Just a few days ago, we released a story on how PHA biopolymers can be produced from a new crop using Yield10 Bioscience’s tech. Now, the bio company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mitsubishi to evaluate the establishment of a partnership to supply, make and market Camelina as a low-carbon feedstock oil for biofuels.
The news comes just weeks after Mitsubishi Corporation announced its aim to mass produce sustainable aviation fuel to decarbonize commercial aviation.
Under the MOU, the companies plan to jointly undertake a feasibility study for the supply and offtake of Camelina oil from Camelina grain grown under contract using Yield10’s proprietary Camelina seed genetics to supply oil for the sustainable aviation fuel market. In addition, the companies also plan to jointly study the development and future offtake and marketing of PHA bioplastic produced in Camelina by Yield10 as an added value co-product with oil for biofuels. The MOU is non-binding and expires at the end of 2023.
“Yield10 and Mitsubishi are aligned on the sustainability benefits that the Camelina crop could bring to the transportation fuels market,” said Oliver Peoples, Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer of Yield10 Bioscience. “Over the next several months, we look forward to working with the Mitsubishi team to develop a framework for a collaboration to jointly develop and build our Camelina business in the U.S. and other important geographies,” he concluded.