green urethanes suspolyols conference final
TRANSCRIPT
Greetings
Raw Material Sources for Sustainable Polyols:
the Cost, Technical and Regulatory Hurdles Jeff Rowlands – Green Urethanes Limited (UK)
BUT : • Linked to crude oil price and availability • Not seen as sustainable or future proof
Petrochem-polyols
• About 6 Million tonnes produced per year (8.8 Mt max capacity)
• Historically cheap with production capacity generally exceeding demand ~ 30% overcapacity
• Well known / reliable/ consistent / available from
various suppliers
• Use raw materials which are available in sufficient volume
• Be based on plant, bio or animal / fish resources with positive eco-balance story
• Does not affect the food chain – Tank u Teller debate
• Need to process with standard PU equipment & chemicals
• Cost competitive with conventional raw materials
• Final material needs to be Technically competitive
Choose your Bio-renewable feedstock
Plen7ful raw materials – Worldwide produc7on 2012/2013:
Crude Oil – 4800 Million tonnes (85% incinerated) SoyBean Oil – 43 Million tonnes Rapeseed Oil (Canola) – 24 Million tonnes Palm Mesocarp Oil – 53 Million tonnes Tallow & Lard -‐ 50 MIllion tonnes Palm Kernel Oil -‐ 6 Million tonnes Castor Oil – 1.5 Million tonnes
Choose your Oil & Get your Green story ready
Tank und Teller Debate
Some facts : Already enough starch from wheat rice, sugar & potatoes alone to give 6.8 Billion people 2000 calories per day (USDA figures) United Nations Environmental Programme says 30% of food worldwide is wasted, as is the water, fertiliser & energy used to produce it Increase in production of Palm Oil in the last 5 years alone, is bigger than the total Petro-chem polyol capacity world wide.
Problems launching an NOP system into the market
NOP production worldwide is low so costs are high relative to mass produced petro polyols – typical chicken & egg situation
Each NOP is different and “drop in” replacement is not simple
NOP foams will have different characteristics and so probably NOT meet the specifications written around petro-chem foams
European REACH legislation is a big problem for NOP innovation. REACH registration costs for each variant - $30k , $120k to $500k Green Polymers are not REACH Polymers.
And the Answer is……………………………
• Find/become a low cost, consistent quality producer of Natural Oil Polyols
• Create a pull situation : Focus on what your NOP brings and introduce that advantage to the market
• Explore markets outside Europe because of the REACH registration systems and costs. Only attempt promotion in Europe when the technology has been finalised
• If you want quick success; use existing /proven / competitive technology – perhaps we can help
Which direction has Green Urethanes chosen?
Use Natural Oil Polyols based on the major mass production natural oils – Palm, Soy, Rape & Animal oils
We have applied for worldwide Patent Protection based on PCT/GB2010/000381
This Technology has been introduced into the US foam market
Technology replaces 55- 67% of petro-chem polyols We have an active development programme to increase the replacement of petro-polyols to 82% GU Foams have:- better flammability better humid age properties easier to produce higher SAG factors than petro-chem foams
Identified Advantages
Case history / Success story USA
• We produce foam down to 20 kg/ m3 with excellent properties – SAG Factor 2.49
• Cost competitive - well priced source of NOP • Uses existing machinery + additives • 55% NOP now; and working on 82 % use level
which will give a 50% BioPreferred® value.
Why is Europe different ?
• We have many good contacts in the European market - suppliers/ foamers
BUT • No cost competitive source of Natural Oil
Polyol (REACH etc…barrier to imports)
• No pull - critical/cautious consumers , slow or declining EU economies
• We all hope this situation will change soon
Stop Press NEWS!
• We can pass Cal 117 using Green technology, and lock in the flame retardant – more at the PFA meeKng in Florida, USA on May 24th 2013.
• www.pfa.org
www.GreenUrethanes.com