Hexagon lands deal to manufacture new hydrogen tanks

Hexagon will be developing hydrogen storage tanks for an unnamed automaker

Hexagon Composites has announced that it has settled a new deal with an unnamed automaker. The deal represents the largest of its kind in the company’s history. Per the deal, Hexagon will be responsible for manufacturing hydrogen tanks that will be used by fuel cell vehicles. These vehicles are being developed by the automaker that has formed a deal with Hexagon.

Manufacturing expected to begin in 2020

According to Hexagon, production of the new vehicles is expected to begin in 2020 and will carry on for five years. The new hydrogen tanks will be manufactured alongside these vehicles. The tanks themselves will be developed at Hexagon’s manufacturing facility in Nebraska.

The demand for hydrogen storage solutions is growing quickly. Most of the world’s leading automakers are developing fuel cell vehicles, with plans to deploy these new cars in the coming years. These vehicles will need effective storage systems in order to efficiently and safely make use of hydrogen fuel. Hexagon Composites has experienced in this field.

Automakers are forming new deals to succeed in clean transportation:

Several automakers have begun working with companies like Hexagon in order to secure the future of their fuel cell vehicles. Companies like General Motors and Honda have partnered with Chinese companies in order to accelerate their clean transportation plans, for example.

Largest H2 utility fleet & first clean multi-fuel station unveiled in France

The ENGIE filling station, located in the heart of the International Market of Rungis, will power a fleet of 50 hydrogen-powered Renault Kangoo Z.E. utility vehicles, recently made available for long-term rental through Alphabet, provider of mobility solutions for companies. It is the largest hydrogen utility fleet and the first alternative multi-fuel station in France. The whole project has been given financial support from the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU).

The Renault Kangoo vans will be used by ENGIE Cofely technicians to ensure multi-technical operations and maintenance work for commercial buildings in the Ile-de-France. Equipped with extended hydrogen autonomy systems by Symbio, these vehicles neither produce particles nor gas emissions, and are further enhanced with a reduced recharge time and greater autonomy.

This station has a provisional refueling capacity of 20 kg/day in hydrogen but should increase rapidly to 80 kg/day. This scale corresponds to the immediate needs of current vehicles in the south of Paris. The definitive installation will produce renewable hydrogen on site with an electrolyzer powered solely by renewable energy. The hydrogen station was designed, manufactured and integrated by McPhy.

With a stream of more than 25,000 vehicles per day, the Rungis Market, which offers free motorway toll to all clean vehicles that use the station for refueling, is a strategic location for the development of green mobility for freight transport in Ile-de-France.

ENGIE owns, through its subsidiary GNVert, more than 150 alternative fuel stations in France.

Source: ENGIE

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Symphony & Eranova Collaborate for Algae-based Biopolymers Development

Symphony Environmental has announced that it has signed a collaboration agreement and commitment to a strategic investment (“Agreement”) with Eranova SAS (“Eranova”), a company registered in France.

Using Pollutant as a Source to Manufacture Bioplastics:

 Eranova has developed a unique technology and process (the “Technology”) which extracts starch from algae for use with other materials. The starch can be combined with other polymers to produce compounded resins which are compostable and biodegradable. These can be used to manufacture a wide range of finished products (“bioplastics”).

In addition, the Technology can be developed to produce biofuel, biopolymers, proteins for food and animal feed stock, as well as by-products for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Eranova is the applicant for PCT patent WO 2017/0463656 A1 and the application has been registered in several territories.

The importance of the Technology is that it will be possible to manufacture polymers from natural raw materials without the need to use arable land and fresh-water resources normally used for growing food crops. There is also a synergy with Symphony’s existing technologies to enhance the technical performance of polymers that will use the Technology.

 

The Main Terms of the Agreement are:

• The Group will initially subscribe €500,122 for an 8% shareholding in Eranova when fully funded to start its pre-industrial development (the “Subscription”)
• The Group will have an option to subscribe at market value for further shares to increase its shareholding to 51% of Eranova’s enlarged issued share capital, exercisable in one or more tranches at any time within three years after the initial investment
• Symphony will have representation on the Board of Eranova

The Subscription is subject to completion of due diligence to the satisfaction of Symphony’s Board including confirmation that all other funding for Eranova is in place and ready to drawdown to start its pre-industrial development. The Subscription is financeable within Symphony’s current resources.

In addition, Symphony will have the right to purchase 75% of Eranova compound made in the Middle East and North Africa, for sale as compound or in manufactured finished products within the Middle East region exclusively, and on a non-exclusive basis globally, excepting thirteen(mainly European) countries for which Eranova will have exclusivity.

Symphony’s Investment

Eranova requires a total of €4,790,000 to start its pre-industrial development and Symphony’s investment represents one of the final tranches required. The project has won the backing of ADEME, (the French Environmental & Energy Management Agency), who after due diligence by KPMG, are supporting the project with €1,031,000 of funding. Eranova is also receiving funding from PACA (the French region of Provence Alpes Cote ‘d’Azur) together with private investment and soft loans.

Pre-industrial Development:

 Pre-industrial development is expected to start in the second half of 2018 and will consist of constructing long seawater tanks, called “raceways”, where Eranova will optimize cultivation of algae for the production of the starch extract. The raceways constructed during this phase will represent 1/50 scale of a full commercial facility and will cover 1.2 hectares.
This phase will also involve conversion of the resultant starch into bioplastic compounds. Eranova has signed an agreement to begin installation of the pre industrial development with the Grand Port de Marseille, and TOTAL TDR, a division of the TOTAL petrochemical company, will be supporting certain employment costs due to the innovative nature of the Technology.
The current majority owners, and directors, of Eranova are Philippe Michon, who is, and has been Symphony’s French distributor for over thirteen years, and Phillipe Lavoisier, a chemical engineer who has invented the Technology. He was an R&D manager at 3M and has worked for many years in the plastic film industry.

The Key Benefits of the Technology are:

• Using a natural renewable waste product which pollutes beaches
• A non-food-based resource (compared to corn or potatoes)
• Higher yields per hectare due to the fast growing-rate of algae compared to food-crops
• Early stage processing shows good mechanical properties and competitive cost
• Potential new markets for by-products of the TechnologyPre-industrial development is expected to start in the second half of 2018 and will consist of constructing long seawater tanks, called “raceways”, where Eranova will optimize cultivation of algae for the production of the starch extract. The raceways constructed during this phase will represent 1/50 scale of a full commercial facility and will cover 1.2 hectares.
  This phase will also involve conversion of the resultant starch into bioplastic compounds. Eranova has signed an agreement to begin installation of the pre industrial development with the Grand Port de Marseille, and TOTAL TDR, a division of the TOTAL petrochemical company, will be supporting certain employment costs due to the innovative nature of the Technology.
  The current majority owners, and directors, of Eranova are Philippe Michon, who is, and has been Symphony’s French distributor for over thirteen years, and Phillipe Lavoisier, a chemical engineer who has invented the Technology. He was an R&D manager at 3M and has worked for many years in the plastic film industry.
  

  The Key Benefits of the Technology are:

  
  
• Using a natural renewable waste product which pollutes beaches
• A non-food-based resource (compared to corn or potatoes)
• Higher yields per hectare due to the fast growing-rate of algae compared to food-crops
• Early stage processing shows good mechanical properties and competitive cost
• Potential new markets for by-products of the Technology

 Source: Symphony

EFFECTIVE Project Receives Grant for Biobased Fibers & Plastics Development

AquafilSLO has announced that it will act as the coordinator of a consortium which has been awarded a grant from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU), a public/private partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC).

Innovative Biobased Chemical Technology:
The grant, for 7.1 million euros, is for the “EFFECTIVE” project, which aims to demonstrate first of its kind and economically viable ways to produce more sustainable fibers and plastic films. The focus is on making biobased polyamides and polyesters from renewable feedstocks rather than oil and gas and aims to accelerate progress toward a more circular economy and responsible use of materials. The project intends to enable the use of biobased ingredients to go into widely-used consumer products across multiple markets, such as construction, automotive, packaging, garments, carpets and textile, and demonstrate improved ways of recycling or biodegrading materials.

EFFECTIVE Team Extends from Product Ingredients through Finished Materials, Recycling and more
The participants in the EFFECTIVE project include 12 companies in 7 countries, specializing in:
Renewable feedstocks;
Conversion technologies, including fermentation-based techniques of making widely-used chemicals from renewable feedstocks;
Makers of intermediate and finished products;
Major consumer brands;
Recycling and biodegradability experts;
and sustainability advisors.
The EFFECTIVE project will be coordinated by AquafilSLO (Slovenia) and includes Aquafil S.p.A (Italy), Novamont (Italy), Südzucker (Germany), Carvico (Italy), Vaude (Germany), Balsan (France), H&M Group(Sweden), Bio-Mi (Croatia), CIRCE (Spain), Life Cycle Engineering (Italy) and Circular Change (Slovenia).

Source: Genomatica

Perstorp to Reconstruct Caprolactone Monomer Plant with Increased Capacity

“Perstorp has made significant progress in ‘future-proofing’ its Capa caprolactone monomer plant in Warrington, United Kingdom. The project was announced last August, with work beginning in the final quarter of 2017. Major milestones have already been passed”, says Marie Grönborg, Executive Vice President Specialties & Solutions at Perstorp.

Successful Future for Caprolactone-based Solutions“With this significant investment, Perstorp is making the plant more robust to ensure an even more reliable supply for customers around the world”, says Grönborg. The work will also facilitate future debottlenecking to support market growth. Perstorp is building in the capability for the plant to run with a higher capacity which allows us to increase capacity in the future. During changes in the market last year, Perstorp has made its spare capacity available to the market.

Safety Improved

Safety of the plant is being further improved too. Introduction of state-of-the-art technology and information systems will mean that fewer manual interventions will be required in future.

“We continue to still see strong confidence and demand in the caprolactone market,” says Grönborg. “The polyurethane elastomers segment, which is an important area for caprolactones, is very buoyant, and we are seeing strong growth in coatings and resins. We strive to support and supply our customers’ needs, to maintain our manufacturing reliability and build a successful future for caprolactone-based solutions.”

Project to be Completed in the Second Half of 2019

In 2011 Perstorp completed a major investment of approximately 50 Million Euros, building a second monomer line in Warrington providing additional capacity and redundancy. The current project involves demolition of much of the original plant from 1996, followed by reconstruction from the ground up, to the latest standards. “Demolition has been completed, with new equipment now in place to better support the production facilities,” says Grönborg. “Production of caprolactone is not being affected during the plant upgrade, which consists of installing a new peracetic acid still and new reactors. The project is expected to be complete in the second half of 2019.”
Source: Perstorp

The reintroduction of industrial hemp is in full swing worldwide

Global meeting place of the hemp industry in Cologne in June at the "15th International Conference of the European Industrial Hemp Association". The participants will vote for the first time the “Hemp Product of Year”.

In the 17th century, at the heyday of sailing, hemp flourished in Europe and was an important agriculture crop. Almost all ship sails and almost all rigging, ropes, nets, flags up to the uniforms of the sailors were made of hemp due to the tear and wet strength of the fibre. Trade and warfare depended on hemp; 50 to 100 tons of hemp fibre were needed for the basic equipment of a ship and had to be replaced every one to two years. Until the 18th century hemp fibres together with flax, nettle and wool were the raw materials for the European textile industry. Hemp seeds were food and feed; hemp oil was used both as food and in technical applications.

In the 17th century, several 100,000 hectares of hemp were cultivated in Europe. In competition with cheaper cotton and the decline of sailing shipping in the 19th century, the area under cultivation decreased continuously, but even in 1850 130,000 ha were still cultivated in France and 140,000 ha in Italy. When the synthetic fibres came up in the 20th century, hemp no longer played a role in the post-war reconstruction and many countries banned cultivation due to its proximity to the sister plant marijuana. As a result of these developments, European hemp cultivation collapsed on about 5,000 hectares in France in 1990.

The reintroduction of industrial hemp took place in Great Britain in 1990, a few years later in the Netherlands and Germany and finally throughout Europe. After a short hype on 20,000 ha, the area under cultivation fell again to about 8,000 ha in 2011. But then it really started. After 26,000 ha in 2015, 33,000 ha in 2016, the area under cultivation increased to about 43,000 ha last year. The growing areas are mainly driven by demand in the food sector. Healthy hemp seeds have arrived in the mainstream and can be found today in almost all European supermarkets pure, in muesli, in chocolate and many other products. Hemp seeds can be processed into drinks and yoghurts like soy. There is no end in sight to the rising demand.

Further momentum came with the launch of the non-psychotropic cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD), which has mild calming and focusing effects. It is obtained from the leaves and flowers of hemp. Here, too, demand is high, but cannot be met sufficiently due to a patchwork of national regulations. While discounters in Switzerland successfully sell CBD cigarettes, concentrated CBD is a prescription drug in other EU countries.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is approved as a medicine in virtually all European countries and is produced by the pharmaceutical industry in greenhouses. Here, too, has been strong growth.
Hemp fibres are used in large quantities for lightweight construction in the automotive industry, in insulating materials and for thin, tear-resistant papers (cigarettes and bible papers). The shives, the woody part of the stem, are used as building material and animal litter.
However, it is not only in Europe that industrial hemp enjoys considerable demand. Even before Europe, a dynamic hemp food industry with steady growth developed in Canada. In 2016, 34,000 ha of hemp were cultivated in Canada and in 2017 even the new record of 56,000 ha was achieved. This year the cultivation of industrial hemp will start in the USA, where an additional 50,000 hectares are expected in the next ten years.

And also in China, the mother country of industrial hemp, hemp is being reintroduced, especially for the textile industry, in order to relieve cotton production and perhaps even replace it later. In the northeast of China, there are large programs to introduce enzymatically treated hemp fibres into the textile industry. The Chinese automotive industry also uses hemp fibres for lightweight construction. The total area under cultivation has increased from 40,000 ha (2016) to 47,000 ha (2017).
After hemp had almost completely disappeared after the Second World War and with the worldwide cannabis prohibition as a cultivated plant, today in Canada, China and the European Union about 150,000 hectares are cultivated again – within a few decades the limit of millions can be reached!
The worldwide growing hemp industry meets every year in Cologne (Germany) for the “International Conference of the European Industrial Hemp Association”, this year on 12 and 13 June already for the 15th time. As last year, about 350 participants from 40 countries are expected. The conference will present and discuss the latest developments from all areas of the hemp industry – from seeds to the end product, and 20 exhibitors present their technologies and products. The conference is sponsored by the gold sponsors Canah (Romania), HempFlax (The Netherlands), Hempro Int. (Germany) and MH medical hemp (Germany). Further sponsors are REAKIRO (USA) (silver sponsor) and CBDepot.eu (Czech Republic) (bronze sponsor).

And another highlight awaits the participants of the conference: For the first time ever, an innovation award will be presented for the “Hemp Product of the Year”. Three products each from the areas of food, cosmetics and biocomposites are available (see collage). Participants select the winners per category based on a short introduction of the products. The award winners will then be ceremoniously announced at the evening dinner buffet. The innovation award is presented by the nova-Institute, sponsored this year by the company HempConsult from Düsseldorf.

Total Corbion’s New Technology Creates Full Stereocomplex PLA

Total Corbion PLA, global technology leader in Poly Lactic Acid (PLA), announces the launch of a novel technology that can create full stereocomplex PLA in a broad range of industrial applications.
Biobased Replacement for PBT
The new technology enables stereocomplex PLA – a material with long, regularly interlocking polymer chains that enable an even higher heat resistance than standard PLA. This breakthrough in PLA temperature resistance unlocks a range of new application possibilities, and provides a biobased replacement for PBT and PA glass fiber reinforced products.

Sustainability Benefits
For example, injection molded applications for under-the-hood automotive components can now be made from glass fiber reinforced stereocomplex PLA, offering both a higher biobased content and a reduced carbon footprint. The technology can offer these same sustainability benefits to the wider automotive, aerospace, electronics, home appliance, marine and construction industries.
“Over the past decades, the benefits of full stereocomplex PLA have been studied by universities and R&D departments on a laboratory scale”, says Stefan Barot, Senior Business Director Asia Pacific. “Now, Total Corbion PLA is the first company to scale up this technology and make it available for a broad range of industrial applications. The technology enables full stereocomplex morphology not only in the lab environment but also in commercial production facilities.

Commercial samples of full stereocomplex PLA will soon be made available for customer evaluation. Total Corbion PLA is looking for brand owners, converters and compounders that wish to validate and capitalize on this new technology.

Source: Total Corbion PLA