RENEWCHEM

First of a kind industrial facility for bio-based long-chain alcohols

Project details

Type of project
Innovation Action – Flagship
Feedstock origin
Sidestreams from industry
Feedstock type
Dedicated crops
Project period
1 June 2026 - 31 May 2030
Status
Upcoming
CBE JU Contribution
€ 20 023 555,55
Call identifier
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025

Summary

Despite considerable investments in bioethanol plants across Europe, its use as a fuel has so far not generated sufficient consumer demand.  

RenewChem will offer a transformational solution to the bioethanol sector, in need of shifting away from fuel production. The project will deliver the world’s first-of-its-kind industrial-scale facility converting renewable ethanol into long-chain, smart drop-in bio-alcohols. These molecules are smart drop-ins because they are chemically identical to their fossil equivalents, compatible with existing infrastructure and supply chains, yet produced via a cost-competitive and carbon-negative route. They can be used in the production of resins, coatings, adhesives, lubricants, surfactants, and sustainable aviation fuels, among other sectors. 

By repurposing existing first- and second-generation ethanol capacity sourced from European suppliers, the project will enable the sector to pivot from subsidy dependence into a profitable pillar of Europe’s green industrial transition. 

  • Secure financial, contractual, technical, and regulatory readiness, while executing the engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and start-up of the RenewChem first-of-its-kind plant in Sines, Portugal. 
  • Ensure a reliable, long-term, and compliant supply of sustainable bioethanol feedstock, guaranteeing safe, stable, and efficient operation of the first-of-its-kind plant during its first year of operation, while meeting environmental, technical, and production performance targets.  
  • Validate the bio-alcohols generated through the production scale testing of acrylate esters. 
  • Apply the safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) framework to the whole value chain, guiding safe design choices and regulatory compliance, and demonstrating the sustainability of all materials and processes. 
  • Ensure active involvement of key stakeholders through a multi-actor approach, maximising the project’s impact by disseminating the results, fostering societal acceptance, and enabling long-term exploitation and market uptake. 

  • Generate €70.8 million in annual revenues by 2047 through market uptake of competitive, renewable drop-in alcohols.  
  • Produce 15,000 tonnes per year of bio-based alcohols, corresponding to approximately 1.7% of the European n-butanol market. 
  • Create 667 high-skilled green jobs and new revenue streams for both ethanol producers and the chemical industry through the transformation of renewable ethanol.  
  • Provide a cost-competitive bio-based alternative, with average production costs of €1,000 per tonne (2017–2023) compared to €1,158 per tonne for petrochemical butanol, representing a 13.6% cost reduction. 
  • Generate approximately €12.8 million in tax revenues, contributing to regional economic development and industrial growth. 
  • Avoid approximately 11,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, supported by closed-loop water reuse systems and competitive production costs (113.63% lower than fossil alternatives). 
  • Enable decarbonisation in the European chemicals sector, with annual CO₂ savings potentially exceeding 3 million tonnes if deployed across European butanol production capacity. 

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • CATALYXX PROCESOS CATALITICOS SOCIEDAD LIMITADA LA RINCONADA - SEVILLA, Spain

Consortium

  • MAGFI LTD MARSASKALA, Malta
  • ARKEMA FRANCE SA PUTEAUX, LA DEFENSE, France
  • CATALYXX IBERICA, UNIPESSOAL LDA Lisboa, Portugal
  • EVONIK OPERATIONS GMBH Essen, Germany