Biobased and Renewable Products Update

B&C News

B&C’s 2018 Chemical Regulatory Policy Forecast
On January 4, 2018, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C^®) released its much anticipated and highly acclaimed annual Forecast, “Predictions and Outlook for U.S. Federal and International Chemical Regulatory Policy 2018.”  In the Forecast, the lawyers, scientists, and chemical regulatory specialists at B&C and its affiliated consulting firm, The Acta Group (Acta^®), offer comprehensive and highly useful observations on the fast-changing and nuanced area of domestic and global chemical legal, scientific, and regulatory issues expected to be hot topics in 2018.  This 38-page document is full of insights, predictions, and useful information, including predictions and recommendations for the biobased industry.

USDA

USDA Awards Nearly Three Million In Funding For Integrated Biorefinery Optimization

On January 4, 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded the University of Tennessee a $2,994,429 grant to improve biorefinery technologies through the Integrated Biorefinery Optimization (IBO) program.  The project aims to develop and commercialize solvent fractionated lignins to polymeric products for their potential market in building and construction sectors.  The overarching goal of the research is to develop integrated pathways for the extraction of value-added polymeric products from lignin waste/under-valued stream from biorefineries.  The IBO program is coordinated between NIFA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and funds biorefinery technology development projects that aim to reduce costs and improve performance of integrated biorefineries to enhance U.S. energy security.  Funding for the project comes from NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which addresses challenges in food and agricultural sciences through research, extension, and education.

ITA

ITA Issues CVD Orders On Biodiesel From Argentina And Indonesia

On January 4, 2018, the International Trade Administration (ITA) issued in the Federal Register a notice of the countervailing duty (CVD) orders on biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia based on the affirmative final determinations by the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the International Trade Commission (ITC).  As reported in the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG^®) blog post ITC Issues Final Determinations On Biodiesel From Argentina And Indonesia, after DOC issued its final affirmative determination on November 16, 2017, ITC filed its final determination on December 21, 2017, stating that an industry in the United States is materially injured by subsidized imports of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia.  According to the notice, unliquidated entries of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia, entered or withdrawn from a warehouse for consumption on or after August 28, 2017, are subject to the assessment of CVD.  DOC will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess the CVD for the subject merchandise equal to the net countervailable subsidy rates established in the notice.

State

New York City Council Passes Bill To Study Implementation Of Renewable Fuels

On December 28, 2017, New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides announced that the New York City Council unanimously passed a bill on the use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel technologies in the city ferry fleet (INT. 54).  The legislation would require a two-year study on the feasibility of using alternative fuel, including biodiesel, and fuel technologies, including hybrid electric or fuel-cell electric, in city ferries.  The study would include consideration of availability, storage, ferry compatibility, possible barriers, regulatory requirements, and other issues related to renewable fuels.  Based on the findings, the city would determine whether it is feasible and practical to implement the use of renewable fuels.  The bill, which Council Member Constantinides introduced to the Council in 2014, is awaiting Mayor Bill de Blasio’s signature.

Industry

Clariant, Global Bioenergies Announce New Biobased Polymer For Cosmetics

On January 2, 2018, Clariant, a specialty chemicals company, announced the development of a new biobased polymer for cosmetic creams and lotions.  The new ingredient is a rheology modifier that influences formulation viscosity and achieves specific sensorial and texturizing properties for creams and lotions, but does not change the properties of an application.  The polymer contains more than 50 percent renewable carbon derived from sugar-based isobutene.  Global Bioenergies, an industrial biotechnology company, produces the renewable isobutene on a small scale at a demo plant in Germany.  Clariant and Global Bioenergies are working to scale up production volumes.  According to Ralf Zerrer, the Head of Strategic Marketing and Innovation, Business Unit Industrial & Consumer Specialties at Clariant, “[t]he demand for ingredients based on renewable resources is here to stay and will become the norm among brands in the very near future.”

Research

Colombian Researchers Patent Optimized Process For Biodiesel Production

Researchers at the National University of Colombia (UN) have designed and patented a faster and less costly process for producing biodiesel.  The process uses a tube reactor that allows the oil from crops, such as palm, soybean, or jatropha and alcohol, such as methanol, to flow in opposite directions and react without mixing.  Differences in density cause the biodiesel-containing oil phase to rise while the alcohol phase containing glycerol descends.  The “countercurrent operation” requires fewer steps and less equipment than other production processes.  To date, the system has been recognized with four patents, including one in the U.S.

Other News