THE European Union has agreed to support Optisochem, a project that could turn straw into greener, everyday products.
Processes developed by INEOS, which is viewed as a world leader in the oligomerisation of isobutene, will be used as part of the two-year, €16.4 million R&D project.
“Being a global chemical producer, INEOS is delighted to be able to test this innovation which will help to increase the share of renewable products on the market,” said Jan Vermeersch, Commercial Director of INEOS Oligomers. “It might also allow INEOS to diversify its feedstock base and supply its customer with bio-based products.” Traditionally, isobutene has been used to make oligomers for lubricants, rubber, cosmetics, solvents, plastics and fuel.
But the hope is that wheat straw, an agricultural residue, can achieve a similar result and lead to bio-based oligomers.
The poorly valorised residual straw will initially be turned into glucose and xylose-rich hydrolysates – second generation sugars – by Clariant at its pre-commercial plant in Straubing in Germany.
The French industrial bio-tech company, Global Bioenergies, will then ferment the straw hydrolysates into bio-isobutene at its sites. INEOS Oligomers in Belgium will then be tasked with converting the bio-isobutene to oligomers.
TechnipFMC and IPSB (France) are also involved in the project. They will be carrying out the preliminary engineering of a hydrolysate to bio-isobutene plant and the overall integration with a straw to hydrolysate plant.
Finally, the Energy Institute at the University of Linz in Austria will assess the sustainability and environmental bene ts of the bio-based oligomers.