Can Sugar Beets Produce Chemicals?

sugar beets

by | Nov 26, 2014

This article is included in these additional categories:

sugar beetsAkzoNobel has joined forces with SuikerUnie, Rabobank, Deloitte, Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands, Groningen Seaports, and the Province of Groningen, to produce chemicals from beet-derived sugar feedstock.

The parties have asked Deloitte to perform a feasibility study to provide an independent critical review and economic assessment on the viability of several business cases for commercial production in the Delfzijl chemical cluster in the Netherlands.

Part of ongoing industry effort to replace increasingly scarce non-renewable raw materials, the partnership could potentially lead to the synthesis of a range of chemicals in a cost-effective and sustainable manner, AkzoNobel says.

It follows the recent publication of a report by Deloitte, which singles out the Netherlands as a cost leader in the production of sugar. The production of sugar beet is also expected to grow significantly due to impending deregulation.

The study will take around three months to complete and the partners expect to identify one or more successful business cases for commercial production in Delfzijl.

Earlier this month AkzoNobel partnered with Enerkem and other companies to explore the use of waste streams as a feedstock for chemical production and the development of waste-to-chemicals facilities.

Photo Credit: sugar beets via Shutterstock

Additional articles you will be interested in.

Stay Informed

Get E+E Leader Articles delivered via Newsletter right to your inbox!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Share This