‘New foundation for materials industry’ through Renewable Carbon Initiative
The aim of the initiative is to support and speed up the transition from fossil carbon to renewable carbon for all organic chemicals and materials.
The materials makers are joined by personal care group Beiersdorf (Germany), sugar beet co-op Cosun Beet Company (The Netherlands), consumer goods group Henkel (Germany), gas fermentation group LanzaTech (US), oil refiner NESTE (Finland), energy company SHV Energy (The Netherlands), chemicals group Stahl (The Netherlands), nutrition and hygiene group Unilever (UK) and UPM, a forest industry company (Finland).
Their vision is by 2050, fossil carbon shall be completely substituted by renewable carbon, which is carbon from alternative sources: biomass, direct CO2 utilisation and recycling.
The founders are convinced that this is the only way for chemicals, plastics and other organic materials to become sustainable, climate-friendly and part of the circular economy.
Robert van de Kerkhof, chief commercial officer of the Lenzing Group, said: “We need to create strategic partnerships to implement systemic change. We support the Renewable Carbon Initiative because it is the right thing to do and it is also fully aligned with our corporate strategy."
The initiative will create cross-industry platforms that will demonstrate feasibility of renewable carbon in tangible activities. The groups will advocate for legislation, taxation and regulation changes and they will raise awareness and of renewable carbon level amongst the business community and the wider public.
Michael Carus, CEO of nova-Institute and head of the Renewable Carbon Initiative, said: “This is about a fundamental change in the chemical industry. Just as the energy industry is being converted to renewable energies, so renewable carbon will become the new foundation of the future chemical and material industry. We want to accelerate the change.”
Photo credit: Lenzing Fibers in Mobile, US. Photographer: Seth Laubinger
