- A EUR 25 million subsidy was granted to the PEFerence consortium.
- The consortium includes 11 companies and aims to establish a supply chain for FDCA and PEF.
- A 50,000-ton FDCA reference plant is planned for construction in Antwerp.
- PEF is intended to replace fossil-based packaging materials.
Subsidy and Consortium
The European Joint Undertaking on Bio-Based Industries (BBI) has awarded a EUR 25 million subsidy to the "PEFerence" consortium, which includes 11 companies. The consortium aims to establish an innovative supply chain for bio-based furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and polyethylenfuranoate (PEF).
Project Goals
The grant will support the construction of a 50,000-ton FDCA reference plant in Antwerp. FDCA is the main chemical building block for producing PEF, an innovative polyester suitable for applications such as bottles, films, and polyurethanes.
Environmental Impact
PEF offers significant environmental benefits, including the potential to replace fossil-based packaging materials and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. PEF bottles can be recycled and reused as raw material for various products, including packaging and textiles.
Consortium Members
Besides Synvina, the consortium includes BASF, Avantium, Tereos Participations, Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Co Kg, OMV Machinery Srl, Croda Nederland B.V., Nestec Sa, Lego System As, Nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH, and Spinverse Innovation Management Oy.
