Page 147 - CW E-Magazine (10-6-2025)

News from Abroad

in 2021 to develop a more robust pro- Avantium gets grant diate in the production of FDCA. This
duction process from fructose, with In a related development, Avantium creates a direct link between Michelin’s
tests on various scales and engineering said it has been awarded a €200,000 planned HMF plant and Avantium’s
studies until the end of 2023. grant by the EU Horizon Europe pro- FDCA technology. The foreseen syner-
gramme to participate in the 5-HMF gies will help to create an integrated
Today, although it is not currently consortium. The project also plans and sustainable European production
used in tyres, 5-HMF is in all the to assess synergies with Avantium’s ecosystem that reduces environmental
new Michelin ResiCare formulations, FDCA flagship plant. impact and strengthens the economic
including for plyboard, abrasives, and resilience of the European chemical
moulded components. “HMF can be used as an interme- industry,” Avatium said.
STRATEGY RETHINK

UPM to discontinue biofuels refinery project in Rotterdam

Finland-based renewable chemicals
and fuels firm, UPM, plans to discon-
tinue the development of its potential
second biomass-to-fuels refinery at the
Port of Rotterdam following extended
technical, commercial and strategic
evaluations.

As a result, UPM plans to halt all
engineering work related to the capex
investment in Rotterdam and to with-
draw from all site-related commitments
associated with the Rotterdam invest-
ment. However, UPM said it would
remain committed to seek growth in tion, UPM will focus on three tar- * Continuing feedstock technology
biofuels by advancing the development geted growth areas in its biofuels development to qualify and enable
of proprietary technologies enabling business: the use of additional competitive
the extension of feedstock options to * Evaluating the potential to debottle- and sustainable biomass, support-
other forms of competitive and sustain- neck the Lappeenranta Biorefinery ing the cost-efficient production of
able biomass. UPM will also continue to capture low capex expansion high-quality biofuels for both road
its work to qualify and commercialise opportunities and further leverage and aviation applications.
biofuels derived from Crude Tall Oil the strong market performance of
(CTO), particularly for use in aviation, CTO-derived biofuels. “We continue seeing strong
where demand for sustainable alter- * Enabling the qualification of long-term market potential for bio-
natives is growing rapidly. CTO-derived biofuels as Sustain- mass-based fuels, especially in Europe,
able Aviation Fuel (SAF). This where greenhouse gas (GHG) reduc-
“Renewable fuels and renewable strategic direction is supported by tion commitments continue driving
chemicals are the central elements of successful SAF trials conducted the need for sustainable alternatives to
UPM’s long-term growth in decarboni- with Austrian aircraft manufacturer, fossil fuels across transport modes but
sation solutions. The Lappeenranta bio- Diamond Aircraft, using Austro specifically in road and aviation,” said
fuels biorefinery will remain the nucleus Engine propulsion, and by continued Mr. Dialer. “Our biofuels portfolio is
of our growing biofuels platform,” progress in the technical acceptance well-positioned through our access to
emphasised Harald Dialer, Executive process at the American Society strategic feedstocks, its superior GHG
Vice President, UPM Biorefining and for Testing and Materials (ASTM), savings potential and strong regulatory
Technology. where results from trials and stake- acceptance. We are in an advanced
holder reviews have been consis- position to deliver scalable commercial
Aligned with this strategic direc- tently positive. growth with sustainable biofuels.”

Chemical Weekly June 10, 2025 147

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