NEW YORK, US: The rising demand for biofuels will spur the market for bio-based epichlorohydrin (ECH) and biomethanol, the fastest growing segments of the bio-based chemicals industry. According to ‘The World Market for Bio-Based Chemicals,’ 2nd Edition, a research report from energy publisher SBI, production of bio-based chemicals is shifting away from western nations and towards growing economies.
Bio-based chemicals regained ground by 2011, after commodity prices went in flux following the economic crash in 2008, managing a 19.5 per cent compound annual growth rate between 2007 - 2011. When glycerin prices dropped to historical lows in 2009, producing bio-based ECH and biomethanol for synthetic glycerin became more economical, spurring the market through 2011.
“ECH will actually be selling the most volume of all bio-based chemicals in 2021 apart from glycerin and lactic acid. Consumer attitudes and a global move towards oil independence will continue to drive this market after commodity prices stabilize,” said Shelley Carr, Publisher of SBI.
Production and refinement of bio-based chemicals, including glycerin and lactic-acid, is shifting from western nations and moving towards growing economies, such as Thailand, Brazil and Argentina. The European Union remains one of the largest producers and refiners of glycerin with over 1 billion lbs since 2010. “Although the EU produces the largest share of glycerin, Argentina is the largest exporter of crude glycerin and Malaysia is the largest exporter of refined glycerin,” said Carr.
The report also profiles leading manufacturers, including DuPont, Proctor & Gamble, BioAmber, Braskem, Metabolix and many more.
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