Chemical production isn’t exactly known for being the most graceful, green process. Often, the notion of industrial plants is one associated with black smog, coal burning, and a ton of emissions. And it’s not really something you’d want to describe as “sweet.”
So startup Solugen’s sugar-based process is certainly one that disrupts one’s perceptions. Alongside water, air, and a metal catalyst, sugars are used in the company’s process to produce chemical molecules without the toxins and waste that often accompany the process.
According to the firm, this will bring clean, sustainable chemistry to “every industry and every aspect of modern life.”
Traditional chemical production relies on materials such as oil, natural gas, and coal. Pollution is an unfortunate component at multiple steps of the process, from fossil fuel production to the refining of those materials, as reported by Fast Company.
Image via Solugen
At Solugen’s carbon-negative molecule factory, powered by wind, the reactor combines corn syrup with engineered enzymes. The product is then mixed with metal catalysts to evoke the reaction, which boasts efficiency.
It might be argued that there could be challenges that come with using corn syrup at the large scale that’d be required to facilitate the process, since the resources used to grow the crop could be diverted to other means like food production.
So, Solugen has an alternative: Captured CO2 could be used in the future instead of corn or other plants.
Image via Solugen
Almost all the feedstock can be transformed into the final product, ensuring much less waste than the traditional process. Based on the company’s analysis, it has estimated that it’ll be able to produce a 90% yield of the world’s chemicals that are currently produced by fossil fuels.
Compared to other methods like petrochemicals and fermentation—60% and 40% respectively—the corn syrup method also touts low heat and energy requirements as well as no waste, which can’t be said for the other two.
Some markets Solugen is tackling with its products include infrastructural materials, agriculture, cleaning formulas, and treating water for reuse. With a growing number of companies striving to develop more sustainable business practices, it seems like an upward trajectory for the firm.
Image via Solugen
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