Cobalt, Andritz sign exclusive partnership to integrate biobutanol, pre-treatment processes

The primary alcohol, n-butanol is a widely used industrial chemical found in paints, lacquers, and other surface coatings. It has traditionally been produced from fossil fuels. Engineered to achieve low production costs, Cobalt’s technology naturally converts both C5 and C6 sugars into bio-butanol, using any non-food lignocellulosic, renewable and sustainable feedstock. The bio-butanol can be used for a broad array of fuels and chemicals — including jet fuels, bio-based plastics, and synthetic rubber.

Combining Cobalt’s proprietary process expertise with ANDRITZ’s extensive experience in designing and supplying biomass processing systems will provide the market place a solution for developing reliable, efficient, and cost-effective production facilities.

“We are excited to combine our pre-treatment and fermentation technology with ANDRITZ’s technology, engineering, and project management skills for implementing large-scale biomass facilities,” says Bob Mayer, CEO of Cobalt Technologies. “Plus, our combined testing and pilot plant capabilities will enable us to evaluate and scale a wide range of biomass materials from feedstock-to-butanol for our strategic partners, giving them the highest level of support and assurance.”

ANDRITZ supplies advanced pre-treatment technologies for biofuel production. These technologies are well-proven in other industrial processes and, through extensive R&D, have been modified by ANDRITZ to satisfy the requirements for biofuel and biochemical producers.

“We have worked extensively with Cobalt to develop commercially attractive and technically unique solutions,” says Bertil Stromberg, Vice President of ANDRITZ’s BioRefinery Division. “This partnership has clear advantages for the market and will provide excellent results for our customers and partners.”

Cobalt Technologies

Cobalt Technologies is a leader in commercializing the production of bio n-butanol as a renewable chemical and fuel. N-butanol is a widely used industrial chemical found in paints, lacquers and other surface coatings, with a global market of over $5 billion. Cobalt is making biobutanol and its derivatives a cost-effective substitute to petroleum-based chemical products with the advantages of it being produced from a renewable and sustainable feedstock source.

Cobalt is based in Mountain View, CA and is backed by leading investors in the cleantech sector, including Pinnacle Ventures, Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund, VantagePoint Capital Partners, Parsons & Whittemore, Life Sciences Partners (LSP), @Ventures, Harris & Harris, Burrill and Company and strategic investors including Bunge Global Innovation, LLC.

The ANDRITZ GROUP

The ANDRITZ GROUP is a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment, and services for hydropower stations, the pulp and paper industry, the metalworking and steel industries, and solid/liquid separation in the municipal and industrial sectors. The publicly listed, international technology Group is headquartered in Graz, Austria, and has a staff of around 23,700 employees. ANDRITZ operates over 250 production sites as well as service and sales companies all around the world. The ANDRITZ GROUP ranks among the global market leaders in all four of its business areas. One of the Group’s overall strategic goals is to strengthen and extend this position. At the same time, the company aims to secure the continuation of profitable growth in the long term.