Michelin is working alongside energy research firm IFP Energies Nouvellas (IFPEN) and technology company Axens to construct France's first industrial-scale bioethanol-to-butadiene prototype plant. The BioButterfly programme, which has seen €70m ($76.5m) of investment since 2050, aims to produce environmentally-friendly synthetic rubbers by converting ethanol from biomass, like agricultural residues, into butadiene. The industrial prototype phase aims to demonstrate the process' viability at a scale of 20-30 mt per year. It will also help Michelin achieve its goal of using 80% sustainable raw material in its products by 2012, of which bio-butadiene will represent 20%.
Michelin is working alongside energy research firm IFP Energies Nouvellas (IFPEN) and technology company Axens to construct France's first industrial-scale bioethanol-to-butadiene prototype plant. The BioButterfly programme, which has seen €70m ($76.5m) of investment since 2012, aims to produce environmentally-friendly synthetic rubbers by converting ethanol from biomass, like agricultural residues, into butadiene. The industrial prototype phase aims to demonstrate the process' viability at a scale of 20-30 mt per year. It will also help Michelin achieve its goal of using 80% sustainable raw material in its products by 2050, of which bio-butadiene will represent 20%.