Malasia apuesta por la bioeconomía y la industria del biorrefino del aceite de palma

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Malasia se convertirá en un actor clave en la producción de materias primas sostenibles de detergentes, lubricantes y plásticos. Eso es lo que el Ministro de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación de ese país afirmó que pasará cuando se encuentre operativo un complejo de biorrefino basado en el aceite de palma que se construirá en el distrito de Lahad Datu. Estas declaraciones eran hechas en el contexto de BioBorneo 2015 (20-21 de abril) donde también se confirmaba que este complejo es uno de los proyectos estratégicos aprobados por el Comité del BTP (Bioeconomy Transformation Programme) que pretende lanzar el crecimiento de la bioeconomía en el país asiático.

La planta será el fruto de una joint venture 25:75 entre Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc y Genting Plantations Berhad a través de Genting Integrated Biorefinery Sdn Bhd (GIB). El acuerdo de colaboración entre estas dos empresas se conocía en julio del pasado año (véase nota de prensa de Elevance). Por él, GIB se comprometía a pagar por las licencias de la tecnología de metátesis que Elevance ha desarrollado y en la que se basará la biorrefinería. De acuerdo con la nota, el proceso de metátesis catalítica utilizado para romper los enlaces de los aceites naturales y recombinar los fragmentos, consume menos energía y emite menos gases de efecto invernadero en comparación con las tecnologías convencionales de la industria del refino. La planta de 240.000 tpy estará ubicada en el Palm Oil Industrial Cluster y se espera que esté operativa en dos años.

De los proyectos estratégicos aprobados por el Comité del BTP, habrá otros dos situados en la misma zona que la biorrefinería y también basados en el aceite de palma. Uno de ellos, centrado en la transformación de biogás crudo producido en fábricas de aceite de palma en gas natural comprimido de grado industrial. El otro, enfocado en la obtención de fertilizantes orgánicos a partir de residuos del aceite de palma.

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