Total to make plastics from methanol

Paris-based Total (NYSE: TOT) announced today that it inaugurated a demonstration plant in Feluy, Belgium, to make plastics from methanol.

The company said the €45 million integrated unit is the world's first application of the technology, which will produce olefins and polyolefins from methanol, helping to diversify the source of plastic feedstock.

"Given that energy demand will continue to grow, petroleum supply will be tight and the prices should stay at a high level, we firmly believe that the methanol to olefins process will play a vital role in the production of petrochemical products in the future," said François Cornélis, president of chemicals at Total, in a statement.

The process uses technology from UOP, a subsidiary of Morris Township, N.J.-based Honeywell International (NYSE: HON).

"Integrating the methanol to olefins and olefin cracking processes makes it possible to produce light olefins at a very reasonable cost."

Total said the petrochemicals industry currently relies on oil and natural gas derivatives, naphtha or ethane, to produce olefins, which are subsequently converted into polyolefins, the raw material for plastics.

The company said the pilot plant was designed to assess the technical feasibility and cost effectiveness of two integrated processes that produce olefins and subsequently polyolefins from methanol, which Total said can be obtained from natural gas, coal or biomass.

Cleantech developments making news in the past 24 hours

• New year money goes to biofuels
• VeruTEK completes new green chemistry remediation project
• Indian company lets drivers opt-in for electric battery

View the last week of cleantech developments here | Subscribe to full feed