To promote sustainability in chemicals production, German multinational BASF, which specializes in chemical production, partners with the European microbial biotechnology firm, Acies Bio. Together, the two hope to increase the yield of fatty alcohols, used extensively in personal care, through the use of CO₂ capture to produce methanol, which will be converted to fatty alcohols as green products.
Production of Fatty Alcohols Changed with Biotechnology
Fatty alcohols are necessary in various types of products; these include soaps, shampoos, and household cleaners. At this time, they are derived either from petrochemical or natural origins to be used in other processes. With the significant emissions related to the synthesis of these types of compounds, the BASF and Acies Bio combine aims at reducing carbon emission through biotechnology in the production of fatty alcohols.
Based on this new process is built the OneCarbonBio platform, by Acies Bio, utilizing microbial technology to convert methanol based on CO2 into fatty alcohols. The result is a process where chemicals are synthesized by means of engineered microbes that do not require traditional raw materials. The technology will decrease reliance on fossil fuel and environmentally reduce impacts since it captures CO2 that would otherwise be released. It is within world goals to cut greenhouse gases and become carbon neutral in production.
Scaling for Global Impact
In this collaboration, BASF and Acies Bio will push OneCarbonBio technology to the scale of commercialization for global deployment. BASF will focus on developing the process as well as scaling up the production of these sustainable chemicals as demand grows through its extensive experience in chemicals production and a great network across the world. On the other hand, Acies Bio will be involved in the refinement of the microbial strain used in the production as well as take the technology up from the research stage to commercial-scale production.
This joint venture should enable clean supply chains with reduced dependence on non-renewable resources and the ability to BASF to produce more environmentally friendly personal and home care ingredients. Both companies will make a contribution toward the much-needed circular economy through captured CO₂, repurposed as emissions instead of fueling climate change through production processes that integrate this resource.
Consequences for the Chemical Industry
In fact, BASF-Acies Bio is one example of an industry shift towards biotechnology for improving environmental sustainability. Considering the pressure exerted on the chemical industry in reducing carbon emissions, partnerships on renewable feedstocks, such as CO₂-based methanol, grow ever more relevant. Biotechnology goes hand in hand with reduced emissions but also innovates new methods of chemical production that may alter personal and household care.
This collaboration also showcases the importance of biotechnology in enabling the mass production of products in a sustainable way. Converting this primary greenhouse gas, CO₂, into methanol, which eventually becomes fatty alcohols, sets a trend for other chemical companies looking to switch over to sustainable practices. As a spur more companies recognize their need for sustainable production, further transformations across various industries will open up and introduce new ‘norms’ within the chemical industry for sustainability in chemical production.
Benefits in the Markets of Personal Care and Home Care Ingredients Eco-friendly personal and home care ingredients continue to be sought by consumers who prefer environmentally friendly products with a lower footprint. Exploiting the methanol generated by CO2, this collaboration between BASF and Acies Bio meets that market opportunity while unlocking new efficiencies in the supply chain by better serving the interests of both companies and consumers. The production on renewable resources places BASF among global leaders, based on these sustainable offerings, aligned with its broader environmental responsibility goals.
Net-Zero Chemical Production
Partnership with a major player like BASF positions Acies Bio for the next level of taking this innovative technology to a global scale. When combined with the resources of BASF, the partnership represents the full possibility of biotech solutions to produce specialty and industrial chemicals at net zero.
The pathways paved by BASF are changing the supply chain to make it much more sustainable. The company’s direction towards CO₂-based methanol aligns with efforts to minimize carbon footprints across the world in all industries. Support for this aim comes through the collaboration with Acies Bio, which will also set a precedent among manufacturers and be considered an example of best practices and innovation in chemical production.
Conclusion
It is a significant move toward the future of sustainable manufacturing in the chemical industry that BASF and Acies Bio have made by collaborating on the development of CO2-based fatty alcohols. By using biotechnology to generate products from renewable resources, the alliance signifies a major stride toward minimizing environmental impact and meeting the growing requirement for green products. This company partnership could open even broader avenues for following through with the implementation of sustainable production practices in the manufacture of everyday things. As these companies go to market with this technology on an international scale,.
It brings forward the increasingly important role of biotechnology in striving for sustainability; it depicts how cooperation between established companies and innovative biotechnology companies can push the way toward carbon-neutral production. Considering all this, the chemical industry, along with allied industries in general, can gain from the changes stated above, pointing to transformation in the mode of production of personal and home care products in environmentally and economically sustainable ways.
Source: Acies Bio