Avantium N.V, a leading technology company in renewable chemistry, has published Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data for its plantMPG™ (plant-based mono-propylene glycol) from its Ray Technology™: a chemical intermediate used in a variety of applications including in functional fluids and unsaturated polyester resins. The ISO-certified LCA for plantMPG™ shows a significant improvement of up to 81% in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the full life cycle when Avantium’s plantMPG™ is compared with its incumbents.
Avantium partnered with Sphera to perform a cradle-to-grave LCA for plantMPG™, produced with its Ray Technology™ from sucrose derived from Dutch sugar beet. The LCA takes into account wastewater treatment as the end-of-life for plantMPG™[i]. Avantium’s plantMPG™ is compared to incumbent MPG production routes from fossil raw materials (naphtha- and shale-derived propylene) and renewable raw materials (soy- and rapeseed-derived glycerine). For the plantMPG™ production process, electricity from wind power, green hydrogen based on wind power and thermal energy from natural gas was assumed[ii]. The plantMPG™ LCA study has been conducted according to the guidelines of ISO 14040/14044 and has been reviewed by an external independent critical review panel.
The impact on climate change of plantMPG™ is significantly lower, with 50% to 81% lower GHG emissions, compared to fossil-based and biobased incumbents[iii]. The climate change reduction for plantMPG™ is largely driven by the use of plant-based feedstock (sugar beet) and the resulting biogenic nature, with the carbon being absorbed and stored by the sugar beets and re-entering the natural carbon cycle at the end of life of plantMPG™. Furthermore, the non-renewable primary energy demand of plantMPG™ is significantly lower (-41% to -82%) compared to other fossil and renewable MPG alternatives. PlantMPG™ also outperforms all incumbent MPG technologies in water use (-13% to -99%).
“The LCA clearly demonstrates the potential of Avantium’s plantMPG™ to help reducing global warming. As 100% plant-based intermediate, plantMPG™ entails a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to its alternatives. This accommodates the global need to transition to climate neutrality and a green future”, says Math Lambalk, Business Development Manager at Avantium Renewable Chemistries and responsible for the plantMPG™ LCA.
A summary of the LCA, also addressing other relevant impact categories, is available on the Avantium website: http://www.avantium.com/sustainability/LCA