Nufarm has announced the formation of strategic research and development (R&D) partnerships to accelerate the growth of its bioenergy and sustainable oils platform, reported Biofuels International.
In recent years, the company acquired Biomass Oil trait technology from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. This technology includes a series of patents related to traits that, when introduced into crops, enable the novel production and accumulation of oil in plant tissue. The acquisition is aimed at enhancing the supply of sustainable oil feedstocks for downstream industries.
To further develop this technology, Nufarm has entered into R&D collaborations with the University of Florida (USA) and the Instituto Agronomico (Brazil), as well as expanded its partnership with CSIRO. These partnerships are designed to create a strategic pathway for advancing the technology and its commercial potential.
As per the media report, Nufarm’s proprietary energy cane and forage sorghum genetics are ideal for the development of the Biomass Oil trait, as they are among the highest biomass crops available. Together with the Biomass Oil Technology, these crops form the foundation for Nufarm’s strategy to advance sustainable oil production and create valuable agricultural feedstocks.
Once harvested, the lipids in the above-ground parts of the plants can be extracted through crushing or enzymatic processes. These lipids can then be refined into biofuels such as biodiesel or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), or used as feedstock for a wide range of consumer goods. The remaining plant material, after lipid extraction, can be used to produce bioethanol from the remaining sucrose content.
“These biomass oil intellectual property (IP) assets complement our broader bioenergy strategy and our goal to build an industry-leading position in bioenergy and consumer goods from advanced feedstock crops,” said Greg Hunt, CEO of Nufarm Limited. “This collaboration with world-class R&D and technical partners brings together complementary expertise, and the project is already progressing well.”
In addition, Nufarm is working with other strategic partners to identify new opportunities for technical development and future commercialization in the bioenergy and consumer goods sectors.
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