Sustainable production of plastics (BioBTX)

Sustainable production of plastics (BioBTX)

• BioBTX, Zernikelaan 17, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands

• University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands

20

_{Century: The great acceleration}

• Growth of population by a factor 3.7 • Annual extraction growth

- construction materials a factor of 34

- ores and minerals by a factor of 27

- fossil fuels by a factor of 12 - biomass by a factor of 3.6

• Total material extraction grew by a factor of 8

21

_{Century: Population}

• Population growth (2050 – 9.7 billion)

• Per capita consumption growth (up to 3 billion consumers moving from low to middle class consumption till 2030)

• Increased need materials

Plastics from biomass

• Sustainable Consumption and Production, utilization of natural resources: an attractive alternative?

• About 40% of plastics contain aromatics.

(Bio)aromatics: applications

Prices BTX strongly dependent on oil price (benzene $900/ton, toluene $800/ton, p-xylene $1050/ton (oil about $60 barrel))

6

Technology: Catalytic pyrolysis towards

aromatics/BTX

In situ catalytic pyrolysis

• Efficient one-step process

• Sustainable, low carbon footprint

• Non food and cheap biomass

• Conventional zeolite catalysts

• Moderate yields of BTX (5-25%, depending on biomass/conditions)

• …….. but the “life time” of the catalyst??

Ex situ aromatization

• Extended life time of the catalyst

• Ability to use highly contaminated/wet biomass streams

• More “tools” for optimization

1. Thermal cracking 2. Catalytic conversion 3. Liquids collection

BioBTX History

4-1-2019 11

Event

2009 _{BioBTX ideation: Bio-based, drop in aromatics} 2012 _{ICCP technology, experimentation started}

2012 _{BioBTX B.V. founded by KNN, Syncom University Groningen RUG} 2016 _{World’s First 100% bio-PET RUG, Sunoil,}

Syncom, Cumapol 2016 _{Winner Bio-based Innovation award Europe}

2017 _{Carduso Capital invests in BioBTX}

2017 _{BioBTX independent company with 4 employees CEO: Pieter Imhof} CTO: Niels Schenk 2018 _{Start pilot plant for liquid biomass}

Aims BioBTX

 BioBTX: innovative technology provider for sustainable production of

BTX

 Waste to chemicals

 Non-food end-of-life materials

 Replacement of fossil feedstocks (decoupling and CO2)  Added value (compare incineration)

 Integration in existing chemical infrastructure (drop-in chemicals)

 Combine biobased with circular!

Biobased and circular economy

14

•

An example BioPET 100

•

Recycling BioPET 100

Recycling plastics (PET as example)

15

BioBTX’ flexible technology

 Biomass

 Fluid: glycerol, fat, oils

 Solid: Agro-waste, wood, lignin

 End-of-life materials: plastics, composites, mixtures

BioBTX technology: economic feasibility



Positive ROI at low oil price

Valorisation of all products

obtained

 Aromats, gas, coke & char



Local plants

 Location and size dependent on

availability feed stock and infrastructure

 Modulair production units

BioBTX summary

 Collaboration with RUG, Hanzehogeschool and

industrial partners

 Via RUG labs, Innolab to Zernike park  VC and private shareholders

 Supported by regional, national and European

subsidy programs

Acknowledgement