Gert-Jan Gruter
CTO at Avantium and professor of Industrial  
Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Amsterdam

Abstract

Starting form this issue of Chimica OGGI / Chemistry TODAY we will provide this new column entitled “Emerging Value Chain” where the author will discuss novel chemical technologies with specific emphasis on those that can contribute to EU greenhouse gas emissions reductions goal of 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

The  overarching  goal of sustainability is the use of technology and resources to “meet our current needs without compromising on the needs of future generations”. Today, our use of technology and resources is far away from being sustainable according to the goal described above. 

On the one hand, we are depleting our resources such oil, gas and coal as well as metals and other elements obtained from extraction and mining and on the other hand, we are damaging natural processes by accumulating materials such as plastics in the environment and creating unprecedented global warming with catastrophic consequences such as wetter winters, dryer summers, rising sea levels and seriously adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. 

Oil, gas and coal are by far the largest contributor to the factor of resource depletion. Fossil reserves that have accumulated in the earth for millions of years are being converted to CO₂ at an incredible rate of 8000 million ton per day, which will deplete fossil resources at some point.
At the same time, the CO₂ produced is causing environmental issues such as global warming, which is anot ...