Avantium opens its bio-MEG demo plant and rebrands the technology as Ray

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Type of post: NEWS.

Avantium has inaugurated its plant-based MEG (mono-ethylene glycol) demonstration factory in Chemie Park Delfzijl (Netherlands), bringing industry yet another solution to reduce the reliance on fossil resources. Moreover, Avantium has announced the rebranding of this innovative technology: Ray Technology™ (former Mekong) - A Bright Step to The Future.
Press release: “Avantium advances its plant-based MEG technology with the opening of its demonstrating plant”, 7/11/2019.
Press kit.
Related posts:
- “Avantium starts the construction of a bio-MEG demo plant based on its Mekong technology”, 14/6/2018.
- “Chemie Park Delfzijl will host the demonstration plant for Avantium’s Mekong technology”, 28/3/2019.

Figure 1. Ray Technology

The opening celebrates a significant milestone in commercializing the production of plant-based MEG, a vital ingredient in the production of polyesters widely used in textiles and packaging. Today, 99% of MEG is produced from fossil resources representing a value of approximately 25,000 M$. This market is expected to rapidly grow in the coming decades, providing a great opportunity for the introduction of plant-based MEG as part of the transition to a more renewable world. In addition to its sustainability advantages, the production of plant-based MEG with Ray Technology™ is cost competitive to fossil-based MEG.

Highlights
- The demo plant has a capacity of 10 tons annually and it will also produce plant-based MPG (mono-propylene glycol) which is used in a diverse set of industries (cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food…).
- The demo plant will cover all process steps in converting industrial sugars to glycols, allowing for the production of MEG and MPG samples that are representative of the final product from subsequent commercial-scale plants.
- The opening is a significant step towards the first commercial plant, aimed for start-up in 2024.
- Commercial conversations are already ongoing with partners who see an economic opportunity with Ray Technology™: feedstock providers, chemical companies and consumer brands.

How does Ray Technology™ work?
It is a highly efficient one-step hydrogenolysis process to produce MEG from plant-based sugars, with a maximum theoretical yield of 100% and a practical yield of over 70%. As starting point, Avantium will use sugars from various 1st generation feedstock (sugar beet, sugar cane, wheat and corn) as well as 2nd generation non-food feedstock (forestry or agricultural residues converted into sugars by Avantium’s Dawn Technology™). Internal calculations show that the process significantly reduces the CO2 equivalent versus traditional processes to produce fossil-based MEG: around 70%. This internal calculation will be validated by an independent Life Cycle Analysis (LCA).

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