Deforestation-free chemistry: the new generation of sustainable ingredients for the industry

History

The production of oleochemical ingredients, essential in sectors such as cosmetics, cleaning, and textiles, currently depends on raw materials such as vegetable oils—especially palm oil—or petrochemical resources, which are associated with deforestation, carbon emissions, and supply chain risks.

To address this challenge, the team at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ, UPV–CSIC) has developed an innovative technology that allows these compounds to be synthesized directly from synthesis gas (syngas) obtained from biomass waste or industrial CO₂. This patented process eliminates dependence on unsustainable raw materials and enables the production of fatty compounds with high selectivity in a single stage.

The technology has led to the creation of the spin–off OLESYN, which transfers this knowledge to the market through the production of sustainable ingredients and its future exploitation via licensing. This model positions the company as a key player in the transition toward chemistry aligned with new European regulations and the sustainability demands of the industry.

Impact

• Environmental: carbon footprint reduction of up to ~10 times compared to conventional processes and elimination of the use of raw materials associated with deforestation
• Industrial: single-stage production with high selectivity (~80%) and significantly higher efficiency than alternative technologies
• Economic: reduction in raw material costs (down to <€0.04–0.08/kg compared to ~€1/kg for palm oil) and improvement in process competitiveness
• Market: opportunity in a global oleochemicals market exceeding 20,000 million euros, with growing demand for “palm-free” products
• Regulatory: alignment with European regulations (EUDR, REACH), guaranteeing traceability and deforestation-free production

People

• Ilaria Ceteroni
• Gonzalo Prieto
• Sebastián Llopis
• Fausto Aldegheri