International. AkzoNobel and the company specialized in renewable oils and bioproducts Solazyme, announced an agreement to develop renewable oils from algae.
With this, the European company seeks to improve or replace petroleum-based chemicals and improve the performance of vegetable oils and animal fats.
Akzonobel expects the products to start work in the second half of this year. Renewable oils will be used in products including surfactants, paints and coatings.
The companies say the commercial offering of the several thousand tons of sustainable algae oil will originate from the Solazyme plant located in Brazil and its sale is scheduled to begin in 2014.
AkzoNobel says Solaryme's biofuels will help reduce the environmental impact of its surface chemistry and decorative paints businesses. The company set new sustainability targets last February that include reducing carbon emissions by 25 to 30% per tonne of product by 2020, compared to 2012 levels. It also pledged that by 2020, its eco-premium products will account for 20% of revenue.
