To cut our dependence on fossil fuels, it isn't enough to target only cars and power plants. There also needs to be renewable substitutes for oil and natural gas in making chemicals.

为减少我们对化石燃料的依赖，仅仅针对汽车和发电厂是不够的，我们还需要找到在化学品生产方面可以替代石油和天然气的可再生能源。

San Diego-based Genomatica Inc. won in the Materials category for a process for making basic chemicals using bioengineered microorganisms. Since June 2011, the company has been producing butanediol, a chemical used in making spandex clothing, athletic shoes and other products, at a demonstration plant in Decatur, Ill.

位于圣迭戈的Genomatica Inc.凭借一种用经生物工程处理过的微生物生产基本化学品的工艺赢得了材料类创新奖。自2011年6月以来，该公司一直在伊利诺伊州迪凯特(Decatur)的一个示范工厂生产丁二醇──这种化学品常用于氨纶服装、运动鞋和其他产品的生产当中。

Genomatica developed the microbe that can produce butanediol from simple sugars in a single step. The process, the company says, uses less energy, operates at a lower temperature and should be less costly than conventional chemical manufacturing. It also has used the process to produce small quantities of a second basic chemical, butadiene, used in synthetic rubber.

Genomatica开发出一种能够利用单糖经过一步生产丁二醇的微生物。该公司说，这种工艺使用的能源更少，可以在更低的温度下进行，理论上比传统化学品制造的成本要低。该公司还利用这一工艺少量生产另外一种基础化学品丁二烯。丁二烯常用于合成橡胶的生产中。

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