LanzaTech's double victory in energy innovation

Energy company LanzaTech has picked up two prestgious global awards.

As well as retianing its place in the Global Cleantech Top 100, the clean energy technology firm has been named “Company of the Year Asia Pacific” for 2011.

LanzaTech has also landed an award for “Best Innovation by an SME” in the global ICIS Innovation Awards 2011.

LanzaTech CEO Jennifer Holmgren is delighted that LanzaTech’s worldwide team has been recognised for both awards.

“Being named in the Top 100 list for the second year running, and now as Asia Pacific Company of the Year, recognises the potential LanzaTech has to make a real impact on the world’s energy future,” says Dr Holmgren.

Crucial environmental considerations were what set LanzaTech apart from other contenders in the winning entries in the ICIS Awards.

Global editor at ICIS, John Baker says that this year had an emphasis on bio-based technologies, designed to reduce and replace oil and gas feed stocks in the chemical industry and reduce carbon emissions. Only half of the fourteen short-listed entries incorporated bio-based technologies.

LanzaTech’s innovation pulled in the judges’ attention as it successfully incorporated synthesis-gas technology and bioprocessing to give an economically robust route to the capture and re-use of carbon.

Dr Holmgren says LanzaTech’s process produces high-value chemicals and fuels from low-cost resources, such as synthetic gas generated from any biomass resource, industrial flue gases from steel mills and processing plants, coal-derived syngas and steam formed methane.

The range of chemicals, which can be produced through LanzaTech’s process, will include butanol, propanol, isoprene and succinic acid.

To qualify for the Global Cleantech Top 100 list, companies must be independent, for-profit Cleantech companies that are not listed on any major stock exchange. With over 4,200 companies being nominated this year from more than 45 countries for the award, innovations in energy technology are looking to take the world of energy efficiency by storm.