Page 183 - CW E-Magazine (26-3-2024)

Special Report Special Report

Markets for bio-based polymers: Asia & USA drive carbonates (APC; linear and circular),
casein polymers (CP), ethylene propy-
growth, as Europe lags lene diene monomer rubber (EPDM),
polybutylene succinate (PBS), poly-
new market and trend report year for bio-based polymers: polylac- In 2023, the total production vol- ethylene furanoate (PEF) and polypro-
‘Bio-based Building Blocks and tic acid (PLA) capacities have been ume of bio-based polymers was 4.4-mt, pylene (PP) had a share below 1% of
A Polymers – Global Capacities, increased by almost 50%, and at the which is 1% of the total production the total bio-based polymer production
Production and Trends 2023-2028’, same time polyamide capacities are volume of fossil-based polymers. The volume and are not depicted.
written by international biopolymer steadily increasing, as well as epoxy CAGR of bio-based polymers is, at
expert group of the nova-Institute, offers a resin production. Capacities for 100% 17%, signifi cantly higher than the over- Several global brands are already Fig. 3: Biomass utilisation worldwide – First and second generation, total and for bio-based polymers
deep and comprehensive insight into a bio-based polyethylene (PE) have been all growth of the polymer market (2- expanding their feedstock portfolio
dynamically growing market. It shows expanded and PE and polypropylene 3%) – and this is expected to continue to include sources of renewable car- shows the worldwide biomass utilisa- incorporated into the fi nal product. The
capacities and production data for 17 (PP) made from bio based until 2028 (Figure 1). bon, CO , recycling and, in particular tion in 2023. The total demand for bio- 1.4-mt (36%) of feedstock not used in
2
commercially available, bio-based naphtha are being further established biomass, in addition to fossil-based mass was 13.5-billion tonnes for feed, the product is due to a high number of
polymers in 2023 and forecasts annual with growing volumes. Current and From the total 4.4-mt of bio-based sources, thereby increasing the demand bioenergy, food, material use, biofuels conversion steps and related feedstock
growth of 17% between 2023 and future expansions for polyhydroxy polymers produced in 2023, cellulose for bio based and biodegradable poly- as well as bio-based polymers. While and intermediate losses, as well as the
2028. Demand from Asia and the USA alkanoates (PHAs) are still on the acetate (CA), with a bio-based content mers. At the same time, however, there the majority of the biomass (56%) is formation of by products.
in particular is driving this growth, but horizon. After hinting at a comeback of 50% and epoxy resins with a bio- is a lack of political support in Europe, used for feed production, only 0.029%
Europe is lagging behind. in 2022 bio-based polyethylene tere- based content of 45% made up over which still only promotes biofuels and are needed for bio-based polymer pro- Drivers and policy
phthalate (PET) production dropped in the half of the bio-based production, bioenergy. By contrast, supportive legi- duction. That results in a biomass feed- The most important market drivers
The year 2023 was a promising 2023 by 50%. with 24% and 30% share, respectively. slation is in place in Asia and parti- stock demand of 3.9-mt for the produc- in 2023 were several global brands that
This was followed by 100% bio-based cularly in the US drives demand. tion of 4.4-mt of bio-based polymers. adapted their strategic agenda to transi-
polylactic acid (PLA) with 11%; poly- The major feedstock used for bio-based tion the polymers, plastics and chemi-
amides (PA) (60% bio-based content) Capacity increase polymer production were sugars (28%) cals industry to become sustainable,
with 8%; and 30% bio-based polyure- The increase in production capa- and starch (24%). These feedstocks climate friendly and part of the circular
thanes (PUR) with 7%. Polyethylene city from 2022 to 2023 is mainly based are obtained from high-yielding crops, economy, thus offering their customers
(PE) (available with 100% and 30% on the expansion of PLA and poly- such as sugarcane and maize, resulting environmentally friendly solutions
bio-based content) and polytrimethy- amide capacities and epoxy resin pro- in high area effi ciency. and critical consumers alternatives to
lene terephthalate (PTT) (31% bio- duction in Asia, as well as an increase in petrochemical products. The only way
based content) had a share of 6% and polyethylene (PE) production capa- Additionally, these yields are not for this successful transition is the
5% (Figure 2). The share of polybuty- city in South America. Also, worldwide only used for polymer production, but complete substitution of fossil carbon
lene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), expansions for PHAs were reported in also for animal feed, regarding the with renewable carbon from alternative
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), 2023. Especially PHAs, PLA, poly- protein share, and thus only a part is sources: biomass, CO and recycling.
2
polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and amides and PE and PP will continue to allocated. Glycerol (25%) a biogenic By expanding their feedstock portfolio
starch-containing polymer compounds grow signifi cantly (35% on average) process by-product from biodiesel to include, next to fossil-based, renew-
Fig. 1: Plastics production from 1950 to 2022 (SCPC) was below 5%. Aliphatic poly- by 2028. While capacities for PHA production represents a biomass with able carbon, these brands strike the
and PLA will grow worldwide with only an indirect, passive land use. This rethinking from the market point of
57% and 37% rise respectively, PA will glycerol is mainly used for epoxy resin view. Especially in the use of bio-
mainly increase in Asia by 29% and PE production via epichlorohydrin as an mass, this rethinking increased and will
in Asia, Europe and North America and intermediate. further increase the supply of bio-based
PP in North America with 38% (com- as well as biodegradable polymers.
bined). The utilised biomass also comprised
12% non edible plant oil, such as cas- Nevertheless, the market remains
Bio-based feedstock and land use tor oil, 7% from cellulose (mainly used challenging in terms of crude oil prices
Considering the steadily increasing for CA) and 4% from edible plant oils. and from a political perspective, as
demand for bio-based polymers, the From the 4.4-mt of produced bio-based major advantages of bio-based polymers
need for biomass feedstocks should be polymers (fully and partly bio-based) have not been politically rewarded
taken into account as an important fac- 2.5-mt were actual bio-based compo- yet. Bio-based polymers replace fossil
tor. This is especially true for the recur- nents of the polymers (57%). Consi- carbon in the production process
ring debate on the use of food crops for dering this fact, almost 1.6 times more with renewable carbon from biomass.
Fig. 2: Bio-based polymer capacities and production 2023 bio-based polymer production. Figure 3 feedstock was needed than actually is This is indispensable for a sustainable,

182 Chemical Weekly March 26, 2024 Chemical Weekly March 26, 2024 183

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