Biopolymer partnership signed

US biopolymer companyNatureWorks is collaborating withAvantium to look at the commercialpotential of Amsterdam-basedAvantium’s class of Furanicsbiopolymers. NatureWorks will carryout in-house testing of Avantium’sFuranics polymers for a number ofapplications including personalelectronics, automotive, fibres, andother engineering plastics purposes.

Chemical Week, 27 Jul 2009 (Website:http://www.chemweek.com)

NatureWorks, Avantium to developnonfood-based bioplastics

NatureWorks and Avantium havestarted their joint efforts on developingAvantium’s Furanics line of bioplasticsbased on non-food biomass.NatureWorks will commercialize thetechnology after subjecting thematerial to a one-year trial.

Chemical and Engineering News, 20 Jul 2009, 25

BASF launches new fuel cell catalysts

BASF Fuel Cell GmbH unveiledseveral fuel cell membrane-electrodeassemblies (MEAs) and reformers atthe 2009 Hannover Trade Fair inGermany. The Celtec-P2100 MEAprovides enhanced long-term stabilitythat is a critical feature of stationarycombined heat and power systems.On the catalyst side, the company’sSelectra-E-CRC line of high-performance catalysts for fuel cellsdelivers long-term stability and highactivity at the same time.

Fuel Cells Bulletin, Jun 2009, 9

BASF launches showcase of innovativecatalyst technology in China

Since 14 Jun 2009, BASF has beendisplaying its cost-effective catalysttechnologies for the automotive sectorat the Scientific Energy SavingShowroom, which forms part of theShanghai Energy-efficiency Centre.SCR catalysts from BASF enableengine control management systemsto achieve an optimum 5% lower fuelconsumption. In addition, emissions ofnitrogen oxides are reduced by 30%(State IV) or 60% (State V). A fleet ofover 2000 diesel buses introduced

prior to the 2008 Olympics becamethe first in China to meet State IVemission standards. Another 800 orso hybrid buses, equipped with theSCR system, will soon be operational.The mechanism by which the SCRcatalysts convert nitrogen oxides tonitrogen and water is noted.

China Chemical Reporter, 26 Jun 2009, 20 (18), 14

Biobutanol: a European jv for BP andDuPont

The European Commission hasapproved the creation of a jv betweenUS companies BP Biofuels NorthAmerica and DuPont. TheCommission has decided that the newcompany will not have any significantimpact on competition in Europe. Thejoint venture will develop and markettechnologies for producing biobutanol(primarily in the US). Biobutanol ismainly used in making fuels and isobtained by fermenting biomass. Thecompany will also make and sellbiobutanol in limited quantities. Thepartners expect to complete thedevelopment of an optimizedbiobutanol production process in 2010and have applied for 60 patents toprotect their work.

Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 13 Jul 2009, (473) (Website:http://www.france-chimie.com)

BP and Verenium announce VercipiaBiofuels to advance thecommercialization of cellulosicethanol

BP and Verenium Corp announcedthat its 50:50 jv company will operateunder the name Vercipia Biofuels, andplans to relocate its corporateheadquarters to Florida. Vercipiacontinues to focus on the develop-ment of one of the nation’s firstcommercial-scale cellulosic ethanolfacilities, located in Highlands County,FL. The company is also developing asecond commercial-scale cellulosicethanol site in the Gulf Coast region.Since announcing the formation of thejv company in Feb 2009, Vercipia hasapplied for and been selected to moveforward with due diligence on aDepartment of Energy (DOE) LoanGuarantee for the Highlands project,which is now underway. In addition,the team has continued to advancedevelopment activity in Florida and ona second site in the Gulf Coast region.

Vercipia is a 50:50 jv between BP andVerenium. Verenium Corp is a leaderin the development andcommercialization of cellulosicethanol, an environmentally-friendlyand renewable transportation fuel, aswell as high-performance specialityenzymes for applications within thebiofuels, industrial, and animal healthmarkets.

Press release from: Verenium Corp, 55 CambridgeParkway, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Tel: +1 617 6745300. Website: http://www.verenium.com (29 Jul 2009)

Cambridge Major Laboratories andNovacta Biosystems to partner inchiral intermediates

Cambridge Major Laboratories (CML)and Novacta Biosystems have signeda partnership that will combine theirexpertise in process development,custom synthesis, and biocatalysis.Novacta will develop biocatalyticprocesses for chiral intermediates,which will be scaled up by CML at itsplants in Weert, The Netherlands.

Chimica Oggi/Chemistry Today, May/Jun 2009, 27 (3),67

Cosmo joining biomass-to-petroleum-products project

Cosmo Oil will participate in a researchproject to develop technology for theproduction of synthetic petroleumproducts that are similar to light fueloil and kerosene using biomassmaterials such as wood waste. Theinvestment in the two-year biomass-to-liquids (BTI) project, calledBiomass Energy TechnologyDevelopment Project, is estimated atYen 20 bn ($215,000). Toyota Motorand the National Institute of AdvancedIndustrial Science and Technology willalso participate. Cosmo’s catalysttechnologies will play a role in theproject. Catalysts for the Fischer-Tropsch process are being developedby the company.

Japan Chemical Web, 15 Jul 2009 (Website:http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)

Exxon sees the future – green algae

ExxonMobil, which for years deniedthe existence of man-made climatechange, is sensationally “going green”in a very literal sense, investing $600M (£369 M) in algae. The companysays it believes it can make a new

SEPTEMBER 2009 3

F O C U S O N C A T A L Y S T S