TOKYO, September 11, 2020 -- Ube Industries, Ltd. announced today that its joint proposal for a project to conduct R&D into data-driven integrated biomanufacturing management systems (iBMS) has been commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The proposal for the project, which is based on a seven-year plan, was submitted by Ube Industries and its partners in response to a public call by NEDO for the development of technologies for manufacturing bio-based products that will accelerate the realization of carbon recycling.

The purpose of the project is to lower the hurdles to implementing biomanufacturing and significantly increase the probability that biomanufacturing will become socially feasible. This will be achieved by digitizing and standardizing all of the cultivation data obtained in each process of developing biomanufacturing technology. Furthermore, the project will establish an integrated framework for gathering and sharing data as well as enhancing overall collaboration at each stage of development. These achievements will help to invigorate biomanufacturing and contribute to a sustainable society that practices carbon recycling.

The project has been commissioned for the maximum period of seven years from fiscal 2020 through 2026. Ube Industries' role in the project is to digitize and standardize cultivation data by making the most use of technologies for microbe cultivation, metabolic design, and metabolic measurement that were established under the NEDO Smart Cell Project. Ube Industries will also pursue development to expand the options for making biomass usable as a new resource, and it will also develop biomanufacturing processes for polymer raw materials for future industrial applications (see flowchart below). This technology development will accelerate the social feasibility of bio-based products and energize the bio-based economy.

For information about the partners in this project, please refer to the NEDO press release via the link at the end of this document.

Technology Development Flowchart

The UBE Group is aiming to achieve an 80% reduction of GHG emissions by 2050, as part of its mandate to engage in corporate activities that are in harmony with nature, as outlined in the UBE Group Environmental Vision 2050. Furthermore, the UBE Group is addressing and helping to resolve resource, energy, and global environmental issues, as one of its basic strategies under the Vision UBE 2025--Prime Phase medium-term management plan. This is being achieved through initiatives to further reduce GHG emissions and develop and increase adoption of new technologies and products that help reduce environmental impact.

Reference

Press release issued by NEDO on August 8, 2020
NEDO Commences Development to Expand Bio-Based Resources and Establish Production Processes toward Implementation in Society of Bio-Based Products(in Japanese)