NZ technology transforms wood

Otago Daily Times
By Allison Rudd on Wed, 9 May 2012

Claims that the main ingredients for paint, plastics, industrial alcohol, fuel and even artificial sweetener can be produced from willow trees in a single process would seem to be the stuff of science fiction. But reporter Allison Rudd discovered a Taupo-based company which has perfected the technology with the help of a New Zealand research and development team.

In 2008, Vertichem Technology general manager Kevin Snowdon was excited.

The unique triple-processing wood digester technology developed by Auckland company Genesis Research and Development had been proven and Vertichem was set to build a pre-commercial trial processing plant in New Zealand. Then came the global credit crisis, and the company's plans were put on hold.

Now, Vertichem "was coming out of a valley of death", Mr Snowdon said, and a trial plant is on the agenda again, with construction expected next year.

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New Zealand undertakes miscanthus trial

Biofuels Digest
Meghan Sapp
April 25, 2012

In New Zealand, researchers at Otango University are exploring the use of miscanthus as a possible biofuel feedstock locally where 7,000 plants will be sited to test frost resistance and growth patterns.

As the plant doesn’t seed, it shouldn’t pose the threat of becoming a pest, which could open up opportunities to use miscanthus to replace wood or coal in boilers, especially at the university as a way to reduce energy costs. So far, about 15 hectares have been grown around the country.

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Biofuel firm's journey from low-tech to world recognition

NZHerald.co.nz
By Christopher Adams 5:30 AM Monday Nov 22, 2010

In a Parnell laboratory glass vats of broth containing billions of micro-organisms bubble away, carefully observed by white-coated scientists.

Since 2005 Auckland bio-science outfit LanzaTech has developed and patented a strain of bacteria that consumes polluting industrial gases and converts them into valuable ethanol, which can then be used in the production of biofuel.

The company says it's about two years away from commercialising its technology, which enables the production of ethanol without the growing of feed crops, such as corn, used in other methods.

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