Viability and Commercial Advantages/Disadvantages of Renewable Feedstocks at Biobased Summit
The 6th Annual Next Generation Biobased and Sustainable
Chemicals Summit took place this week in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Summit was
co-located with the InformEx Fine and Specialty Chemical Conference, which
provided expanded programming and exposure to a larger audience. Senior
executives from Verdezyne, Elevance Renewable Sciences, Lanzatech, Succinity, Novasep,
Corbion Purac and more joined with researchers, financiers, and feedstock
providers to discuss current developments and challenges and map out a clear
path for commercialization.
Bergeson
& Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) Senior Policy Advisor Richard E.
Engler, Ph.D., led a lively discussion on the viability and
commercial advantages/disadvantages of a variety of renewable feedstocks with
Clement Choy, Ph.D., Senior Director, Product Innovation and Advanced
Technology of consumer goods brand Seventh
Generation; Stafano Facco, New Business Development Director at
European bioplastics company Novamont SpA;
Stacy Jordahl, Vice President, Bio Refining and Emerging Technologies, for MeadWestVaco’s
Specialty Chemicals Division; Ray Miller, Chief Business Officer
for Verdezyne, a company
making biochemicals via proprietary fermentation technology; and John Shaw, CEO
of Itaconix Corp.,
which makes specialty chemicals from itaconic acid produced from biobased
feedstocks via fermentation.
The speakers provided candid feedback on the impact of reduced oil
prices and the volatility of that market on their particular product lines.
They also provided unique insight in value chain interactions and customer
needs related to biobased products.
Kathleen
M. Roberts, Executive Director of the Biobased and Renewable
Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) and program advisor for the Summit,
reported that the program allowed for robust dialogue among varied biobased
industry stakeholders, thus facilitating participants’ further understanding of
the challenges faced by the diverse groups represented at the Summit, and their
interest in expanding the biobased market.
Engler and Roberts will both be speaking at next month’s ABLC 2015 in
Washington, D.C., a gathering of over 400 of the leaders in the advanced
bioeconomy — biofuels, biochemicals, policy, finance, and government —
organized and presented by Biofuels Digest. Register for
this important conference online.