The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we\u2019ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we\u2019re going to be tracking these on a weekly basis to keep pace with the changes. Here are the top innovations for the week of September 21st<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s Digest, biosteel for airplanes, chemicals from sunlight, water and CO2, automated tractors enhanced crops through cloud biology, wood waste to bioplastics, capturing micropollutants, biodiesel from wood waste, biodegradable straws\u2014 and more, ready for you now at The Digest online.<\/p>\n
#1 Airbus and AMSilk partner up for Biosteel airplanes
\nIn Germany, AMSilk, the world\u2019s first industrial supplier of synthetic silk biopolymers, entered into a joint cooperation agreement to develop new bionic high performance composites for use in the aerospace industry, specifically AMSilk\u2019s Biosteel fiber. Biosteel fiber is made from a biopolymer based on natural spider silk, a material known for its strength, flexibility and toughness. Airbus intends to explore how AMSilk\u2019s Biosteel fiber can allow them to approach the design and construction of their planes in an entirely new way.<\/p>\n
Biosteel fiber is identical in molecular composition to spider silk, a material known for its strength, flexibility and lightweight structure. AMSilk produces Biosteel fiber through a closed-loop biotechnological process that renders the product highly sustainable, with no petroleum inputs. AMSilk and Airbus are aiming to launch a prototype composite material in 2019.<\/p>\n
In recent years, the aerospace industry has shifted from metal and steel fuselage and wings to carbon fiber composite materials, primarily in an effort to decrease the plane\u2019s weight and save fuel over time.<\/p>\n
#2 Dutch partnership to produce chemicals from sunlight and carbon dioxide
\nIn the Netherlands, AkzoNobel and Photanol are planning to build a demonstration plant for Photanol\u2019s cyanobacteria technology.<\/p>\n
Photanol\u2019s process uses cyanobacteria to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into organic acids with applications in biodegradable plastics, personal care products, and chemical intermediates.<\/p>\n
Peter Nieuwenhuizen, Chief Technology Officer of AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, says Photanol\u2019s technology will ultimately be used to produce a low-cost intermediate for one of AkzoNobel\u2019s businesses. The plant will be build at Delfzijl, the Netherlands by AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, which partnered with Photanol on the technology in 2014. The plant is expected to be completed in 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Photanol team is keen to prove to the world that we can make a big difference by producing clean chemicals while reducing the CO2 burden on the environment,\u201d V\u00e9ronique de Bruijn, CEO of Photanol BV, tells Chemical Engineering.<\/p>\n
New investors in Photanol, including GROEIfonds, Innovatiefonds Noord-Nederland and Investeringsfonds Groningen, are a \u201ctestament\u201d to the potential of the technology, De Bruijn adds.<\/p>\n
#3 Escorts Limited unleashes the Automated Concept Tractor
\nIn India, Escorts Limited announced its unique Automated Farming Solutions with the launch of the Automated Concept Tractor that brings the power of next generation digital vehicle technologies aimed at precision-based farming.<\/p>\n
Escorts has collaborated with seven technology giants namely Microsoft, Reliance Jio, Trimble, Samvardhana Motherson Group, WABCO, BOSCH and AVL. The partnerships and relationships will enable development of a range of farm machines with electric transmissions, autonomous applications, remote vehicle management, data-based soil and crop management, and sensor-based guided farm applications.<\/p>\n
These collaborations resulted in innovations such as with Microsoft for its Cloud & AI technology enabling precision agriculture capabilities to help farmers make informed decisions and get more from their farms, BOSCH for future emission readiness and last but not the least, with Reliance Jio for enhancing farm machinery life cycle with networked platform providing top-notch service and genuine spare parts across the country.<\/p>\n
#4 Benson Hill receives $60 million to advance improved crops
\nIn Missouri, Benson Hill Biosystems announced the first close of its $60 million Series C financing. The funding will be used to further advance CropOS and expand product development capacity to deliver a portfolio of improved crops with and for companies across the food and agriculture value chain.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeveloping foods that are nourishing to our bodies, responsible to our planet and that taste great is not a trade-off, it\u2019s an opportunity,\u201d said Matthew Crisp, CEO and co-founder of Benson Hill Biosystems. \u201cBy combining biology with machine intelligence, our platform provides a novel approach to crop improvement. With this round, we have expanded our base of investors who recognize the power of plants and innovation to benefit both farmers and consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n
#5 German researchers demonstrate a wood waste-to-bioplastic process
\nIn Germany, researchers at the Fraunhofer IGB are developing a process to convert biobased terpene into 100% renewable polyamide.<\/p>\n
The project, dubbed TerPa, has already demonstrated the four-step, single-reactor catalytic process. The result was a transparent, thermally stable bioplastic from 3-carene, a waste product from cellulose production.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have achieved this by carefully selecting the catalysts and reaction conditions \u2013 and it saves time and money,\u201d project lead Paul Stockmann tells Plastics Insight.<\/p>\n
#6 Gotcha! Biobased material captures micropollutants
\nIn the United Kingdom, CustoMem developed a novel bio-based adsorbent material that can selectively capture micropollutants including pesticides, pharmaceuticals and high-performance chemicals like per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from wastewater, according to Filtration & Separation.<\/p>\n
The new bio-adsorbent, called CGM (CustoMem Granular Media), can selectively capture micropollutants in standard steel tank processing equipment and the captured waste is then disposed of safely or re-purposed. The CGM can then be chemically regenerated using a non-hazardous proprietary wash.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur CGM product can treat industrial wastewater and help restore legacy contamination sites, thus preventing leaching into drinking water and agricultural land,\u201d CustoMem CEO Henrik Hagemann told Filtration & Separation.<\/p>\n
\u201cA critical point,\u201d explained Henrik Hagemann, \u201cis that our CGM\u2019s optimised performance allows faster flowrates and saves floor space, utilising up to four times less plant footprint than activated carbon solutions. This provides significant cost savings to customers compared with traditional adsorbent materials like anion-exchange media and granular activated carbon.\u201d<\/p>\n
#7 Just Egg is coming to U.S. retailers this fall
\nIn California, JUST announced that its plant-based, protein-packed JUST Egg is launching in select U.S. retailers this fall.<\/p>\n
JUST Egg is egg-free and dairy-free, with no cholesterol, no artificial flavors and its ingredients are more sustainable than conventional chicken eggs. When available, shoppers will be able to find JUST Egg, which is perfect for omelets and scrambles, in the refrigerated egg case alongside conventional chicken eggs and other egg-based products.<\/p>\n
Some of the first supermarkets to carry JUST Egg will include chains like Fresh Thyme and Hy-Vee in the Midwest; Gelson\u2019s, Mollie Stone\u2019s and Nugget Markets in California; and Wegmans in the Mid-Atlantic and New England. And, as JUST Egg debuts in retail, JUST is expanding the product\u2019s availability to restaurants, corporate cafeterias, school campuses, hospitals and stadiums through Sysco, US Foods, UNFI, and other distributors.<\/p>\n
#8 Only Natural Pet introduces biobased packaging\u201cMinimalist\u201d shoes a step toward greener living<\/p>\n
In San Diego, self-described \u201cbarefoot\u201d and \u201cminimalist\u201d shoe maker VIVOBAREFOOT is planning a new product line made with polymer made from industrial field corn.<\/p>\n
Dubbed Primus Bio, sixty percent of the outsole and 30% of the upper portion of the Primus Bio is made from propanediol based Bio-TPU produced by DuPont Tate & Lyle BioProducts.<\/p>\n
The company already sells shoes made from repurposed algae and recycled plastic. The company claims to have used 2 million plastic bottles to makes its shoes in 2017 and aims to use 90% sustainable materials across all its products by 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cSustainability is our journey and we believe that the perfect shoe has minimal interference with natural movement and minimal impact on the environment,\u201d Asher Clark, Design Director at VIVOBAREFOOT, tells Markets Insider.<\/p>\n
Primus Bio will be available on VIVOBAREFOOT\u2019s website beginning in 2019.<\/p>\n
#9 Danimer creates biodegradable straw as bans proliferate<\/p>\n
In Georgia, Danimer Scientific says it has created the world\u2019s first fully biodegradable straw using its Nodax polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymer. The innovation comes as many regions and restaurant chains ban straws over marine waste concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe environmental impact of straws and other single-use plastic items has become a critical issue for cities and companies across the country,\u201d says Scott Tuten, chief marketing officer at Danimer Scientific. \u201cThe challenge is that there are few durable, yet eco-friendly alternatives available. Thankfully, research has found that PHA effectively biodegrades in environments ranging from waste treatment facilities to landfills and oceans. With that stamp of approval, we are excited to be bringing truly biodegradable straw resins in the near future to businesses that are looking to replace petrochemical plastic straws in restaurants, amusement parks and more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Danimer says a recent University of Georgia study found Nodax biodegrades at a similar rate to wood pulp and can be processed along with other organic waste. In ocean water, Nodax biodegrades in six months.<\/p>\n
#10 Wood waste to biodiesel project could come to Alberni Valley<\/p>\n
In Canada, Eco Options CEO David Swan told the Alberni Valley city council that the company is looking at the Link Mill site in Port Alberni and other areas in the valley as possible biofuel project locations to convert wood waste to biofuel. The feedstock would be wood waste, branches, and stumps that would be converted into biodiesel that would then fuel the logging transport trucks in the area.<\/p>\n
According to 933 The Peak, \u201cSwan said the process will turn 90,000 tons of fiber into 27 million liters of fuel, and create 150 to 200 jobs including bringing in 50 people from the Alberta energy sector. Swan also told city council he\u2019ll be looking for $170 million in community support through green bonds.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we\u2019ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we\u2019re going to be tracking these on a weekly basis to keep pace with the changes. Here are the top innovations for the week […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","nova_meta_subtitle":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572],"tags":[5838],"supplier":[155,752,934,13593,2979,1992,649,14956,8038,3749,13425],"class_list":["post-56853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bio-based","tag-bioeconomy","supplier-airbus","supplier-akzonobel-corporate","supplier-amsilk-gmbh","supplier-customem","supplier-danimer-scientific","supplier-dupont-tate-lyle-bio-products","supplier-fraunhofer-institut-fuer-grenzflaechen-und-bioverfahrenstechnik-igb","supplier-just-egg","supplier-photanol","supplier-university-of-georgia","supplier-vivobarefoot"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56853\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56853"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=56853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}