This report has been updated. Click here to view latest edition.

If you have previously purchased the archived report below then please use the download links on the right to download the files.

Biotecnología blanca 2024-2034

Biomanufactura industrial para aplicaciones químicas y de materiales. Procesos de fermentación industrial. Análisis tecnológico y perspectivas para más de 35 moléculas biomanufacturadas. Evaluación del mercado de la biofabricación con más de 100 actores y previsiones de mercado a 10 años.

Show All Description Contents, Table & Figures List FAQs Pricing Related Content
White biotechnology: advancing the bioeconomy
The bioeconomy can be defined as an economic system in which society uses renewable biological resources (i.e. derived from land, fisheries, and aquaculture environments) to create biobased products such as food and nutrients, chemicals and materials, and bio-energy. Developing the bioeconomy is a key aspect of creating a more circular sustainable economy, an especially critical task as the effects of climate change are exacerbated by global reliance on fossil fuel resources.
 
The advancement of biotechnology is critical to expanding the bioeconomy, as different areas (or "colors") of biotechnology can positively improve different sectors of the economy. For example, "green" biotechnology may be used to improve agricultural yields, while "red" biotechnology may be applied towards the creation of new vaccines. Of the numerous colors of the biotechnology spectrum, white biotechnology stands out as a key technology enabler for the bioeconomy by advancing the industrial production of biobased products through biological systems.
 
In this report, White Biotechnology 2024-2034, IDTechEx provides independent analysis of the status of white biotechnology, looking critically at technology innovations and historic, current, and future projects to provide an objective assessment of white biotechnology's future.
 
What is white biotechnology, and why does it matter?
White biotechnology, sometimes called industrial biomanufacturing, is the industrial production and processing of chemicals, materials, and energy using living cell factories, like bacteria, yeast, and fungi. White biotechnology represents a more sustainable alternative to petroleum-based chemical production: one that not only decreases society's reliance on fossil fuels but also uses less energy, generates less waste, and potentially creates biodegradable products that are better for the environment.
 
 
White biotechnology is not particularly new; engineered enzymes for detergents have been produced via white biotechnology since the 1980s, and bacterial enzymes have been used as food additives for many, many years. That begs the question: why is white technology so interesting now?
 
IDTechEx, in this report, sheds light on the technology innovations driving white biotechnology's growth and increasing relevance. With improvements in biotechnology tools and processes comes the ability to produce numerous important products, from commodity chemicals to high performance textiles, through white biotechnology. One main technology driver is synthetic biology - the artificial design and engineering of biological systems and living organisms for the purpose of improving applications for industry or research. IDTechEx offers extensive discussion on synthetic biology's importance to industrial biomanufacturing by considering synthetic biology's tools and techniques, applications, emerging players, etc. IDTechEx continues their analysis of the technology advances enabling white biotechnology with detailed examinations (including status, technical benefits and challenges, commercial activity), among other trends, of:
  • Novel biocatalysts for industrial fermentation
  • Improvements to bioprocesses
  • Cell-free systems
  • Alternative feedstocks for bioreactors - gases, cellulosic materials, etc.
  • Carbon neutral and carbon negative biomanufacturing
 
Biobased products from industrial biomanufacturing: a diverse spectrum
Just as important as the innovations improving white biotechnology are its applications - the chemicals, precursors, additives, and materials produced by the fermentation of engineered cell factories. The range of molecules and compounds that can be biomanufactured is incredibly diverse with use cases in everything from lubricants to leather, textiles to packaging, adhesives to additives, etc. These molecules include alcohols, diols, diamines, organic acids, proteins, and more.
 
To provide clarity on these many products of white biotechnology, IDTechEx provides detailed technical and market analysis on 40+ biomanufactured molecules, looking at essential factors for each molecule such as:
  • The molecule's biomanufacturing process
  • Comparison of the biomanufactured product with its petrochemical equivalent
  • Technical advantages of the biomanufacturing process
  • Current challenges
  • Downstream products and end-applications for the molecule
  • Technology readiness level
  • Players developing and producing the molecule via biomanufacturing
  • Market outlook
 
With these IDTechEx insights, a clear understanding of the status and growing versatility of the white biotechnology industry will be achieved.
 
White biotechnology: an active market of established and emerging players
With the diverse spectrum of molecules being produced through white biotechnology, there is a large number of companies attempting to advance their industrial biomanufacturing activities. Within this report, IDTechEx has considered well over 100 companies pursuing white biotechnology efforts, ranging from multinational material and chemical conglomerates to nascent startups. Important information such as partnerships, funding, past projects, molecules being pursued, current production capacity, and more are highlighted to understand how and why so many companies have chosen to engage with white biotechnology. These will be bolstered by IDTechEx's interview-based company profiles of key players in this market.
 
The player landscape of white biotechnology is just one component of the overall market dynamics that are shaping industrial biomanufacturing. There are numerous factors to be evaluated to determine the economic viability of certain white biotechnology projects, from internal factors such as process yield, ease of scale, and biocatalyst choice to external factors such as government regulations, crude oil prices, and the green premium. This report analyzes the white biotechnology market from these perspectives to offer understanding on the industry's prior trajectory and insight on what will determine its future success.
 
White biotechnology 10-year market forecast segmented by major molecules
Lastly, to identify the growth potential of the white biotechnology industry, IDTechEx provides industrial biomanufacturing forecasts that segments the market by ten major biomanufactured molecules based on global production capacity. The report looks at the current capacity, drivers, and constraints of each segment and then extrapolates them into a 10-year forecast, to explore the mature and emerging white biotechnology products, technology readiness, potential for disruption, and the future landscape of white biotechnology.
 
Key aspects
  • Discussion of white biotechnology within the bioeconomy.
  • Overview of biomanufacturing's application in fuels, plastics, textiles, additives, precursors, and other chemicals.
  • Identification of 40+ biobased molecules produced through biomanufacturing.
  • 30+ granular technology analyses for major biomanufactured molecules, including biomanufacturing process, technology readiness level, challenges, comparison against petroleum incumbent, and downstream applications.
  • Benchmarking of current production capacity and outlook for major biobased molecules, including propanediol, PHAs, adipic acid, etc.
  • Analysis of synthetic biology and its impact on industrial biomanufacturing.
  • Technology developments influencing white biotechnology, including carbon capture, gaseous and lignocellulosic feedstock, and novel biocatalysts.
  • Assessment of market drivers (government legislation, brands, the public) and key technical challenges for white biotechnology
  • Pain points affecting economic viability for industrial biomanufacturing.
  • Discussion of current projects and previous efforts in white biotechnology, including analysis of factors for success or failure.
  • Detailed 10-year market forecasts segmented by major biomanufactured molecules, including lactic acid, butanediol, PHAs, succinic acid, and other organic acids.
  • Identification of 100+ emerging startups and established players operating in industrial biomanufacturing, segmented by molecule.
Report MetricsDetails
Historic Data2000 - 2022
Forecast Period2024 - 2034
Forecast UnitsKilotonnes per annum
Regions CoveredWorldwide
Segments CoveredLactic acid, 1,3-propanediol, succinic acid, PHAs, long chain dicarboxylic acids, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediamine, short chain and medium chain fatty acids, other organic acids, other biomanufactured molecules
Analyst access from IDTechEx
All report purchases include up to 30 minutes telephone time with an expert analyst who will help you link key findings in the report to the business issues you're addressing. This needs to be used within three months of purchasing the report.
Further information
If you have any questions about this report, please do not hesitate to contact our report team at research@IDTechEx.com or call one of our sales managers:

AMERICAS (USA): +1 617 577 7890
ASIA (Japan): +81 3 3216 7209
EUROPE (UK) +44 1223 812300
1.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1.Glossary of terms
1.2.Colors of biotechnology
1.3.What is white biotechnology?
1.4.White Biotechnology 2024-2034: scope
1.5.Trends and drivers in white biotechnology
1.6.Synthetic biology as applied to white biotechnology
1.7.Technology trends in white biotechnology
1.8.Overview of alternative feedstocks for white biotechnology
1.9.Major market challenges for white biotechnology
1.10.Technical challenges facing white biotechnology
1.11.Products derived from white biotechnology: overview
1.12.Molecules that can be produced through industrial biomanufacturing
1.13.Molecules that can be produced through industrial biomanufacturing
1.14.Company landscape in white biotechnology
1.15.Company landscape in white biotechnology
1.16.Next-generation fuels through white biotechnology
1.17.Bioplastics through white biotechnology
1.18.Navigating biobased polymers from monosaccharides
1.19.Common bioplastics and polymer precursors synthesized via white biotechnology
1.20.Status of molecules produced through white biotechnology
1.21.White biotechnology market share by molecule 2024-2034
1.22.White biotechnology global capacity forecast 2024-2034
1.23.White biotechnology global capacity forecast 2024-2034: discussion
1.24.Emerging areas of white biotechnology forecast 2024-2034
1.25.Company profiles
2.INTRODUCTION
2.1.Glossary of acronyms
2.2.Glossary of terms
2.3.Colors of biotechnology
2.4.What is white biotechnology?
2.5.The bioeconomy and white biotechnology
2.6.Report focus
3.MARKET ANALYSIS
3.1.Market Drivers for White Biotechnology
3.1.1.Market drivers: demand for biobased products
3.1.2.Market drivers: government regulation on petroleum-based plastic use
3.1.3.Market drivers: government support of biotechnology
3.1.4.Market drivers: carbon taxes
3.2.Economic Viability of White Biotechnology
3.2.1.Factors affecting the economic viability of white biotechnology projects
3.2.2.Effects of Brent crude prices on biobased products
3.2.3.The Green Premium
3.2.4.Rising feedstock prices
3.2.5.Effect of cell factory on cost
3.2.6.Identifying the chemicals with the most potential to become biobased based on price
3.2.7.How scale-up affects cost
3.2.8.Zymergen: case study on economics of synthetic biology
3.2.9.Synthetic biology: shift from commodity products to lower volume, high value markets
3.2.10.Major market challenges for white biotechnology
3.3.Player and Start-up Landscape
3.3.1.Players: synthetic biology tools and platforms
3.3.2.Players: vertically integrated biomanufacturing
3.3.3.Emerging players segmented by molecule
3.3.4.Overview of chemicals and materials companies involved in white biotechnology
4.CELL FACTORIES FOR WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY
4.1.Cell factories for biomanufacturing: factors to consider
4.2.Cell factories for biomanufacturing: a range of organisms
4.3.Escherichia coli (E.coli)
4.4.Corynebacterium glutamicum (C. glutamicum)
4.5.Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis)
4.6.Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae)
4.7.Yarrowia lipolytica (Y. lipolytica)
4.8.Microorganisms used in different biomanufacturing processes
4.9.Non-model organisms for white biotechnology
5.TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS
5.1.Synthetic Biology
5.1.1.Synthetic biology: the design and engineering of biological systems
5.1.2.Synthetic biology: manipulating the central dogma
5.1.3.The vast scope of synthetic biology
5.1.4.The Process of Synthetic Biology: Design, Build and Test
5.1.5.Synthetic biology: why now?
5.1.6.Synthetic biology: from pharmaceuticals to consumer products
5.1.7.Synthetic biology: disrupting existing supply chains
5.1.8.Synthetic biology: drivers and barriers for adoption
5.1.9.Synthetic biology as applied to white biotechnology
5.2.Tools and Techniques of Synthetic Biology
5.2.1.Tools and techniques of synthetic biology: overview
5.2.2.DNA Synthesis
5.2.3.Introduction to CRISPR-Cas9
5.2.4.CRISPR-Cas9: a bacterial immune system
5.2.5.CRISPR-Cas9's importance to synthetic biology
5.2.6.Protein/Enzyme Engineering
5.2.7.Computer-Aided Design
5.2.8.Commercial examples of engineered proteins in industrial applications
5.2.9.Strain construction and optimization
5.2.10.Synergy between synthetic biology and metabolic engineering
5.2.11.Framework for developing industrial microbial strains
5.2.12.The problem with scale
5.2.13.Introduction to cell-free systems
5.2.14.Cell-free versus cell-based systems
5.2.15.Cell-free systems in the context of white biotechnology
5.2.16.Cell-free systems for white biotechnology
5.2.17.Commercial implementation of cell-free systems: Solugen
5.2.18.Startups pursuing cell-free systems for white biotechnology
5.2.19.Robotics: enabling hands-free and high throughput science
5.2.20.Robotic cloud laboratories
5.2.21.Automating organism design and closing the loop
5.2.22.Artificial intelligence and machine learning
5.3.Improvement of Biomanufacturing Processes
5.3.1.Continuous vs batch biomanufacturing
5.3.2.Benefits and challenges of continuous biomanufacturing
5.3.3.Continuous vs batch biomanufacturing: key fermentation parameter comparison
5.3.4.Machine learning to improve biomanufacturing processes
5.4.White Biotechnology for Sustainability
5.4.1.White biotechnology as a sustainable technology
5.4.2.Routes for carbon capture in white biotechnology
5.4.3.Autotrophic bacteria for carbon capture through biomanufacturing
5.5.Alternative Feedstocks for Biomanufacturing
5.5.1.Why use alternative feedstocks for white biotechnology?
5.5.2.Food, land, and water competition
5.5.3.C1 feedstocks: metabolic pathways
5.5.4.C1 feedstocks: economic benefits
5.5.5.C1 feedstocks: challenges
5.5.6.Non-methane C1 feedstocks
5.5.7.C1 feedstocks: products
5.5.8.C1 feedstocks: gas fermentation
5.5.9.C2 feedstocks
5.5.10.C2 feedstocks: products segmented by feedstock
5.5.11.C1 and C2 feedstocks: commercial activity
5.5.12.C1 and C2 feedstocks: commercial activity
5.5.13.Lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks
5.5.14.Lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks: challenges
5.5.15.Lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks: products
5.5.16.Lignocellulosic feedstocks: commercial activity
6.BLUE BIOTECHNOLOGY
6.1.What is blue biotechnology?
6.2.Main biocatalysts of blue biotechnology: cyanobacteria and algae
6.3.Cyanobacteria
6.4.Algae
6.5.Key drivers and challenges for blue biotechnology
6.6.Selected startups in blue biotechnology
7.PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY
7.1.Overview
7.1.1.Products derived from white biotechnology: overview
7.2.Fuels
7.2.1.Biofuels made from white biotechnology
7.2.2.Metabolic pathways to biofuels
7.2.3.Bioethanol
7.2.4.Next-generation bioethanol
7.2.5.Next-generation ethanol - operational plants
7.2.6.Next-generation ethanol - operational plants
7.2.7.Next-generation ethanol - planned plants
7.2.8.Next-generation ethanol - non-operational and cancelled plants
7.2.9.Diesel from biomanufacturing pathways
7.2.10.Farnesene
7.2.11.n-Butanol
7.2.12.Isobutanol
7.2.13.Methanol
7.2.14.Blue biotechnology in biofuel production
7.2.15.Blue biotechnology in biodiesel production
7.2.16.Blue biotechnology in bioethanol production
7.2.17.Blue biotechnology for biofuel production: key challenges for commercial viability
7.2.18.Blue biotechnology for biofuel production: commercial activity by US oil producers
7.2.19.Blue biotechnology for biofuel production: commercial activity by non-US oil producers
7.2.20.Blue biotechnology for biofuel production: list of current and former players
7.2.21.Blue biotechnology for biofuel production: list of current and former players
7.2.22.Blue biotechnology for biofuel production: list of current and former players
7.3.Plastics and Textiles
7.3.1.Introduction to bioplastics
7.3.2.Production of bioplastics through white biotechnology
7.3.3.Navigating biobased polymers from monosaccharides
7.3.4.Common bioplastics and bioplastic precursors synthesized via white biotechnology
7.3.5.Lactic Acid and Polylactic Acid (PLA)
7.3.6.Molecules for Other Biobased Synthetic Polyesters
7.3.7.Molecules for Other Biobased Synthetic Polymers
7.3.8.Naturally Occurring Biobased Polymers: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)
7.3.9.Other Textiles Produced through White Biotechnology
7.4.Other Chemicals, Precursors, and Additives
7.4.1.Acetone
7.4.2.Acrylic acid
7.4.3.Itaconic acid
7.4.4.Biobased ethanol as a precursor
7.4.5.Biomanufacturing of ethylene
7.4.6.Monoethylene glycol (MEG)
7.4.7.Biobased MEG: monomer production
7.4.8.Biobased MEG: industry landscape
7.4.9.Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
7.4.10.Biobased polyolefins
7.4.11.Braskem: "I'm green" polyethylene
7.4.12.Biomanufacturing of propylene precursors
7.4.13.Malonic acid
7.4.14.Short chain fatty acids and medium chain fatty acids (SCFAs/MCFAs)
7.4.15.Short chain fatty acids: acetic acid
7.4.16.Triglycerides
7.4.17.Other organic acids and aldehydes
7.4.18.Bacterial cellulose
7.5.Other Products Derived from White Biotechnology
7.5.1.Overview of vitamins and amino acids produced through white biotechnology
7.5.2.Overview of white biotechnology for cosmetics
7.5.3.Biomanufacturing for surfactants and detergents
7.5.4.Enzymes for onward use: Novozymes
7.5.5.Cement alternatives from biomanufacturing: BioMason
7.5.6.Precision fermentation: definition and scope
8.FORECASTS FOR WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY
8.1.Forecast methodology
8.2.White biotechnology market share by molecule 2024-2034
8.3.White biotechnology global capacity forecast 2024-2034
8.4.White biotechnology global capacity forecast 2024-2034: discussion
8.5.White biotechnology global capacity forecast 2024-2034: discussion
8.6.Emerging areas of white biotechnology forecast 2024-2034
8.7.Emerging areas of white biotechnology forecast: discussion
9.COMPANY PROFILES
9.1.Arzeda
9.2.Bolt Threads
9.3.CinderBio
9.4.Danimer Scientific
9.5.Ecovative
9.6.Kraig Biocraft Laboratories
9.7.LanzaTech
9.8.Mango Materials
9.9.Metabolic Explorer
9.10.Modern Meadow
9.11.Natureworks
9.12.Newlight Technologies
9.13.Novozymes
9.14.Spiber
9.15.Succinity
9.16.Total Corbion
10.APPENDIX
10.1.White biotechnology global capacity forecast 2024-2034
10.2.Emerging areas of white biotechnology forecast 2024-2034
 

About IDTechEx reports

What are the qualifications of the people conducting IDTechEx research?

Content produced by IDTechEx is researched and written by our technical analysts, each with a PhD or master's degree in their specialist field, and all of whom are employees. All our analysts are well-connected in their fields, intensively covering their sectors, revealing hard-to-find information you can trust.

How does IDTechEx gather data for its reports?

By directly interviewing and profiling companies across the supply chain. IDTechEx analysts interview companies by engaging directly with senior management and technology development executives across the supply chain, leading to revealing insights that may otherwise be inaccessible.
 
Further, as a global team, we travel extensively to industry events and companies to conduct in-depth, face-to-face interviews. We also engage with industry associations and follow public company filings as secondary sources. We conduct patent analysis and track regulatory changes and incentives. We consistently build on our decades-long research of emerging technologies.
 
We assess emerging technologies against existing solutions, evaluate market demand and provide data-driven forecasts based on our models. This provides a clear, unbiased outlook on the future of each technology or industry that we cover.

What is your forecast methodology?

We take into account the following information and data points where relevant to create our forecasts:
  • Historic data, based on our own databases of products, companies' sales data, information from associations, company reports and validation of our prior market figures with companies in the industry.
  • Current and announced manufacturing capacities
  • Company production targets
  • Direct input from companies as we interview them as to their growth expectations, moderated by our analysts
  • Planned or active government incentives and regulations
  • Assessment of the capabilities and price of the technology based on our benchmarking over the forecast period, versus that of competitive solutions
  • Teardown data (e.g. to assess volume of materials used)
  • From a top-down view: the total addressable market
  • Forecasts can be based on an s-curve methodology where appropriate, taking into account the above factors
  • Key assumptions and discussion of what can impact the forecast are covered in the report.

How can I be confident about the quality of work in IDTechEx reports?

Based on our technical analysts and their research methodology, for over 25 years our work has regularly received superb feedback from our global clients. Our research business has grown year-on-year.
 
Recent customer feedback includes:
"It's my first go-to platform"
- Dr. Didi Xu, Head of Foresight - Future Technologies, Freudenberg Technology Innovation
 
"Their expertise allows us to make data-driven, strategic decisions and ensures we remain aligned with the latest trends and opportunities in the market."
- Ralf Hug, Global Head of Product Management & Marketing, Marquardt

What differentiates IDTechEx reports?

Our team of in-house technical analysts immerse themselves in industries over many years, building deep expertise and engaging directly with key industry players to uncover hard-to-find insights. We appraise technologies in the landscape of competitive solutions and then assess their market demand based on voice-of-the-customer feedback, all from an impartial point of view. This approach delivers exceptional value to our customers—providing high-quality independent content while saving customers time, resources, and money.

Why should we pick IDTechEx research over AI research?

A crucial value of IDTechEx research is that it provides information, assessments and forecasts based on interviews with key people in the industry, assessed by technical experts. AI is trained only on content publicly available on the web, which may not be reliable, in depth, nor contain the latest insights based on the experience of those actively involved in a technology or industry, despite the confident prose.

How can I justify the ROI of this report?

Consider the cost of the IDTechEx report versus the time and resources required to gather the same quality of insights yourself. IDTechEx analysts have built up an extensive contact network over many years; we invest in attending key events and interviewing companies around the world; and our analysts are trained in appraising technologies and markets.
 
Each report provides an independent, expert-led technical and market appraisal, giving you access to actionable information immediately, rather than you having to spend months or years on your own market research.

Can I speak to analysts about the report content?

All report purchases include up to 30 minutes of telephone time with an expert analyst who will help you link key findings in the report to the business issues you're addressing. This needs to be used within three months of purchasing the report.

What is the difference between a report and subscription?

A subscription from IDTechEx can include more reports, access to an online information platform with continuously updated information from our analysts, and access to analysts directly.

Before purchasing, I have some questions about the report, can I speak to someone?

Please email research@idtechex.com stating your location and we will quickly respond.

About IDTechEx

Who are IDTechEx's customers?

IDTechEx has served over 35,000 customers globally. These range from large corporations to ambitious start-ups, and from Governments to research centers. Our customers use our work to make informed decisions and save time and resources.

Where is IDTechEx established?

IDTechEx was established in 1999, and is headquartered in Cambridge, UK. Since then, the company has significantly expanded and operates globally, having served customers in over 80 countries. Subsidiary companies are based in the USA, Germany and Japan.

Questions about purchasing a report

How do I pay?

In most locations reports can be purchased by credit card, or else by direct bank payment.

How and when do I receive access to IDTechEx reports?

When paying successfully by credit card, reports can be accessed immediately. For new customers, when paying by bank transfer, reports will usually be released when the payment is received. Report access will be notified by email.

How do I assign additional users to the report?

Users can be assigned in the report ordering process, or at a later time by email.

Can I speak to someone about purchasing a report?

Please email research@idtechex.com stating your location and we will quickly respond.
 
Las innovaciones tecnológicas impulsan el crecimiento de la biotecnología blanca para expandir la bioeconomía.

Report Statistics

Slides 284
Forecasts to 2034
 

Customer Testimonial

quote graphic
"IDTechEx consistently provides well-structured and comprehensive research reports, offering a clear and holistic view of key trends... It's my first go-to platform for quickly exploring new topics and staying updated on industry advancements."
Head of Foresight - Future Technologies
Freudenberg Technology Innovation SE & Co. KG
 
 
 
ISBN: 9781915514899

Subscription Enquiry