Albemarle to manufacture first synthetic renewable base oils from Amyris Biofene for Novvi S.A.
23 August 2011
Albemarle Corporation, a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of highly engineered specialty chemicals, has entered into a manufacturing agreement to supply base oils to Novvi SA, a joint venture between Amyris, Inc. and Cosan S.A. Industria e Comercio focused on the development, production, marketing and distribution of high-performance renewable base oils from Biofene, Amyris’ renewable farnesene.
Farnesene is an isoprenoid molecule that forms the basis for a wide range of products varying from specialty chemical applications to transportation fuels such as diesel.
Under the terms of the agreement, Albemarle’s Fine Chemistry Services (FCS) Division will serve as a custom scale-up and production partner for synthetic, renewable base oils for the lubricants market. Novvi will market NovaSpec, the venture’s synthetic renewable base oils produced at Albemarle, to finished lubricant manufacturers globally.
Pending regulatory activities, Albemarle expects to commence production of NovaSpec base oils in the near future at its Orangeburg, South Carolina facility utilizing Biofene produced and supplied by Amyris.
These Amyris/farnesene contracts seem to be popping up quite often.
Posted by: kelly | 24 August 2011 at 06:15 AM