The 40 Hottest Technologies of 2018 – as voting gets underway, the nominees in depth
Better biomass conversion with recyclable GVL solvent
What does it do, how does it work, who is it aimed at?
The energy and economic costs of deconstructing plant biomass represent a significant barrier to the production of cost-effective lignocellulosic fuels and chemicals. Researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), a U.S. Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Center led by the University of Wisconsin Madison, have developed an innovative, next-generation deconstruction method that is based on using gamma-valerolactone (GVL), a green solvent that can be produced from plant material, to dissolve biomass followed by acid hydrolysis to release free sugars. The GVL technology is a feedstock flexible, enzyme-free, and renewable strategy to produce sugar and lignin streams for conversion at lower cost than existing methods. The GVL approach has the potential to increase the economic viability of producing fuels and chemicals from a wide variety of lignocellulosic plant material.
Competitively, what gives this technology an edge?
GlucanBio, a Madison-based company, was founded in 2012 based on the GVL technology. GlucanBio’s renewable TriVersa Process transforms biomass into highly valued industrial chemicals and advanced biomaterials used in industrial applications throughout the world. The process uses GVL to breakdown the biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and quickly segregates them into three separate streams with very little biomass wasted in the process. High yields and speed combine with impressive revenues to create projected returns in excess of 40%. With 100s of millions of tons of biomass produced each year, the ability to spread this technology across the globe is revolutionary. While industries such as sugar cane processing burn their biomass waste stream, this process turns the waste into highly valuable products. This environmentally friendly process is based on simple and innovative technology, trading low value uses up to high value industrial chemicals and advanced materials.
What stage of development is this technology at right now?
Contact for licensing information.
Category: Top Stories
