Neste Corporation has unveiled a new co-processed renewable feedstock, Neste RE, for the polymers and chemicals industry, marking a significant expansion of its sustainable offering. The new feedstock is produced by co-processing renewable raw materials, such as used cooking oil, with fossil crude oil at Neste’s existing oil refinery in Porvoo, Finland. This innovative approach creates a drop-in solution to produce plastics and chemicals, providing a more sustainable alternative to conventional fossil feedstocks.

The co-processing of renewable raw materials alongside fossil crude oil results in a product with a significantly smaller carbon footprint than traditional fossil-based feedstocks, such as naphtha or propane, typically used in the chemicals industry. This makes Neste RE an important step toward reducing the reliance on fossil raw materials in the chemicals sector, which is a key target for sustainability initiatives globally. The mass balance approach will be used to trace the renewable materials incorporated into the feedstock, ensuring that the sustainability benefits of the renewable raw materials are attributed correctly.

Jeroen Verhoeven, the Commercial Director for Polymers and Chemicals at Neste, emphasized the importance of the development. “Our goal is simple: reduce the use of fossil raw materials in the chemicals industry,” Verhoeven said. “By co-processing renewable raw materials, we are expanding our offering for the chemicals industry and taking another step in transforming our crude oil refinery in Porvoo into a hub for renewable and circular solutions."

This new offering complements Neste’s existing renewable and recycled Neste RE solutions, which are produced from 100% renewable raw materials at the company’s dedicated renewables refineries using its proprietary NEXBTL technology. Additionally, Neste also produces renewable feedstock through chemical recycling of circular raw materials, such as hard-to-recycle plastic waste. By introducing this co-processed Neste RE feedstock, Neste is broadening its capabilities and providing additional pathways for industries to transition to more sustainable feedstocks.

Neste has significant experience in co-processing renewable raw materials, having previously implemented this technology for marine fuels and heating liquids. The company’s expertise in integrating renewable materials into conventional refining processes enables it to produce scalable, high-quality sustainable products for a range of industries.

Neste’s new co-processed feedstock represents a critical advancement in the company’s efforts to transform the chemicals and polymers sector, which has traditionally been reliant on fossil fuels. As part of its broader sustainability goals, Neste aims to significantly reduce the carbon emissions associated with its products. The company’s long-term ambitions include carbon-neutral production by 2035 and a 50% reduction in the carbon intensity of its sold products by 2040.