Sumitomo Corporation mass-produces biofuel from non-edible parts of food as early as 2025
Sumitomo Corporation collaborates with Thai chemical manufacturer GGC to produce non-food-derived bioethanol
There is a movement to produce bioethanol from parts of agricultural products that are not suitable for food or feed, such as pomace. Sumitomo Corporation and others will set up their first plant in Asia in Thailand in 2025, and Kao Corporation is also considering commercial production. The new method, called "second generation," has the advantage of mitigating the effects of food shortages compared to the general method that uses edible parts, and there are moves to boost production in Europe.
Sumisho has signed a memorandum of understanding with Global Green Chemical (GGC, Bangkok), an affiliate of PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC), a major Thai petrochemical company, and has begun discussions on the commercial production of bioethanol derived from sugar cane pomace. Establish a factory after 2025. The scale of production is undecided. According to Sumisho, this is the first time that mass production plans for the second-generation model have been revealed in Asia.
Kao is aiming for commercial production using cassava pomace, which is the raw material for tapioca, as a raw material. Utilizing the knowledge of enzymes for detergents, we devised a technology to decompose into sugars necessary for bioethanol production. We have also developed a method that can produce multiple enzymes necessary for decomposition in one facility, which will make it possible to reduce the production facility. The aim is to start operation of a demonstration plant in Thailand around 2027.
Bioethanol is expected to be a decarbonized fuel, and its use for automotive fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is expanding. The conversion from naphtha as a raw material for plastics is also increasing, and it is said that 100 million tons are produced annually in the world, including the United States and Brazil. Currently, the mainstream method is to ferment the edible parts of carbohydrates such as sugar cane and starch materials such as corn with microorganisms.
Demand for bioethanol is increasing worldwide, and there are growing concerns that it will accelerate food and feed shortages. Prices are linked to fuel prices, which in turn affect corn prices. In addition to the suspension of grain exports from Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, rising fuel prices pushed corn futures prices higher.
A grain manager at a major trading company said, ``Farmers have started to sell more for fuel, which sells for more than feed.''
Among them, the production method called the second generation, which uses non-edible parts such as pomace, leaves, and stems, is attracting attention. Compared to the "first generation" that uses edible parts as raw materials, it is less likely to lead to food problems.
However, the process of extracting sugar from the second generation is complicated, and the drainage facilities will be larger. Furthermore, since it is necessary to collect a large amount of pomace to extract the sugar, the production cost tends to increase. Thailand, which Sumisho and Kao are considering as a production base, is one of the world's leading producers of sugar and cassava.
Overseas companies are ahead of the mass production of the second generation. Brazilian energy giant Hyzen has already begun large-scale production. In May, it was decided to invest 2 billion reais (approximately 57 billion yen) to build two new plants, which are expected to start operations in 2024. Swiss chemical giant Clariant has also completed a second-generation plant in Romania that uses straw as its raw material.
If the second generation spreads, there will be more room to increase bioethanol production, and it is expected that the interlocking with food demand can be suppressed to a certain extent.
The European Union's (EU) Renewable Energy Directive sets a goal of doubling the introduction of second-generation ethanol and other non-food-derived fuels by 2030. For the first generation, the policy is to set a usage limit and phase out some of them. There is also the possibility that moves to limit the production of bioethanol using edible parts will spread in the future. (Tatsuro Miyazumi)
