Chemical Processing - February 2008 - (Page 7)

555 West Pierce Road, Suite 301, Itasca, IL 60143 Phone: (630) 467-1300 Fax: (630) 467-1109 www.chemicalprocessing.com E-mail: cpnews@putman.net Subscriptions/Customer Service: (888) 644-1803 or (847) 559-7360 EdItoRIaL StaFF MaRk RoSEnzWEIg, editor in chief, x478 mrosenzweig@putman.net kEn SChnEPF, managing editor, x442 kschnepf@putman.net MIkE ERMItagE, digitaL editor, x346 mermitage@putman.net SEán ottEWELL, editor at Large ireland sottewell@putman.net ContRIbutIng EdItoRS andREW SLoLEY, troubLeshooting coLumnist LYnn L. bERgESon, reguLatory coLumnist gaRY Faagau energy coLumnist dIRk WILLaRd, coLumnist dESIgn & PRoduCtIon StEPhEn C. hERnER, group art director, x312 sherner@putman.net toM WaItEk, associate art director, x413 twaitek@putman.net RIta FItzgERaLd, production manager, x468 rfitzgerald@putman.net EdItoRIaL boaRd Vic edWards, aker Kvaerner tim franK, dow chemical ben paterson, eli Lilly roy sanders, ppg industries eLLen turner, eastman chemical ben Weinstein, procter & gamble Jon WorsteLL, shell chemical sheiLa yang, fluor corp. FROM THE EDITOR << Deflect a double whammy consider new options to tackle economic and emissions concerns Some in the chemical induStry probably dismiss talk about the potential widespread use of renewable resources as feedstocks as wishful thinking. cynics may write the hoopla off as a ploy by the agricultural lobby to wrangle more money out of the government. Skeptics may argue that biofeedstocks may make sense in very specific, limited circumstances but won’t provide a practical platform for many chemicals. i disagree with the naysayers. as we’ve regularly reported (see, for instance, www. chemicalProcessing.com/articles/2007/177. html), commercialization of renewable-resource-based routes is progressing nicely. the rising prices of crude oil and natural gas certainly are boosting the relative economics of using biofeedstocks. Some firms also value the sustainability of such feedstocks and their potential for cutting harmful emissions (see www.chemicalProcessing. com/articles/2007/178.html). So, it’s no surprise that acceptance of biofeedstocks is accelerating. But the question remains about just how extensive a role they can play. analyses done at the university of utrecht in holland provide some insights. Barbara G. hermann of its department of Science, technology and Society looked at 15 chemicals that potentially could be made via fermentation — chosen with the help of a panel of experts from companies such as BP, dSm, dupont and Shell — and that could support annual production of at least 200,000 metric tons in Western europe. She developed a generic approach for evaluating the chemicals, which range from caprolactam to ethylene to succinic acid, on a common basis, comparing fermentationbased and conventional production (see p. 10). For the bio-based routes, she did analyses for current and future technology (for which she assumed continuous fermentation and yields of 90 mol.% of their theoretical maximum, thanks to better genetically engineered microorganisms). her first study, published last year in Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, focused solely on economics. She developed profited production costs (which are akin to market prices). these included operating expenses as well as capital charges reflecting the investment required for a new 100,000-m.t./ yr. plant in Western europe; sensitivity analyses addressed variations in the prices of sugar and oil, as well as plant size. With current prices, bio-based routes using today’s technology provide better economics for many of these bulk chemicals, she concludes. hermann then evaluated the potential savings in non-renewable-energy use and greenhouse gas emissions for the same 15 chemicals over their entire life cycle, and has just reported her findings in Environmental Science & Technology. almost all bio-based Biofeedstocks already may offer ample advantages. routes using current technology offer clear benefits on both counts and future technology may allow cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to exceed 100% in some cases, when energy credits are factored in, she notes. So, biofeedstocks may offer chemical makers broad opportunities to address both economic and environmental pressures. CP MIkE bREnnER, group pubLisher, x487 mbrenner@putman.net bRIan MaRz, pubLisher, x411 bmarz@putman.net adMInIStRatIvE StaFF John M. CaPPELLEttI, president/ceo JuLIE CaPPELLEttI-LangE, Vice president RoSE SouthaRd, it director JERRY CLaRk, Vice president of circuLation JaCk JonES, circuLation director REPRIntS CLaudIa StaChoWIak, marKeting manager claudia@fostereprints.net 1-866-879-9144 x121 fax: 219-561-2019 FoStER REPRIntS 4295 ohio street michigan city, in 46360 Mark Rosenzweig Editor in Chief mrosenzweig@putman.net February 2008 • 7 Folio editorial excellence award Winner www.chemicalprocessing.com http://www.chemicalprocessing.com http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/articles/2007/177.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/articles/2007/177.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/articles/2007/177.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/articles/2007/178.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/articles/2007/178.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chemical Processing - February 2008

Chemical Processing - February 2008 Contents From the Editor ChemicalProcessing.com Field Notes In Process Energy Saver Compliance Advisor Nanoparticle Safety Raises Questions Take the Pressure Off Vacuum Systems Achieve Optimum Centrifugal Pump Performance Rethink Batch-Manufacturing Alarm Systems Dr. Gooddata Orlando Plant Pioneers HMI Migration Strategy Process Puzzler Plant InSites Equipment & Services Ad Index Product Spotlight/Classifieds End Point

Chemical Processing - February 2008

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