All Knowledge & Insights By Date

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On January 10, 2018, AkzoNobel, a member of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), announced the challenges for its latest Imagine Chemistry program.  AkzoNobel initiated the Imagine Chemistry program in 2017 to startup and scale-up firms and researchers for an opportunity to solve real industry challenges and create sustainable business opportunities in chemistry.  Challenge winners receive joint development agreements with...

On January 14, 2016, a report titled "Biobased Chemicals: The Iowa Opportunity" was released by Iowa's Cultivation Corridor and the Iowa Biotechnology Association at the Iowa Statehouse. This report is based on research by Iowa State University professors and outlines opportunities for Iowa to capitalize on bioprocessing developments in the United States. While Iowa has the advantage of a strong biofuel industry, there is still a need for the Iowa legislature to address the needs...

On November 17, 2015, Steven Cohen, the Director of Catalyst and Chemicals Technology at Elevance Renewable Sciences, presented a new line of high performance, biobased specialty chemicals and intermediates at the 6th Biobased Chemicals: Commercialization & Partnering Conference. The new product line, called Renewicals™, has a variety of market applications including surfactant, lubricant, consumer ingredient, engineering polymer, and coating. Elevance, a Biobased and Renewable...

On May 8, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a direct final rule for 25 chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN), including several biobased chemical substances. The rulemaking under Section 5, known as a significant new use rule or SNUR, requires persons who intend to manufacture (including import) or process any of these 25 chemical substances for an activity that is designated in the SNUR as a significant new...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.   On May 8, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated through a direct final rule significant new use rules (SNUR) for 25 chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN).  The SNURs require persons who intend to manufacture (including import) or process any of these 25 chemical substances for an activity that is designated in the SNUR as a significant new use...

Iowa Senate bill SF 350: the Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit Program was introduced in March 2015, and is awaiting review in the Ways & Means Committee. If passed, the legislation will allow producers of renewable chemicals in Iowa to claim a five cent per pound tax credit, with a maximum credit of $1 million for businesses operating in Iowa for five years or less, and a maximum credit of $500,000 for businesses operating in...

REGISTER FOR ABLC 2015 The Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference 2015 (ABLC 2015), to be held March 11-13, 2015, at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., is the gathering point for top leaders in the Advanced Bioeconomy — bringing together the entire spectrum of advanced fuels, chemicals, and materials CEOs and senior executives, business development, R&D leaders, strategic partners, financiers, equity analysts, policymakers, and industry suppliers. Kathleen M. Roberts, Executive...

Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) members BASF Corporation (BASF) and Nozoymes announced another milestone in their development of acrylic acid production from renewable raw materials. According to the September 15, 2014, announcement, these two BRAG members, along with Cargill, have successfully converted 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) to glacial acrylic acid and superabsorbent polymers. This work is a result of the August 2012 joint agreement between BASF, Novozymes,...

As lignin supplies rise on the back of growing cellulosic feedstock utilization, commercialization opportunities of up to $242 billion are emerging in 13 select chemicals, according to a July 10, 2014, news release from Lux Research. Lignin, a component of lignocellulosic biomass and a common byproduct stream from cellulosic conversion processes, has a potential market worth of $242 billion across 13 select products alone, but commercialization of these lignin-derived chemicals such as BTX (a...

On June 27, 2014, Valent BioSciences (Valent) Corporation announced that it held a ceremony to mark the opening of its new $146 million biobased manufacturing facility in Osage, Iowa. A copy of Valent's press release is available online....

On Thursday, May 29, 2014, Biofuels Digest published an article by Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG™) Executive Director Kathleen Roberts titled “How to Make Friends and Win EPA Approvals: tips for biobased chemicals.” A copy of the article is available online. The article highlights the B&C© affiliate BRAG™ and the session it co-presented with B&C during the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s World Congress on Industrial...

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...

On March 3, 2014, BASF announced the successful start-up of the first commercial production facility resulting from the joint venture between Corbion Purac and BASF (Succinity®) for the production and commercialization of biobased succinic acid. The plant, located at the Corbion Purac site in Montmeló, Spain, has an annual capacity of 10,000 metric tons and is producing commercial quantities of biobased succinic acid for the global market. In addition to this first facility, Succinity...

The EU has launched a new four-year research project called Bio-Qed, which will focus on developing biobased chemicals from renewable sources. The project has ten partners from Italy, Germany, France, Netherlands, Croatia, and Spain....

On February 20, 2014, Lux Research released a new report, "Cultivating Capacity for Bio-Based Materials and Chemicals Through 2017." According to the report, the U.S. is on track to become the leader in global biobased materials and chemicals by 2017, with production expected to double between now and then. First generation feedstocks are expected to remain the main source of biobased feedstocks by 2017....

The 5th Annual Bio-Based and Sustainable Chemicals Summit, held last week in San Diego, California, brought together nearly 200 industry leaders to discuss and debate the critical developments the industry is currently facing, including innovative feedstocks, end-user applications, and progress of established and new chemical production platforms and applications. Session topics included "Feedstocks for the Future — Availability and Selection," "Direct Conversion of Biomass...

The Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG™) sponsored the 5th Annual Next Generation Bio-Based and Sustainable Chemicals Summit, which took place February 4-7, 2014, in San Diego, California. The Summit is considered one of the premier biobased and sustainable chemicals information and networking events for biobased start-ups, global chemical majors, brand owners, feedstock providers, venture capitalists, and academics. This year's Summit provided a detailed overview of...

On February 6, 2014, it was announced that Versalis, the chemical subsidiary of Eni, and Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc., a producer of specialty chemicals from natural oils, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership to jointly develop and scale a new metathesis technology to produce bio-chemicals from vegetable oils. According to a press release by Elevance, "Versalis and Elevance intend to focus on jointly developing and scaling new catalysts,...

On Monday, the 41 member bicameral Farm Bill Conference Committee announced that it had reached agreement on a compromise Farm Bill, the Agriculture Act of 2014. A copy of the legislation is available online. The Conference Committee was led by House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK), Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS). A copy of the Senate Agriculture...

The 5th Annual Next Generation Bio-Based and Sustainable Chemicals Summit takes place Tuesday through Friday, February 4-7, 2014, in sunny San Diego, California. The premier biobased and sustainable chemicals information and networking event for biobased start-ups, global chemical majors, brand owners, feedstock providers, venture capitalists, and academics will feature a Keynote address by Kaj Johnson, Green Chef and Senior Director of Product Development from Method, who will speak about...