Proterro and Bunge To Conduct Pilot Study in Brazil of Proterro’s Sucrose-production Technology

Biofeedstock company Proterro and Bunge Global Innovation, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of global agribusiness and food company Bunge Limited (Bunge), will conduct a pilot study of Proterro’s sucrose-production technology in Brazil.

Under a joint development agreement, a pilot plant is being commissioned at Bunge’s Moema Fazenda sugarcane mill, where two of Proterro’s photobioreactors have been installed to cultivate Proterro’s cyanobacteria for production of fermentable sugars for ethanol production.

The Bunge pilot plant will replicate the operations of Proterro’s U.S. pilot plant in Orlando, Florida, where four photobioreactors are currently deployed.

“Testing performed at this site in Brazil is particularly valuable to our development and progress, as it represents a climate, geography and CO2 source that are representative of our anticipated commercial production plant,” said Proterro CEO Kef Kasdin.

“Since our sugar-production technology is complementary to sugar-mill operations, success could result in an option for low-cost expansion of ethanol production in Brazil, while helping to meet environmental challenges and promote sustainable development of biofuel production,” she continued.

Proterro’s photobioreactor, cyanobacteria and its entire sugar-making process have been granted patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

About Proterro

Proterro is the only biofeedstock company that makes sucrose instead of extracting it from crops or deconstructing cellulosic materials. Proterro has developed a patented sugar-making process using CO2, sunlight and water, and integrating patented transgenic sugar-producing cyanobacteria with a patented photobioreactor for cultivating those microorganisms. The process yields a fermentation-ready sucrose stream, removing the price volatility that comes with crop-based feedstock and eliminating the complex and costly steps required to produce cellulosic sugars derived from biomass. For more information, visit www.proterro.com

About Bunge Limited

Bunge Limited (www.bunge.com, NYSE:BG) is a leading global agribusiness and food company operating in over 40 countries with approximately 35,000 employees. Bunge buys, sells, stores and transports oilseeds and grains to serve customers worldwide; processes oilseeds to make protein meal for animal feed and edible oil products for commercial customers and consumers; produces sugar and ethanol from sugarcane; mills wheat, corn and rice to make ingredients used by food companies; and sells fertilizer in South America. Founded in 1818, the company is headquartered in White Plains, New York.

Note: Proterro is a trademark of Proterro, Inc. Any other names of actual companies, organizations, entities, products or services may be the trademarks of their respective owners.