Braskem collaborates with Haldor Topsoe to produce MEG from sugar

Braskem and Haldor Topsoe have come together to develop the first-ever demo-scale production of bio-based monoethylene glycol (MEG). MEG is a raw material for PET (polyethene terephthalate) that is widely utilised in the textile and packaging markets, especially beverage bottles.

The largest petrochemical company in the Americas and a global producer of biopolymers, Braskem and the Denmark-based Haldor Topsoe announced their collaboration on November 23. Both companies have been actively involved in a technological partnership that had commenced in the year 2017. The technology has been coined MOSAIK and has been progressing according to schedule at the demonstration unit located in Lyngby.

The unit was set up in 2019 with the primary goal of demonstrating key design features that converted sugar into renewable MEG. Ever since the remaining process units of the plant have been built and put into this operation to optimise the production.

Traditionally MEG is predominantly made from fossil-based feedstocks, like naphtha, gas, or coal. The developed technology will co-produce, in a lower quantity, monopropylene glycol (MPG). The variety of application for the product will be ranging from unsaturated polyester resins (UPR), commonly used in construction materials, to cosmetic products.

The next step involves providing samples to strategic partners for testing and validation. The deployment of this technology on a commercial scale will require the demonstration of plant operations and the validation of products.

Gustavo Sergi, the executive officer of Renewable Chemicals and Specialties at Braskem, stated that this first-ever production of Mosaik-MEG is a major step forward in their project and underlines Braskem’s commitment to the Circular Economy through renewable chemicals. Sergi, the executive officer of Renewable Chemicals and Specialties at Braskem, stated that this technology had the potential to revolutionize the PET market. He added that they were exceedingly close to commencing this new value chain, so they could deliver the sustainable solution that the world required.

Kim Knudsen, the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer of Haldor Topsoe, stated that they were extremely pleased to have achieved the first production of bio-based MEG together with Braske.

Topsoe’s strategic vision has always been to deliver technologies to reduce or even eliminate carbon emissions from the production of fuels and chemicals.