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generation of methanol synthesiscatalyst from Topsoe, following MK-101 and MK-121. Using MK-121 asthe standard catalyst in trials, MK-151demonstrated good activity, increasedoperational flexibility, excellentmechanical strength, improvedselectivity, and superior stability. MK-151 is based on the company’sFENCE technology, which follows theidea of improving sintering barriers bygrowing their size and number. Theadvantages of replacing MK-121 withMK-151 shown in a comparativetesting over four years include higheraccumulated methanol production,extended lifetime, productionimprovement because of the removalof catalyst change-out, and lowerenergy use in the distillation section.
Nitrogen + Syngas, Jan/Feb 2010, (303), 46-50
Novozymes 2009: sales of technicaland detergent enzymes
Novozymes’ sales of detergentenzymes totalled DKR 672 M in 2009(2008: DKR 2498 M). The satisfactorysales development was primarily drivenby increased penetration of enzymes inmid- and low-tier detergents. Saleswere, however, impacted negatively byconsumers trading down to detergentswith fewer or no enzymes. In 2009,sales of technical enzymes increasedto DKR 2600 M (2008: DKR 2479 M).Enzyme sales to the biofuel and starchindustries contributed to the growth,whereas sales to the textile industryexperienced a decline compared to2008. The negative development intextile enzyme sales seems to havecome to a halt, with a positive salesgrowth development in the latter part ofthe year. The development in enzymesales to the starch industry was drivenby a robust demand for syrups.Enzyme sales to the biofuel industry in2009 were up by 7% in DKR. Thedevelopment over the year wasuneven, but enzyme sales improvedthroughout 2009 as the US biofuelindustry recovered and more capacitybecame operational. However, the yearas a whole was challenging for the USbiofuel industry, and Novozymes’enzyme sales in 2009 weredisproportionately impacted by somespecific customers’ lower biofueloutputs compared to 2008. However,Novozymes maintained a market shareof more than 60% throughout 2009 and
is almost back at the 2008 level.Enzyme sales to the European biofuelindustry showed good growthdevelopment, although the industry isstill small in comparison to the USindustry. Key sales data are tabulated,including quarterly sales for 2008 and2009, and graphically illustrated.
Novozymes’ Group Financial Statement 2009, 21 Jan2010, 4,23 (Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 4446 0000. Fax: +454446 9999. E-mail: [email protected]. Website:http://www.novozymes.com)
Novozymes deals
Novozymes has entered into twotechnology development allianceswith Brazilian firms. The company’spartnership with waste managementtechnology firm Cetrel SA will focuson the use of enzymes to convertbagasse into biogas. The second,with petrochemicals major Braskem,will involve the use of Novozymes’fermentation platform to establish acommercial-scale sugarcane-to-polypropylene production process.
Oils and Fats International, Feb 2010, 26 (2), 3
Novozymes unveils ethanol from waste
Novozymes, a biotech firm based inDenmark, has introduced enzymes thatmake biofuel production fromagricultural waste commerciallyfeasible. The enzymes will enable theproduction of ethanol for under$2/gallon for the first commercial-scaleplants that are slated to begin operationin 2011.
ICIS Chemical Business, 22 Feb 2010 (Website:http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Government waste fuels truck
Novozymes showed cars with ethanolfuel made of government wastepapers at the Washington Auto Showin Washington DC, USA. The fuel wasdeveloped by Fiberight. Novozymesprovided a specialized cocktail ofenzymes to degrade the paper intosugars before being fermented intoethanol.
Chemical and Engineering News, 1 Feb 2010, 88 (5), 18
Oxford and PTT alliance
Oxford Catalysts has inked a letter ofintent with Thai energy firm PTT to
help set up a small-scale gas-to-liquidfuel production technology. Oxford willreceive $5 M from PTT to advanceOxford’s methane-steam reformingtechnology.
Chemical and Engineering News, 8 Feb 2010, 88 (6), 29
Sachtleben has new biodiesel catalyst
A catalyst that transforms industrialproducts and algae into biodiesel hasbeen developed by Sachtleben, a jvbetween Rockwood and Kemira. Thecatalyst provides a solution to theissue of using food crops to produceenergy. The catalyst can also be usedto produce high-quality diesel fuelfrom inferior fats, paper-industrywastes and algae.
Chemical Week, 1 Mar 2010 (Website:http://www.chemweek.com) & Press release from:Rockwood Holdings Inc, 100 Overlook Centre,Princeton, NJ 08540, USA. Tel: +1 609 514 0300. Fax:+1 609 514 8720. Website: http://www.rocksp.com(16 Feb 2010)
Shell exits stake in Choren
Shell has divested its interest inChoren, a biomass-to-liquids (BTL)company, to the other shareholders.Despite the sale, Shell will continue tosupply technical know-how in next-generation biofuels. The shareholders,for their part, have committed toincreasing the budget for Choren’sfuture projects. In 2005, Shell andChoren began developing BTL fuelswith primarily wood products andwood-based waste serving as rawmaterials. Choren will continue withplans to bring online its first 15,000tonne/y BTL facility in Freiberg insouth Germany by 2011.
Nitrogen + Syngas, Jan/Feb 2010, (303), 12
Shell and Cosan team up on ethanol:generation game
On 1 Feb 2010, Royal Dutch Shelland Cosan, one of the largestBrazilian ethanol producers,announced that they were forming a$12 bn jv. The decision by Shell toinvest in first-generation ethanolproduction based on sugarcanemarks a reversal of trends in whichlarge oil firms carried out researchinto alternative feedstocks forbiofuels. Investment by Shell of $1.6bn during 2010-2011 will enableethanol production by the jv to be
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