Page 163 - CW E-Magazine (16-7-2024)

News from Abroad

SUSTAINABLE CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING
Solugen secures $214-mn loan from US-DoE

to make chemicals from corn sugar

US-based startup, Solugen, has
secured a $214-mn loan commitment
from the US Department of Energy
(DoE) to build a “Bioforge”, or sus-
tainable chemicals plant, in Marshall,
Minnesota, USA.

According to Solugen’s CEO Mr.
Gaurab Chakrabarti and CTO Mr. Sean
Hunt, the company’s ‘Bioforge’ tech-
nology platform turns corn sugar (also
known as dextrose) into sustainable
chemicals that are critical ingredients
for the production of concrete, indus- methods. ‘Bioforge’ is scheduled to “Scaling our Bioforge platform is not
trial and wastewater treatments, and begin production in 2025. only a technological advancement, but
household detergents. Solugen’s chemi- a strategic move to fortify the domestic
cals can replace or reduce the need Before attaining the substantial loan supply chain for critical chemicals.
for others made from petroleum. commitment from the DOE, Solugen This project will serve as a model for
had raised more than $640-mn in ven- how innovative technologies can revive
The facility is designed to reduce ture funding from firms including Baillie American industries and maintain our
carbon emissions by up to 18-ktpa Gifford, GIC, Temasek, BlackRock, competitive edge on a global scale,”
compared to incumbent production Founders Fund, Fifty Years and Refactor. said Mr. Hunt.
Kemira bolsters water treatment offering with UK

activated carbon acquisition

Finland based speciality chemicals been introduced in recent EU regu-
maker, Kemira, has agreed to but lation updates.
Norit’s UK reactivation business from
Purton Carbons Ltd. expanding its The scope of the agreement includes
water treatment offering to include acti- the reactivation facility in Purton, UK.
vated carbon. Reactivation regenerates spent granular
or pelletised activated carbons, making
“This acquisition is the first step for them ready for another reuse cycle. The
Kemira in entering the activated carbon acquired reactivation facility produces
market for micropollutants removal,” green reactivation for potable water
the company said. and food-related applications, and
removal is expected to become increas- Amber reactivation which is used for
Activated carbon is the most com- ingly relevant for water and waste- other non-food related applications.
mon technology to remove odour and water treatment plants due to grow-
taste in drinking water, as well as micro- ing concern for consumer health and Revenue of the acquired plant in
pollutants including per- and poly- environmental safety. In addition, PFAS 2023 was “some millions of euros” and
fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water removal from drinking water and micro- 9 employees will transfer to Kemira as
treatment applications. Micropollutant pollutant removal from wastewater have part of the transaction.

Chemical Weekly July 16, 2024 163

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