Market demand has grown for products that reduce environmental impact and contribute to a sustainable future. Since 1992, LyondellBasell has played an important part in this development by producing clean-burning fuel components based on renewable raw materials.
To support demand, the company has converted its Channelview South methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) plant in Texas to produce ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), or bio-ETBE, creating the largest plant of its kind in the world. Bio-ETBE is a gasoline blending component which uses bio-ethanol produced from agricultural sources for feedstock instead of methanol. Used in gasoline, bio-ETBE reduces vehicle exhaust emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, as well as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Compared to other bio-products, bio-ETBE offers significant advantages including lower distribution costs for our customers.
Bio-ETBE is used extensively in the European Union, and Japan has begun importing the biofuel for use as a blending component in gasoline to achieve greenhouse gas emission reduction goals established in the Kyoto Protocol. For the past several years, LyondellBasell has worked with Japanese refineries to develop a multi-year contract that allows the company to provide a large portion of the country’s bio-ETBE needs.