Neste to enable biobased PET bottles with Suntory, Eneos and Mitsubishi

Renewable Neste RE consists of pure hydrocarbons made from biobased raw materials and can be used as a drop-in solution to replace fossil feedstock in the making of polymers and chemicals. (Photo: Neste Corp.)

Renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer Neste Corp. announced Aug. 21 that it has entered a cooperation with Suntory, Eneos and Mitsubishi Corp. to enable the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin made with renewable Neste RE™ on a commercial scale.

Neste RE is Neste’s feedstock for polymers production, made 100 percent from biobased raw materials such as waste and residues such as used cooking oil to replace fossil feedstock in the value chain.

Japanese beverage company Suntory will utilize the renewable PET resin to produce bottles for its products in 2024.

A new partner for Neste in Japan, Eneos will use bio-intermediates based on Neste RE to produce bio-PX (bio-paraxylene) at its Mizushima Refinery in Okayama, Japan.

The bio-PX will then be converted to purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and subsequently to PET resin for Suntory to use to manufacture its PET bottles.

Mitsubishi will be coordinating the collaboration between the value-chain partners.

“In order to tackle the imminent climate crisis and its consequences, companies are required to take responsibility now,” said Lilyana Budyanto with Neste.

“Through partnering along the value chain, Neste can contribute to reducing the polymers and chemicals industry’s dependence on fossil resources as well as to manufacturing of products that have a lower carbon footprint,” Budyanto added.

A mass-balancing approach will be applied to allocate the biobased materials to the PET bottles.