Commercial Production of Succinic Acid
ID: 4152

Abstract: In the recent past and foreseeable future, there are clear trends towards sustainable solutions for multiple markets and industries. These trends are driving demand for renewable chemicals and materials that can offer cost competitive performance, relative price stability to petroleum derived feedstocks, as well as a smaller environmental footprint. Over the last decade, companies have enhanced their capabilities in microbial strain development and fermentation, and are now working with upstream partners and downstream customers to develop a portfolio of bio-based chemicals including the commercialization of key building blocks.

Succinic Acid, a four carbon di-acid is such a building block with a relatively modest existing market, but one with much promise for future growth. In 2004, the US Department of Energy identified succinic acid as one of the best targets to develop through fermentation because living cells already produce the compound naturally. Additionally, succinic acid through further process steps can make important derivatives that offer benefits in multiple applications such as plasticizers, polymers, resins, solvents, anti-freezing agents, and even food acidulants.



BioEnergy International (U.S.), DNP Green Technology (U.S.), and DSM (The Netherlands), all represented on this panel are in the race with others to make bio-succinic acid a reality. While all three companies face similar challenges - developing a cost effective fermentation route, integration with available and next generation feedstocks, scaling the process in a capital prudent fashion, and developing new market applications, each will present a different strategy and approach. The panel will offer their vision on sustainability and “green”/ renewable materials in the context of having succinic acid join the short list of bio-based chemicals in the marketplace. We also will hear about various partnerships throughout the value chain that each company has chosen to further enhance commercialization success.







Alif Saleh

The production of chemicals through fermentation processes based on sugar feedstocks has the potential to considerably reduce the chemical industry’s dependence on fossil-based feedstocks, energy intensive and expensive processes and capital intensive plants. The increased price volatility of oil, coupled with a growing concern for global warming, have put considerable financial and regulatory pressure on the chemicals used to produce the petrochemical products that we come into contact with in our everyday lives. Fermentation-based production processes and technology, built around microorganisms engineered to produce such chemical products, offer a solution to the problem not only by making chemicals green, but also by reducing feedstock, production and plant cost, thus improving profitability.

In order to successfully build a bio-based technology, production and marketing platform that can compete in today’s chemical markets, BioEnergy has identified critical criteria that need to be included in any product development and commercialization project.

First, a genetically engineered microorganism platform that considerably reduces the amount of time it takes from conception to commercialization in the life of developing the fermentation process.

Second, a production process that incorporates traditional unit operations in order to take advantage of existing production infrastructure, thus reducing capital needs.

Third, products that address large scale direct substitution markets in order to achieve market acceptance, secure off-take agreements and ensure that plants are operating close to capacity.

BioEnergy has commercialized D-Lactic acid, a product used to enhance the performance of bio-based plastics. D-Lactic acid was developed by genetically engineering an organism to express the product at 99.9% purity and high productivity, and is commercially produced in a traditional organic acid process.

The second product to be commercialized in BioEnergy’s product portfolio is Succinic acid, using the same organism platform as for D-Lactic acid. Succinic acid can be produced in a standard organic acid production process, and is a precursor for several intermediate chemicals such as Butanediol, Tetrahydrofuran, and gamma-Butyrolactone, thus addressing a direct global demand. In Succinic acid, BioEnergy has found a product that can be developed rapidly, produced using existing production infrastructure and addresses a global market--all factors that ensure commercial success.



Dilum Dunuwila

Bioamber is a white biotechnology company dedicated to the production of bio-derived succinic acid and derivatives. Bioamber is a joint venture established between DNP Green Technology, a private US company that has secured leading edge technology from the US Department of Energy (USDOE), and ARD a French R&D company belonging to a leading agricultural consortium.

Bioamber’s core technology is an E. coli developed by the USDOE as part of the alternative feedstocks program. This proprietary strain has been harnessed to produce succinic acid, a four-carbon organic acid that is a building block for polymer chemistry from sugars and CO2. Succinic acid and succinate esters have a broad range of applications that include 1,4 butanediol and tetrahydrofuran (THF), bio-plastics, plasticizers, solvents, fuel additives, deicers and engine coolants.

Bioamber has scaled up its technology and proven its technical and economic feasibility. A 2,000 MT demonstration plant is being built in France and will be commissioned in 2009. Bioamber will use the plant to showcase its technology and offer turn-key licensing packages to third parties. The demonstration plant is located within a large bio-refinery and will leverage its proximity to a glucose production facility and one of France’s largest ethanol plants for CO2.

Bioamber’s technology is competitive with the petrochemical route when oil is at $60/ barrel. Bioamber is working with a number of companies to test and develop high performance derivatives of succinic acid and identify new value added applications.

Bioamber’s vision for sustainable, green chemistry will be presented.



Will van den Tweel

As the world is becoming increasingly concerned with sustainability, the impact of global warming and the dependence on petroleum, the chemical industry is more actively embracing “green” and looking for bio-based solutions. At DSM, we believe that the convergence of Life Sciences and Materials will drive many of these bio-solutions

Several years ago, DSM formed an emerging business area called “White Biotechnology,” where a long-standing capability in metabolic engineering and fermentation is being leveraged to build a portfolio of bio-based chemicals. Bio-Succinic Acid, is the cornerstone of the portfolio and represents one of the first “green bricks” from which DSM plans to offer the industry renewable chemicals/materials that will perform at a competitive price.

Bio-succinic acid is an exciting building block to the industry because it can be used to make many derivatives which offer benefits in multiple applications. So, while there is a clear risk in developing a bio-based replacement for a compound that today has a relatively small market, the promise of a more cost effective and sustainable solution opens up a number of opportunities that were not previously possible.

Many companies take a different approach to the commercialization process. This presentation will address some of the challenges developing succinic acid and the importance of open innovation and partnerships which can determine where you end up in the race. Just as there are a number of approaches to innovation, there are a number of approaches to partnership, both upstream feedstock relationships as well as downstream customers. DSM has formed a partnership with Roquette of France focused on succinic acid, where both companies share a similar vision on sustainability and feel their joint approach and complementary capabilities will accelerate commercial introduction.









Moderator: James Iademarco, DSM White Biotechnology (Netherlands)

Presenter 1: Commercial-Scale Production of Succinic Acid by a Genetically-Engineered Escherichia Coli K12 Strain
Jean-Francois Huc, DNP Green Technology Inc, (Canada)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 2: Succinic Acid 
Alif Saleh, Myriant, (United States)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 3: Green Bricks and Sustainable Mortar – Developing Bio-based Building Blocks through Strategic Partnerships 
Will van den Tweel, DSM, NV, (Netherlands)  [Confirmed]

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Panel Organizer:
James Iademarco, DSM White Biotechnology, (Netherlands)

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