In Spain, EU Startups reported that Sonichem, an UK-based startup that converts low-value forestry by-products into high-value, renewable biochemicals, has secured $1.5 million in Pre-Series A funding including a follow-on investment by ACF Investors. The investment will be used to further develop its technology and finalize plans for a biorefinery plant. Adrian Black, CEO of […]
In East Midlands, UK, forestry waste-to-chemicals startup Sonichem has raised €1.4 million ($1.5 million) in a Pre-Series A funding, including a follow-on investment from ACF Investors. The funds will be used to advance its process technology, which is capable of converting £1 of sawdust into £8 worth of biobased chemicals, and to begin planning its […]
In the UK, Bio-Sep has secured $1.7 million its our green-tech that turns sawdust into sustainable biochemicals, from investors including London Business School’s Enterprise 100 investment club and ACF Investors, with additional participation from a hedge fund that specialises in climate and clean energy technology. Bio-Sep is currently upcycling sawdust, which is the most widely […]
In North Carolina, North Carolina State University researchers have developed a new biomaterial that could help solve the worsening problem of plastic pollution by discovering how to convert leftover sawdust powder and agro-residues into a Styrofoam-like packaging material. The wood-based material could someday replace the plastics found in many single-use items. With support from the […]
In Finland, acting on behalf of North European Bio Tech Oy (NEB), St1 has begun the analysis and signed letters of intent with Alholmens Kraft and UPM on a sawdust-based ethanol plant in the Alholma industrial area in Pietarsaari. The planned production capacity of the plant is 50 million litres of advanced bioethanol per year. […]
In Nigeria, a new project produces clean fuel for cooking stoves to replace kerosene using sawdust, grass and waste paper. The new gel fuel is selling for about $1 a liter, which is seeing uptake thanks to the scarcity in some areas of kerosene.
In Russia, the deputy transport minister has announced that the country will begin producing biojet fuel from sawdust due to the vast amount of forestry waste in the country. Though the fuel is not expected to be cheaper than kerosene, the government will not apply an environmental tax to it. More on the story.
We’ve long been fans of the Finns, their smart forest management practices, their innovative products and the complete lack of hype and bluster coming out of Helsinki. It’s the Quiet Country, but really they are the Fab Finns, whose actions speak volumes. Here are the Top 20 bioproducts we’ve seen in Fab Finland, in alphabetical […]
In Norway, Circa Group AS and Thailand’s National PowerSupply Public Company Limited (NPS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the evaluation of sites for Circa’s next stage FC6 plant. FC6 will produce approximately 12,000 metric tons of green solvent Cyrene™ and platform chemical levoglucosenone (LGO). National Power Supply Public Company Limited (NPS) is a Thai producer […]
In Germany, a team of researchers from the University of Freiburg and the Leibniz Institute for New Materials (INM) in Saarbrücken is working on in the DELIVER project to develop wood replacement products from microorganisms. The aim is to create a database of hundreds of materials with a broad range of controllable properties for various […]
