12 December 2013
Details
The European Invenstment Bank (EIB)
is providing a EUR 65 million loan to support
the research and development projects of Biochemtex,
an engineering subsidiary of the Mossi and Ghisolfi Group,
a world leader in the field of
second generation biofuel production technology.
Biochemtex's 2013-2016 investment programme
concerns research carried out in facilities in
Rivalta Scrivia (Piedmont) and Modugno (Puglia)
to improve the technologies for
*converting non-food biomass to biofuels and
* other chemical molecules with
industrial applications including
ethylene glycol
for the PET production
Biochemtex's programme is eligible for financing by
the EU's bank for a number of reasons
- research into the production of second generation biofuels
will help to reduce dependence on oil without
using potential food resources
- the resultant reduction of pollution will support
EU and EIB's efforts to combat climate change
- over 50% of the investment will be carried out
at facilities in Modugno, Puglis,
an EU convergence region
- Biochemtex's total investment of EUR 133 million
will create new jobs for highly qualified researches
and scientists.
Biochemtex has developed a technological platform
for extracting bioethanol from biomass
(reeds and agricultural waste such as rice or wheat straw).
The bioethanol is mixed with fossil fuels,
enabling a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
in line with EU regulations.
This technology
-known as second generation-to distinguish it from
,first generation-technology using amylaceous crops
such as maize-makes it possible,
to extract low-cost sugars that
can be used to produce biofuels
with industrial applications that can replace oil-based ones:
a research project rethinking chemistry along
sustainable lines.
WWW.CHEMWINFO.COM BY KHUN PHICHAI
