- The plant represents an investment of over €100 million.
- It will produce 30,000 tonnes/year of bio-butanediol, reducing CO2 emissions by 50%.
- The market for butanediol is expected to grow to 2.7 million tonnes and €6.5 billion by 2020.
- The plant will employ around seventy people directly, plus another 180-200 in the supply chain.
Investment and Production Capacity
The Mater-Biotech plant in Bottrighe (Rovigo) represents an investment of over €100 million. It is the world’s first industrial plant dedicated to producing bio-butanediol (BDO) from renewable raw materials. The plant will produce 30,000 tonnes per year of bio-butanediol, achieving a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions.
Market Growth
Butanediol (1,4 BDO) is a chemical intermediate derived from butane, traditionally obtained from fossil sources. It is widely used as a solvent and in the production of plastics, elastic fibers, and polyurethanes. The current market for butanediol is 1.5 million tonnes, valued at approximately €3.5 billion per year. This market is expected to grow to 2.7 million tonnes and more than €6.5 billion by 2020.
Technological Innovation
Using technology developed by Genomatica, a California-based bioengineering company, Novamont has created a biotechnological platform that transforms sugars into bio-butanediol through engineered E. coli bacteria. The Bottrighe plant is designed to reutilize by-products from the process to meet its energy needs, optimizing the entire lifecycle.
Employment and Sustainability
When fully operational, the Bottrighe plant will employ around seventy people directly, with an additional 180-200 jobs created in the supply chain. The plant is part of Novamont’s broader strategy to regenerate local areas by converting abandoned factories into bioeconomy infrastructures. To date, Novamont has revitalized six such sites and developed four world-leading technologies aimed at providing solutions to large-scale problems like organic waste recycling.
