CXO INSIGHT
naphtha in all chemical industry solutions and can be used in various end uses , including packaging , consumer goods , fibres and textiles .
This new generation of biofuels and biochemicals will not only significantly reduce the CO 2 footprint of a vehicle but some also offer additional properties , for example , reduced weight , adding significant value to electric vehicle manufacturers .
But more work is needed to establish a shared vision for sustainable materials throughout the entire value chain . Each step needs to follow the same net zero logic and drive innovations at scale .
Consumers , be it potential buyers of new vehicles or fleet managers who consider their next purchase , may soon begin to prioritise vehicles built with a lower CO 2 footprint and with ingredients from the renewable carbon and circular economy . we currently make out of fossil carbon , which is nearly everything nowadays from packaging to clothing and household goods , need to be replaced with something renewable and integrated into a circular economy .
We are teaming up with downstream partners in all major sectors to help achieve this . As well as the automotive and fashion industries , our biochemical products are a decisive steppingstone for the timely transformation of the packaging industry – from its high dependency on fossil-based materials to renewables .
A massive increase in demand for plastics is projected by The Nova Institute , tripling from about 400 million tonnes now to 1,200 million tonnes by 2050 . Industries need to meet that demand in a more responsible way . Whereas recycled plastics are believed to make up to 750 million tonnes , bio-based chemicals have a vital role to play .
With regards to the textile industry , UPM Biochemicals developed its new bio-monoethylene glycol , UPM BioPura , as a sustainable ingredient for the production of polyester fibres . In this way , UPM is introducing a way to enter the production of CO 2 optimised polyester fibres . It is a renewable , drop-in solution that acts as a like-for-like replacement for fossil-based MEG . The advantages of which are : climate neutral feedstocks , easy to implement , broad range of applications , highest industrial standards and offers significant reduction of customer CO 2 footprints .
In a world beyond fossils , there will be only three sources of carbon : CO 2 capture , recycled materials and biomass . Therefore , establishing a circular economy – reuse and recycling – is hugely important and rightly a big focus for manufacturers .
But this will not be sufficient – you will always have losses in a circular economy , and we will need to compensate for those losses with sustainable , non-fossil raw materials in order to create a perfect , circular low carbon economy .
The partnerships that UPM Biochemicals have established , as well as future partnerships it will develop , combined with the sheer scale of production , has the potential of shifting the mindset of the textile industry towards one of production using exclusively renewable materials and carbon-free production techniques .
We need to stop consuming new fossil feedstocks , but because they are the backbone of our chemical industry , we have a massive challenge ahead of us .
What are the aims of UPM for the next year ?
Is there an openness within these industries to become more sustainable ?
Industries across the board have been actively seeking sustainable alternatives due to the growing impact of climate change and rising prices of fossil resources and metals .
The automotive and fashion industries are no exception , as they strive to embrace a circular economy and replace fossil-based plastics and textiles with more sustainable alternatives . Fortunately , years of research have yielded promising results , and innovation is evident in many supply chains .
Which other industries are impacting heavily on climate change and is this something you can also address ?
2023 is a pivotal year for UPM Biochemicals . Our industrial scale biorefinery at Leuna is rapidly taking shape , in anticipation of production starting at the end of the year .
We have formed several commercial partnerships to develop ecofriendly products using our biochemicals that will transform the carbon footprint of value chains in different industries .
For example , our bio-glycols are ready to be incorporated into products such as footwear , in partnership with Dongsung Chemical ; automotive coolants , in partnership with HAERTOL Chemie ; insulation material , in partnership with URSA ; PETG , used in a variety of applications such as packaging , in partnership with Selenis ; and wood-based polyester to be prototyped in a fleece jacket , in partnership with the German outdoor outfitter , VAUDE .
Today , about 90 % of the worldwide demand for carbon is met by fossil resources – crude oil , natural gas and coal . To transition to a future beyond fossils , we must reduce their use .
Just as we have embarked on the decarbonisation of the energy sector , a transition to renewable carbon in the chemical and plastics industries is necessary , if we are to stop adding to the earth ’ s greenhouse gases . To achieve this , all the materials that
As the new biochemicals can be fully integrated into existing production and recycling processes , they enable the transformation of the entire chemical industry towards a renewable circular economy .
Transforming the chemical value chain to become more sustainable can only be achieved through collaboration and partnerships , and this will continue to be our focus for the coming year . x
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