BASF to use fermentation platform

BASF has formed a partnership with Slovenian white biotech Acies Bio. Under this it will further develop the latter’s OneCarbonBio fermentation platform to derive methanol for the production of fatty alcohols for home and personal care ingredients, notably surfactants.

OneCarbonBio is described as “a fully flexible synthetic biology platform designed to efficiently convert renewable methanol, derived from captured CO₂ emissions, into a variety of chemical raw materials”. BASF’s Care Chemicals division and Acies Bio will use the specialised microbes and scale up the process.

The expected benefits for BASF include increased scale and flexibility, leading to a diversification of the renewable feedstock portfolio and making Care Chemicals’ global supply chain more resilient. “Biotechnology complements our chemistry to create a more sustainable future,” said Dr. Matthias Maase, global director of sustainability at Care Chemicals.