Converting carbon into crude chemicals: BASF and Acies Bio develop fermentation tech

BASF is partnering with Slovenian-based biotech firm Acies Bio to develop fermentation technology to produce fatty alcohols. Fatty alcohols are critical components in surfactants, emulsifiers and other chemical ingredients.

Diego Ghislieri, project manager at BASF, tells Personal Care Insights that BASF “expects commercial quantities of fermentative ingredients to be available by 2029/2030. Mass-balanced products with attributed fermentative-based raw materials are expected to be available first.”

New life for captured carbon

Leveraging Acies Bio’s OneCarbonBio platform, the partnership aims to convert renewable methanol from CO2 into chemical raw materials, helping diversify BASF’s renewable feedstock portfolio.

Ariane Marques, global strategic marketing manager at BASF, tells us that this is not an easy feat. “Integrating renewable methanol into BASF’s processes poses challenges such as securing a reliable supply of bio-based methanol and achieving cost competitiveness. As we evaluate its role in new processes, careful planning is essential for effective integration,” she says.

When asked where the carbon will be sourced from — either from BASF’s own plant or from the atmosphere regardless of the carbon source — Ghislieri says, “We are currently considering all sources of CO2 for capture, allowing us to use carbon emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, as well as CO2 extracted directly from the air (a process known as Direct Air Capture), regardless of its original source.”

He notes that this approach “helps maximize the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance sustainability initiatives.”

Acies Bio claims that the OneCarboBio platform is an advancement in synthetic biology, enabling methanol’s flexible, efficient transformation into versatile raw materials.

The platform and Acies Bio’s microbial production strains enable the partnership to achieve net-zero emissions in specialty chemical production.

Fatty alcohols applications

Marques explains that “fatty alcohols are key ingredients in various surfactants and emollients, such as alcohol ethoxylates and alcohol sulfates.”

These ingredients are widely used in detergents, personal care products and industrial applications. They add a creamy texture that can improve spreadability to skincare products and can also help lock in moisture. 

Complementary collaboration

Combining BASF’s scale advantage and supply chain capabilities with Acies Bio’s expertise in microbial engineering, both companies expect to accelerate the development of this new fermentation technology at its early stage.

BASF is currently considering all sources of CO2 for capture.“Biotechnology complements our chemistry to create a more sustainable future,” says Dr. Matthias Maase, global director sustainability of the Care Chemicals department, BASF.

“With a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, our research scope of the partnership covers the entire chain from production strain development to large-scale manufacturing.” 

By scaling up the fermentation process, BASF hopes to improve supply chain resilience in its Care Chemicals division while offering customers a more sustainable alternative when sourcing ingredients.

The partnership will focus on adapting this biotechnology to meet the commercial scale at which global markets demand these ingredients. BASF says it will apply its experience in value chain management and process optimization, which is essential for ensuring large-scale feasibility and market readiness.

Supply chain resilience and feedstock diversification

The partnership could reduce reliance on traditional petrochemical resources as it aims to strengthen BASF’s renewable feedstock portfolio.

Producing fatty alcohols from this methanol allows BASF to introduce more flexibility and environmental sustainability into its supply chains, which could prove to be advantageous in an industry that faces growing regulatory and environmental pressures to lower carbon emissions and footprints.