biobased

We would like to inform you about the congress “Eco Innovations from Biomass” in Papenburg, Germany, from 28 to 29 June 2017. As main topics of the congress, the prospects of bioeconomy and the relevance of biomass in the national and international context will be discussed. Furthermore, regional strategies for action, good practice bottom-up concepts and latest knowledge of research centers and industry concerning bio refining and Biobased products will be presented.

On the evening of 29 June, the 6th Lower Saxony Algae Round Table will take place. A separated registration is required.

The Programme can be found here.

We are looking forward to meeting you at the Eco Innovation Congress!

Exchange of knowledge

The aim of the congress is to provide an international platform for the exchange of knowledge about the bio-economy in the non-food sector and to discuss strategies for an efficient material utilization and energy recovery from biomass and residues according to the concept of a closed substance cycle. Presentations will be made on successful bottom-up concepts and current findings from research and practice concerning new green routes, biomaterials, biorefining, procedures for recovering nutrients and algae production as well as paludicultures. Companies will present »eco-innovative« product developments.

Companies, knowledge and research institutes are kindly invited to submit posters or to participate as exhibitors.

Essential role for biomass

In order to achieve the global and national climate protection targets by 2050 special efforts are required by all sectors of the economy. Sustainable and eco-friendly products and procedures on the basis of biomass and residues play an essential role in this context. The bio-economy in the non-food sector promotes these innovative developments since they provide remarkable opportunities for companies of different industries, such as new products and services but also new customers and markets. In addition to the presentations there will be poster exhibitions and opportunities for networking with different discussion forums.

Organised by…

The congress is organised by 3N Kompetenzzentrum Niedersachsen Netzwerk Nachwachsende Rohstoffe und Bioökonomie e.V. in cooperation with the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture.

MORE INFORMATION? CLICK HERE!

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The six finalists of the Bio-based Material of the Year award, presented by the nova-Institute for Ecology and Innovation to those developing new applications and markets for bio-based products (those derived from living organisms), have been named.

The competition focuses on new developments in these areas, which have had (or will have) a market launch in 2014 or 2015.

Six candidates from companies in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany have been chosen by a jury consisting of representatives of the nova-Institute, the advisory board, and sponsors and partners of the International Conference on Bio-based Materials (which will be held in Cologne between 13-15 April) from 24 submissions, and one winner and two runners up will go on to be awarded a certificate and receive a directory listing on the nova-Institute website.

The six nominated companies and products are:

Bayer MaterialScience ‘Desmodur eco N’

A bio-based polyurethane (made from polyisocyanate based on pentamethylene diisocyanate) cross-linker for high-performance automotive coatings. It enables the production of bio-based polyurethanes for the coating of cars, providing weather resistance, the ‘self-healing’ of superficial scratches and ‘great optical properties’.

EcoTechnilin ‘FibriRock’

A bio-sourced composite for aircraft applications. The lightweight, fast-curing composite is made from flax, basalt yarns, and sugar-based bioresin and is suitable for aircraft and rail applications and will go into production this year in a lightweight galley cart.

Evonik Industries

A bio-based polyamide 12 made from kernel oil 12 – This material can be used in high-performance products such as motor vehicles and large-volume pipes.

HIB Trip Part Solutions ‘Nature 50’

A hemp-based reinforced plastic. The granulate can be used in injection moulding for a range of applications, including those in the automotive sector.

Invista ‘Lycra T 162R Fibre’

A bio-derived spandex made using renewable butanediol. Approximately 70 per cent comes from the renewable resource meaning fabrics and garments can be made with reduced carbon and fossil fuel footprints.

twoBEars ‘bioFila’

A biodegradable polymer based on lignin. The biopolymer compound has optic and haptic properties and can be used for 3D printing.

Each of the six companies will now give a short presentation at the International Conference on Bio-based Materials, and the three winners will be decided by a vote of those attending the conference.

Source: resource.co

Chemical giant BASF has begun commercial production of polytetrahydrofuran (polyTHF) derived entirely from biomass feedstocks. The process hinges on a microbial fermentation of sugars to produce 1,4-butanediol (BDO), which is then purified and polymerised.

Genetically engineered bacteria

BASF has licensed the BDO fermentation process from biotech specialist Genomatica, which genetically engineered the bacteria to produce and excrete BDO in sufficient quantity and purity.

PolyTHF is primarily used as a component in polyester and polyurethane materials.

“The bio-based PolyTHF 1000 is identical in quality to the petrochemical-based product.” To say it is Andrej Brejc, director Renewable Diols from BASF’s Intermediates division (sales to third parties of about 2.8 billion euro in 2014), which has made bio-based Polytetrahydrofuran 1000 (PolyTHF® 1000) available for the first time. The chemical company headquartered in Ludwigshafen is now providing this intermediate to selected partners for testing various applications in a large scale.

Opportunity for renewable raw materials

According to Brejc, “the opportunity to expand the range of products and applications made from renewable raw materials allows us and our partners to further explore the long-term market acceptance of this innovative technology.”

BASF is the world’s leading provider of PolyTHF, which is primarily used to make elastic spandex fibers for a large variety of textiles, including underwear, outerwear, sportswear and swimsuits. PolyTHF 1000 is mainly applied as a chemical building block for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is used to make for example parts of ski boots and skates, shoe soles and instrument panel skin for automotive applications as well as hoses, films and cable sheathing.

It is also used as a component of thermoplastic polyetheresters and polyetheramides. Other applications include cast elastomers, which are used, for example, for the production of wheels for skateboards and inline skates.

Source: ilbioeconomista.com
 

In the Dutch province of Limburg, Letters of Intent were signed between a number of SMEs that collaborate with each other in terms of the raw materials they use and the waste products they produce. The signing of the cooperation agreements took place in the presence of our team member Marco Siemerink, commissioner Bert Kersten (Sustainability and Energy), chairman Jan Zuidam of the Limburg Employers Association (LWV) and sector manager sustainability and society Bart Tonnaer of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl).

The collaboration between the companies takes place in the context of the SILVER project, using a methodology that aims to accelerate innovation in the industry. SILVER stands for: Symbiosis in Limburg and Accelerating Realization. The process is in principle very simple: companies from all sectors are brought together in informal workshops with the aim of sharing as much information as possible about raw materials, waste, energy, services, knowledge and other innovative ideas. This provides new forms of cooperation between businesses and institutions.

The basic idea is simple: to use raw materials and waste products that you produce as a company as smart and responsible as possible (and working together on this issue with other entrepreneurs). This will not only contribute to a sustainable future, but you can also increase your profits. According Bert Kersten, innovation is the foundation for growth. Over the past year and a half, the SILVER partnerships already yielded some 5 million in savings.

SILVER is a partnership between the Province of Limburg, LWV and RVO.nl. The project started in 2013 launched. Since then, some 70 companies have signed up. A recent workshop floor was good for a whopping 298 matches. Team members of www.biobased-business.eu are helping the participants to find solutions for the many obstacles they encounter.

Source: www.zuidonline.nl; Maarten van Laarhoven

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Source: Zuidonline.nl

The European Parliament’s environment committee on Tuesday 24 February 2015 backed a new limit on traditional biofuels made from food crops that critics say stoke inflation and do more harm than good to the environment.

Those seeking to promote a new generation of advanced biofuels made from seaweed and waste welcomed Tuesday’s vote.

But those who have invested in biofuels made from crops such as maize or rapeseed say it puts jobs at risk.

Current legislation requires EU member states to ensure that renewable sources account for at least 10% of energy in transport by 2020.

The European Parliament’s environment committee on Tuesday agreed that biofuel from food crops should not exceed 6% of final energy use in transport – a tougher limit than the 7% backed by member states last year.

It also agreed that negotiations between member states, the European Commission and the Parliament should start now on a legislative text, rather than waiting for a plenary parliamentary vote.

Thomas Nagy, executive vice-president at Novozymes , the world’s leading supplier of enzymes for the production of conventional and advanced ethanol, said Tuesday’s decision was long overdue and should help to spur necessary investment in the right kind of biofuels.

“A stable and effective framework is the only way forward to secure commercial deployment,” he said.

But ePURE, the European Renewable Ethanol Association, called on member states “to remain firm on a minimum 7% cap for conventional biofuels”.

Apart from the impact on food prices, using farmland to produce biofuels adds to pressure to free up land through deforestation, which can result in increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Green members of the European Parliament said Tuesday’s compromise deal meant changes in land use and the resulting emissions would be accounted for, although it said the proposals did not go far enough.

British liberal lawmaker Catherine Bearder also said the deal fell short, but would help to “combat deforestation, hunger and climate change”.

The European People’s Party, the main centre-right grouping in the European Parliament, regretted the outcome.

It said it could mean the failure of negotiations that still have to take place on a final legal text, protracting regulatory uncertainty that has already dragged on for years.

Source: euractiv.com