Borealis AG (Vienna, Austria; www.borealisgroup.com) and Neste Corp. (Espoo, Finland; www.neste.com) are entering into strategic cooperation for the production of renewable polypropylene (PP). The co-operation will enable Borealis to start using Neste’s 100% renewable propane produced with Neste’s proprietary NEXBTL technology as renewable feedstock at its facilities in Kallo and Beringen, Belgium, starting end of 2019.
As an industry frontrunner in sustainability, Neste offers bio-based alternatives to conventional fossil-based feedstock to be used in the production of polymers and chemicals. Neste has an annual production capacity of 3 million tons of renewable products. Thanks to its proprietary NEXBTL technology, it can utilize nearly any bio-based oil or fat as raw material, including lower-quality waste and residue oils to produce various premium-quality renewable products. Borealis will use Neste’s renewable propane, produced in Rotterdam, at its facilities in Belgium to create an entire portfolio of applications based on renewable-PP. This marks the first time that Borealis uses bio-based feedstock to partially replace fossil feedstock in commercial production of PP. It will also be the first time ever that renewable propane dehydrogenation is carried out at an industrial scale. The high-quality product will offer the same excellent product properties as conventional PP, and is fully recyclable.
Borealis’ propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and PP plant set-up in Kallo will enable the company to start offering bio-based-propylene and consequently bio-based-PP in which bio-based content can be physically verified and measured. In addition, Borealis will continue to apply mass balance approach in its production at Kallo and Beringen to take a major step forward to provide both renewable propylene and renewable polypropylene to its customers. The process will be certified by the ISCC Plus (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification), whose full value chain scope ensures that the renewable feedstock used is certified renewable, sustainably produced and traceable to point of origin.
“Using renewable feedstocks produced primarily from waste and residue streams is a major contribution to reducing our reliance on fossil-fuel based feedstocks,” explains Lucrèce Foufopoulos, Borealis Executive Vice President Polyolefins, Innovation & Technology and Circular Economy Solutions. “Through co-operation with Neste we can offer our customers and partners a new portfolio of renewable -PP solutions, helping them to make their offering more climate friendly.”
“Polymers and chemicals industries will play a major role in the fight against climate change. It is, therefore, very satisfying to see the industry change starting to happen towards more sustainable, climate-friendlier feedstock alternatives. We are eager to help forerunner companies like Borealis to start replacing fossil-based feedstock with renewable ones. This new step is a meaningful contribution towards creating a healthier planet for our children,” says Mercedes Alonso, Executive Vice President, Renewable Polymers and Chemicals, Neste.