VNCI Article: Growth Fund Proposal Biobased Circular: New Chemistry

“We have a super-efficient fossil olefin-based (petro)chemical industry, with hundreds of years of optimization, where all research has recently been directed. The products provide building blocks like PE, PP, and urea for plastics and fertilizers. They are excellent commodities, with good specifications, easily transportable around the world, with global market prices... Our predecessors, so to speak, have done well. But now that we are facing the climate issue, we need to move away from those fossil resources.” Thus spoke Arnold Stokking, managing director of Brightsite at Chemelot and leader of the Green Chemistry, New Economy platform.

The alternatives are CO2, recyclates, and plant-based raw materials. The Grow Fund proposal BioBased Circular focuses on the latter. The proposal has been submitted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK), together with the Green Chemistry, New Economy platform (which aims to accelerate the sustainable transition in chemical manufacturing) and TKI Agri & Food (part of the Top Sector Agri & Food). With a super-efficient agrifood sector, a strong chemical sector with five strong clusters, innovative companies already working with plant-based raw materials, and a comprehensive knowledge infrastructure, the authors of the proposal believe the Netherlands is exceptionally suitable for the transition from fossil to biobased.

Enormous potential

The question of whether there is enough plant material available to replace fossil raw materials, not only now but also in the future, where we are expected to use even more resources, is answered by Kees de Gooijer with a resolute “Yes.” He is the chief inspiration officer at TKI Agri & Food and, like Stokking, is involved in the Grow Fund proposal BioBased Circular. “There is enormous potential for carbohydrate-like compounds available in sugar and in residual streams from agriculture, forestry, and landscape management.”