Story Posted: July 16, 2009

Elevance Receives SaskCanola Research Grant to Enhance Use of Canola Oil in Developing Renewable-Based Chemicals

Bolingbrook, IL... Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a $250,000 (Canadian) grant by the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission (SaskCanola) to enhance the use of canola in the development of renewable-based chemicals.

Elevance will use the grant to research how canola can more effectively be converted into specialty chemicals using the company's Nobel Prize-winning technology known as metathesis.

Thorough metathesis, renewable resources are transformed into specialty chemicals that can replace petroleum-based ingredients in a range of products, including waxes, functional oils, antimicrobials and lubricants.

"This partnership holds significant potential for both the canola and renewable chemicals industries," said K'Lynne Johnson, CEO of Elevance Renewable Sciences. "By partnering with SaskCanola, Elevance will be able to apply our proven metathesis process to canola more efficiently, creating products that outperform those made using traditional petroleum-based ingredients, beginning with an alternative to petrolatum."

"The research grant to Elevance will specifically engage new technologies and increase opportunities for the use of canola oil. It also has the potential to generate an estimated increase in demand of 3 million metric tonnes per year of Saskatchewan canola by Elevance before 2016," Catherine Folkersen, Executive Director of SaskCanola stated. "As part of our mandate, SaskCanola directs its producer funded grants towards research projects and initiatives that will enhance the competitiveness and profitability of registered canola producers and the Saskatchewan canola industry," Folkersen concluded.

Through this research, Elevance will be able to improve the use of canola as a foundation for specialty chemicals creating lower manufacturing costs.

While the grant currently focuses on petrolatum as the final product, the potential exists to find other end uses for specialty chemicals generated from canola.

About Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
Based in Bolingbrook, Ill. U.S.A., Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. creates a wide range of specialty chemicals from natural oils. Using a Nobel Prize winning technology called olefin metathesis; the company creates high performance waxes, functional oils, anti-microbials, lubricants, additives and other chemicals. Elevance was named one of Business Week's Top 10 Most Successful Startups of 2008. To learn more about the company, visit www.elevance.com.

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