The Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (SBFC) awarded DuPont with its 2013 Bioeconomy Leadership Award for the company’s pioneering work in renewably sourced materials and fuels.
This marks the first year of this award, aimed at honoring an organization for demonstrated and sustained leadership excellence in advancing the development of the biobased economy.
The award will be presented at the annual SBFC conference, which brings together industrial, academic and government experts to discuss the latest progress and breakthroughs in the research, development and deployment of biobased fuels and materials.
In the field of renewably sourced materials, the SBFC recognized DuPont’s first commercial shipments of Bio-PDO from its Loudon, Tenn., plant – the first facility to produce the biobased product. Bio-PDO is used in cosmetics, apparel and industrial applications such as deicing fluid. Bio-PDO also was noted for its advancement of high-performance fibers such as DuPont Sorona, which is stain resistant and highly durable. In addition, DuPont’s continued advancements in biobased isoprene development based on microbial fermentation of renewable sugars also drew attention from SBFC.
In the field of renewable biofuels, the SBFC recognized DuPont for its rapid development of cellulosic ethanol and biobutanol technologies. DuPont has been operating a demonstration cellulosic ethanol facility in Vonore, Tenn., since 2009. In November, DuPont broke ground on its commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Nevada, Iowa.
For more information, visit www.dupont.com.