“Algal oil” and “oily yeast” have been aggressively promoted as promising alternatives to palm oil and potential saviours of orangutans. At the forefront of this promotion is the California-based biotech company Solazyme.
They make no mention of synthetic biology—which is an extreme version of genetic engineering. Yet synthetic biology lies at the heart of Solazyme’s business. And “chemically engineer[ed]” oily yeast – presented as a “viable alternative to palm oil” in an article which has had nearly 16,000 social media shares—is genetically engineered yeast using methods which many would class as synthetic biology.
This briefing examines ENI's growing investment in biofuels and the environmental, social and economic concerns associated with its expansion strategy. While the company presents biofuels as a key component of its energy transition, evidence highlighted in this report...
Biofuelwatch has published a new briefing report titled ‘Lost in the Woods: Mendocino Redwood Company Quietly Abandons Investment Plans for Biomass to Hydrogen Project.’ The report describes a proposed biomass to hydrogen project that was to be sited, built and...
