Green Chemicals Blog
PET
Avantium to build 5 ktpa FDCA, PEF flagship plant
Avantium held its first Technology & Markets Day titled “Path to a fossil-free world” yesterday at the company’s headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The management team provided an update on the strategy of Avantium and its technologies, including the strategy for Synvina and commercialization of PEF. Avantium announced that it intends to build a cash-flow … Continue reading
BASF to exit from Synvina
Bad news today as BASF notified Avantium of its exit from their Synvina joint venture effective 15 January 2019. Avantium said it continues to disagree with BASF’s interpretation of the joint venture agreement. I am not sure what exactly they are disagreeing about (technology? timing? IPs? financing?) but as one startup CEO told me, having … Continue reading
ADM, DuPont starts FDME pilot facility
Just in time for my Biomaterials newsletter deadline, Archer Daniels Midland and DuPont Industrial Biosciences announced the opening of the world’s first biobased furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME) pilot production facility in ADM’s Decatur, Illinois site. FDME is a building block molecule derived from fructose that can be used in various chemicals and materials production … Continue reading
Braskem, Topsoe to build a demo bio-MEG plant
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate here in the USA! I still have more ‘catching up’ posts and this one has already been announced back in July during the BIO World Congress but I guess the press statement (delivered by our friends from Sustainability Consult) just made it official. Braskem has signed a partnership with … Continue reading
PEF to be integrated in European PET recycling
This is big news coming from Synvina (the JV between Avantium and BASF) as the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) – a voluntary initiative of industry organizations representing waste collectors, plastic recyclers, PET material producers and brand owners, gave an interim approval for the recyclability of polyethylene furanoate (PEF). Following EPBP’s assessment, PEF bottles are … Continue reading
Video: BASF, Avantium discuss the potential of FDCA
Avantium’s Tom van Aken and Stefan Blank, President of BASF’s Intermediates Division, discuss their cooperation regarding the production of a new and bio based raw material using furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Their Synvina joint venture aims to start construction of an FDCA reference plant by the end of 2018, with sales of FDCA and PEF (polyethylene furanoate) expected … Continue reading
Avantium acquires Liquid Light
Interesting news from Avantium but in short-to-medium term, this could complete the company’s (and its partners’) goal of sustainable polymers offering (e.g. CO2-based MEG + FDCA = PEF). Avantium announced today that it has acquired the assets of US-based Liquid Light Inc., which has developed proprietary process technology to make major chemicals from carbon dioxide … Continue reading
Toyobo, Avantium on PEF partnership
I am still trying to catch up on blogging before I get very busy again next week for my September Biomaterials newsletter deadline at Tecnon OrbiChem. I am also almost finished with my glycerine presentation for the incoming ICIS Pan American Oleochemicals conference next month. By the way, if anybody is attending EPCA in Budapest … Continue reading
Toyota Tsusho expands bio-PET investments
I am back from a brief mini-vacation and my apologies for those who left emails and messages that I have not yet responded to. I am now working on Tecnon OrbiChem’s Biomaterials newsletter and will probably be able to respond to those by first week of August. Here is one story that I will include … Continue reading
VIDEO: Polyester Market Overview
So I have been slightly immersing myself in the petrochemicals market here at the American Fuels and Petrochemicals Manufacturers (AFPM)’ International Petrochemicals Conference (IPC), and with the help of my Tecnon OrbiChem colleagues, I’ve been hearing the water bottle market has really been growing faster than GDP growth especially here in North America. This made … Continue reading