At ABLC 2025, discussions touched upon various aspects of the bioeconomy and sustainable fuels and chemicals development in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Latin America. Here’s what we learned:
Europe:
• Europe is considered an easier regulatory environment for co-processing of pyrolysis oil, primarily due to differences in carbon 14 testing requirements compared to the US. However, there are ongoing regulatory vagaries.
• There’s a schizophrenia within Europe regarding energy transition, with countries like Germany persisting in the idea that electrification will be sufficient, while Italy and now the Netherlands are actively pushing for sustainable molecules.
• The Netherlands government is starting to engage in efforts to develop policies for a vigorous sustainable chemicals industry and is part of the core engaged countries in the Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) future fuels action area.
Several European ports, including Rotterdam and Amsterdam, have significant initiatives to utilize methanol and other sustainable marine fuels.
• Afne Energy is a French-based company that has been working in biomass for over 30 years and has built and operated plants in Europe. They have a project under development in France with LonzaTech/Lonza Jet for an ethanol pathway to SAF. They are also looking to establish manufacturing of their skids in the US rather than importing from Europe due to certification challenges.
• A company based in Belgium is developing solutions to optimize lower carbon number alcohols to higher carbon numbers, aiming to mitigate the CO2 footprint of European petrochemical refineries. They are strategically located at the port of Gent in Belgium, a North Sea port, for access to feedstocks.
• Flights from Europe to Asia (e.g., Tokyo) are currently facing detours due to geopolitical situations, highlighting the importance of fuel efficiency and range, which their SAF blend aims to improve.
• Silver Green Fuels in Norway is a leader in hydrothermal liquefaction technology. The potential for achieving higher premiums for SAF in European markets was also noted, suggesting a market pull for dedicated SAF production units.
• The Biofuture Council is working with the Dutch government and engaging in international collaborations, including in Europe.
• The waste management industry in Europe is highly concentrated, with two companies controlling over 60% of the collected waste.
• Global Bioenergies is a European company focused on producing sustainable aviation fuel.
Asia:
• India created the Global Biofuels Alliance, with significant involvement from the US and Brazil. India is also one of the actively engaged countries in the CEM’s future fuels action area.
• Singapore has significant ongoing work in utilizing methanol and sustainable marine fuels. Marquee has an office in Singapore and conducts global trading, with the only ethanol plant having positions there.
• China has significantly higher EV adoption rates compared to the US, with half of auto sales being electric. They also dominate the global battery production market, making their EVs more affordable. In heavy-duty electric mobility (buses and trucks), China’s adoption rates are also far higher than in the US.
• A MOU between JAL (Japan Airlines) and Airbus was mentioned, referencing potential SAF flights between Tokyo and Washington DC, highlighting the potential demand for SAF in the Asian aviation market. Japan is also a core engaged country in the CEM’s future fuels action area.
• The ASEAN countries are frequently asking about the potential to produce enough ethanol to serve various markets, indicating growing interest in biofuels in Southeast Asia.
• Synata Bio’s target regions appear to include parts of Asia.
Africa:
• The G20 summit in South Africa in 2025 will continue to have sustainable fuels on its agenda.
• Afne Energy has built and operated biomass plants in Africa.
The global propane industry plays a crucial role in Africa as a clean cooking fuel, with a significant ongoing transition from burning wood, which has major implications for emissions reduction and deforestation.
Poet is undertaking international outreach, particularly in Africa, to develop higher corn yields through improved farming practices, aiming to provide both fuel and food for growing economies.
Australia:
• Australia is one of the countries having elections in 2025, creating some uncertainty in policy and activities related to sustainable fuels.
Latin America:
• Brazil is a key player, with President Lula involved in the Global Biofuels Alliance alongside the US and India. However, biofuels and ethanol remain a sticking point between the US and Brazil.
• Brazil will host COP (the UN Climate Change Conference), and the incoming COP president is a strong supporter of bio-based fuels and chemicals, suggesting a prominent role for these topics at the event. Brazil is also one of the core engaged countries in the CEM’s future fuels action area.
• Afne Energy has biomass plants in the Caribbean. The speaker also mentioned an Argentine accent in relation to the pronunciation of a name.
• Chile is a member of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM).
• Synata Bio’s target regions appear to include parts of Latin America.