US Energy Department offers $2.5 million grant for the joint venture of Calysta Inc. and NatureWorks

Leading companies of the world are enjoying good attention by the US Energy Department as they award bio-based producers with grant for continuing their programs in eco friendly deals. Solegear Bioplastics Inc. and Natureworks LLC have got new funds for their renewable product project. In order to offer the chance for continuing the joint venture between Calysta Inc. and NatureWorks, the $2.5 million grant by the U.S. Energy Department is being offered. This joint venture has been planned for turning natural methane biogas into lactic acid so that the Ingeo-brand polylactic acid resin of NatureWorks can be produced.

Read more about the deal here at – http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20141103/NEWS/141109989/bioplastics-firms-win-new-funding

This project will utilize gas to chemical technology of Calysta whereas methane can be an optional feedstock according to the company’s official. According to the NatureWorks executive Ken Williams, methane to lactic acid conversion technology out of this revolution is good enough for offering an optional feedstock for Ingeo production.

The finance being offered by the U.S. Energy Department is supportive for growth in sales and marketing of the bio-plastic composting project. Officials further state that Solegear is working for production of polysole-brand bioplastic which is completely compostable and bio-based. This will make bioplastic industry developed and advance.

Bio-based chemical industry is growing with the NatureWorks valuable Ingeo project

With the requirement of technical development and sustainable energy solutions, everyone is focusing over bio-based industry and chemistry nowadays. According to Steve Davies, the Director of public affairs NatureWorks, bio-based chemistry has attained good position in the international market. The market demand and increasing requirement of getting alternatives for conventional energy sources motivates researchers to discover new options with the bio-based raw materials. Long term growth potential can be judged with variety of factors regarding performance, price, channel development, feedstock diversity and production ability.

Read more about this matter here at - http://greenchemicalsblog.com/2014/08/14/natureworks-interviewed-by-specialchem4bio/

NatureWorks is working hard to find the process of converting methane into lactic acid directly under an R&D contract. This research will help the company to find a feasible way to simplify the Ingeo manufacturing route. Ingeo is competitive for other resins for its performance, competitive price, low carbon footprint. The product is identified by multiple users and producers where performance is the utmost demand. The second plant of the company will be set up with the idea of using sugarcane or cassava for manufacturing of Ingeo. The company is investing in a joint technology development program with Calysta for the feasibility of methane conversion. Alternative feedstocks for Ingeo will support for price stability.

NatureWorks and Calysta shall work together to develop bioplastics straightly from methane

The US Based company Calysta Energy Incorporation & NatureWorks LLC is announcing their research of fermentation of methane gas in which they are looking at the conversion of methane gas into the industrial chemical lactic acid building the blocks for the need of bioplastics. Generally methane is generated by the decomposition of waste components of plants and creatures as well as by the landfill organic waste and waste water treatment. It’s a long time process.

If the artificial transformation of methane gas into lactic acid gets successful then it will be great source of feedstock of carbon. The Calysta energy inc. are presenting the utilization of significant greenhouse gases by the transformation of it into industrial and high value chemicals like lactic acid. This approach is very demonstrative to the real power of biology in comparison to the chemical transformation because it would be really costly to make lactic acid from the methane gas by the transformation using traditional catalysts; although sugarcane and corn are also a good source of carbon feedstock.

In fact nowadays Ingeo is rely on sugarcane as well as corn for the feed stocking of carbon. It is finding the feasibility of methane gas as a feedstock of lactic acid and may take up on five years long. For more information please see website ~ http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20140327/NEWS/140329888/natureworks-calysta-to-work-jointly-to-develop-bioplastics-directly