LanzaTech, a producer of low-carbon fuels and chemicals from waste gases, announced today that its co-founder and current Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Sean Simpson, has been honored with two awards for his achievement in developing the LanzaTech technology.
“LanzaTech has developed the ability to transform widely available industrial waste gases into low carbon fuels and chemicals, without compromising food security,” said Simpson. “The moment we developed this breakthrough technology in the lab, we immediately thought about its global potential. While it’s an honor to be recognized for LanzaTech’s achievements, it’s important to be clear that they come as a result of the efforts of an expert and dedicated team. Therefore I want to share these awards with the team of 145 researchers, scientists, engineers and other specialists who advanced the technology from the lab to commercial scale.”
The first award is from Kea New Zealand, which named Simpson this year’s World Class New Zealander for science, technology and academia. Kea honors internationally successful Kiwis, who have greatly contributed to the country’s reputation and connectedness on the world stage.
Simpson was also named BioSpectrum Asia-Pacific Entrepreneur of the Year. He was selected by judges who include leading bioscience and investment sector experts from Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea and Australia. The judges’ selection of Simpson was “unanimous”.
The technology reached key development milestones last year, when LanzaTech became the first company in the world to scale gas fermentation technology to pre-commercial levels. Working closely with partner BaoSteel, the world’s fourth largest steel producer, LanzaTech developed and successfully operated a facility with an annualized capacity of 100,000 gallons of ethanol. The two companies are planning a full commercial facility in 2014.
A second plant in China, with Capital Steel, is also on track with full production expected to begin in 2014. LanzaTech is also working with Petronas in Malaysia to capture waste gases from its oil refineries; with Virgin Atlantic for low-carbon aviation fuel; and with INVISTA, the world’s largest producer of nylon on a pathway to convert waste gas into butadiene, a pre-cursor chemical for nylon.
About LanzaTech
LanzaTech is a leader in gas fermentation technology. It provides novel and economic routes to fuels and high value chemicals from waste gas streams. LanzaTech’s unique process provides a sustainable pathway to produce platform chemicals that serve as building blocks to products that have become indispensable in our lives such as rubber, plastics, synthetic fibers and fuels. LanzaTech’s technology solutions mitigate carbon emissions from industry without impacting adversely food or land security. Currently operating a second pre-commercial facility in China using steel mill off gases for ethanol production, LanzaTech, a company founded in New Zealand is now a global organization with full commercial operation targeted for 2014.
Source
LanzaTech, press release, 2013-03-24.
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