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NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 1 of 12 Bio-based Products Highlights Page 2 Markets Page 3 Platform Chemicals Page 5 Speciality Chemicals Page 7 Bioplastics Page 9 Research Page 11 Price Information Page 12 Events NNFCC Market Review Issue Thirteen, April 2013 ach month we review the latest news from across the global bio- based chemicals and materials sector for NNFCC members. Foreword Welcome to the April 2013 issue of our bio- based products market review. This month Pirelli announced it had signed an agreement with Versalis to research the potential of guayule- based rubber. Guayule is a desert shrub and natural alternative to existing sources of rubber. Global demand for rubber is predicted to grow to around 36 million metric tons by 2020, from 26 million metric tons in 2011. But the price of rubber has fluctuated dramatically over the past decade, with natural rubber reaching a peak in the summer of 2011 at $2.81/pound. Prices have since decreased but they are still three times higher than they were a decade ago. In the past, most rubber used in tyres has been made from the latex-bearing Pará rubber tree or synthesised from petroleum. But continued restraints on the geographic area suitable for natural rubber production and pressure on the long-term supply of synthetic rubber is causing value chain concerns. This is making bio-based alternatives an attractive area for investment as tyre makers look for a way of controlling volatile raw material costs. Pirelli are far from being the first to look at bio- based alternatives to existing sources of rubber. Last year Cooper Tire announced they would be working with Yulex to develop tyres made from guayule-based polymers. Guayule isn’t the only alternative either. Nearly a dozen companies are working with tyre manufacturers to develop rubber from bio- based isoprene. This includes the three largest tyre manufacturers. In March 2010, Goodyear announced they would be working with Genencor (now DuPont) to develop tyres from isoprene. Then a little over a year later in October 2011 Michelin teamed up with Amyris to develop tyres from isoprene and just last year the world’s largest tyre manufacturer Bridgestone announced they were working with Ajinomoto to develop isoprene-based tyres. Continue reading for the full story, as well as the rest of the market news. E

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Page 1: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 1 of 12

Bio-based Products

Highlights

Page 2 Markets

Page 3 Platform Chemicals

Page 5 Speciality Chemicals

Page 7 Bioplastics

Page 9 Research

Page 11 Price Information

Page 12 Events

NNFCC Market Review Issue Thirteen, April 2013

ach month we review the latest

news from across the global bio-

based chemicals and materials

sector for NNFCC members.

Foreword

Welcome to the April 2013 issue of our bio-

based products market review. This month Pirelli

announced it had signed an agreement with

Versalis to research the potential of guayule-

based rubber. Guayule is a desert shrub and

natural alternative to existing sources of rubber.

Global demand for rubber is predicted to grow

to around 36 million metric tons by 2020, from 26

million metric tons in 2011. But the price of

rubber has fluctuated dramatically over the

past decade, with natural rubber reaching a

peak in the summer of 2011 at $2.81/pound.

Prices have since decreased but they are still

three times higher than they were a decade

ago.

In the past, most rubber used in tyres has been

made from the latex-bearing Pará rubber tree

or synthesised from petroleum. But continued

restraints on the geographic area suitable for

natural rubber production and pressure on the

long-term supply of synthetic rubber is causing

value chain concerns. This is making bio-based

alternatives an attractive area for investment as

tyre makers look for a way of controlling volatile

raw material costs.

Pirelli are far from being the first to look at bio-

based alternatives to existing sources of rubber.

Last year Cooper Tire announced they would

be working with Yulex to develop tyres made

from guayule-based polymers.

Guayule isn’t the only alternative either. Nearly

a dozen companies are working with tyre

manufacturers to develop rubber from bio-

based isoprene. This includes the three largest

tyre manufacturers. In March 2010, Goodyear

announced they would be working with

Genencor (now DuPont) to develop tyres from

isoprene. Then a little over a year later in

October 2011 Michelin teamed up with Amyris

to develop tyres from isoprene and just last year

the world’s largest tyre manufacturer

Bridgestone announced they were working with

Ajinomoto to develop isoprene-based tyres.

Continue reading for the full story, as well as the

rest of the market news.

E

Page 2: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 2 of 12

Markets

Source: nova-institut

Bio-based polymers production

capacity could triple by 2020

New study finds that bio-based polymers

production capacity could triple from 3.5

million tonnes in 2011 to nearly 12 million

tonnes in 2020. Bio-based drop-in PET and

PE/PP polymers and the new polymers PLA

and PHA show the fastest rates of market

growth. The lion’s share of capital investment

is expected to take place in Asia and South

America.

The study was carried out by nova-Institute in

collaboration with renowned international

experts from the field of bio-based polymers.

It is the first time that a study has looked at

every kind of bio-based polymer produced

by 247 companies at 363 locations around

the world and it examines in detail 114

companies in 135 locations. Considerably

higher production capacity was found than

in previous studies.

The bio-based polymers market represented

around 1.5 per cent of the total polymer

market in 2011. However, current producers of

bio-based polym ers estimate that production

capacity will reach nearly 12 million tonnes by

2020. With an expected total polymer

production of about 400 million tonnes in

2020, the bio-based share should increase

from 1.5 per cent in 2011 to 3 per cent in 2020,

meaning that bio-based production capacity

will grow faster than overall production.

The most dynamic development is foreseen

for drop-in biopolymers, which are chemically

identical to their petrochemical counterparts

but at least partially derived from biomass.

This group is spearheaded by partly bio-

based PET (Bio-PET) whose production

capacity will reach about 5 million tonnes by

the year 2020, using bioethanol from sugar

cane. The second in this group are bio-based

polyolefins like PE and PP, also based on

bioethanol. But the capacity for “new in the

market” bio-based polymers PLA and PHA is

expected to at least quadruple between

2011 and 2020.

Most investment in new bio-based polymer

capacities will take place in Asia and South

America because of better access to

feedstock and a favourable political

framework. Europe’s share will decrease from

20 per cent to 14 per cent and North

America’s share from 15 per cent to 13 per

cent, whereas Asia’s will increase from 52 per

cent to 55 per cent and South America’s from

13 per cent to 18 per cent.

Click here for more information.

US could replace 20 per cent of

petrochemical consumption with bio-

based products over the next decade

The United States could replace 20 per cent

of petrochemical consumption with bio-

based products over the next decade – while

creating jobs and capturing a large share of

the global renewable chemical market. The

key is acting soon, before the current

technological and agricultural edge is lost to

other nations.

The findings came from a report by the Milken

Institute, in collaboration with the US

Department of Agriculture. According to their

report, "Unleashing the Power of the Bio-

Economy," experts from finance, policy and

Page 3: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 3 of 12

industry identified three major barriers to the

development of new biotechnology in the US:

Financing new projects and bringing them

to scale: The development timetable for

bio-based chemicals is five to ten years,

longer than most new tech investors will

tolerate before seeing returns.

Perceived market uncertainties: The

relative cost difference of bio-chemicals is

largely dependent on the cost of oil.

Policy uncertainty and complexity: The

regulation of bio-based chemicals is

complex and sometimes seemingly more

onerous than the rules for petrochemicals,

which are subject to a number of long-

standing exemptions.

Click here for more information.

Platform Chemicals

First commercial-scale lignin plant in

25 years opens in US

A commercial-scale lignin separation plant

has been installed by Domtar at its mill in

North Carolina, US. The company claims this is

the first facility of its type in the country in over

25 years. The production of lignin began in

February, with a targeted rate of 75 tonnes a

day, for industrial applications such as a bio-

based alternative to the use of petroleum

and other fossil fuels.

The project was helped to fruition by a grant

through the Biomass Research and

Development Initiative awarded by the US

Department of Agriculture and the US

Department of Energy.

Click here for more information.

Source: ZeaChem

ZeaChem financial troubles cut work

at Ore cellulosic biorefinery

Just weeks after announcing that it made

ethanol from sawdust at a demonstration

plant in Eastern Oregon, ZeaChem has been

forced to reduce its workforce while it tries to

raise capital. ZeaChem is trying to build a

$400 million refinery to create biofuels in

Boardman, along the Columbia River.

However, the company has failed to close on

a bridge loan, leading to layoffs at the

Oregon plant as well as a lab in California

and the Colorado headquarters, the East

Oregonian reported. CEO Jim Imbler said the

Boardman facility remains staffed at a much-

reduced capacity but the company hopes to

have financing lined up in a few weeks.

"These are the kinds of things that can

happen when you're running a startup. Our

team is very excited, and business is going to

work. There's a reason this isn't for the faint of

heart," said Imbler.

Click here for more information.

Myriant and Bayegan partner to

commercialise bio-based chemicals

Myriant Corporation, a global renewable

chemicals company located in the US, and

Bayegan Group, an international chemical

production and trading company based in

Page 4: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 4 of 12

Turkey, have announced a collaboration

agreem ent to commercialise Myriant's bio-

succinic acid in markets across the Middle

East, Eastern Europe and Africa.

Under the terms of the agreement, Bayegan

has committed to annually purchase a pre-

determined amount of Myriant's bio-succinic

acid for supply to customers in the Middle

East, Eastern Europe and Africa. In addition,

Myriant has granted exclusive distribution

rights of bio-succinic acid to Bayegan in these

areas. The two companies have also agreed

to negotiate a potential joint venture to build

a bio-succinic acid plant in Turkey subject to

certain commercial milestones being met.

Click here for more information.

Purac to acquire BIRD Engineering

Purac, a subsidiary of CSM, has announced

that it has entered into an agreement to

acquire Dutch company BIRD Engineering.

BIRD Engineering is a biotech contract

research company, specifically in the field of

industrial microbiology. BIRD has experience

with various micro-organisms, mostly bacteria

and yeasts, and has expertise in the field of

the development of new strains, and

development of fermentation processes. The

acquisition will include the intellectual

property and 7 key employees of BIRD

Engineering. BIRD Recruitment, a division of

BIRD Engineering B.V. will not be part of the

acquisition.

Click here for more information.

Direvo reaches milestone in

consolidated bioprocessing of

lignocellulose to lactic acid

Industrial biotechnology company Direvo has

announced that it has successfully built up a

processing chain from pre-treatment through

fermentation to downstream processing for a

consolidated bioprocess for making lactic

acid from lignocellulose. Up until now, there

has not been any known consolidated

bioprocess for producing lactic acid from

lignocellulose, the company said.

Using pre-treated Miscanthus grass, Direvo

fermented lactic acid on pilot scale in a

single-step-synthesis. Direvo was further able

to show that the important step of

downstream processing of free lactic acid in

the fermentation matrix can be realised

efficiently by standardised procedures.

On the basis of this proof-of-concept, the next

development stage to raise competitiveness

in a commercial environment will be to

increase the yield of lactic acid.

Click here for more information.

Source: SEKAB

Davy Process Technology Ltd and

SEKAB E-Technology AB Form

Strategic Partnership

British-based Davy Process Technology

Limited, a Johnson Matthey company, and

SEKAB, a leading player in the field of the

ethanol based chemicals and biofuels, have

announced that they are embarking on a

collaboration to develop and market

CelluTech™, SEKAB’s lignocellulosic based

biorefinery technology.

The technologies that constitute CelluTech™

were developed by SEKAB E-Technology in

collaboration with Swedish universities.

International experts have rated the

CelluTechTM process among the most

advanced methods to treat lignocellulosic

biomass in the world. The platform is flexible

Page 5: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 5 of 12

and can be adapted to a variety of raw

materials such as wood, straw, corn residues

and bagasse.

Click here for more information.

Bio-XCell and METabolic EXplorer

review progress on plan to build a

PDO plant in Malaysia

METabolic EXplorer, a green chemistry

company that specialises in the development

of bioprocesses for the production of

chemical compounds used in a wide range

of everyday products, and Malaysian Bio-

XCell, the developer of the Bio-XCell

biotechnology park and ecosystem in the

Iskandar region of Malaysia, have reviewed

the progress made so far on plans to build a

PDO plant in Malaysia.

An analysis of the issues addressed over the

past two months has prompted Bio-XCell and

METabolic EXplorer to agree on the

conditions in which the project can be

resumed and pursued. The issues in question

mainly concern the reorganisation of the

engineering aspects. Accordingly, the two

partners are determined to press ahead with

plans to open a METabolic EXplorer plant in

Malaysia and will do everything necessary to

adjust the contractual framework before end

of May 2013, in order to resume operations by

September 2013.

Click here for more information.

Anellotech announces ability to

produce large volume samples of bio-

derived benzene and toluene

Anellotech, a technology-based company

focusing on producing low-cost green drop-in

versions of widely used petrochemicals

directly from non-food biomass such as wood,

bagasse and corn stover, has announced

that it plans to make available large

quantities of green benzene and toluene to

strategic partners for downstream product

development purposes before the end of

2013.

Anellotech is the developer of a

thermochemical catalytic fast pyrolysis

(CFPTM) process for making aromatics

directly from non-food biomass. By pyrolyzing

biomass in the presence of a catalyst, the

volatiles produced during the pyrolysis

process can be converted into aromatic

hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, and

xylenes (BTX).

Click here for more information.

Speciality Chemicals

Versalis signs agreement with Pirelli for

joint research project on guayule-

based natural rubber

Versalis and Pirelli have entered into a

Memorandum of Understanding to kick off a

joint research project for the use of guayule-

based natural rubber in tyre production. The

project will run over a period of three years.

On an exclusivity basis, Versalis will prov ide an

innovative range of guayule-based natural

rubber materials, while Pirelli will carry out trial

tests to validate the performance of the

materials for tire production. As soon as new

industrial quantities become available,

Versalis will supply Pirelli with guayule-based

natural rubber to complement the current set

Page 6: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 6 of 12

of synthetic rubber that Versalis is already

supplying to Pirelli for the production of

conventional tyres.

The agreement with Pirelli follows the

partnership between Versalis and Yulex for

guayule production and for the construction

of an industrial complex to be based in

Southern Europe.

Click here for more information.

Akzo Nobel and Solvay cooperate on

renewable solvents

Solvay and Akzo Nobel have announced a

partnership for the usage of bio-based

chemicals within AkzoNobel formulations of

paints and coatings.

"This partnership demonstrates that

sustainable development is not only an

ethical attitude from companies but also a

means of doing business and creating value

for our customers and our businesses.” said

Solvay Coatis President Vincent Kamel.

The agreement concerns widely used

oxygenated solvents, specifically bio-Butanol

and bio-Acetone and their derivatives, and

the Solvay Coatis Augeo family of solvents.

Solvent volumes of up to 10 kiloton per year

are targeted by 2017.

Click here for more information.

Amyris and Firmenich announce

expansion of collaboration in flavours

& fragrances

Am yris and flavours and fragrances company

Firmenich have announced a ‘significant’

expansion of their collaboration to develop

and commercialise renewable ingredients for

the flavours and fragrances market.

Under a previous agreement established in

November 2010, Firmenich funded Am yris’s

research and development to produce up to

three flavours and fragrances ingredients,

with an initial fragrance oil targeted for

commercialisation in early 2014.

The new collaboration agreement provides

Firmenich with exclusive access to the Amyris

technology platform for the flavours and

fragrances market in exchange for significant

funding over the next six years. Under the new

agreem ent, Amyris and Firmenich will jointly

select additional target flavours and

fragrances ingredients that Amyris will

develop and manufacture. Firmenich will

market and distribute any ingredients resulting

from the collaboration exclusively in the

flavours and fragrances market. Both parties

will share in the economic value derived from

the sale of these ingredients.

Click here for more information.

Start-up to use University of Minnesota

technology to manufacture bio-based

methylmethacrylate

Start-up Ascenix BioTechnologies have

announced plans to commercialise

production methods to synthesise chemicals

from renewable feedstocks. The start-up

predicts this new bio-based process,

developed by University of Minnesota

researchers, will be more economical and

environmentally friendly. The process yields

drop-in chemicals comparable in

performance to those created using

petroleum-based materials.

Although the process could be applied to the

production of biofuels and myriad chemicals,

the start-up’s initial focus is on

methylmethacrylate (MMA), a chemical used

to make acrylic glass, paints and coatings,

automotive parts and electronics. Global

production of the chemical is more than 6

billion pounds per year.

Click here for more information.

Page 7: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 7 of 12

Codexis announces next generation

CodeXyme® cellulase enzymes

Codexis, a developer of engineered enzymes

for pharmaceutical, biofuel and chemical

production, has announced the launch of

CodeXyme® 4 and CodeXym e® 4X cellulase

enzyme packages for use in producing

cellulosic sugar for production of biofuels and

bio-based chemicals.

Codexis’ latest generation of advanced

cellulase enzymes, CodeXyme® 4 for dilute

acid pretreatments and CodeXyme® 4X for

hydrothermal pretreatments, exhibits

excellent performance, converting up to 85

per cent of available fermentable sugars at

high biomass and low enzyme loads.

Combined with high strain productivity using

the CodeXporter® enzyme production

system, this allows for a cost-in-use that the

company believes will be among the lowest

available once in full-scale commercial

production.

Click here for more information.

Bioplastics

Polymers

Newlight partners with Biomer to

expand sales of ‘greenhouse gas-

derived’ PHA plastics

Newlight Technologies and Biomer have

announced that the two companies have

executed a partnership to expand sales of

‘greenhouse gas-derived’ PHA plastics. Under

the terms of the partnership, Newlight has

acquired the rights to Biomer's intellectual

property, including for the functional

modification of PHA’s.

Newlight will combine the company's high

yield greenhouse gas-to-PHA conversion and

functionalisation technologies with Biomer's

expertise in the functional modification of

PHA plastics to generate high-performance,

cost-effective, sustainable PHA materials.

Click here for more information.

Perstorp and Purac in partnership to

develop caprolactone lactide co-

polymers

Purac, a leader in natural food preservation

and bio-based chemicals, has announced a

partnership with Perstorp to develop

caprolactone lactide co-polymers for plastic,

coatings and adhesive markets.

Combining the complementary strengths of

Perstorp in specialty products for coatings

and plastics with Purac in renewable lactic

acid based chemicals has already resulted in

partly renewable caprolactone lactide co-

products. Possible uses for this new

caprolactone lactide co -polymer include

polyols for coatings, adhesives, sealants and

elastomers, and for biodegradable plastics

and hot-melt adhesives. The new co-polymer

will be launched to the market in 2013.

Click here for more information.

Packaging

Metabolix signs distribution and PHA

supply agreements with Tianjin

GreenBio Materials Co. Ltd

Bioscience company Metabolix have

announced they have entered into a

distribution agreement with Tianjin GreenBio

Materials, a biomaterials company based in

Tianjin, China.

Under the terms of the agreement, Metabolix

will distribute GreenBio's SoGreen™ heat

shrink film in Europe and will be the exclusive

distributor in the Americas. In addition to a

distribution relationship, Metabolix and

GreenBio have also signed a supply

agreem ent for PHA biopolymers. Under the

Page 8: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 8 of 12

arrangement, GreenBio will supply PHA resins

to Metabolix, which will extend the range and

availability of the Company's PHA products.

Click here for more information.

Bags

Source: Bio-buddy

Custom Bioplastics to market the new

Bio-buddy dog waste bag using

Cardia’s biohybrid technology

US-based Custom Bioplastics have launched

the new “Bio-buddy™ dog waste bag”

developed using Cardia’s Biohybrid™

technology. The new “Bio-buddy™ dog

waste bag” is now being manufactured and

marketed into the US and online by Custom

Bioplastics, a US manufacturer of blown and

cast film plastic packaging located in the

Pacific Northwest.

Custom Bioplastics new Biohybrid™ Bio-buddy

dog waste bag are made with a

combination of recycled resin and Cardia’s

Biohybrid technology. The plant starch in

Biohybrid lessens the total carbon footprint of

the bag along with creating a bag that is soft

and silky to the touch. This introduction is the

result of a desire of Custom Bioplastics to

provide a dog waste bag that follows the

newly issued FTC Green Guidelines and laws

being enacted in California.

Click here for more information.

Breville goes green with Cardia

compostable juicer bags

Cardia has announced that Breville Group

Limited, a global designer and manufacturer

of small kitchen appliances will purchase and

market Cardia’s compostable “juicer bags”

as part of its Juicer accessory offering to

consumers. The 100 per cent compostable

“Clean & Green™” juicer pulp bags are part

of Breville’s campaign to encourage

environmentally-friendly waste disposal

practices. The agreement is expected to

generate strong sales for Cardia.

Click here for more information.

Health

Source: Etavonni

Etavonni Products launches

FrozenPeaz® hot and cold therapy

packs

Etavonni Products has launched its

FrozenPeaz® hot and cold therapy packs

made with DuPont Tate & Lyle’s Zemea®

propanediol. FrozenPeaz® products deliver

flexible hot and cold therapy to relieve pain

and assist in recovery from minor injuries or

post-surgery rehabilitation. Benefits of this

product include safe and non-toxic delivery

Page 9: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 9 of 12

of long-lasting hot and cold therapy, with

flexibility like a bag of frozen vegetables. The

Clear Ice™ Solution (made from Zemea®) is a

natural, 100 per cent plant-based alternative

to petroleum and glycerin-based gels.

Zemea® propanediol is made from corn

sugar through fermentation and developed

for use in the cosmetics and personal care

market. It is a high-performance,

environmentally sustainable alternative to

petroleum-based glycols and glycerin, where

the product’s lack of skin irritation, improved

moisturisation and excellent aesthetic

properties are benefits. Zemea® is approved

as a natural ingredient by Ecocert and the

Natural Products Association; is certified 100

per cent bio-based by the US Department of

Agriculture.

Click here for more information.

Research

UK Minister for Universities and Science David

Willets with Synthace CEO Sean Ward at the

UCL Advanced Center for Biochemical

Engineering, Source: Synthace

Synthace awarded £500,000 TSB

Synthetic Biology Grant

University College London spin-out Synthace

has announced the receipt of a highly

competitive Technology Strategy Board (TSB)

award, ‘Rapid Engineering of Cellular

Factories’, in collaboration with University

College London and University of

Manchester.

The Synthace project will integrate several

novel technologies as reusable components,

including the highly controlled import and

export of chemicals from a cell, and the

ability to rapidly tune the amount of each

part used to assist in the production of a

chemical inside of a cell.

Together with the other technologies in the

Synthace platform, it enables the engineering

of a cell which can convert low value

feedstocks such as vegetable oils into much

higher value chemicals such as

pharmaceutical ingredi ents, fragrances, and

pigments.

Click here for more information.

Green Biologics is awarded grant

funding to advance the industrial

application of synthetic biology

Green Biologics, a British industrial

biotechnology company focused on the

production of biobutanol and other C4

chemicals from a range of sustainable and

renewable feedstocks, has announced it has

been awarded grant funding from the TSB,

the UK’s innovation agency, to engineer a

novel bacterial host for biobutanol

production.

The project is in collaboration with the

Clostridia Research Group (CRG) at the

University of Nottingham which is funded by

the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences

Research Council (BBSRC). The total project

costs are £492k made up from contributions

by Green Biologics (£62k), TSB (£185k) and

BBSRC (£245k). The project duration is 18

months and due to commence on 1st May

2013.

The partners aim to develop a novel bacterial

host for the production of 1-butanol from

Page 10: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 10 of 12

renewable feedstocks. The strategy focuses

on the modification of a clostridium species

(Clostridium pasteurianum) for the fast

growing renewable chemicals market. This

microbe has many desirable features that

make it an attractive fermentation host (fast

growth rates, robustness and good butanol

tolerance) but suffers from technical

limitations. In this project, the partners will

deploy advanced molecular biology tools for

clostridia and introduce synthetic metabolic

pathways that increase the range of

feedstocks and also improve butanol

production.

Click here for more information.

New Paper: Current progress on bio-

based polymers and their future

trends, in Progress in Biomaterials

This article reviews the recent trends,

developments, and future applications of bio-

based polymers produced from renewable

resources. Bio-based polymers are attracting

increased attention due to environmental

concerns and the realisation that global

petroleum resources are finite. Bio-based

polymers not only replace existing polymers in

a number of applications but also provide

new combinations of properties for new

applications.

A range of bio-based polymers are presented

in this review, focusing on general methods of

production, properties, and commercial

applications. The review examines the

technological and future challenges

discussed in bringing these materials to a

wide range of applications, together with

potential solutions, as well as discusses the

major industry players who are bringing these

materials to the market.

Click here for more information.

Source: Resources, Conservation & Recycling

New paper: Critical aspects in the life

cycle assessment (LCA) of bio-based

materials – Reviewing methodologies

and deriving recommendations, in

Resources, Conservation & Recycling

Concerns over non-renewable fossil fuel

supply and climate change have been

driving the Renaissance of bio-based

materials. To substantiate environmental

claims, the impacts of bio-based materials

are typically quantified by applying life cycle

assessm ent (LCA).

The internationally agreed LCA standards

provide generic recommendations on how to

evaluate the environmental impacts of

products and services but do not address

details that are specifically relevant for the life

cycles of bio-based materials. This paper

provides an overview of key issues and

methodologies explicitly pertinent to the LCA

of bio-based materials. The authors argue

that the treatment of biogenic carbon

storage is critical for quantifying the

greenhouse gas emissions of bio-based

materials in comparison with petrochemical

materials.

Click here for more information.

New Book Chapter: The Transition to a

Bio-Based Chemical Industry

Transition Management from a

Geographical Point of View

Management Principles of Sustainable

Industrial Chemistry: Theories, Concepts and

Industrial Examples for Achieving Sustainable

Chemical Products and Processes from a

Non-Technological Viewpoint.

Click here for more information.

Page 11: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 11 of 12

Price Information

Item Price, US$ (Mar 08) Price, US$ (Mar 13) % Price Increase

Crude oil (petroleum, barrel) 101.84 ↑ 107.66 5.71

Maize (corn, metric ton) 233.85 ↓ 302.50 29.36

Sugar (pound) 0.1288 ↓ 0.1821 41.38

Rapeseed oil (metric ton) 1640.50 ↑ 1217.64 -25.78

Soybean oil (metric ton) 1321.27 ↑ 1131.98 -14.33

Ethanol (gallon) 2.31 ↓ 2.45 0.61

For details on indexes please see www.indexmundi.com/commodities

Crude Oil (petroleum), simple average of three spot prices; Dated Brent, West Texas Intermediate,

and the Dubai Fateh. Historic ethanol prices available at www.neo.ne.gov/statshtml/66.html

Arrows indicate rise (↑), constant (–) or fall (↓) from previous month.

For details on the nature of these commodities please see www.indexmundi.com/commodities

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Fe

b-9

8

Fe

b-9

9

Fe

b-0

0

Fe

b-0

1

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b-0

2

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b-0

3

Fe

b-0

4

Fe

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5

Fe

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6

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b-0

7

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8

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Comparison of Price Indexes (2005 = 100)

Agricultural Raw

Materials

Food

Crude Oil (Petroleum)

Page 12: NNFCC Market Review bio based products issue thirteen april 2013

NNFCC Market Review, April 2013, Page 12 of 12

Events

*NEW* Life Cycle Assessment

Workshops, 10-11 Apr 2013 in York, UK www.nnfcc.co.uk/events/new-partnership-

providing-lca-workshops

Following the success of our previous Life

Cycle Assessment (LCA) workshops, NNFCC

and North Energy bring you two new training

workshops providing you with insight into how

LCA’s work and their applications.

Renewable Plastics Conference, 16-17

Apr 2013 in Amsterdam, The

Netherlands www.renewable-plastics.com

Now in its 4th year, the Renewable Plastics

Conference will examine how the renewable

plastics industry will evolve in the future. Over

the two days, we will provide you with current

essential information on the key issues

surrounding this area and an update on

recent technological developments.

Dr John Williams, Head of Materials at

NNFCC, will be chairing the conference and

also speaking about "Bioplastics in an

economically challenging climate”.

NNFCC members receive a 15 per cent

discount off the usual delegate rates. Email

[email protected] to receive the special

promotional code.

Biochemicals and Bioplastics 2013,

19-20 Jun 2013 in Frankfurt, Germany www.wplgroup.com/aci/conferences/eu-

cbc1.asp

Biochemicals & Bioplastics 2013 summit will be

valuable to anyone who needs a

comprehensive overview of progress in the

biochemical industry and what are the latest

technological advancements and which

Biorenewable market segment are the most

promising in the next 10 years.

Dr John Williams, Head of Materials at

NNFCC, will be speaking on bio-based

feedstock opportunities and biomass process

innovations.

NNFCC members receive a 15 per cent

discount off the usual delegate rates. Email

[email protected] to receive the special

promotional code.

Credits and Disclaimer NNFCC Market Review is edited by Dr Matthew Aylott for NNFCC members. Feedback is welcome.

The Review has been compiled in good faith and NNFCC does not accept responsibility for any

inaccuracies or the products or services shown.

NNFCC The Bioeconomy Consultants

NNFCC, Biocentre, Phone: +44 (0)1904 435182 York Science Park, Fax: +44 (0)1904 435345

Innovation Way, E: [email protected]

Heslington, York, Web: www.nnfcc.co.uk YO10 5DG.