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Production of Basic Chemicals on the Basis of Renewable Resources as an Alternative to Petrochemistry?
Author(s) -
Wagemann Kurt
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chembioeng reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.089
H-Index - 22
ISSN - 2196-9744
DOI - 10.1002/cben.201500005
Subject(s) - production (economics) , context (archaeology) , renewable resource , renewable energy , fossil fuel , petrochemical , petrochemistry , biochemical engineering , natural resource economics , shale gas , chemical products , environmental science , oil shale , economics , waste management , engineering , environmental engineering , microeconomics , biology , electrical engineering , paleontology
The current development in the USA, dominated by cheap shale gas, will make a significant impact on the production of basic chemicals. In this context, the paper addresses the question of whether the share of renewable resources for chemical production can be increased or whether the number of bio‐based products and processes will tend to progressively decrease. Answers are obtained by selecting a number of basic chemicals and comparing the existing production processes, based on petrochemicals, with alternatives, based on renewable or alternative fossil resources (e.g., methane and lower alkanes).