Towards a sustainable and defossilized chemical and process industry

Abstract

This work presents an overview of the path towards the use of renewable and nonconventional resources within a sustainable chemical and process industry. The aim is not only to lead the way to meet the sustainable development goals but also to maintain the style and quality of life achieved by the technologies and products developed within this sector. Alternative raw materials and resources are integrated, but they must be processed differently while a new paradigm for utilities is to be established. The development of technologies and their deployment faces several barriers that we as process engineers can help overcome by providing insight into the alternatives, the thresholds to achieve to become competitive, and strategic analyses.