Verdezyne groundbreaking for first bio-based DDDA plant; replacing petroleum
31 July 2017
Verdezyne Inc., a synthetic biology company producing bio-based chemicals, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its VerdePalm plant, Verdezyne’s first commercial-scale renewable chemicals manufacturing facility, in southern Malaysia. The new facility is designed to produce bio-based long chain diacids via fermentation of Verdezyne’s proprietary yeast, which has been engineered to use non-food biomass to produce high value chemicals. The first product produced at VerdePalm will be dodecanedioic acid (DDDA)—a 12-carbon diacid that is a component of many consumer products currently made from petroleum.
DDDA is a main building block of FerroShield, Verdezyne’s nitrate-free dibasic acid mixture used in a variety of corrosion inhibitor applications. FerroShield can be used in numerous corrosion inhibitor applications including metalworking fluids, engine coolants, metal cleaners, die cast release agents, and aqueous hydraulic fluids.
The VerdePalm plant is expected to be completed in 12-18 months. VerdePalm will be the world’s first bio-based plant for DDDA production.
Importantly, the starting yeast will be made from the spent biomass that results from palm oil processing. Crude palm oil and palm byproducts, as well as other plant-based raw materials, will be used to produce approximately 6,000 metric tons of industrial grade DDDA each year. Verdezyne’s technology will enable a very low-value by-product of palm oil processing to become a high-value “green” product that reduces the use of petroleum.
—Chad Waite, Chairman of the Verdezyne Board of Directors
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