In Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency reported that Malaysia’s Ministry of Plantation and Commodities proposed investing in new technologies and infrastructure to more efficiently convert waste from palm oil production into biomass energy. Minister of Plantation and Commodities Johari Abdul Ghani said that waste industry materials like empty fruit bunches (EFB), mesocarp fiber, and palm kernel […]
In Singapore, mycelium, as the root of fungi, is composed of filamentous strands of fine threads (hyphae) that bind discrete substrate particles into a block-like material. With advanced processing, dense mycelium-bound composites (DMCs) resembling commercial particleboards can be formed for potential use in the construction and furniture industries. A detailed investigation was carried out by […]
In Germany, Clariant, a focused, sustainable, and innovative specialty chemical company, is working with Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas corporation, Pertamina, since 2018 to evaluate and test the feasibility of Clariant’s sunliquid technology to process available regional feedstocks in Indonesia into the advanced biofuel, cellulosic ethanol. Indonesia has a vast potential of untapped biomass, from […]
In Colorado, Gevo, Inc. announced that it has signed a binding, definitive Construction License Agreement with Praj Industries Ltd., dated April 4, 2019, to commercialize the production of renewable isobutanol using sugary-based feedstocks, such as juice, syrup and molasses made of sugarcane and sugar beets (the “Construction License Agreement”). Pursuant to the Construction License Agreement, […]
In Japan, Green Earth Institute plans to start producing high value chemicals— alanine and valine—from oil palm waste using its technology in a Malaysian trial by 2022 with hopes of partnering with companies such as Sime Darby. Empty fruit bunches will be used but also palm trunks. GEI, started in 2011 with funds from the […]
In Indonesia, Tempo reports that the Indonesian Institute of Sciences is seeking partners for a consortium that will work to develop and implement second generation ethanol production in the country as a way to reduce fossil fuel imports as well as use up the abundant amount of crop waste available nationwide. Empty fruit bunches from […]
We hear from Australia and Malaysia that PETRONAS Chemicals Group and Leaf Resources inked a Memorandum of Understanding for Leaf’s proposed biorefinery project in Malaysia. In prospect? A study of chemical markets and commercially ready bio-technologies. Potential outcome? An offtake agreement for the fermentable sugars produced at the proposed Leaf facility in Segamat Johor Malaysia […]
In Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company has started community consultations in three areas of Cross River state where it plans to develop a palm oil-based biodiesel project. About 26,000 ha of oil palm is anticipated for the project that will be processed into biodiesel later used for 20% blending into fossil diesel as well […]
Glucan Biorenewables is producing furan derivatives from biomass. The furfural platform will be used to launch other value-added co-products: 5-hydroxyl-methyl furfural (HMF) and downstream derivatives The company’s TriVersa Process meets the need for a renewable, environmentally friendly process to deconstruct aggregated agricultural residues created from existing 1st generation industries, into high-end chemicals and advanced materials. […]
In Wisconsin, James Dumesic and his cohort of biomagicians revealed that they have trained up gamma valerolactone (GVL) into a solvent that converts biomass into three viable products, in one step — the platform chemical furfural, a dissolving pulp that can be spun into textile fibers and a highly pure lignin that makes battery anodes […]
