SBE Supplement: Commercializing Industrial Biotechnology - SBE Update: Is There a Future for Biotechnology in the Commercial Production of Chemicals? | AIChE

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SBE Supplement: Commercializing Industrial Biotechnology - SBE Update: Is There a Future for Biotechnology in the Commercial Production of Chemicals?

SBE Special Section
June
2016

The short answer is yes. It is becoming clear that industrial biotechnology is moving from the lab to commercial production of high-value chemicals. The first article in this supplement, “Biomass Processing by the Numbers” by Bernard Cooker of Chemical Processing Solutions, provides snapshots of biomass processing projects as a function of feedstock, products, stage of development, and geographical location.

Some applications of bio-based processing offer clear economic advantages over traditional petrochemical approaches. A brief look at the basic feedstocks for chemical production provides the context for biotechnology opportunities.

Most chemicals and polymers are built upon five basic building blocks — methane, ethane, propane, butane, and aromatics. Methane, ethane, and propane are produced from low-cost natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs), and there are few opportunities for biotechnology to replace those routes unless incentives are offered. The well-known ethanol incentive is an example of legislation driving the commercial practice of fermenting corn to ethanol for blending into gasoline to achieve emission standards. On the other hand, Brazil’s sugarcane-based ethanol production does...

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