Reimagining Petrochemical Industry: The Limits and Opportunities of Green Refineries
The petrochemical industry is facing a complex transition driven by climate change and geopolitical shifts, requiring innovative approaches to achieve sustainability.
Traditional reliance on fossil fuels for producing plastics and fuels poses environmental and economic risks, demanding new pathways such as bio-refineries and carbon capture technologies.
Key to this transformation is understanding the feasibility of substituting fossil resources with green carbon sources, including biogenic and atmospheric CO2, which face technological, economic, and geopolitical challenges.
Catalonia's Tarragona complex demonstrates the importance of industry in regional economies and highlights the urgent need for clear, socially negotiated strategies to prevent economic disruption.
While current policies recognize the industry's high emissions and potential carbon capture solutions, decisions on utilizing natural or artificial carbon sources remain unresolved, complicating decarbonization planning.
The concept of bio-refineries offers an attractive vision, but its practicality depends on the availability of green raw materials, the cost-effectiveness of capture and conversion processes, and political support.
Challenges include securing sustainable sources of green carbon, developing infrastructure, and aligning industrial models with energy and climate policies.
The reliance on imported biogenic carbon and the high costs of carbon capture must be addressed through technological innovation and strategic investments, especially in hydrogen infrastructure and renewable energy.
Europe's technological sovereignty and innovation capacity are critical to taking a leading role in transformative sectors like green chemistry, hydrogen, and carbon management.
Ultimately, transitioning from a petrochemical-dependent economy to a sustainable bio-refinery model requires a holistic approach integrating technological, social, and political dimensions, with transparent stakeholder dialogue and strategic planning.