Nova Pangaea signs first customer to springboard international commercialisation

Nova Pangaea Technologies (NPT), based at Redcar on Teesside, which converts unwanted plant biomass into natural platform chemicals and biofuels, has signed a partnership contract with Pakistan-based industrial and investment conglomerate, JS Group.

The scope of the deal includes a licence for use of REFNOVA^®, NPT’s proprietary and patented end-to-end fractionation process, as well as a Front End Loading Conceptual Design Package (FEL1) for a co-located REFNOVA^® lignocellulosic processing plant in Pakistan, capable of converting 25,000 tonnes of bagasse per year.

The REFNOVA^® technology turns sugar cane bagasse into valuable sugars, providing additional yield and revenue streams for producers and maximising every part of the sugar plant and the processing phases involved.

Both parties will work together to deliver a joint commercial proposition for sugar cane processors in Pakistan, with JS Group acting as lead licensor of the REFNOVA^® process.

Steve Smith, Director at JS Group said: “We’re very pleased to be working with Nova Pangaea Technologies and its exciting solution to directly address the serious problem of what to do with sugar cane bagasse. This material is a by-product of the sugar cane industry that is both plentiful and difficult to dispose of.

“NPT has found a revolutionary process to turn this plant by-product into valuable sugars and chemicals.  This delivers clear commercial benefits for sugar cane processors and industrial users of chemicals and biofuels.  In addition, it delivers environmental benefit by making the most of materials from the natural world, reducing the need to create artificial chemicals from fossil fuels.”

Sarah Ellerby, CEO at Nova Pangaea Technologies said: “We are excited to partner with JS Group as part of our accelerated international commercial strategy. We will start to deliver the design package work this month which is due to be completed by the end of the year. We are pleased to offer a sustainable and financially rewarding solution to Pakistan’s sugar industry for their bagasse.”

Nova Pangaea Technologies has developed a continuous and efficient end-to-end fractionation process to produce a variety of biofuels and natural platform chemicals from biomass residues, without the use of enzymes, and doing so using plant by-products that are currently going to waste.

The Wilton plant, which was constructed with the help of a £4.7m Department for Transport grant, currently employs over fifteen staff, including newly-appointed CEO Sarah Ellerby, and has ambitious plans to expand.

The company is closing the remainder of a £3m investment round from internal investors, following the commissioning of their 1 tonne per hour REFNOVA^® demonstration plant in December 2019.