Industry Trends

November 2023

See what has been happening in Asia’s petrochemicals, agrochemicals, automotive, bio energy, and mining industries over the last weeks. What are experts and industry magazines talking about?

What has been happening?

Brewery Spent Grain as sustainable source for value-added bioproducts, AI and other emerging technologies could turn things around for Food production and accelerating the climate crisis, The graphite lesson: Expect more critical metal shortages, and more. See what industry experts have been discussing in the last four weeks.

Latest Industry Articles

Brewery Spent Grain as sustainable source for value-added bioproducts: Opportunities and new insights in the integrated lignocellulosic biorefinery concept

ScienceDirect Publication

Brewery Spent Grain (BSG) is the main by-product of beer production. However, there are still challenges to obtaining value-added bioproducts from BSG to reach the industrial scale. This review addresses potentialities and challenges for employing the biorefinery concept for BSG valorization: anaerobic digestion, dark fermentation, and pyrolysis.

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Food production is accelerating the climate crisis, but AI and other emerging technologies could turn things around

Business Insider

The UK-based firm Twig is bioengineering some of the ingredients found in margarine. Many common consumer food products are derived from fossil fuels. Some companies are looking at ways to produce these products through other means. AI and computational biology are helping manufacturers produce alternatives, like cultivated animal-fat cells.

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The graphite lesson: Expect more critical metal shortages

MINING.com

It’s been a big couple of weeks in mining circles and that’s being led by a surge in graphite stocks. As you might be aware, on 20th October, authorities in China announced export restrictions over refined graphite… It’s aimed specifically at the electric vehicle market, graphite anode material used in EV batteries. But as a long term reader, I’m sure this announcement hasn’t come as a surprise. In fact, I warned readers of MINING.

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Cheaper Batteries Will Help Tesla, Other OEMs Field Affordable EVs

WardsAuto

A crop of cheaper EVs will hit the U.S. and EU markets in the next three years thanks to declining battery prices.

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Making electric vehicles last

ScienceDaily – Batteries News

In the realm of electric vehicles, powered by stored electric energy, the key lies in rechargeable batteries capable of enduring multiple charge cycles. Lithium-ion batteries have been the poster child for this application. However, due to limitations in energy storage capacity and other associated challenges, the focus has shifted to an intriguing alternative known as dual-ion batteries (DIBs).

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What green energy transition? Half of mining still exploring for gold

MINING.com

New study shows a $1.1 billion drop in gold exploration budgets this year as juniors struggle to raise capital, but the precious metal still accounts for 46% of the total. According to a new study by S&P Global Market Intelligence, overall mining exploration budgets fell this year for the first time since 2020, dropping 3% to $12.8 billion at the 2,235 companies that allocated funds to find or expand deposits.

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Ford Trucks, Quantron Partner to Study Fuel-Cell Technology

WardsAuto

Ford and other truck makers face government mandates to supplant diesel with zero-emission propulsion systems such as batteries and hydrogen fuel cells.

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Hempitecture hits hemp home insulation milestone

Biofuels Digest

In Jerome, Idaho, a sustainable construction materials company has successfully scaled hemp-based home insulation. Over 1,800 investors and grants funded Hempitecture’s 33,000-square-foot facility, which manufactures the company’s HempWool thermal insulation. “We are thrilled to celebrate this monumental milestone that symbolizes the immense amount of work put into the brand’s facility from concept to completion,” Mattie Mead, Hempitecture founder and CEO, said in a press release.

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‘Green’ battery recycling technique allows for massive recovery of aluminum, lithium

MINING.com

A recently developed method allows for the recovery of 100% of the aluminum and 98% of the lithium from spent electric car batteries. Created by a team of researchers at Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology, the technique also minimizes the loss of nickel, cobalt and manganese and doesn’t require the use of expensive or harmful chemicals, instead relying on oxalic acid – an organic compound that can be found in plants like rhubarb and spinach.

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NTU Singapore researchers convert kale waste for health and personal care products

Biofuels Digest

In Singapore, scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a new technique to convert kale waste for use in health and personal care products, reducing food waste and emissions. Phytochemicals found in plants are known to prevent damage to cells in the body and are widely used in consumer products. They include health-promoting supplements, like antioxidants and lutein, as well as face scrubs and hair shampoo with kale extracts.

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Fermbox Bio and BBGI formalize JV for precision fermentation in Thailand and SE Asia

Biofuels Digest

In India, Fermbox Bio and BBGI formalized a joint venture to establish cutting-edge precision fermentation facilities in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

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HD Hyundai Oilbank secures biobased material supply network

Biofuels Digest

In South Korea, The Korea Herald reported that local company HD Hyundai Oilbank has signed contracts with Indonesia’s Korindo Group and Korea’s LX International for the purchase of 80,000 tons of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) for the former’s new biodiesel plant. PFAD is a byproduct produced during the palm oil production process and is used as a raw material primarily in a select few biodiesel plants worldwide.

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PM: Thailand on board to fight EU on palm oil 'discrimination'

NST Online Latest News

Thailand has expressed its commitment to work together with Malaysia and Indonesia – the world’s largest palm oil producers – to fight the European Union’s (EU) “discrimination” against the commodity.

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Malaysia says cross-border air pollution law still possible

The Jakarta Post

Almost every dry season, smoke from fires to clear land for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations in Indonesia blankets much of the region, leading to concern for public health as well as disruption to travel and tourism businesses.

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Myanmar Junta Invites Bids for Kyaukphyu Port Construction

The Irrawaddy

The regime has invited Myanmar’s construction companies to develop a Rakhine State deep-sea port to link southern China with the Indian Ocean.

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Developing Asia to Drive LNG Demand for Decades: Woodside

Rigzone.com

Demand for oil and natural gas is expected to be driven by population growth and industrialization in developing economies across Asia.

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Petronas Makes Another Oil Discovery in Suriname

Rigzone.com

Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) made an oil discovery in a Suriname block co-owned with Exxon Mobil Corp., the Malaysian state-owned company has announced.

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Albemarle risks losing lithium market to China on weak prices

MINING.com

Albemarle (NYSE: ALB), the world’s top lithium producer, faces the risk of losing market share to China after the company had to pump the breaks on expansion plans amid falling prices for the battery metal. The US lithium giant controls about 13% of the global market this year, according to Fastmarkets. Chinese producers have grown their share to 63%. Chief executive Kent Master acknowledged in a conference call last week that the company will likely cede market share to Chinese rivals.

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Indonesia’s Garuda tests first commercial flight using biofuel

Biofuels Digest

In Malaysia, The Edge Malaysia reported that Indonesia’s flag carrier Garudo tested its first commercial flight using jet fuel mixed with palm oil to reduce carbon emissions. Garuda’s plane flew from the capital Jakarta to Solo using the J2.4 sustainable aviation fuel produced by state-run oil firm PT Pertamina, according to the report. Garuda will run further trials on other types of engines. The sustainable fuel used on this flight was made by mixing …

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Honeywell makes UOP technologies available in Asia Pacific

Biofuels Digest

In Singapore, Honeywell announced the availability of technologies and digital solutions to enable customers in Asia Pacific to produce renewable fuels from multiple sources of renewable feedstocks. To help customers address this challenge and the rapidly growing demand for renewable fuels, Honeywell UOP offers solutions that enable the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel, and other renewable fuels from a broad range of potential renewable feedstock sources.

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Philippines to boost ethanol blending to 20% and biodiesel to 3%

Biofuels Digest

In the Philippines, CNN Philippines reports the country plans to raise its voluntary ethanol blend to 20% from the current 10% after the new rules are approved before year’s end. The shift comes as the country intents to cut gasoline prices at the pump and imported ethanol is cheaper than gasoline. The US supplies most of the Philippines’ ethanol imports, while more expensive domestic ethanol production also partially supplies the market.

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