Limited Biofuels M&A Activity in 2019, Stage Set for Potentially Busy 2020

February 18, 2020 |

Advanced Biofuels

Advanced biofuels saw limited M&A activity during 2019. Two plants traded in 2019. The three other deals involved technology or intellectual property.  None of the deals, as follows, disclosed terms:

  • Seaboard Energy purchased Synata Bio’s idled cellulosic ethanol plant in Hugoton, Kansas. Seaboard is evaluating the best potential opportunities and uses for the acquired assets, including modifications to produce renewable diesel. Synata Bio had originally purchased the non-operating plant out of bankruptcy from Abengoa in 2016.
  • Brazil-based GranBio acquired the physical assets and intellectual property portfolio of American Process, based in Atlanta, Georgia. The acquisition includes American Process’ bio-refinery in Alpena, Michigan. GranBio intends to use the acquired assets’ intellectual property for conversion of biomass to renewable fuels, chemicals and nanocellulose.
  • Genomatica acquired the assets of REG Life Sciences. Genomatica will continue to collaborate with ExxonMobil and Clariant to progress the advanced biofuels research program started at REG.
  • New Energy Blue acquired exclusive rights to Inbicon’s bio-conversion technology throughout the US. New Energy Blue intends to employ the technology at its Spiritwood, North Dakota refinery, where it will convert wheat and barley straw and corn stover into cellulosic ethanol.
  • Petron Scientech acquired cellulosic process technology assets from Dupont. The acquired assets included DuPont’s process technology to produce cellulosic ethanol from biomass.

Lastly, let’s look at what this all means for the North American biofuels outlook for 2020.

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