On March 24, 2014, Stepan announced the launch of STEPOSOL® MET-10U, a novel surfactant derived from natural oils that is targeted to displace solvents. This is the first commercial product launched by Stepan as part of its joint development agreement with Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. (Elevance) to develop and commercialize new surfactants and other products by combining Elevance's Inherent™ building blocks with Stepan's derivatization and application capabilities....
On March 24, 2014, Royal DSM announced that "its bio-based high performance EcoPaXX® polyamide 410 has been selected by Dytech-Dynamic Fluid Technologies for the fuel vapor separators it produces for Ferrari and Maserati sports cars. This solution, in halogen-free flame retardant EcoPaXX Q-KGS6, will increase the fire safety of the cars by combining flame retardancy with a high level of chemical resistance, essential for this application." A copy of the company's press release...
Advanced process technologies provider Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies Ltd. (JM Davy) and renewable specialty chemical company Rennovia, Inc. have announced that they are teaming up to develop, demonstrate, and commercialize catalytic process technologies for the production of biobased glucaric acid and adipic acid. According to Rennovia's press release, "[u]nder the collaboration, Rennovia and JM Davy will work together to develop and demonstrate the processes based on Rennovia's...
March 28, 2014
EPA, Green Chemistry Challenge Awards, And Stepan Company Join BRAG Panel At BIO World Congress
We are very pleased to announce some of the speakers who are scheduled to participate in the session the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG™) is hosting May 13, 2014, at BIO World Congress, titled "Commercializing Renewable Chemicals and Biobased Products: The Importance of Successfully and Efficiently Navigating the Regulatory Process": * Tracy Williamson, Ph.D., Chief, Industrial Chemistry Branch, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, EPA; * David...
March 28, 2014
Industry Urges Review Of California Low Carbon Fuel Standard
On March 20, 2014, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), which represent the ethanol industry, and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), along with the American Trucking Association and the Consumer Energy Alliance, filed petitions for writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court to make a final determination on the constitutionality of the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The groups are challenging the January 2014 decision of the U.S. Court...
On March 24, 2014, seven leading biofuel trade associations sent a letter to Senate Committee on Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) -- as the Committee works to develop a tax extenders bill -- urging the retroactive extension of the following biofuel incentives, which expired on December 31, 2013: the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit, the Special Depreciation Allowance for Second Generation Biofuel Plant Property, the Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel...
March 28, 2014
EPA To Review And Improve RFS Fuel Pathways Process
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it will take approximately the next six months to evaluate and improve the petition process for new fuel pathways under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Every producer that wants their renewable fuel to qualify under the RFS must have its fuel pathway, including feedstock and technology process, approved by EPA. EPA intends to make the process more efficient and transparent, and thereby reduce the amount of time it takes...
On March 17, 2014, it was announced that British manufacturer Dyson is working with the University of Cambridge's Institute for Manufacturing and the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) on a project to analyze the high level economic and technical feasibility of using biopolymers in a closed loop process, which may ultimately improve the ability to recycle consumer products. A copy of CPI's press release is available online.
March 21, 2014
ADM And Hawkins Launch Biobased Heat Transfer Fluid
On March 14, 2014, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) and Hawkins, Inc. introduced Chill-Pro, a U.S. Department of Agriculture certified heat transfer fluid. Chill-Pro is made with ADM Evolution Chemicals™ propylene glycol. According to ADM's press release on the announcement, "the benefits of Chill-Pro over petroleum-derived products include the fact that the majority component, propylene glycol, is 100% biobased and has lower cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions." A...
Tetra Pak, a company providing solutions in food processing and packaging headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, announced on March 13, 2014, the launch of the first biobased cap for "gable top" packages (cartons). According to the company's press release, this biobased version of TwistCap OSO 34 is manufactured using high density polyethylene (HDPE) derived from sugar cane. A copy of Tetra Pak's press release on the announcement is available online.