GLOBAL BIOENERGIES: FIRST BATCH OF ISOBUTENE FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES DELIVERED TO ARKEMA
06 May 2015 - 03:10AM
Global Bioenergies (NYSE Alternext Paris: ALGBE) announces
the delivery of the first batch of isobutene from renewable
resources to Arkema six months ahead of the projected schedule.
Since its startup in November 2014, Global
Bioenergies' industrial pilot - installed on the Pomacle-Bazancourt
agro-industrial site near Reims in France - has been operated
almost continuously with the support of ARD, an affiliate of French
sugar producer Cristal Union. The first tasks consisted in scaling
up the fermentation results achieved in the laboratory, followed by
the startup of the purification and packaging module to allow the
production of purified isobutene batches.
Global Bioenergies announces today that the
first batches of isobutene from renewable resources have been
packaged and shipped. The entire production chain has therefore
been integrated for the first time: wheat starch-derived glucose
has been converted into gaseous isobutene by single-step
fermentation, which has in turn been purified and liquefied, before
being packaged in pressurized cylinders dedicated to the transport
of industrial gases.
Frédéric Pâques, Global Bioenergies' COO
declares: "Thanks to the cooperation of ARD's and
Global Bioenergies' teams, the scaling up of our process in
our industrial pilot has been achieved in record time. This is in
line with our fundamental belief that the fermentative production
of a gas facilitates the scaling up efforts. This hypothesis is
being confirmed day after day".
One cylinder filled with liquefied isobutene was
then shipped to Arkema's Pierre Bénite site south of Lyon as part
of the BioMA+ project, which is financed by the French State
(Investissements d'Avenir, operated by the ADEME). The isobutene
will be converted into methacrylic acid - a key component of
acrylic paints - at a pilot unit operated by Arkema.
Jean-Luc Dubois, Scientific Director at Arkema
declares: "Arkema was already in contact with Global Bioenergies
when its fermentation process was still in its infancy. The
delivery of this first cylinder illustrates all the achievements of
the past few years. Being the representative of the chemical
industry chosen by Global Bioenergies for this program is also a
demonstration of Arkema's will to develop the bioeconomy.".
Marc Delcourt, CEO of Global Bioenergies
concludes: "Being able to deliver isobutene batches to
industrialists further strengthens Global Bioenergies position. The
Company has passed a major turning-point in its development.
Concomitantly, we observe a favorable evolution of key market
indicators for the bioeconomy: decreasing sugar prices and a
gradual recovery of oil prices. The barrel of Brent has already
increased by about 50% to $66 from its low point of January. A new
50% increase would bring it back to $100".
About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES
Global Bioenergies is one of the few companies
worldwide, and the only one in Europe, that is developing a process
to convert renewable resources into hydrocarbons through
fermentation. The Company initially focused its efforts on the
production of isobutene, one of the most important petrochemical
building blocks that can be converted into fuels, plastics, organic
glass and elastomers. Global Bioenergies continues to improve the
performances of its process, operates its industrial pilot and has
begun the construction of its demo plant. The company also
replicated its achievement to propylene and butadiene, two members
of the gaseous olefins family, key molecules at the heart of
petrochemical industry. Global Bioenergies is listed on Alternext,
Euronext Paris (FR0011052257 - ALGBE).
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Contact
GLOBAL BIOENERGIES Jean-Baptiste BARBAROUX
Head of Corporate Development Phone: 01 64 98 20 50 Email:
jean-baptiste.barbaroux@global-bioenergies.com
Press Release http://hugin.info/166909/R/1919011/686944.pdf
HUG#1919011
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