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The pilot project for producing 1,000 tons of PHA by COFCO officially commenced. Author/Source: Energy and Chemical Industry News. Date: August 16, 2021. Clicks: 35. On the morning of August 12, the first “ecological materials” project in Yushu City – the PHA project of COFCO Biochemical Energy (Yushu) Co., Ltd. – saw its groundbreaking ceremony held in the Wukeshu Economic Development Zone in Changchun. According to the environmental impact assessment report previously released by COFCO Bioenergy, this project is the construction of a 1,000-ton/year PHA pilot plant and process optimization project (Phase I) for COFCO Bioenergy (Yushu) Co., Ltd. The pilot plant has a capacity of 200 tons per year; it represents the first phase of the project to build a 1,000-ton-per-year PHA pilot plant and to optimize its processes at COFCO Bioenergy (Yushu) Co., Ltd. The second phase will have a capacity of 800 tons per year, and an environmental impact assessment will be conducted for that phase as well. The pilot project lasts for 200 days, with production carried out in 200 batches, each batch producing 1,000 kg, resulting in a total output of 200 tons. http://img.yf116.cn/image/img/20210816/104173625740.jpg Location of construction: Within the existing factory premises of COFCO Biochemical Energy (Yushu) Co., Ltd., located on Dongfeng Street in Wukeshu Economic Development Zone, Yushu County, Changchun City, Jilin Province. Nature of construction: Expansion. Investment amount: 29.8512 million yuan. Construction period: 6 months. Scope of construction: This project involves the construction of a new pilot-scale PHA production facility covering an area of 836 square meters ； With a building area of 1,698.01 square meters and 3 floors, it is equipped with a pilot-scale production facility for PHA biodegradable materials capable of producing 200 tons per year. In addition, the newly built factory includes a 5-cubic-meter NaOH storage tank, an analysis laboratory, and a storage area for finished products. At the same time, make full use of existing public facilities such as office buildings, finished product warehouses, accident emergency ponds, and sewage treatment stations. According to the environmental impact assessment report, the main raw materials used for producing PHA – glucose and corn steep liquor – are produced by COFCO Bioenergy itself and transported by road; the project does not involve the use of pipelines for transporting raw materials, nor are there any pipeline installation works required. PHA will be manufactured in accordance with the standard **\"Biological Production of Polyhydroxyalkanoates\" (GB/T30293-2013)**. The finished products that meet this standard can be used for external packaging; if they do not meet the standards, the microbial cells resulting from fermentation still contain PHA, and although there are differences in their concentration, such products can still be utilized as materials for external packaging production. COFCO Bioenergy (Yushu) Co., Ltd. is a large-scale corn deep-processing enterprise under the COFCO Group, dedicated to the development and production of biochemical products; it is one of the key enterprises in the biochemical park. This project aims to develop bio-based biodegradable plastics using food processing products, in order to create an international, open R&D and innovation platform for the grain and oil food industry. COFCO Group’s production scope: Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymers (PHA series) are composed of various polymers with significant differences in properties and performance, just like most other polymer series (such as polyamides and polyethylene). PHA was first discovered in 1888, and PHA was first isolated and characterized in 1925. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) has good biocompatibility. It is the first known product in the PHA series; it has existed in nature for over 3 billion years and has become an essential part of the metabolism of plants, animals, and humans, providing them with energy and nutrients. It is produced by microorganisms using sugar, starch, and cellulose as raw materials. However, the molecular weight of PHB found in nature is too low to be used to manufacture a variety of plastic products through processing. Today, by using a variety of different raw materials such as solid waste, wastewater, exhaust gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane), used frying oil, sugar, cellulose, and vegetable oils for fermentation, 9 different PHA products have been produced, which helps to establish a post-use value chain for a circular economy. 1. Weigong Workshop: In June 2021, Weigong Workshop began commercial production of PHA using 200-ton fermentation tanks, and in July it successfully used the resulting PHA to produce fiber yarns. The pilot-scale PHA synthesis experiment using a 200-ton fermentation tank marks another important step forward for Microfabrication Factory on the path toward biosynthetic plastics. On July 26, Weigong Workshop announced the completion of its angel round financing, amounting to nearly 50 million RMB. The funding was led by Sequoia China Seed Fund, with additional investment from SEE Fund and other investors. The funds raised will be used to build a synthetic biology R&D center and a 1,000-ton PHA demonstration line. 2. BlueCrystal Micro: Beijing BlueCrystal Microbiology Technology Co., Ltd. was established on October 28, 2016. It focuses on the research and development of synthetic biology technologies as well as their innovative applications. It provides customized R&D solutions for clients seeking biological functional molecules and new types of functional materials, including fully biodegradable biomaterials such as PHA, natural plant-derived medicinal molecules, and new types of in vitro diagnostic reagents. On April 7, 2021, Beijing Lanjing Microbiology Technology Co., Ltd. established its subsidiary, Jiangsu Lansu Biomaterials Co., Ltd. In May of this year, the industrialization project of Jiangsu LanSu BioMaterials Co., Ltd. to produce 25,000 tons per year of the biodegradable new material polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) was launched. On February 26 of this year, Bluepha officially announced the completion of its Series B financing round, worth nearly 200 million yuan. On August 9, Bluepha, the leader in China’s synthetic biology sector, announced the completion of its Series B2 financing round, amounting to 430 million yuan, funded by several well-known investment firms. Currently, the industrialization project for PHA, the first self-developed product in Lanjing Microbiology’s portfolio of fully biodegradable materials, has been located in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province. As the \"leading city in offshore wind power,\" Yancheng boasts complete supporting facilities and professional expertise, which helps Lanjing Microbiology to realize its concept of \"biosynthesis + clean energy.\" The total production capacity of this project is planned to be 100,000 tons, to be built in three phases. The first phase, with an annual production capacity of 5,000 tons, is scheduled to be completed and put into operation by 2022. 3. Zhuhai Maidifa: Recently, Guangdong Hefeng Biotechnology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Zhuhai Maidifa Holdings, released a environmental impact assessment document for a production capacity of 1,000 tons per year of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). The construction project is located at No. 1, Industrial South Road, Private Science and Technology Industrial Park, Suixi County, Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province. It covers a total area of 7,756.3 square meters, with a total construction area of 6,900 square meters. The total investment in the project amounts to 28 million yuan. It is primarily engaged in the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), with an annual production capacity of 1,000 tons of PHA. Zhuhai Medibio Biotechnology Co., Ltd. primarily utilizes the research technologies developed by Professor Chen Guoqiang’s team from Tsinghua University; Professor Chen Guoqiang is one of the main shareholders. PHA is produced in small quantities for use in medical materials. 4. Ningbo Tianan Biomaterials: Ningbo Tianan Biomaterials Co., Ltd. is the first high-tech enterprise in China to use biorefining technology to industrialize fully biodegradable materials. The PHBV (copolymer of β-hydroxybutyrate and valerate) produced by the company is a natural polymer material, and it is internationally recognized as a material with 100% biodegradability. The main application areas for its product PHBV include medical materials (sutures, bone screws), film materials (plastic mulch, shopping bags, compost bags), disposable items (pens, tableware), and packaging materials (especially food packaging). 5. Tianjin Guoyun Biology: The PHA series of products developed by Guoyun Biology (trade name: SoGreen) are fully biodegradable bio-based polymer materials. Once these products are no longer needed, they do not require composting; instead, they can be broken down by microorganisms into carbon dioxide and water within 3 to 6 months in soil, sewage, river water, or seawater. They are internationally recognized as polymer materials with biodegradability. The company has an annual production capacity of 10,000 tons of PHA, as well as strong R&D capabilities in downstream application areas. The main products include PHA foam granules, resin raw materials, and film blowing granules. Application areas include fully biodegradable foam food containers, plastic bags, etc. 6. Shenzhen Yikeman Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is a high-tech innovation enterprise founded by Mr. Zhong Luhua, who returned from the United States, and funded by well-known venture capital firms. The company is a high-tech enterprise specialized in the research, development, production, sales, and application of PHA products, which are fully biodegradable materials. In 2008, the Yikeman Industrial Park – Shandong Yikeman Technology Co., Ltd. was established in Zoucheng, Shandong, becoming one of the world’s largest industrial bases for the production of PHA, a fully biodegradable material. Previously, Yikeman Technology Co., Ltd.’s industrialization project for producing 75,000 tons per year of fully biodegradable PHA materials was identified by Shandong Province as one of the key projects in the field of strategic emerging industries. 1. Danimer Scientific: Danimer Scientific is a company headquartered in Pembroke, Georgia. It was originally a manufacturer of polylactic acid composites and acquired Procter & Gamble’s PHA fermentation technology in 2007. It was not until recently that the PHA business began to have a significant impact on Danimer. The company opened its first commercial plant in Winchester, Kentucky, last year; its annual production capacity is 9,000 tons, and this figure is set to increase to around 30,000 tons next year. Additionally, according to the latest news on July 28, Danimer Scientific acquired technology developer Novomer for $152 million. Novomer is a leading developer of conversion technologies that provide convertible, functional, and low-carbon net carbon inputs for the production of PHA-based resins. 2. Novomer: An American company specializing in sustainable materials, Novomer Inc., was the first to develop high-performance polymers and other chemicals derived from renewable raw materials. The company has successfully demonstrated the lowest-cost polymerization process in this industry for producing biodegradable polymers – PHA. Previously, Novomer planned to reach a PHA production capacity of 80,000 tons by 2022; it was recently acquired by Danimer Scientific for $152 million. 3. Kaneka: Headquartered in Tokyo, Kaneka is a well-known Japanese chemical company that began pilot production of PHBH in 2011, with an annual production capacity of 1,000 tons. As early as the end of 2019, Japan’s Kaneka company invested 2.5 billion yen to increase the PHBH production capacity of its Takasago plant from 1,000 tons per year to 5,000 tons per year. Driven by positive expectations for future markets, in May 2020, Zhonghua Company announced that it would increase the annual production capacity of the biodegradable polymer PHBH to 20,000 tons, with plans to further raise this capacity to 100,000–200,000 tons by 2030. 4. RWDC Industries: Headquartered in Singapore, RWDC Industries Limited was founded in 2015 by Mr. Roland Wee and Dr. Daniel Carraway. It is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing innovative and cost-effective biopolymer material solutions, including polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). May 5, 2020 — RWDC Industries Limited, a biotechnology startup based in Singapore, announced today that it has completed its first tranche of a two-phase Series B financing round, raising $133 million. 5.CJ Group: CJ First Sugar plans to build a PHA production line with a capacity of 5,000 tons in Indonesia by the end of this year. CJ, also known as Shinsegae, is South Korea’s largest food company and has been included in the Fortune Global 500 list on multiple occasions. It has a Food and Beverage Business Group (including Daisuki Daisuki, Toray no Hi, etc.), a Bio and Pharmaceutical Business Group, a New Distribution Business Group, and an Entertainment and Media Business Group.