Ok, so I lied. I was able to compile several news after all after trying to clean out most of my unread emails from last week. As previously mentioned, there seems to be more news coming in every time I travel. Or maybe I'm just getting paranoid.
Here are last week's news in no particular order. A lot of the news by the way seem to be from the biofuels sector. Does this mean investments in biofuels are now turning around?
Ontario biomaterials partnership
Elevance is investing $1 million in a partnership with Trent University Biomaterials Research Laboratories, based in Peterborough, Ontario. Trent University's new laboratories, which opened last week, will be used to develop new biomaterials, biochemicals and bioproducts from natural oils.
Pulp ethanol not a fiction
Verenium is testing the effectiveness of its C5 technology for the creation of cellulosic ethanol from the hemicelluloses generated by the pulp and paper process through an agreement with Value Prior to Pulping (VPP), an organization created by the Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance, a special project of the American Forest and Paper Association, and CleanTech Partners.
Jatropha oil on sale
Biofuel Africa has begun commercial production of jatropha oil, said to be the first company in West Africa to move from growing and selling jatropha fruits and seeds to production and sale of jatropha oil on a commercial scale for direct use, without modification, and as a feedstock for biodiesel and synthetic diesel.
Myriant forms advisory board
Myriant Technologies formed its Science Advisory Board,
which will provide broad insight into all aspects of the technology and
business of converting renewable biomass feedstocks into valuable
chemicals.
Green chem award for Albemarle
Albemarle and its partners Lummus Technology and Neste Oil will receive
the 2010 Award for Affordable Green Chemistry from the American
Chemical Society, for its AlkyClean
solid acid alkylation process. The technology can significantly improve
refinery processes safety and reduce potential hazards associated with
transportation and handling of liquid acids used to produce alkylate.
Woody ethanol alliance
Clemson University and ArborGen LLC have partnered to develop purpose-grown woody biomass
as feedstock for the biofuels industry. The partnership will identify
areas of joint research, including plant genetics and development,
field trials, equipment engineering, material handling and woody
biomass pretreatment.
And in ICIS News (requires subscription):
The new renewable fuel standard (RFS2) proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could limit tallow use for oleochemical companies.
US polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling rates in 2008 were the highest in over ten years and increased by 9.8% over 2007.
Consumers' desire for natural products derived from renewable or recycled resources has helped Europe's market for specialty ingredients in home and fabric care formulations prosper despite the global downturn.
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