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a#17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR JAPAN WITH SIEMENS’ BIOMASS-TO-ENERGY PUSH.
A NATURAL KIND OF BLUE COLLABORATION IN SCOTLAND.
INSIDE THE VALUEMAG PROJECT A REVOLUTIONARY, INNOVATIVE, AND ECO-FRIENDLY SOLUTION TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ALGAE HARVESTING COSTS.
INSIDE FLUID QUIP TECHNOLOGIES UNIQUE APPROACH TO PROVIDING BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE BIOECONOMY.
AXENS WHITE PAPER: SOLUTIONS FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION FUELS AND CHEMICALS.
“It’s changed the way we look at materials, it’s changed the way that we look at the aesthetics of our product…, as consumer attitudes shift, sportswear gets circular.”
POWERINGA SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE
Through multi-specialist integrated offers, we deliver ever more inventive and sustainable solutions to our industrial clients, always aiming at preserving the planet. www.axens.net
Axens_ad_sustainable-future_210X297mm.indd 1 28/02/2019 11:46:28
12
06 17
15
POWERINGA SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE
Through multi-specialist integrated offers, we deliver ever more inventive and sustainable solutions to our industrial clients, always aiming at preserving the planet. www.axens.net
Axens_ad_sustainable-future_210X297mm.indd 1 28/02/2019 11:46:28
26Inside the VALUEMAG project a revolutionary, innovative, and eco-friendly solution to significantly reduce algae harvesting costs.
28Axens White Paper: Solutions for More Sustainable Transportation Fuels and Chemicals.
CONTENTS02Editor’s Welcome.
03News In Brief.
06Full steam ahead for Japan with biomass to energy.
08Call for US to Invest in Skills to Retain ‘Bioeconomy Leader’.
12How Finnish bioeconomy pioneers the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) are unlocking the “treasure chest” found in the forests and beyond.
15Watch: How the Baltic Sea’s pollutants could instead be turned into valuable resources.
17Finding sustainable solutions for sportswear.
18A natural kind of blue collaboration.
21Toy giant Mattel aims to construct a more sustainable future with new bio-based building sets.
22How a unique approach from Fluid Quip Technologies is providing vital building blocks for the bioeconomy.
24BOTTLE: Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment.
CONTACT US:
EDITOR & CO-FOUNDER:Luke [email protected]@Bio_Markets
COMMERICAL MANAGER:Ryan [email protected]
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & CO-FOUNDER:Alex [email protected]@alexjwmedia
DEPUTY EDITOR:Liz [email protected]@LizGyekye
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER & CO-FOUNDER:Rosie [email protected]
SALES EXECUTIVE: Tom [email protected]
Web: www.biomarketinsights.com
www.worldbiomarkets.com
www.synbiomarkets.com
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Instagram: www.instagram.com/biobasedworld
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Bio_Markets
Bio-Based World Limited 107-111 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2AB
Bio-Market Insights Quarterly is Designed by Coterie Creative Ltd, www.coteriecreative.co.uk
Bio-Market Insights Quarterly is Published by Bio-Based World News Ltd.
© All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.
1BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
“IT SAYS HOW WE RELATE TO PEOPLE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE FUTURE...”
EDITOR’S WELCOMEA very warm welcome to the latest issue of the Quarterly. We had planned to have this edition printed and distributed at World Bio Markets. But coronavirus has intervened, and our flagship event has now been rescheduled to November. Some stories that had been planned for this issue but have now moved to later in the year but rest assured everything will still be published! We appreciate the support of all our partners in this challenging period.
Let’s start with a question.
Who are Equinor, Orsted and Ovintiv?
I am sure some of you will know. But if you don’t, fancy a guess? Perhaps a law firm? Minor characters in a Chekov play? Or maybe an exciting trio of attackers for a Champions League hopeful?
Well, let me tell you. They are all the new names for recently rebranded oil and gas companies. Equinor were formerly Norwegian oil major Statoil, Orsted used to be Danish energy company DONG (Danish Oil and Natural Gas) and Ovintiv were the Canadian and oil and gas producer Encana Corporation. These are to name just a few that have made changes like this, quite simply companies working in energy don’t want to have oil, gas or petroleum anywhere in their name.
The Equinor statement about the change featured this particularly florid prose; “Equinor tells the story of a company that thrives on change, cheering for diversity, attracting the best talents, with innovation at its heart. Equinor embodies equality and equilibrium. It says how we relate to people, energy, the environment, the future. It captures who we are, where we come from, and where we are going…”
So, as is clear, this is good news for branding and marketing experts and yes, it is easy to be cynical, most of these companies are still largely dependent on oil and gas and will continue to be so for some time.
But, greenwashing aside, it does show that those with a reputation for sustainability are envied by those who don’t have one. And I would take this on further to propose that this advantage, if you have it, needs to be pressed like never before, not only because of the environmental imperative, but because the market is about to get a lot more crowded.
Not convinced? Then think about vegan food. Who was making it three years ago, and who is making it now? Yes, it’s great for the industry as a whole but not if a host of new big rivals arrive and you get left behind.
So, with this mix of opportunity and challenge – we are delighted to bring you such a variety of stories in this issue. It’s been a privilege to speak to such a variety of folks in the bioeconomy, from global multinationals through to recent start-ups, and everyone in between. A huge thanks to all the contributors and advertisers in this issue. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Thanks for reading, and please let me know if you’d like to contribute to our future issues – we are always looking for fresh voices and new stories!
Luke UptonEditor and Co-FounderBio Market Insights
2 BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
Pea processing waste project receives funding“Unavoidable food supply chain waste such as pea waste is a treasure trove of useful chemicals.”
The University of York is using crop waste from pea production for the production of small particle materials that can then be used in the treatment of wastewater.
It is working in collaboration with the University of Hull and farmers R Meadley & Sons on the innovation as part of UK-based project THYME.
As well as using pea waste to treat wastewater, scientists from the University of York also plan to extract lipids, waxes, and pectins from the pea biomass adding to the economic value of this resource. These can be extracted and used back in food, home and personal care products.
Consumer goods giant P&G is aiming to drive the circular economy for recycled plastic in Europe through the use of circular resin in its haircare packaging and its Ariel Liquid detergent bottles.
These objectives are part of P&G’s ‘Ambition 2030’ goals, which aim to enable and inspire positive impact on the environment and society through brands, the supply chain, and employees, while creating value for the company and consumers.
“It’s not just about reducing our impact, but about being a force for regeneration to address the challenges of plastic waste.”
P&G brands Pantene and Ariel aim to drive circular supply chain
AVA Biochem and Michelin sign bio-based platform chemical deal “This collaboration also illustrates Michelin’s growing interest in ‘green chemistry’, in line with our sustainable development strategy and our vision of tomorrow’s mobility.”
Swiss speciality chemicals company AVA Biochem has entered into a joint development agreement with tyre specialist Michelin Group in order to develop its bio-based platform chemical which can be used in a variety of materials.
The AVA Biochem and Michelin collaboration also looks to establish the world’s first commercial-scale production plant of 100% bio-based molecule 5-HMF, and to ultimately bring novel product applications onto the market based on this versatile chemical.
3BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
BIO MARKET INSIGHTS NEWS IN BRIEF
Avantium reiterates FDCA strategy“We are looking to replace those multi-layer f ilms with a mono-layer of PEF.”
Avantium aims to produce furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) to help the bioeconomy supply chain to manufacture polyethylene furanoate (PEF) for high-value, easily-recyclable packaging applications, CEO Tom van Aken told Bio Market Insights.
Van Aken’s comments come after the company recently announced that it would build its five-kiloton-per-year FDCA flagship plant at Chemie Park Delfzijl, the Netherlands.
FDCA (a bio-based monomer) is a key building block for many chemicals and plastics such as PEF. PEF is a bio-based alternative to fossil fuel-based PET. It offers superior barrier and thermal properties and makes it the ideal material for a wide range of applications in the packaging industry, including multi-layered films and drink bottles.
H&M to unveil ‘vegan’ leather“For SS20, the Conscious Exclusive design team took a truly holistic approach to sustainability.”
Fashion giant H&M is to unveil a vegan alternative to leather made from the by-products of wine.
It will be launched in partnership with Italian technology company Vegea on 26 March as part of H&M’s Conscious Collection. A number of handbags and pairs of shoes will be made from the material.
In a statement, H&M said that discarded grape skins, stalks and seeds are turned into a “beautiful alternative to leather”.
Outotec and Neste to unveil 100% bio-based diluent“In this project, experts from two industries discovered synergies and co-created a new application for Neste’s bio-based product.”
Technology company Outotec and renewable diesel and chemical provider Neste have worked together to launch a 100% bio-based diluent for extracting metals in the hydrometallurgical processes.
The diluent is called Neste My Renewable Isoalkane and is based on Neste’s NEXBTL technology and produced entirely from bio-based waste and residue raw materials.
4 BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
BIO MARKET INSIGHTS NEWS IN BRIEF
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability
A Cradle for Biotech Startups
27 companies established
Most innovative institute at DTU
200 talented scientists from more
than 50 nations
Find out more at www.biosustain.dtu.dk
Amongst others;
The Baltic – a sea of opportunityWhat if the Baltic Sea’s most problematic pollutants could be turned into a resource?
The Baltic Sea, an almost completely enclosed system inhabited by over 85 million people, is one of the world’s most polluted seas. Eutrophication – the excessive presence of nutrients in water bodies – has had major ecosystem impacts affecting fisheries and recreation throughout the region. To address the problem, the BONUS RETURN project explored and tested circular solutions to capture and reuse excess nutrients.
Watch Sea of Opportunity, a film featuring circular innovations and sustainability experts highlighting the way forward for these technologies to take root in the Baltic Sea Region.
“In a nutshell, the film highlights how policy and market linkages are needed to
accelerate a transition to a circular economy for nutrients that are essential to agriculture,
but environmentally devastating when they wash off into the Baltic Sea.”
Karina Barquet, Project Coordinator for BONUS RETURN and a Research Fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute,
which led the film production
Japan is the world’s third largest
economy and is one of the top electricity
producers in the world. In 2011, the
country experienced a nuclear disaster
in Fukushima - a north-east Japan
prefecture. The 2011 accident, triggered
by a powerful earthquake and tsunami,
sent large quantities of radiation into the
atmosphere and forced the evacuation
of around 150,000 residents. Prior to the
disaster, Japan had generated around
30% of its power from nuclear sources.
Yet, the Fukushima tragedy prompted
the Japanese government to think about
reducing its reliance on nuclear energy
and investing more into renewables.
This shift includes plans to derive its
future power from solar and wind.
However, this does not come without
challenges. Japan does not tend to
have favourable conditions to produce
wind energy as it regularly experiences
typhoons and strong turbulent flows
caused by its complex terrain. The sun
shines, but it doesn’t shine as brightly as
it does in some other countries across
the world. Nevertheless, Japan has also
focused on biomass as being part of its
current and future energy mix. In fact,
according to the Japan External Trade
Organisation, a Japanese governmental
organisation that promotes global trade
relations, Japan hopes to double biomass
generation to 32.8 TWh in 2030.
As a result of this, Japan has invested
in biomass-to-energy facilities to help
with this task. However, the production
process in biomass-to-energy plants
is not an easy one. It’s a long chain of
different, often complicated steps, but
it always starts with the pre-treatment
of the bio-feedstock. In Japan’s case, it
imports wood chips, primarily from North
America. The next step is to burn the
treated feedstock in a boiler generating
heat which will be used to generate
steam. This steam can be utilised by a
steam turbine which drives a generator to
produce electricity or controlled steam for
industrial or district heating usage.
As a market leader for industrial steam
turbines, technology giant Siemens offers
a comprehensive range of reliable and
versatile steam turbines for the power
output range from <1 to 250MW. And,
according to the company, it is seeing
strong demand for its steam turbines in
Japan due to the country’s promotion
of renewables.
Steam has traditionally been used to create power, and even to this day it remains an important part of the energy mix, as countries like Japan are finding out. The key to a good biomass-to-energy plant is a steam turbine that performs. Here, Liz Gyekye unpicks this issue.
Ste
am t
urb
ine
in f
inal
ass
em
bly
sh
ort
ly b
efo
re d
eliv
ery
FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR JAPAN WITH BIOMASS-TO-ENERGY PUSH
FEATURE
6 BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
In fact, Siemens power generation
equipment will deliver 484MW electricity
to the Japanese grid out of biomass after
the commissioning of some biomass-to-
energy plants between 2021-2023.
STRONG DEMAND
Orders for Siemens’ steam turbines
have come from a variety of Japanese
companies, including engineering
specialists Toyo Engineering, and
Hitachi Zosen.
The scope of supply to Toyo includes a
steam turbine of 51.5MW power output, a
turbine condenser, generator and turbine
controls. The equipment will be installed
at a biomass power plant that firm Ishikari
Shinko New Energy Hatsuden Godo Kaisha
is developing in Ishikari city, Hokkaido,
Japan. The commercial operation of the
project is planned for 2022. Likewise, the
scope of supply for Hitachi Zosen includes
a steam turbine of 74.8MW power output,
turbine condenser, generator and turbine
controls. The equipment will be installed at
a biomass power plant which Tokushima
Tsuda Biomass Power Plant G.K. is building
in Tokushima city, Tokushima, Japan. The
commercial operation for this project is
planned for 2023.
The investment by both companies in
their new steam turbines is considered
crucial to their projects. This is because
the steam turbine-generator set plays
one of the major roles in any biomass
plant. Its performance accounts for
the efficiency of the plant and heavily
influences the return on investment
(ROI). In the long run, low maintenance
and service costs offset the initial costs
over the entire lifetime, coupled with
the efficient use of the fuel, which
further lowers the overall costs. Stephan
Ludewig, Product Manager at Siemens
Industrial Steam Turbines, tells BMI that
Siemens’ turbines meet all these criteria,
which is important in Japan because the
“biomass operators pay a high cost to
import their wood chips and ship them
in, so they need a cost-efficient plant”.
Siemens also offers a servicing network
to help maintain the steam turbines,
which customers want to keep for a long
period (at least 20-years plus).
The company also specialises in
producing dual casing steam turbines,
which are in high demand in Japan.
Saurabh Maniyar, Regional IST Sales
Manager at Siemens Energy, says that
these turbines feature a generator within
its centre and high-pressure (HP) and low-
pressure (LP) turbines by their sides. Due
to these features, Maniyar says its dual
casing steam turbines are able to offer
higher efficiency compared with their
competitors. Conventional dual casing
steam turbines tend to offer a generator
at one end and HP and LP turbines “one
after the other”, which makes the turbines
inefficient, Maniyar adds. Siemens also
has a special reheat feature. Steam is
first sent into the backpressure steam
turbine, which then turns the generator.
Then steam is reheated again (outside
the turbine) and fed into the condensing
steam turbine, to use its energy a second
time. By re-heating the steam, its energy
is used most efficiently, Siemens says that
you get more electricity out of the steam
(compared to non-reheat solutions),
thus one needs less fuel to get a certain
amount of electricity out.
Even though it has seen strong demand
for its steam turbines in Japan, Siemens
has not had it all plain sailing. “Japan is
quite a conservative society, you need
employees who speak Japanese on the
ground, and it has only recently opened
up its biomass equipment market to
foreign companies,” Maniyar maintains.
He said well-known biomass equipment
companies were already established
in Japan before Siemens tried to enter
its market. Yet, in recent years, Japan
has opened up its market to foreign
companies like Siemens and the company
has received praise for offering efficient
equipment to its customers. “In the last
three years, we have had orders of almost
8 units,” Maniyar says.
Siemens is not just seeing strong demand
for its steam turbines in Japan, it is
actually seeing worldwide interest. In
fact, Siemens’ steam turbines have been
installed in more than 200 biomass-
fuelled plants across the globe. It has
recently taken a number of orders for its
turbines in China and South Korea. And, it
is not just biomass that the steam turbines
work with, coal, gas and solar power can
heat up boilers. So, its turbines can be
used with these sources as well.
All in all, as Kenichi Fujita, President & CEO
at Siemens K.K, concludes: “By leveraging
our experiences, we will continue to
work actively to provide highly efficient
steam turbines for our customers and
help with the development of renewable
and biomass energy power generation in
Japan.” n
Dual-casing steam turbine
7BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
The US will need a workforce
with a diversity of skills and
experiences if it is to remain
a ‘leader’ in the bioeconomy
space, a panel of industry
experts said at a recent US Senate
Subcommittee hearing on biotechnology.
Held on 3 March, the hearing entitled
‘securing US leadership in the bioeconomy’
was run by the Subcommittee on Science,
Oceans, Fisheries and Weather at Capitol
Hill and featured four witnesses. They
were giving evidence to and answering
questions posed by chairman of the
Subcommittee Republican Senator Cory
Gardner of Colorado, and ranking member
of the Subcommittee Senator Democrat
Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.
Senator Baldwin quoted a report from
the US’ National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine, which said
that “we need to build and sustain a skilled
workforce to support the bioeconomy”.
She acknowledged that some US sectors
were already struggling to attract STEM
workers. She also posed a question to the
panel in relation to the “workers that will
run the factories, the farms, the hospitals
and other facilities” that will help “make
these innovations into realities”, and not
just the scientists and researchers.
Dr. Jason Kelly, Co-Founder and Chief
Executive Officer at biotechnology firm
Ginkgo Bioworks, said: “The technology
to print DNA and read DNA is very much
an advanced manufacturing technology.
If you visit our facility in Boston, it’s a
100,000-square-foot facility of advanced
equipment with operators in front of it
printing DNA and engineering these cells.
“When we finish our cell, which could be
deployed in the environment, that’s farming
and fermentation. The tools to deploy
biology will not be new. Those skill sets will
not come from Boston. Those are going
to become more valuable skill sets in an
area where a corn plant doesn’t grow…that
makes farming more valuable in the future.”
Jason Gammack, Chief Commercial Officer
at biotechnology firm Inscripta, said that
workforce training is critical and there was a
need for data analysis skills of “hard science”.
He added: “Trying to find a computational
biologist to hire them is very, very difficult.
“If you look at the amount of data
produced in biology it is astronomical. The
dataset in biology all needs to be retained.”
However, he also said that “not
everybody has to have a PhD to be
successful in the bioeconomy”.
“The bioeconomy will revitalise the
Midwest. We need those feedstocks
and we need to build those plants in the
Midwest. Fermentation is a messy science.
He said everybody could play an important
role in developing the US bioeconomy,
which could encompass operators of
fermentation plants. “You don’t need a high-
tech (degree) to run a fermentation plant.
Retraining existing workers to work in plants
that have yet to be built, or will be built
shortly, will be under standard mechanical
and engineering principles. This will not
require PhDs, biology, or computational
biology, but understanding how to operate
a plant and run a plant.”
In a testimony forwarded to the
Subcommittee before the hearing,
Gammock said that the bioeconomy will
be the “prime driver” for the next wave of
growth in manufacturing in the US as well as
being a catalyst for new job creating, which
will produce a “bio-industrial revolution”.
He added: “As biological engineering
becomes more sophisticated and
capable; it will have an increasingly
broad impact on the economy. However,
China is outspending us, and they are
producing many more graduates than
we are. Just as we led the last industrial
and tech revolutions, it is vital to (the
US’) national security that we don’t fall
behind other countries on building a
bioeconomy, either.”
Dr. Megan Palmer, Senior Research
Scholar at Center for International Security
and Cooperation at Stanford University,
concurred with Gammack and Kelly
and said that the US needed a diverse
workforce. She said: “Because biology is
so broad and affects many sectors, we will
need many people who are specialists in
their specific sector… who can develop
specialised products and services. And,
many of these training programmes, and
one-to-two-year training programmes will
be critical as well.” n
Call for US to Invest in Skills to Retain ‘Bioeconomy Leader’ Status
BY LIZ GYEKYE
8 BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
15th ANNUAL2-4 November 2020
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LOW CARBON INTENSITY CARBOHYDRATE SOURCES AVAILABLE TODAY!
CLEAN SUGARTECHNOLOGY (CST™)The renewable chemicals market is growing rapidly and requires a
signifi cant carbohydrate source. The Clean Sugar Technology system
can provide that source with a lower CI than cane and beet sugars.
CST™ produces the same sugar quality to that of a corn wet mill process
at up to 50% cost reduction. It can be bolted on to a current ethanol
facility to provide a sugar slip-stream, or as a stand alone process.
CST™ from FQT is here to change everything in the carbohydrate
feedstock supply, with low volume at low cost. Using patented,
proprietary separation equipment and systems, CST™ is e� ectively
producing multiple specifi cation, purity sugars for commercial use today.
©2020. All rights reserved. Fluid Quip Technologies, LLC
FluidQuipTechnologies.com • +1 (319) 320-7709
• Low-cost purifi ed dextrose and fructose streams
• Global location opportunities without working through multi-national corporations or levels of approvals of wet mills
• Proven, commercially ready process in commercial operation since 2016
• Bolt-on commercially proven technology for ethanol plants and stand alone systems
Sugar feed-stocks available for
• Food Grade
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U.S. Patent No. 9,777,303 • 10,119,157 • 10,480,038
LOW CARBON INTENSITY CARBOHYDRATE SOURCES AVAILABLE TODAY!
CLEAN SUGARTECHNOLOGY (CST™)The renewable chemicals market is growing rapidly and requires a
signifi cant carbohydrate source. The Clean Sugar Technology system
can provide that source with a lower CI than cane and beet sugars.
CST™ produces the same sugar quality to that of a corn wet mill process
at up to 50% cost reduction. It can be bolted on to a current ethanol
facility to provide a sugar slip-stream, or as a stand alone process.
CST™ from FQT is here to change everything in the carbohydrate
feedstock supply, with low volume at low cost. Using patented,
proprietary separation equipment and systems, CST™ is e� ectively
producing multiple specifi cation, purity sugars for commercial use today.
©2020. All rights reserved. Fluid Quip Technologies, LLC
FluidQuipTechnologies.com • +1 (319) 320-7709
• Low-cost purifi ed dextrose and fructose streams
• Global location opportunities without working through multi-national corporations or levels of approvals of wet mills
• Proven, commercially ready process in commercial operation since 2016
• Bolt-on commercially proven technology for ethanol plants and stand alone systems
Sugar feed-stocks available for
• Food Grade
• Industrial Grade
• Non-GMO
U.S. Patent No. 9,777,303 • 10,119,157 • 10,480,038
Humanity is now facing an
unprecedent set of
challenge for its survival
with massive pollution,
destruction of habitats and
mass extinction of species and
biodiversity, scarceness of resources,
extremely destructive natural disasters
and storms originated by climate change,
and above all the will and power to
control and revert the damages and the
status quo, write Vanessa Segurado and
Pedro Afonso de Paulo - both Executive
Directors at Blueotter.
Blueotter is a rapid growing and dynamic
group with a young and talented team
dedicated to overcoming these challenges
and to make decisive contributions
necessary to transform how we do
business and mitigate the effects of
climate change. The shareholder and
management team are recognised for
bringing ‘young blood’ to the waste sector
with focus in environmental compliance,
strong management and environmental
skills. And they are actively seeking new
partnerships in this sector.
Blueotter is the fastest growing industrial
waste management group in Portugal,
started in 2016 with a Management Buy
Out followed by two other corporate
acquisitions. The Group manages more
than 400,000 tons of waste per year,
recycles more than 150,000 tons annually,
of which exports over 50,000 tons,
operating in ten industrial sites from the
North to the South of Portugal including
six sorting plants, two RDF production
industrial lines, two industrial landfills,
coupled with a fleet of approximately
200 trucks and vehicles, including heavy
equipment, employing 700 workers,
delivering a total turnover of €45m and
€8M EBITDA.
All acquisitions were turned around
successfully within six months after and
the group is focused on excelling waste
management best practices, bringing the
latest innovations to the sector and helping
accelerate the implementation of solutions
to climate change.
Blueotter manages all kinds of non-
hazardous waste including cardboard,
metals, glass, construction and
demolition of waste, plastics, organic
waste and RDF. The Group integrates
the entire waste value chain from the
waste producers to the final treatment,
covering the activities of collection,
sorting, recycling, RDF production,
sewage services, urban waste collection,
organic waste valorization, biogas
valorization and landfill.
Blueotter intends to find ways to rapidly
increase recycling potential and circular
economy by bringing solutions to the
sector since climate change is urgent and
requires collaboration and new approaches
expecting to be key a player enabling
the implementation of technologies and
innovation that could help disrupt the waste
sector and rapidly increase sorting, recycling,
circular economy, decrease elimination and
landfill of valuable resources.
The waste sector has several intrinsic
challenges that are key challenges to
rapid change and standardisation of
solutions, namely the mixture of different
wastes at the point of production (citizens,
companies, shopping centers, restaurants),
which fosters the need to find solutions
to transform waste into different forms of
energy or material without previous sorting
of waste streams and fractions.
This challenge is leveraged by the highly
regulated environment of the waste sector,
where the IT or treatment solution in one
country may not apply in another country
because regulation differs and originates
different waste compositions from country
to country or over time.
Blueotter Group is actively looking for
investment opportunities in startups, new
technologies and innovations that could
help disrupt the waste sector, increasing
recycling rates, decreasing green gas
emission or improving the efficiency of
waste management. These opportunities
include; investing in startups, implementing
new solutions recently coming to the market
in current operations. participating in pilot
projects or proofs of concept, partnering
with other companies/players bringing new
technologies, processes and innovation to
the market; help universities with research
and developing R&D projects. n
BLUEOTTER BETS
ON INNOVATION TO
AVOID THE NEED OF
PLANET B
11BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
The media is filled with the news that
we live in a world of limited resources and that we have been abusing this
resource for years. It is clear, that we
need to look harder at what we have
and what we can sustainably do with it.
HOW FINNISH BIOECONOMY PIONEERS THE NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE FINLAND (LUKE) ARE UNLOCKING THE “TREASURE CHEST” FOUND IN THE FORESTS AND BEYOND
The Natural Resources
Institute Finland (Luke), like
many other organisations,
are working on projects that
help to tackle the global
challenges like climate change, land and
ecosystem degradation and seek new ways
of producing and consuming that respect
the ecological boundaries of our planet. As
one of the most multi-disciplinary research
institutes on the globe, and located in a
country of most forests in Europe (23
million hectares, or 74% of the land area it is
appropriate that Natural Resources Institute
Finland (Luke) are among the leaders in
building the processes to untap forest
resources’ potential and consider the value
of the tree as a holistic entity.
There are many hidden heroes found in
our forests and one that has attracted a
lot of attention is bark. Whilst traditionally
we have seen trees as sources of timber,
firewood, food, a sound barrier or simply
something nice to look, all too often tree
bark has been overlooked. Throughout
history, our trees have provided us with
a versatile, durable and plentiful natural
biomass but with the impacts of climate
change now with us, fully harnessing all of
its potential is more important than ever.
Natural Resources Institute Finland
(Luke) is perfectly placed to deliver the
services, solutions and connections
essential to take circular and bioeconomy
projects from those early planning stages
to full delivery – and actually makes
things happen!
BY LUKE UPTON
12 BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
The key is in the suberin fatty acids found
in birch and aspen bark to repel moisture.
Another is the InnoTrea project, funded
by the Academy of Finland which
is investigating whether the tannins
extracted from tree bark could prevent
the oxidization of fats in reindeer meat
and improve preservation. There may also
be potential for the tannins to add some
exotic flavours and aromas to the
reindeer meat.
Despite it being found in huge volumes
and being highly versatile, bark has
been largely neglected as a source of
raw materials, certainly in comparison
with cellulose fibres. I ask Pekka, why
attention to bark’s usability has increased
only in recent years; “Oil is still abundant
and products made from it have a host
of advantages accrued over decades
– high production volumes, efficiency
and of course, lower price. But this is
now changing as demand increase for
sustainable products and there are an
increasing number of projects focussed
on making the processes of harvesting
bark more efficient.”
There are other challenges beyond
just the entrenched fossil-based
alternatives. Bark contains a wide range
of materials, as well as a variety of cell
tissue and chemical components which
makes refinement challenging. Bark is
a biological material with many kinds
of enzymatic activity. Reactions can be
difficult to control. Other obstacles to
be overcome are found in the wood
procurement chain.
Challenges? Yes, and it is the nature of
change, especially when it comes to
sustainable and bio-based products.
Momentum is growing in the desire to
find new and better ways of producing
our everyday products. From boardroom
to consumers, there is an increasing
awareness to use our natural resources
more efficiently and wisely.
“Taking a cascading approach to the
use of wood is the smartest approach –
directing it to high value use before it is
reused, recycled and finally combusted for
heating or energy. Taking wood straight
from the forest and burning it just doesn’t
make sense if it can be used for other
products first,” states Pekka.
With rising commercial interest, growing
legislative support and abundant availability,
bark can be one of the key building
blocks for our circular bioeconomy.
Finland is a renowned hub for the global
forest bioeconomy and in particular Luke
with its focus on creative thinking and
multidisciplinary cooperation, an emphasis
on value-added creation and commercial
as well as environmental sustainability is
well placed to lead the potential value to be
created from natural resources. n
To learn more about working with
Luke on maximising the potential of
bark, contact John Kettle, Customer
Solutions and International Relations -
Pekka Saranpää, Research Manager at
LUKE and an expert in forest products
and biorefinery with over 30 years of
experience, gives us an introduction into
what bark offers: “It really is a treasure
chest! From pharmaceuticals to cosmetics
and food, bark is a remarkably versatile
source of raw materials.
“It contains anti-microbial and anti-
oxidant compounds which can be used
as preservatives and ingredients to
enhance the taste of food products. It can
also provide raw materials for industrial
applications like adhesives and insulating
materials and can even help in removing
impurities.”
Maximising the potential of bark products
complies with the UN Sustainable
Development Goals. The better utilisation
of bark is in line with SDG #13 – “Use
of biomass to produce goods reduces
the use of fossil-based products and
related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions”
and SDG #14 – “Enhanced value of
biodiversity as a bioeconomy asset”.
Whilst Luke’s approach is a great example
of SDG #17 “Partnerships for the Goals”,
where industry works alongside the
public sector to develop more integrated
solutions to the challenges we face.
Their basic models are co-funded or
customer-funded research, as well as
offering public-private partnerships plus
commercialisation of research results.
An emphasis on a better use of bark is also
a focus for the European Union through
its policies and research is promoting
the cascading use of wood – a circular
economy approach that prioritises higher
value uses, with bioenergy production as
the last resort, only when other options
are running out. Bark is currently used
almost solely for combustion, when it
could and should be used for so much
more, as applications in many industry
sector. This is something Luke are
endeavouring to change.
One of the fascinating projects that
Luke are working on focuses on bio-
polyesters from birch bark, which can
protect solid wood and cardboard from
moisture. The purpose of tree bark is to
protect the tree whether from animals,
disease or even fire, so it makes sense
that this can be harnessed to protect
products and is the focus of another
ongoing industrial collaboration.
“Challenges? Yes, and it is the nature of change,
especially when it comes to sustainable and
bio-based products. Momentum is growing in
the desire to find new and better ways of producing our everyday products.”
Birch bark Suberin Hydrophobic coat
13BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
www.siemens.com/biomass
Turning biomass into value
From raw material to electricity and heat — processing bio-mass fuel is highly demanding. We embrace complexity.
As a result of decades of experience in supplying, installing, and servicing power equipment in biomass plants, Siemens turbines are exceptionally well suited to pure power and heat generation. They have been installed in over 200 biomass-fueled plants worldwide with a proven record of applicability and availability.
www.siemens.com/biomass
Turning biomass into value
From raw material to electricity and heat — processing bio-mass fuel is highly demanding. We embrace complexity.
As a result of decades of experience in supplying, installing, and servicing power equipment in biomass plants, Siemens turbines are exceptionally well suited to pure power and heat generation. They have been installed in over 200 biomass-fueled plants worldwide with a proven record of applicability and availability.
The Baltic Sea is one of the
most nutrient-affected
water bodies in the world,
partly due to human activity
– the region is home to 90
million people and is packed with industries
and vast agricultural areas and partly
geographical – the sea is almost completely
enclosed, meaning pollutants that do enter
it tend to accumulate. The result is
eutrophication – the excessive richness of
nutrients in water bodies – is caused mainly
by run-off of nitrogen and phosphorus from
agriculture. Despite significant reductions in
the use of chemical fertiliser in recent
decades, the Baltic is yet to reach a healthy
ecological status with the resulting seasonal
algal blooms and oxygen having major
ecosystem impacts, affecting fisheries
and recreation.
To tackle the problem, BONUS RETURN,
a project led by Stockholm Environment
Institute, has been testing circular solutions
to capture and reuse excess nutrients and
a new film highlights circular solutions
for recovering and reusing nutrients in
wastewater and agriculture for a healthier,
sustainable Baltic Sea.
An example is phosphorus, an essential
fertiliser for ensuring food security. The
current use of phosphate is predominantly
linear – from phosphorus-rock mining,
to fertiliser production, to agriculture,
and finally to food consumption, with the
excess phosphorus used in agriculture
ending up in soil and run off. The negative
impacts of eutrophication, and the limited
global commercial phosphorus reserves
together make a powerful case for creating
a circular economy for phosphorus,
especially in populated drainage basins like
the Baltic Sea Region.
The BONUS RETURN project has been
testing solutions to capture and reuse excess
nutrients to promote recycling. Circular
solutions can decrease both the dependency
on mined phosphorus for food production
and the total inputs of phosphorus, which
would ultimately improve the ecological
state of the Baltic Sea. The team have
brought together a new film, detailing the
circular solutions for recovering and reusing
nutrients in wastewater and agriculture for a
healthier, sustainable Baltic Sea. n
Words and film by Stockholm Environment Institute.
WATCH: HOW THE BALTIC SEA'S POLLUTANTS COULD INSTEAD BE TURNED INTO VALUABLE RESOURCES.
15BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
STANDARDISATION AND CERTIFICATION DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BIOECONOMY
ENTER
BIOPLASTICS:
NEW APPROACHES AND
NEW CERTIFICATIONS
PALM OIL: FINDING
A SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTION
STANDARDISATION
OF BIO-BASED
MEDICAL MATERIALS
Estonian Centre for Synthetic Biology is developing a cell factory platform for the sustainable bio-manufacturing of high value chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The platform will move cell factory technology from the lab to pilot-scale production in bioeactors with less cost and development time compared to current techniques.
>> looglab.com
SWEETWOODS � agship plant converts lower quality wood into high value biomaterials with low ecological footprint. This breakthrough enables to establish novel bio-based value chains with a diversity of end-products. New stake-holders are welcome to pilot the industrially representative new generation sugars and lignin samples.
>> sweetwoods.eu
Estonia - your global centre of excellence in bioeconomyThe northernmost Baltic country Estonia merges traditional skills with cutting-edge technological solutions and o� ers new business opportunities in bioeconomy. It is an attractive and scalable location for moving towards a sustainable bioeconomy, considering a shift from the global scale to the local, challenging investment feasibilities in small countries as well as valorizing biowaste and wetland-based health products.
>> investinestonia.com
STANDARDISATION AND CERTIFICATION DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BIOECONOMYBIOPLASTICS: NEW APPROACHES AND NEW CERTIFICATIONS
PALM OIL: FINDING A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION
STANDARDISATION OF BIO-BASED MEDICAL MATERIALS
Clothing and footwear
production contribute to
around 10% of global
greenhouse gas emissions.
The fashion industry also produces 20%
of global wastewater, and 85% of textiles
end up in landfills. According to the Ellen
MacArthur Foundation, total greenhouse
gas emissions from textiles production,
at 1.2 billion tonnes annually, are more
than those of all international flights and
maritime shipping combined.
To address this problem, some sportswear
giants are making clothes from materials
like recycled plastic. They are aiming to
reduce their carbon emissions and remove
a fraction of the plastic that is polluting
rivers and oceans.
Sportswear giant Puma is just one
brand that has recently launched an
environmental initiative to help curb plastic
pollution. Working with people-focused
network First Mile, Puma has created
jackets, shorts, and shoes made from
recycled plastic. The collection is part of
Puma’s broader sustainability commitment.
First Mile works with communities in
Taiwan, Honduras, and Haiti to collect
plastic bottles. Its system creates jobs while
reducing plastic pollution, the group said.
The bottles are then turned into yarn and
used by companies including Puma in the
development of new products.
“Even though one of the key benefits of
this partnership is social impact, the Puma
and First Mile programme has diverted
more than 40 tonnes of plastic waste from
landfills and oceans, just for the products
made for 2020. This roughly translates into
1,980,286 plastic bottles being reused,”
said Stefan Seidel, Head of Corporate
Sustainability for Puma. “The pieces
from this co-branded training collection
range from shoes, tees, shorts, pants
and jackets—all the apparel is made of at
least 83% to even 100% from the more
sustainable yarn sourced from First Mile.”
The collaboration with First Mile is part
of Puma’s commitment to reduce its
environmental impact and live up to
its code of being what it describes as
“Forever Better”.
Puma is not the only sportswear brand
who is pushing ahead with its sustainable
sportswear, Nike is also using recycled
material for its clothing and footwear.
It has just launched a new range of
footwear called ‘Space Hippie’ that makes
use of scrap material sourced from its
factory floors, and recycled material.
The initiative forms part of Nike’s goal to
move towards a zero-carbon future. The
sportswear brand’s Space Hippie shoes
are made in-line with circular design
principles and are said to “attack the villain
of trash”, according to Nike’s chief design
officer, John Hoke.
“It’s changed the way we look at materials,
it’s changed the way that we look at the
aesthetics of our product. It’s changed how
we approach putting product together,” he
added. “We believe the future for product
will be circular,” said Seana Hannah, VP
for Sustainable Innovation. “We must think
about the entire process: how we design
it, how we make it, how we use it, how
we reuse it and how we cut out waste at
every step. These are the fundamentals of a
circular mindset that inform best practices.”
Elsewhere, at the start of the year,
adidas said it had launched new product
lines made from ocean plastic and
recycled polyester. It will also continue
its partnership with environmental
organisation Parley for the Oceans to make
some of these products.
“We’re not just focused on changing
how we do business, we’re dedicated
to changing how our industry does
business,” James Carnes, adidas VP of
brand strategy said. n
FINDING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR SPORTSWEARBY LIZ GYEKYE
17BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
Scotland-based biotechnology
company ScotBio has been working
in collaboration with the University of
Edinburgh to develop its natural blue
food colourant derived from
microalgae spirulina. And, as a trend for the purest of
natural ingredients grows and consumers shift away
from buying foods made with artificial colours, the
company is seeing growing demand for its product.
Here, Liz Gyekye catches up with Dr Rocky Kindt,
Head of R&D at ScotBio, to find out more.
In the face of digital domination and technological
takeover, the natural kingdom holds ever-growing
significance. From raw vegan diets to desert
marathons, and plastic-free living, society is on a
quest to reclaim the natural world. Now, there is also
a noticeable shift happening within the flavourings
and ingredients industries.
It may surprise you to know that most artificial
colouring in foodstuffs and beverages derive from
petroleum or crude oil. Consumers, especially those
with children, are turning away from the chemical
additives’ world, especially in relation to sweets and
drinks and demanding more natural foodstuffs from
brands. ScotBio is one company that is managing to
turn away from fossil fuels and produce a pigment
from a biomass product which the firm cultivates.
In fact, it is extracting phycocyanin (a natural blue
pigment) from spirulina algae (a microalgae) to
produce its product.
Using spirulina for food is not new - spirulina
has been used since time immemorial. Yet, it has
gained popularity in recent times within the health
A NATURAL KIND OF BLUE COLLABORATION
food industry. Unlike most other producers, ScotBio grows
its spirulina algae inside a custom growing facility rather
than an open pond system. In an open pond system,
spirulina, which is first and foremost an agricultural product,
is vulnerable to chemical and biological contamination.
Large outdoor spirulina production requires vast amounts
of land and freshwater resources, often in short supply,
limiting expansion efforts whilst varying seasonal and
climatic conditions directly affect quality and composition
of the product. It is also sensitive to climate changes and
competes with commercial crops and freshwater.
“We produce natural biochemicals from microalgae under
closed, controlled conditions,” says Rocky Kindt, head of
R&D at ScotBio. “Our bioreactors and processing equipment
can be built potentially anywhere, at any scale, producing
a consistent clean product all year round. That’s how we
address the concerns regarding outdoor-sourced products.”
Specifically, like the brewing, and wine-making and bread-
making industries, ScotBio uses large, stainless-steel closed
vessels to produce the biomass and extract pigments from
it. So, what is ScotBio using its product for? Kindt says:
“Primarily, we are trying to address the underserved market
of natural food ingredients. Currently, there is a lack of
secure, clean, quality supply of available natural alternative
suppliers. We are trying to address these markets.”
The blue food colourant can go into products like sweets,
ice cream and drinks. According to Kindt, the extraction and
separation of the blue extract from the spirulina is an intensive
process. The production of the biomass is also intensive.
WORKING TOGETHER
ScotBio has not been alone in meeting these challenges
and it has not been alone on its development journey since
being founded in 2007. In 2013, it started collaborating
with the University of Edinburgh (UoE) in what has become
a long-running academic-business partnership. According
to Kindt, the company has had “a lot of successes”
working with scientists at the UoE, including postdoctoral
researchers, students and interns, which has led ScotBio
to successfully commercialise its product. In fact, it has
allowed ScotBio to do a lot of “different things at an early
©ScotBio ©ScotBio
ScotBio’s blue food colourant
can go into products like
sweets, ice cream and
drinks
18 BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
©ScotBio
saw volume scaling up from 10s of litres to 1,000s
of litres. Currently, ScotBio is cultivating biomass on
a scale of 10s of thousands of litres in a dedicated
manufacturing plant with a capacity of millions of
litres,” Kindt says.
“Constant innovation ‘future proofs’ the company
in the long run. Our partnership with the UoE has
really helped us to successfully attract investment
and grow the company,” Kindt maintains. “To this
day, we continue to take in postgraduate internships,
postdocs, and PhD students to continue working
together on our challenges. As we grow, we keep on
finding new issues and new challenges. We always
need new expertise.”
Key to such successful commercial collaborations
with the UoE is the work done behind the scenes by
Edinburgh Innovations. Its staff specialise not only
in bringing businesses and academic researchers
together for mutual benefit, but also in identifying
funding streams to support such collaborations, and
managing issues such as IP, consultancy contracts and
studentships, to make it easy for the innovation itself
to take place.
Longer term, ScotBio is looking to expand its
product portfolio to use it in different applications.
The biomass the company produces is composed
of up to 60% dry weight, wholly utilisable protein.
“We notice the rapidly growing interest for scalable,
sustainable supply of (alternative) protein for human
consumption, including the explosive growth in the
vegan/vegetarian meat alternatives market,”
Kindt says.
Kindt concludes: “Right now, we are only extracting
phycocyanin from spirulina and pushing this
commercially. This has been our main focus.
Overall, spirulina has been recognised as having
all kinds of interesting nutritional, therapeutic
properties for a very long time. There is no ‘useless’
component within spirulina biomass; it’s recognised
as a remarkably abundant source of carotenoids,
vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. We are analysing
what else we can extract from this biomass as a
by-product.” n
stage, which would have been very difficult if we had to do
it entirely by ourselves,” Kindt says. “The UoE’s expertise
and facilities allowed us to try things out at a lab scale,
proving concepts, which we could then justify diverting
resources into for commercial scale-up.”
Supported by Edinburgh Innovations, the University’s
commercialisation service, ScotBio has worked and is
still working on a variety of projects with the University
in various departments, including its School of Biological
Sciences, School of Engineering and School of Physics
and Astronomy. For example, the company currently
has a project with the University’s School of Engineering
to analyse whether the 3D-printed chromatography
technology the School is developing could substantially
simplify ScotBio’s purification procedures.
ScotBio is also working with the University’s School
of Physics and Astronomy to look at using different
formulations in order to improve the stability of some of
its extracts. “One difficulty of using natural ingredients is
that you don’t get the same type of stability performance
as you will get with many artificial alternatives. The School
of Physics and Astronomy is developing strategies in that
area,” says Kindt.
Not to be overshadowed by the Physics department, the
School of Biological Sciences is also working in partnership
with ScotBio on synthetic biology and gene-editing
projects. The company is currently looking at gene-editing
techniques to see if it could improve algae and microalgae
as biotech platforms. It is looking at ways synthetic biology
could potentially produce high-value biochemicals rather
than fossil fuel-based chemicals. Collaborative research
between the company and the University has brought
many opportunities for both sides, from new science and
manufacturing techniques to talent development and
employment opportunities.
So, are there any challenges in academia and industry
partnerships? Kindt maintains that academia and industry
“can be quite different cultures”, adding that both parties are
sensitive to each other’s needs. “One issue that can arise is
the pressure to generate intellectual property and develop
that in a sensible manner with the potential conflicting
interest of publishing papers into the public sphere.
However, conflicting interests do not need to happen if both
parties are harmonious, which has been the case between
ScotBio and the UoE.”
Separately, another challenge faced by companies like
ScotBio is attracting talent with a variety of skills. It can be
quite difficult finding people with skills, which include a
combination of engineering, biological and business skills.
Yet, the partnership formed with the University of Edinburgh
has provided ScotBio with access to relevant expertise and a
constant stream of fresh ideas, Kindt says.
Kindt adds that the collaboration has really helped the
company to successfully attract investment and to grow. For
instance, in 2013, the company had a large-scale pilot plant
that was cultivating 2-3 litres. “Collaboration with the UoE
ScotBio’s production
facility in Lockerbie,
Scotland.
To discuss how you can work with the
University of Edinburgh,
please contact
Edinburgh Innovations: eil.ac/wbm
19BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
C
M
J
CM
MJ
CJ
CMJ
N
Let’s meet at
November 2-4 2020Amsterdam
Toy giant Mattel will be
launching new building
blocks made from bio-
based plastics as part of its
2030 sustainability
commitment. In a statement, the company
said its popular pre-school Mega Bloks will
be derived from bio-based materials. Three
pre-school building sets – Polar Friends,
Safari Friends and Woodland Friends – will
be affected by the change.
The building sets have Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC)-certified packaging that is
fully recyclable. The Mega announcement
is the second product that Mattel
(@Mattel) has introduced as part of its
recently announced goal to achieve
100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based
plastics materials in both its products and
packaging by 2030. This new goal expands
the company’s ‘Environmental Sustainable
Sourcing Principles’ that were announced
in 2011, Mattel said.
Mattel also maintained that it now
sources 93% of the paper and wood fibre
used in its packaging and products from
recycled or FSC content, surpassing its
2018 goal of 90%.
“Environmental sustainability is a corporate
priority and we are proud to announce
Mega’s first product made from bio-based
materials,” said Richard Dickson, President
and COO of Mattel. “Our Mega team is
deeply committed to bringing the best
products to their loyal consumers and
they are driving innovation to do this in the
most sustainable way.”
“Creating a more sustainable world is
important to our team, our company and
our consumers, and our first construction
line derive from bio-based plastics is an
example of this,” added Bisma Ansari, SVP
of Mega. “Our Mega Bloks are the defining
product for Mega, so this next step in
innovation allows us to create the high-
quality products we know families love
from more sustainable materials.”
The first retailer to market the line in
Europe will be Argos and Sainsbury’s in the
UK. Sainsbury’s is one of the UK’s leading
retailers which acquired multi-channel
retailer Argos in 2016. Argos recently
launched the new building sets as part of its
January 2020 catalogue. Amazon Europe
is launching a presale of the product in
Germany, France, Italy and Spain. n
TOY GIANT MATTEL AIMS TO CONSTRUCT A MORE SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE WITH NEW BIO-BASED BUILDING SETS
“Environmental sustainability is a corporate priority and we are proud to announce Mega’s first product made
from bio-based materials.”
21BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
Writing everyday about the bio-economy, there’s often a lot of hyperbole about a new technology, a novel solution, or perhaps an innovative way of thinking. And yes, absolutely there’s a big place for a ‘blank canvas’ approach for an emerging industry like ours. But there are other routes to supporting sustainable success, and one in particular, from Fluid Quip Technologies harnesses existing platforms and feedstocks, and by adding in their own technology and extensive expertise, works to overcome two of the biggest challenges for those wishing to use renewable chemicals -
reducing the barriers to entry and lowering costs.
IS PROVIDING VITAL BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE BIOECONOMY
BY LUKE UPTON
HOW A UNIQUE APPROACH FROM
22 BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
Based in the USA, but with a
growing global presence,
this engineering tech
company has over 25 years
of experience in corn wet/
dry milling, ethanol and agricultural
processing and is now focussing this
hard-earned know-how in supporting the
bioeconomy. With a strong track record
in real world project delivery, they are
well placed to fulfil economic, regulatory,
quality, and other requirements within
budgetary and time constraints. And they
have a full-scale solution providing
proven carbohydrate sources to the
bio-chem industry.
Neal Jakel Partner/Strategy & Technology
at Fluid Quip Technologies spoke
exclusively to Bio Market Insights, to
share some thoughts on their work in
our sector: “We are seeing a big increase
in bio-based markets, whether its bio-
polymers, biochemicals or biofuels. As
demand rises, so too does the need
for abundant carbohydrate sources
to power its growth. And this is where
the problem lies, there is a shortage of
available glucose in the marketplace, and
what sugars are available are typically
expensive, making it a challenge to
produce these in-demand bioproducts
economically. As we all know, money
talks, and if a green product is
considerably more expensive than its less
sustainable comparable to traditionally
produced alternatives. Hence, people will
tend to go with the less costly option all
day. This is as true whether purchasing
chemicals on an industrial scale, or
choosing a brand of detergent on the
weekly trip to the supermarket.”
“So recognising this demand and also
the challenge, we decided to use our
knowledge from our teams extensive ag
processing background to develop and
deploy our Clean Sugar Technology (CST)
system that can be retrofitted to any dry-
grind, cereal-processing or bioethanol
facility. By adopting it, an industrial sugar
stream can be produced at up to 50% less
than the cost of traditional carbohydrate
sources, overcoming the barrier of cost.”
This approach offers abundant rewards.
Its ability to be bolted onto any current
facility, and there are 200+ available
ethanol plants in the USA, as well as
all the facilities in Europe, to create a
‘sugar slip-stream’ that can significantly
diversify a plant’s revenue streams. This
is particularly important when ethanol
prices remain low, and there exist large
quantities of already installed capital
assets and equipment. As a result, the
sugars produced are actually likely to be
more valuable than the ethanol itself. Do
to the innovativeness of the CST system,
the carbon intensity to produce these
sugars is a fraction of carbon footprint
of the more traditional sugar production
methods.
The opportunity also opens up for those
already involved in producing sugar for
foods. Sugar consumption per capita is
decreasing, but demand for sugars for
bioproduct and food protein application
are rapidly increasing.
Fluid Quip Technologies team is set-up
specifically to help overcome them: “To
put it simply, our stuff works. We are
rooted in real-world experience, and our
processes are already at full commercial
scale globally. We employ a full team of
hire process engineers, CAD designers and
project managers not desk engineers! And
they get really stuck into the details and
complexity of each project, particularly
when it comes to solving problems. All
our operations, procurement, process and
project engineering are done in-house,
so there’s a good spirit of collaboration
and if people have an issue they get stuck
on, they can just walk down the hall and
find an answer! We can begin anywhere
in the process and at any time. And we
really believe in the idea of ‘customers for
life’ and having delivered engineering and
technical projects for more than 25 years,
we have the testimonials to prove it. In
fact, when we talk to prospective clients,
we encourage them to talk independently
to our current ones about how we’ve co-
operated together as a team.”
In a world where the three R’s are
increasingly needing to be reduce, reuse
and recycle, there’s something particularly
satisfying in the way that Fluid Quip
Technologies uses their technology and
expertise to plug into existing processes
and deliver some major bio-based results.
Cost is the number one issue holding back
the proliferation of greener products, and
this approach makes significant inroads
into overcoming this challenge as well as
delivering fresh revenue for their clients.
“We really see our Clean Sugar
Technology as a game-changer, it
can produce multi-specification sugar
at up to 50% cheaper than current
processes and everyday we are doing this
ownership teams at ethanol across the
world. We like to say that we are ‘feeding
the bioeconomy’ by helping solve the
global sugar shortage and by lowering
costs, we can support biochemicals to
present a more sustainable and cost-
effective alternative to the current oil-
based ones. We are growing quickly and
we are excited where our journey will
take us next.” n
If you would like to speak to Fluid Quip
Technologies to learn more about they
could work with you, contact Keith
Jakel [email protected]
+1 309-320-7709 or visit us online at
fluidquiptechnologies.com
Fluid Quip Technologies are already
working with food companies to create
new revenue streams for them through
lower cost alternative sugar production
systems. The bridging of the gap between
innovations and commercialisation for
biorefineries typically requires a lengthy
development cycle and significant capital
investment. A new product or a new
process to produce an existing product,
must meet multiple requirements before it
can be successfully commercialised. Just
some of the hurdles to overcome include
the not just aforementioned availability
of feedstocks but also of utilities and
water, production economics, quality
specifications and technology expertise.
Neal Jakel acknowledges the challenges
in making technical changes, but the
23BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
We are pleased to announce a new public/private partnership focused on developing solutions
to the problems associated with plastics in the environment. Of the nearly five billion metric tons
of plastics that have been discarded across the globe in past decades, only 600 million metric tons
have been recycled, leading to the environmental catastrophe we face today. There is a critical need
for R&D investments on new technologies to mitigate this problem and to protect the planet
from further environmental devastation associated with waste plastics.
BY BOB BALDWIN, PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST AT THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
BOTTLE: BIO-OPTIMIZED TECHNOLOGIES TO KEEP
THERMOPLASTICS OUT OF LANDFILLS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
24
FEATURE
BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
Supported by the U.S.
Department of Energy’s
(DOE’s) Bioenergy
Technologies Office
(BETO) and Advanced
Manufacturing Office (AMO), the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is
leading the formation of a plastics
upcycling consortium (BOTTLE)
composed of industry, universities,
government research laboratories, and
other government agencies.
The vision for BOTTLE is to deliver
technologies that will incentivise
reclamation of waste plastics - including
textiles - to enable a circular plastics
economy. The mission of the BOTTLE
Consortium is:
• to develop robust processes to
deconstruct and upcycle existing waste
plastics, and
• to develop new processes and
polymeric materials that are recyclable-
by-design.
The goals of BOTTLE are to: i) develop
highly selective chemical and biological
processes to deconstruct and upcycle
today’s large-volume plastics; ii) to
design chemistries and processes for
recycling of tomorrow’s plastics that are
recyclable-by-design, and; iii) to work
with industry to catalyse a new upcycling
paradigm for plastics.
To achieve these goals, the BOTTLE
Consortium will leverage previous and
ongoing DOE investments in process
development and integration, biological
and chemical catalysis, and analysis-
driven R&D and will engage with industry
and industry groups to carry out impactful
research in three areas:
1) Deconstruction of waste plastics
2) Upcycling of waste plastics to new
high-value materials
3) New polymeric materials that are
recyclable-by-design
The BOTTLE Consortium will leverage
substantial on-going DOE investments
to conduct applied R&D for conversion
of waste polymers to valuable products
through hybrid catalytic and biological
processes, and for design of new bio-
based polymers that are recyclable by
design. BOTTLE will conduct analysis-
guided R&D using robust analytical tools
to focus projects on impactful outcomes.
BOTTLE will provide Consortium
members with unparalleled access to
world-class scientists, facilities, and
technology development focused on
providing solutions to their problems.
There are many advantages to joining as a
Foundational Consortium member including:
• membership on key Governance and
Advisory committees;
• ability to advise the technical direction
of the Consortium on key matters
including governance and management
structure, technical scope, and focus
area priorities;
• intellectual property rights, with an
option to exclusive licenses for subject
inventions;
• showcase to your stakeholders
your organisation’s commitment to
sustainability issues;
• access world-class resources and
expertise and leverage substantial
financial support from DOE to solve
your waste polymer problems.
BOTTLE will leverage significant
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
investments in foundational scientific
research and development to advance
industrially relevant solutions for the
plastic waste problem. The impact of
industry investments in BOTTLE are
magnified by significant DOE funding for
foundational work in the areas of plastic
depolymerisation, upcycling and material
redesign. The BOTTLE team of academic
members has invested significant efforts
in making capabilities, contracts and
innovations easily available to industry to
promote public-private collaboration in
solving a grand challenge which impacts
the entire planet. n
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Consortium is poised to
immediately engage with partners to
explore the needs, opportunities, and
challenges for research, development,
and deployment in chemical recycling
technologies.
Please feel free to reach out to us for
more details:
Bob Baldwin
Principal Scientist
303-384-6858
Ron Schoon
Senior Business Development Manager
303-275-4644
Gregg Beckham
Senior Research Fellow
303-384-7806
25BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
A REVOLUTIONARY, INNOVATIVE, AND ECO-FRIENDLY SOLUTION TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ALGAE HARVESTING COSTS
INSID
E THE
VALU
EMAG
PROJ
ECT
There’s an old proverb that
says, “If you want to go
quickly, go alone. If you
want to go far, go
together.” And this is never
truer than when undertaking a project in
the bioeconomy, where harnessing the
strengths and abilities of others in
different corners of our ecosystem is one
of the most strategic ways that projects
can scale their innovation and solve
complex challenges.
We are privileged to cover many great
projects on our pages, and in this
issue are proud to shine a light on a
particularly fascinating and important
one, VALUEMAG, that has developed
a new solution based on the use of
magnets for microalgae cultivation and
harvesting that produces and purifies
high-value biomolecules in both a
cost effective and sustainable manner.
By delivering this solution, the path
opens for significantly more efficient
microalgae-based bio-refinery systems
across a variety of industries.
VALUEMAG is working within the
framework of Bio-Based Industries Joint
Undertaking (BBI-JU) funding, operating
under Horizon2020. The consortium that
has been working on this project is truly
pan-European, with National Technical
University of Athens NTUA
(Greece) and Theracell (Greece / UK),
Università Vanvitelli and ENEA - Italian
National Agency for New Technologies,
Energy and Sustainable Economic
Development (Italy) NomaSico (Cyprus),
Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of
Science (Slovakia), Iris – advanced Engineering
(Spain) EXERGY (United Kingdom), Vertech
Group (France) and Ecoduna (Austria).
Filoklis Pileidis of PNO Innovation who have
led the dissemination, communication
and exploitation of the project, gives us a
BY LUKE UPTON
26 BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
further introduction to VALUEMAG; “It’s a
privilege to be a part of a project that can
offer such an important solution to the twin
environmental problems of global warming
and pollution plus the global problems of fuel
supply. The team here have supported this
revolutionary technology with analyses of an
economic and environmental consequences,
stakeholder analysis and communication
and dissemination strategies to help build a
microalgae industry network.”
At the heart of the VALUEMAG (@
Value_Mag) project is the development
of an advanced magnetic method for
micro-algae cultivation and to utilise this
knowledge to produce micro-algae for
food, cosmetic and nutraceutical use at
minimum possible cost. Algal cells contain
all kinds of useful substances, but are hard
to be harvested, and this is where the use
of magnets is so important.
Dr. Angelo Ferraro of the NTUA and a
scientific coordinator tells us about their
technology: “The problem with the current
industrial process of extracting valuable
compound is that about 60% of the
remaining biomass will not be useable for
anything else. So it is an inefficient process.
And this is where the VALUEMAG method
comes in. We use magnetic nanoparticles
and a soft magnetic metal cone to cultivate
microalgae. In a second step specifically
modified magnetic nanoparticles are
essentially for ‘catching’ compounds
(natural colouring molecules, anti-oxidant,
proteins etc) we want. Chemicals are
required are minimised thanks to the use
of supercritical CO2 extraction, making the
extracts safe to eat or use in cosmetics.”
Nick Stefanakis of NTUA and also part of the
coordination team tells us some more about
the progress of the project: “We launched
on 1st April 2017 and are now coming to the
end of the project. The research institutional
and private partners have addressed many
challenges through the development process,
among them the construction from a scratch
of a cultivation chamber hosting the magnetic
photobioreactor and the setting up new
systems for microalgae de-watering and
water recycling. Now as we come to the end,
our pilot magnetic Photo-BioReactor (mPBR)
have been tested in Cyprus, ahead of our
partner NOMASICO taking the project work
onto its next stage and commerciality.
Through the project development, we’ve
also developed tools and methods that
can be used in other applications, like for
example, a new extraction method named
Selective Magnetic Separation (SMS), which,
as mentioned, allows to selectively catch
organic and inorganic molecules. Both the
SMS method and the separator prototype
machine designed and constructed in
VALUEMAG framework are now part of
proposals that aims to remove from waste
water highly dangerous pollutants such
as heavy metals, or for the extraction of
enzymes from vegetal by-products.
A second VALUEMAG outcome that is now
further developed is the antimicrobial effect
(biopestiside) of Dunaliella Salina extracts.
ENEA team demonstrated an amazing
protective action of Dunaliella biomass on
vegetables like tomato and zucchini, and
two new proposals have been presented to
further develop this effect. ”
The VALUEMAG project has identified
several added-value products from
microalgae biomass that the process
offers, including the opportunity for
food production and an extraction of
commercially-valuable products such
as nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Among
them one of the most potent anti-oxidant
named Astaxanthin, Omega-3 fatty acid
like EPA and other carotenoids such as
Lutein. These compounds have both
nutraceutical application and cosmetic.
In addition to cultivating algae with minimum
cost, the new integrated production system
from VALUEMAG increases efficiency and
improves environmental sustainability. The
process requires less water and less energy
than other technologies and will be able
to deliver zero greenhouse gas emissions
or even reduce current CO2 atmospheric
concentration thanks to photosynthetic
metabolism of microalgae. As if this
wasn’t enough, the wider proliferation of
microalgae-based bio-refineries offers
the opportunity of new job creation and
investment in rural and marine areas of
Europe in need of economic revitalisation.
The interdisciplinary approach from the
11 partners that make up the VALUEMAG
project have delivered an impressive project
that makes the large scale, cost effective
harnessing of biomass from micro-algae a
reality and in turn opens up opportunities
for products within aquaculture, food
additive industry, bio-fertilisation,
pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. n
For more information, contact Professor
Evangelo Hristofou ([email protected])
PNO is the largest European consulting
firm specialised in Innovation
Management and Funding consultancy,
based on profound insight in research
and innovation strategies, up-to-date
knowledge and nearly 35 years of
experience with more than 500 funding
programmes in most EU countries,
annually raising more than 1 billion euro
for its 2000+ clients.
PNO is made up of a pool of more than
400 professionals including scientists,
engineers, consultants, a Brussels policy
advisory service, as well as financial,
legal and IT experts, with consolidated
experience in innovation processes
and funding in international working
environments. PNO brings together the
Innovation Specialists from the 8 PNO
Countries, including The Netherlands
(HQ), Belgium, Germany, France, United
Kingdom, Spain, Italy (brand name
CiaoTech) and Israel.
Connecting industries, research and
public organisations, including sectorial
and technology platforms, PNO has
fostered the creation and dynamics of
more than 10 pan-European innovation
communities ranging from raw materials
to the circular and bio-economy, health,
transport, energy, open source software,
photonics, water and many more.
PNO is an important long-term
stakeholder within the European
bioeconomy panorama, acting as a
partner in multiple EU-funded projects,
have performed several commercial
assignments as well as (co-) developed
communities, platform and innovation
roadmaps in this sector.
A selection of bioeconomy relevant
projects are AGRICHEMWHEY, BIO-
MIMETIC, BIOPEN, BIOSKOH, BIO-TIC,
DEMETER, EUBA, KARMA2020.
ABOUT PNO
27BIO MARKET INSIGHTS QUARTERLY #17 SPRING 2020 / WWW.BIOMARKETINSIGHTS.COM
White Paper: Solutions for More Sustainable Transportation Fuels and Chemicals
The chemicals and transportation fuel sectors are facing multiple challenges: reducing their dependence on petroleum resources with cost competitive solutions and addressing today’s environmental concerns – sustainability and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
With Green House Gas (GHG) emissions reduction of at least 90% compared to fossil gasoline, Futurol™ technology addresses these challenges through the production of cellulosic ethanol from various non-food biomasses suitable for fuel and chemical applications alike.
Futurol™ technology has been developed since 2008 by a consortium of 4 R&D partners (IFP Energies nouvelles, INRA, Lesaffre and ARD), backed by seven industrial and financial partners. Their expertise covers the whole production chain, from biomass cultivation and transformation - through biocatalyst development and
selection - to the development and industrialization of fuels and petrochemical production processes.In 2011, a dedicated and entirely representative pilot plant was built in Pomacle, France, conveniently surrounded by an agro-industrial neighborhood composing a biorefinery complex. Futurol™ pilot plant is a 5,000 sqm site that can continuously process 1 ton per day of any biomass from milling to distillation.
Based on pilot plant operations and deep extrapolation knowhow, two critical steps of the process were selected to be proven at industrial scale: on-site enzymes production and biomass pretreatment.
The same strategy was followed on both cases: perform industrial scale design and operation and acquire necessary data to certify the technology and feed internally developed prediction models. Futurol™’s biomass pretreatment unit has the capacity to process 100 tons of biomass per day, regardless their nature: from high density ones, like wood, to low density ones, like straw.
White Paper: Solutions for More Sustainable Transportation Fuels and Chemicals
Ensuring plant flexibility towards feedstock was one of the key drivers of the development of Futurol™, not only to guarantee worldwide deployment of the technology, but also to take advantage of any local feedstock opportunities. The entire biomass supply chain has been studied in order to guarantee a constant and diversified biomass provision, allowing maximized plant operation with minimized biomass storage.
Fully consolidated process results and guaranties are available for a wide range of biomasses and the pilot plant enables to continuously extend the technology’s biomasses portfolio.
Now available for licensing, Futurol™ is the result of more than 8 years of operation of pilot and industrial scale plants, which allowed to develop a unique, simple and integrated 4-step conversion process. Robustness, simplicity and flexibility are the key words behind this technology, but the adventure does not end there.
Futurol™ is not only a breakthrough technology, it is the platform for next-generation renewable chemicals. A myriad of molecules can be derived from Futurol™ and that is the key to striving towards a sustainable environment.
“Futurol™ is not only a breakthrough technology, it is the platform for next-
generation renewable chemicals. A myriad of
molecules can be derived from Futurol™ and that is the
key to striving towards a sustainable environment.”
Technology description
PretreatmentThe primary pretreatment objective is to deconstruct the lignocellulosic biomass leading to three major components: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. In Futurol™, an energy-efficient, single-train, continuous technology was selected and optimized for converting biomass feedstock such as energy crops, agricultural and wood residues to a standardized pretreated substrate, highly digestible and with low moisture. High hemicellulose conversion is attained, while product degradation is minimized.
Biocatalysts ProductionTwo biocatalysts are used to convert free and polymerized sugars. Pretreated biomass hydrolysis is performed using enzymes, which depolymerize the sugar polymers into simple C5 and C6 sugars. The resulting free sugars are then fermented into ethanol utilizing yeasts. Inhibitors resistant tailor-made biocatalysts (enzymes and yeasts) were designed, adapted and improved to optimize process performances. On-site enzyme production and yeast propagation has economic advantages to the purchase of these biocatalysts on the open market, as it efficiently and reliably propagates biocatalysts using lignocellulosic substrate and eliminates transportation costs and third-party margins from the producer’s balance sheet.
Hydrolysis and FermentationEnzymatic hydrolysis of biomass and co-fermentation of C5 and C6 sugars take place simultaneously in the same vessel (“one-pot” process). This process configuration capitalizes on a unique synergy between biocatalysts and allows for CAPEX, OPEX and footprint minimization while achieving high ethanol yield through full conversion of C5 and C6 sugars.
Products RecoveryDistillation and dehydration processes allow recovery of cellulosic ethanol suitable for biofuel applications or for further processing in chemical applications. Lignin is recovered and can be routed to energy production, while water and stillage are recycled into the process, on a well-integrated zero waste process.
Futurol™ simplified process flow diagram
