Room: Auditorium 1
Date: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Time: 10:15 - 11:30 CEST
Session code DP.1
Advances in biochemical and biomaterials
High Demand Biopolymers - Technology, Economy & Sustainability
Short Introductive summary
The GreenFeed project identifies options for transforming the fossil-based plastics industry into a circular, climate-neutral system using renewable materials. This study aims to identify high demand biopolymers for petrochemical substitution, evaluate them technically, economically and environmentally, and compare them with the corresponding petrochemical polymers. Biopolymers were selected based on TRL, projected demand and substitutability. The evaluation included detailed technical descriptions, cost and investment estimates, and life cycle assessments. The results, summarized in a brochure with technology factsheets show that while biopolymers generally emit fewer GHG and use fewer fossil resources, they often have higher production costs due to higher raw material costs and lower efficiencies compared to their optimized and mature fossil-based counterparts. However, biobased PBS for HDPE film replacements and biobased PUR show promising technical, economic and environmental performance. The project's findings provide valuable guidance to the German/European plastics industry and policy makers on the path to climate neutrality, and inform future funding initiatives.
Presenter
Kathleen MEISEL
DBFZ-Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige, Bioenergy Systems Dpt., GERMANY
Presenter's biography
Kathleen Meisel holds a Diploma in Geography and obtained a doctorate in the field of environmental assessments. As a research scientist at DBFZ she primarily conducts life cycle assessments of biofuel-, bioenergy- and biomaterial production systems.
Biographies and Short introductive summaries are supplied directly by presenters and are published here unedited
Co-authors:
I. K. Götz, DBFZ-Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige, Leipzig, GERMANY
L. S. Röder, DBFZ-Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige, Leipzig, GERMANY
N. Dögnitz, DBFZ-Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige, Leipzig, GERMANY
Session reference: DP.1.1