Bpifrance granted Global Bioenergies a “Zero Percent Interest Innovation Loan” (Prêt à Taux Zéro Innovation) to adapt its isobutene process to certain specific industrial environments. This financing, which allows Global Bioenergies to strengthen its leadership in the field of fermentative isobutene, is structured in the form of a €1.4-million interest-free loan over seven years.

It is with this second version of the technology in mind that we have recently created a new subsidiary in Germany named IBN-Two. Its purpose is to gather, from German industrial and financial actors, the funds required to build and operate Germany’s first fermentative isobutene production plant.

—Marc Delcourt, CEO of Global Bioenergies

Isobutene is one of the key petrochemical building blocks. Fifteen million tons of isobutene are derived from oil each year and converted into fuels, plastics and elastomers. Global Bioenergies is developing a synthetic biology process to produce isobutene alternatively, from renewable resources (sugar, cereals and agricultural or forestry waste).

Global Bioenergies is also partnering with Audi on the development of a non-biomass-based process for the production of renewable isobutene as a precursor to renewable gasoline blendstock (renewable isooctane). (Earlier post.)