.

ADA is used in the production of nylon 6,6 and thermoplastic polyurethane resins.

In addition to Verdezyne, other US-based renewable chemical firms such as Rennovia and BioAmber are looking at developing bio-based adipic acid.

Privately-held Verdezyne is focused on developing yeast strains for cost-effective production of bio-based chemicals and fuels.

Its investors include BP Alternative Energy Ventures and DSM Venturing, among others.

For more on ADA visit ICIS Chemical Intelligence 

Check out Doris de Guzman’s Green Chemicals Blog for views on sustainability issues

By: Stefan Baumgarten
+1 713 525 2653

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