Wooden windows

wooden windows

Wooden windows? Wood, not for the frame but for the transparent part, instead of glass? Yes, modern research has shown that we can make transparent wood with a relatively benign chemical treatment. A new application for this biobased material! Windows … Read more

New biobased materials

new biobased materials

New biobased materials pop up everywhere these days. On the basis of organic materials, often processed with modern chemical technologies. They seem to be able to substitute many fossil-based and mineral materials. Just a few of these innovations. Natural materials … Read more

Whole crop valorisation

Egg tray whole crop

The biobased and circular economy is coming nearer and nearer.  Each year, new applications of biobased resources come to the market. Industry aims at using the whole crop, among others by valorisation of what used to be called waste streams. … Read more

SynBio is gearing up

SynBio

Synthetic Biology (SynBio) includes a large field of applications. Within this area biochemists combine engineering concepts and techniques with biology to design new genes that produce a specific protein. When this protein is an enzyme, bacteria and yeast in which … Read more

Biobased markets need standardization

Standardization

Everybody involved in the bioeconomy should understand that standardization is a requirement for a successful institutionalisation of biobased markets. Standardization is a prerequisite for trade One of the basic assumptions is that market parties need to establish standardization because they … Read more

Commercializing biobased products

Commercializing Biobased Products

‘Consumers will soon notice that the origin of everyday products is changing, with items such as clothing, shoes, water and soda bottles, and even automobile tyres being manufactured from plant-based rather than petroleum-based materials. This quiet revolution has been steadily … Read more

Biobased industry review 2015

BioAmber biobased facility in Sarnia

It’s been another busy year for the biobased chemicals and fuels team at NNFCC; as 2015 draws to a close we take a look at some of the year’s highlights. NNFCC, based in York, is one of the leading European … Read more

Hemp tea

Industrial hemp

One of the many entrepreneurs who market products from industrial hemp, is Esther Molenwijk. Her enthusiasm is contagious, at least on us. This year, she sells tea from hemp leaves. ‘A delicious, healthy tea made of a very sustainable crop,’ … Read more

Oil-producing algae clean up waste water

Algae test site

Green, oil-producing algae appear to be able to remove problematic pollutants from waste water. So they clean up the waste and produce fuel at the same time. Researchers of the US Rice University discovered that oil-producing algae can eliminate more … Read more