Microalgae Biodiesel Production: Emerging Catalysts and Techniques

🧪 Sumitomo Chemical Scales Up Ethanol-to-Propylene Technology Sumitomo Chemical has launched a pilot facility at its Chiba Works (Sodegaura, Japan) to demonstrate its new process for directly converting ethanol into propylene, an innovation aimed at reducing reliance on fossil-based feedstocks in the petrochemical industry. 🔬 What’s new? – The process produces propylene directly from ethanol without passing through ethylene – Hydrogen is generated as a valuable by-product – Supported by NEDO’s Green Innovation Fund, the project accelerates Japan’s raw material conversion roadmap 🌱 Sustainability edge: Ethanol can be derived from biomass (sugarcane, corn, pulp) and even combustible waste, offering a promising alternative to naphtha-based propylene. 💡 Commercialization Outlook: Sumitomo aims to bring the process to market by the early 2030s, including plans to license the technology and market polypropylene derived from bio-propylene. 🏗️ The initiative is part of Sumitomo Chemical’s broader shift toward low-impact, value-generating technologies, including its long-term vision for a “GX Solutions Business” model to help customers monetize their CO₂ reduction contributions. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gD4hF8Ye SUMITOMO CHEMICAL ASIA PTE LTD | Sumitomo Chemical Latin America #PUdaily #SumitomoChemical #Propylene #EthanolToPropylene #BioPropylene #GreenInnovation #GXSolutions #SustainableChemistry

🚀 New Publication Alert! I am delighted to share our recent review article published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (Impact Factor 16.3, Scopus Q1 indexed): “Advanced approaches for mitigating impact of pre-treatment generated inhibitors in lignocellulosic hydrolysates: A comprehensive review” 👉 https://lnkd.in/gfSjYmvx 🔬 Why this matters: Second-generation (2G) bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass offers a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. However, pre-treatment of biomass generates toxic inhibitors (furans, weak acids, phenolics) that hinder microbial growth and reduce ethanol yield. 📌 Our review comprehensively covers: Mechanisms of inhibitor generation and toxicity State-of-the-art detoxification strategies (physical, chemical, biological, and hybrid) Microbial bioprospecting, adaptive evolution, and metabolic engineering for inhibitor-tolerant strains Integration of multi-omics and AI-driven modeling to unravel stress-response pathways and guide precise strain engineering Future directions for building commercially viable, eco-friendly lignocellulosic biorefineries This work was a collaborative effort with Harpreet Kaur (IIT Bombay/Monash University) and Dr. Naseem A. Gaur (ICGEB, New Delhi). I hope this article serves as a valuable resource for researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers working toward sustainable energy transitions. #Bioethanol #Biorefinery #Sustainability #Lignocellulose #SyntheticBiology #RenewableEnergy #Fermentation

Where are the best locations to produce #eFuels in Europe? What are the biogenic and industrial CO2 point source potentials? How much more synthetic fuels could be produced if we include emissions from unavoidable industrial point source e.g. from cement plants? These questions will be answered in a joint webinar on September 3rd. On behalf of Electric Natural Gas (e-NG) Coalition and eFuel Alliance, Frontier Economics has developed a study to assess different CO2 point sources in Europe. We have assessed biogenic and industrial sources from biogas plants, bioethanol and biodiesel production, pulp and paper, waste incineration, power plants which have or will switch to biofuels, steel, cement, organic chemicals, refineries and many more. Our Excel sheet includes 3,583 point sources. But not all of them might be useful from a political or economic perspective. Which point sources will still be available in 2050? This webinar will: Present the findings of the study, including geographic clusters of CO₂ potential; Compare EU 🇪🇺 rules with those in the UK 🇬🇧 and USA 🇺🇲 ; Discuss how regulatory adjustments could unlock additional volumes—enabling the production of up to 4️⃣ 0️⃣ billion litres more synthetic fuels and gases by 2050. Please register for free here: https://lnkd.in/drpT3W_Q

In a (future) defossilized World, sustainable Carbon and Carbon sources, could become one of the most thought after commodtities, since roughly 90% of the stuff, we use in our everday lives, is based on Carbon. Fuels are large part of that, but not all of it, since large parts of the Chemical Industry is based on Hydrocarbons. Where will the Carbon come from after 2050? https://lnkd.in/eTpUEDGE

Check out our last research article about "Carbon-Based Heterogeneous Catalysis for Biomass Conversion to Levulinic Acid: A Special Focus on the Catalyst". The paper emphasizes the importance of a synergistic interaction between the binding domain and the hydrolysis domain in carbon-based catalysts for effective cellulose-derived levulinic acid (LA) production. We also highlight the advantages and limitations of carbon-based materials compared to conventional catalysts, discusses recent advancements, and identifies key challenges and future research directions for more efficient, sustainable, and scalable LA production processes. María Cristina Area https://lnkd.in/dwg5tpfj

HighChem and Hokkaido University Establish Joint Lab for Mass Production of Plant-Based PET Bottles HighChem and Hokkaido University have established the "HighChem Hokkaido University R&D Lab" under their Industry Creation Program. On June 13, a joint press conference was held at the Hokkaido University Centennial Memorial Hall. During the press conference, presentations were made on the groundbreaking research aimed at the commercialization of plant-derived future PET bottles and fibers. The two companies discussed how their collaboration would generate synergistic effects and advance these technologies. Today, we’ll introduce the highlights of the press conference and an overview of the presentation! Groundbreaking Joint Research with Hokkaido University, a Leader in Catalysis Research, and a Trading Company with Multiple Commercialization Achievements At the press conference, Keiichi Aoshima, Director of HighChem Tokyo Research Lab, explained the background of the establishment of the "HighChem Hokkaido University R&D Lab." Regarding the groundbreaking nature of the joint development, Director Aoshima emphasized, groundbreaking aspects of this joint development: "Research on creating polymers from biomass is being pursued both domestically and internationally, but the challenge has been that the entire process from raw material procurement to application development has not been connected in a coherent line. This collaboration between a trading company and a university aims to expedite the societal implementation of the products."  In advancing research towards societal implementation, HighChem presented examples of its achievements in implementing ethylene glycol, a key material for PET bottles, derived from non-petroleum sources, and its ongoing work since 2021 on PLA (polylactic acid) fiber production. Additionally, they highlighted that Hokkaido University is one of the few organizations in Japan with top-tier catalytic research capabilities. Due to Hokkaido's natural resources, the university is actively advancing research in biomass utilization. Director Aoshima emphasized, "We aim to leverage HighChem’s commercialization achievements and the network we have cultivated to harness the catalytic expertise of Hokkaido University, the synergy of the catalyst research institute, and accelerate the commercialization of biomass-derived PET bottles and fibers."  Please refer to the following link for more details. https://lnkd.in/gfkjZK5W

🌱 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓-𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟏 | 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 & 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 The Biobutanol market is projected to reach $5.8 million by 2031, expanding at a remarkable CAGR of 22.4% (2025-2031). This report explores the evolving U.S. tariff framework and global trade adjustments, highlighting their impact on market competitiveness, regional economic shifts, and supply chain resilience. Biobutanol, produced via biomass fermentation, is gaining traction as a renewable fuel and industrial solvent. Compared to ethanol, it offers higher energy density, lower vapor pressure, and better blending compatibility with gasoline, making it a strong candidate for sustainable energy transition and advanced industrial applications. 🔍 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭? ✅ 📈 High Growth Potential – CAGR of 22.4% till 2031 ✅ 🌍 U.S. Tariff Analysis – Policy influence on global biochemicals trade ✅ 🔋 Superior Energy Density – Closer to gasoline vs ethanol ✅ 🌱 Sustainable Alternative – Bio-based, renewable, and eco-friendly ✅ 🏭 Industrial Versatility – Fuel & solvent applications ✅ 📊 Market Segmentation – By type & application insights ✅ 🚀 Emerging Demand – Driven by green fuel initiatives worldwide ✅ 🔗 Supply Chain Outlook – Global distribution & production capacity ✅ 🏆 Competitive Intelligence – Profiles of leading innovators ✅ 💡 Data-Driven Insights – Production, consumption, and pricing trends 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬: Gevo, Inc.,Godavari Biorefineries Limited 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗗𝗙 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁. https://lnkd.in/gp98mPgv #Biobutanol #Biofuels #SustainableEnergy #GreenChemicals #IndustrialSolvents #USTariff #MarketForecast #RenewableEnergy #CleanTech #FutureFuels

Sumitomo Chemical has launched a pilot plant in Sodegaura (Chiba Works) to demonstrate its innovative single-step process for producing propylene directly from ethanol, backed by the NEDO Green Innovation Fund. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: • 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐥-𝐭𝐨-𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 (ETP) process, eliminating intermediate steps. • 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 and reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional naphtha cracking. • 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 of hydrogen as a valuable by-product. • 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 ethanol sources including biomass and waste-derived feedstocks. • 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & licensing targeted by early 2030s. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://lnkd.in/g6t5VmyM This innovation marks a significant stride toward the petrochemical industry’s green transformation (GX) by enabling circular value chains, sustainable raw material use, and CO₂ reduction. #Innovation #GreenChemistry #Propylene #Hydrogen #NetZero #Biomass #CircularEconomy #EnergyTransition #Decarbonization #SumitomoChemical

Engineers India Limited (EIL) has received a patent from the Indian Patent Office for its innovative design titled “Distillation Column Internals Design for 2G Ethanol BioRefinery with Very Low Lignin Biomass Feed.” Remarkably, this patent was granted in under two years, making it one of the fastest awarded to EIL. Read the full article here🔗 https://lnkd.in/gGg9uxK6 #BET #Sustainability #BioEnergyTimes #2GEthanol #BioRefinery #Innovation #CleanEnergy #EngineersIndia #EthanolEconomy #Biofuels #EnergyTransition #Sustainability Hardeep Singh Puri | Vartika Shukla

2G Ethanol production space, transforming biomass into sustainable biofuel! This isn't just about energy; it's about empowering rural economies, reducing carbon footprints, and driving India towards a greener, more self-reliant future. #2GEthanol #SecondGenerationEthanol #Biofuel #BiomassToBiofuel #LignocellulosicEthanol