Michelin, IFPEN and Axens Open Landmark Bio-butadiene Plant in France

Axens (Rueil-Malmaison, France), IFP Energies Nouvellas (IFPEN; Rueil-Malmaison, France) and Michelin (Clermont-Ferrand, France) inaugurated the first industrial-scale demonstrator of a plant producing bio-based butadiene in France, at Michelin’s site in Bassens near Bordeaux. The demonstrator was built within the framework of the BioButterfly project, involving the three partners, and supported by ADEME (French Agency for Environment and Energy Management) with the aim of developing and commercializing butadiene from ethanol derived from biomass (plants), to replace butadiene from petrochemicals. BioButterfly has reached a significant step in creating a bio-based synthetic elastomer industry. …

Source: Chemical Engineering