Petra Project Biobtx to Build World’s First Fully Sustainable Aromatic Plant

Biobtx has plans to develop the Petra project – the world’s first commercial-scale plant that is capable of converting plastic waste directly into renewable aromatics. The project is expected to produce approximately 10,000 tonnes of renewable aromatic oil per year along with 8,000 tonnes of sustainable byproducts.

Groningen/The Netherlands – Biobtx recently announced that it has taken a positive Final Investment Decision (FID) for its Petra project: the world’s first commercial-scale plant converting plastic waste directly into renewable aromatics.

Petra is the first commercial-scale application of Biobtx’s proprietary ICCP (Integrated Catalytic Cracking Process) technology. The plant will produce approximately 10,000 tonnes of renewable aromatic oil per year, consisting of benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX), along with 8,000 tonnes of sustainable byproducts. Reaching this milestone concludes a 14-year journey from Biobtx’s initial idea in 2012, through lab and pilot scale, to commercial execution and will accelerate the commercialization of renewable aromatics worldwide.

Aromatics are key building blocks for, among others, pharmaceuticals, coatings, plastics, and performance materials. Biobtx offers a circular alternative to conventional fossil-derived aromatics, with identical performance. This is made possible by the ICCP technology, which enables the direct production of drop-in chemical building blocks, achieving a 70–80 % lifecycle GHG reduction in the first plant and paving the way toward even greater, carbon-negative savings in the future. By incorporating renewable aromatics into their products, customers can increase recycled content and reduce their scope 3 emissions.

With this key milestone, Biobtx is the first company in the world to realize a fully renewable aromatics plant, an important step on the path to defossilizing the chemical industry. With permits approved and engineering and financing agreements in place, the project now moves into execution. The main equipment suppliers, contractors and partners have been selected, and manufacturing of the process equipment modules has started. On-site construction starts in the beginning of 2027 and start-up of the plant is expected mid-2028.

Beyond commercial output, the plant will demonstrate the viability of commercial-scale production using the ICCP technology, paving the way towards larger-scale facilities and the broader adoption of circular and biobased aromatics. While this first plant focuses on mixed plastic waste, the ICCP technology is feedstock-flexible, with the potential to expand to other sources, such as biomass, in the future.

The plant will strengthen the green chemistry cluster at the Chemical Park in Delfzijl, developed by Groningen Seaports and the Province of Groningen, and will create jobs for approximately 35 people, phased in over the coming year.

The project's financing is supported by Biobtx’s shareholders amongst others – Invest-NL, Infinity Recycling, Covestro, NOM and Carduso Capital, alongside debt funding provided by Colesco Capital, Fonds Economische Agenda Startkapitaal (funded by the Economic Agenda Nij Begun) and the Province of Groningen, as well as a DEI+ grant awarded by RVO.

“Reaching this key milestone in the development of Biobtx marks an important step in our journey towards our mission of making circular chemistry possible. I am very proud of the full Biobtx team and shareholders whose dedication and commitment has made this achievement possible. We are going to build the world’s first fully sustainable aromatic plant. A great accomplishment!” says Ton Vries, Cofounder and CEO of Biobtx.

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