Coca-Cola Co., LanzaTech, Lignol Energy, Plum Creek and three other businesses have joined the Biotechnology Industry Organization, a group that represents companies developing innovative industrial biotechnology products and processes.
Other additions to the industry group include American Science and Technology, Calysta Energy and Neol Biosolutions.
Scott Vitters, general manager of the PlantBottle Packaging Platform at Coca-Cola also has joined the governing board of the group’s industrial and environmental section, which represents companies at every stage of the value chain in renewable feedstock, biofuel, bio-based product and renewable chemical production.
Coca-Cola produces PlantBottle packaging, a fully recyclable plastic beverage bottle made from up to 30 percent renewable biomass. Last year the company partnered with JBF Industries to further expand production of the plant-based material used in its PlantBottle packaging. JBF Industries will build the world’s largest facility for the production of bio-glycol, the key ingredient used in the manufacture of the plant bottle.
Coca-Cola is also working with Ford, H.J. Heinz, Nike and Procter & Gamble to accelerate the development and use of 100 percent plant-based PET materials and fiber in their products. The companies formed a strategic group called Plant PET Technology Collaborative to build on Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle packaging technology.
Other new members to the BIO industry group are developing a range of biotech products, processes, or in the case of Plum Creek, a private forest and timber manager, sourcing feedstock.
LanzaTech has developed a fermentation process that produces low carbon fuels and chemicals from waste gas and Calysta Energy, based in Menlo Park, Calif., converts natural gas to fuels and chemicals.
Chicago-based American Science and Technology has created a process for converting biomass to sugars and bio-oil for renewable fuels and chemicals as well as lignin for bio-based products.
Canadian company Lignol Energy is developing biorefining technologies for cellulosic biofuels, renewable chemicals and bio-based products. Neol Biosolutions, based in Spain, is a joint venture between energy company Repsol and Neuron Bio to optimize microbes for converting biomass to renewable fuel.
