Biomass butadiene plant inaugurated at Michelin site

Together with partners IFPEN and Axens, Michelin has brought an industrial scale bio-based butadiene demonstrator plant into operation in France. The facility is located at Michelin’s Bassens site near Bordeaux, and the partners set it up within the framework of the BioButterfly project with the support of ADEME (the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management). The aim is to develop and commercialise butadiene from plant biomass-derived ethanol as a replacement for petrochemical-based butadiene.

Reporting the demonstrator’s inauguration on 19 January, Michelin states that BioButterfly has “reached a significant step in creating a bio-based synthetic elastomer industry.” Butadiene, a C4 diolefin, is an important chemical intermediate in the production of numerous polymers. The tyre industry is the largest single customer, with 40 per cent of butadiene production used to produce elastomers for this application. The other 60 per cent primarily goes into producing varnish, resin, ABS plastic, nylon for automobile applications, textiles and in construction.

After launching in July 2023, the industrial-scale demonstrator must validate each stage in the bio-based butadiene manufacturing process. In this way it is proving its technological and economic viability, with a production capacity of between 20 and 30 tonnes per year – a scale that the partners anticipate will “enable rapid industrial development.”

The partners view this demonstration stage as a pathway to the process’s global commercialisation and the development of a new bio-based butadiene sector. Axens’ commercialisation of this technology will be a crucial step in ensuring significant volumes of renewable butadiene.

100% sustainable materials by 2050

“For Michelin, which currently uses butadiene from petroleum to manufacture its synthetic rubbers, this technology is a wonderful opportunity to help reach the objective of using 100 per cent renewed or recycled materials in its tyres by 2050,” declares Eric-Philippe Vinesse, executive vice president of research & development and member of Michelin’s Executive Committee. “The group also wishes to assist the development of a renewable butadiene production sector, in line with Michelin’s central ambitions in terms of circularity and renewed or recycled materials.”

“The demonstrator marks an important milestone in the industrialisation of the production process of bio-based butadiene after more than ten years of research and innovation conducted with our partners,” adds Catherine Rivière, assistant general manager at IFP Energies Nouvelles. “Our commitment to BioButterfly exemplifies our willingness to meet the expectations of manufacturers and of society in the field of bio-based chemistry.”

“With this partnership and demonstrator, Axens is illustrating its commitment to manufacturers seeking bio-based solutions,” says Jean Sentenac, chief executive officer of Axens. “Thanks to the talent, the expertise of our team and our partners, the use of bio-based butadiene will become a reality for many industrial players looking for renewable materials. Along with recycling, it is one of the major future challenges which we are pleased to contribute to by disseminating and integrating innovative and reliable technological solutions such as Biobutterfly.”

Michelin interested in ‘several plants worldwide’

Michelin intends to work with its partners to “build new, virtuous ecosystems and to develop synergy between various players in the value chain to operate, finance and boost the production of renewable butadiene.” The company anticipates that over time, these ecosystems will “bring about the construction of several plants worldwide to meet growing demand for sustainable and bio-based finished goods.”

To date, the BioButterfly project represents a total investment of more than 80 million euros, including 14.7 million euros support from ADEME. The project is also being supported by the Nouvelle Aquitaine region and the Bordeaux Urban Community, and so far, has created around twenty jobs at Michelin’s site in Bassens.