Tag: biobased

Algae-based batteries, biodegradable COVID-19 tests, BMW’s biobased coatings, Heinz biobottles, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of May 19th

May 18, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

Can you imagine running a computer chip on algae – yes, algae – for more than six months? Apparently, that’s now possible thanks to biochemists at the University of Cambridge who created the biobased battery alternative to power small electronics during their “pandemic project”. And speaking of the pandemic, goodness knows we’ve taken more COVID-19 […]

Microbial cellulose as leather alternative, flax fiber bridge, cacao pod waste for whiskey packaging, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of May 12th

May 11, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

Biomaterials company Nanollose is now working with California-based leather alternative company von Holzhausen on microbial cellulose as potential leather alternatives. A Dutch city opened up a pedestrian bridge made of flax fiber, biobased resin and polyurethane foam. In Scotland, famed whiskey distiller Macallan launched a new whiskey that uses cacao pod waste for its packaging. […]

DAB.bio’s turbocharged fermenter reduces biomanufacturing costs by 50%

May 8, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

We love fermentation. From Amyris’ new fermentation capacity in Brazil, to BIO-CAT Microbials’ investment of $35 million in a fermentation facility, fermentation may be an ‘old’ technology dating back to 7,000 BC or earlier for beverages, but it just keeps getting better and better with age like a fine wine. So the latest news from […]

Biobased Mattel toys, lion burgers & tiger tacos, biobased textiles at the Academy Awards, DOE & Bridgestone guayule rubber, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of April 7th

April 6, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

The bioeconomy is up and roaring with lion burgers and tiger tacos, but don’t worry, no animals are actually killed for the exotic meat. It’s Primeval Foods lab-grown, cultivated exotic meats that people would otherwise not get to consume. And if that’s not fun enough for you, check out Mattel’s new biobased, carbon neutral toys […]

Avantium reaches Financial Close for its FDCA Flagship Plant

April 3, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

In the Netherlands, Avantium N.V., a renewable chemistry tech company, said it reached Financial Close for the construction of its FDCA Flagship Plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The world’s first commercial FDCA factory is set to produce 5 kilotonnes of FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) per annum, the key building block for the 100% fossil-free, recyclable polymer […]

Exclusive Digest Q&A with Avantium’s CEO about World’s 1st FDCA Flagship Plant

March 13, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

The stars were aligning for the world’s 1st FDCA Flagship Plant construction when Avantium’s shareholders granted the requested approvals for all items on the agenda related to it earlier this year with an expected operational date of 2024, enabling the commercial launch of PEF from 2024 onwards. So what’s the status now? What’s the inside […]

Gigacorn microbial cement, hemp rebar, date waste for filtration membranes, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of March 4th

March 3, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

Rebuilding in a more sustainable way is top of mind for this week’s Top 8 Innovations. From a composite reinforcing material made of hemp stalk and bioplastic to create a rebar as strong as steel for construction to a ‘gigacorn’ cement alternative using microbes and without emitting carbon dioxide, rebuilding is getting greener and more […]

Biobutadiene, Bolt Threads, 3D printed finger robots, walking on eggshells, new biobased fashion and textiles, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of February 17th

February 16, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

It was a big week for biobased fashion news with mushroom yoga bags made from Bolt Threads for high-end athleisure brand Lululemon, Hugo Boss investing in cellulosic fiber technology, and the creation of a new plant-based textile fiber organization to start with. In today’s Digest, there also came news about new 3D printed squishy finger […]

Biopolymers for smartphones, Romanian hoof fungus furniture, Clariant’s biobased surfactants, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of February 11th

February 10, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

We know smartphones and electronics are huge resource sucks that utilize rare minerals, fossil fuels, and precious resources, so cheers to a China-based smartphone maker that is now using a biobased polycarbonate copolymer produced by Saudi Arabia’s SABIC. And in Japan, Kaneka is investing $130 million to triple production capacity for its biopolymer brand Green […]

Oscar Mayer’s bologna-esque face mask, biobased traffic pillars, Delta airlines’ bamboo, algae-based skis, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of February 3rd

February 2, 2022 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

In what seems like a twisted, alternate universe, famous wiener maker and bologna bliss master, Oscar Mayer, launched a face mask that looks like bologna but is made out of seaweed, witch hazel and collagen (and as clearly marked on their packaging, is not meant to be eaten). If walking around with a bologna-looking […]