Progressive Chemistry
Rivertop has developed a way to make glucaric acid, glucarates and other biodegradable chemicals from renewable resources in abundant quantity and at a low cost. These and other renewable chemicals can reduce society’s dependence on oil, gas, and minerals and limit the amount of persistent chemicals in the environment.
The effects of climate change and the instability of oil supply are creating enormous demand for renewable energy. Private and public investments are pouring into efforts to create innovative fuels and energy sources that are less polluting. Entrepreneurs are tapping the potential of economical, renewable resources – from plants to wind, solar, wave and geothermal power. Nothing short of a massive effort is underway to develop and adopt these new energy sources.
A similar reinvention of the chemical industry has begun. In fact, chemistry is the final frontier for renewables.
The economical production of glucarate "could address a market of over 9 billion lb/yr with values between $0.85 and $2.20/lb." — U.S. Department of Energy
Plastics, pharmaceuticals, polyesters, and a thousand other products start their lives as petroleum. Pervasive industrial products such as corrosion inhibitors and flame retardants are derived from mined phosphate.
Replacing petrochemical building blocks with renewable chemicals, and transforming these into alternative and replacement bioproducts requires creativity and commitment. It’s a challenge we’re happy to take, in furthering a vision we call Progressive Chemistry.
The opportunity provided by Rivertop’s technology platform is significant: The economical production of glucarate alone — one of the top twelve renewable chemical building blocks identified by the U.S. Department of Energy—"could address a market of over 9 billion lb/yr with values between $0.85 and $2.20/lb."
Widespread use of renewable chemicals can reduce toxicity in the water and on the land. Building block chemicals made from plant sugars are refined to feed a swelling stream of safe bioproducts. These bioproducts can retain the environmentally-friendly characteristics of their natural feedstocks. That’s progressive.