The Royal Society explores non-fossil feedstocks for chemicals

The Royal Society is exploring the potential to replace fossil feedstocks used in making chemicals with alternative carbon sources.

The chemical industry is responsible for 6% of global greenhouse emissions, notes Graham Hutchings  CBE FRS, Regius Professor Chemistry at Cardiff University, UK.

The Royal Society's policy briefing, Catalysing change: Defossilising the chemical industry, calls for sources of carbon to make chemicals for net zero by 2050 that do not originate from fossil sources.

They have considered three sources: biomass, plastic waste and carbon dioxide.

Unlike other sectors, we cannot fully decarbonise the chemical industry as the carbon is essential to chemical products.

They have concluded that none of the three sources can deal with all the materials that we want, a mix will be required.

To make them and use them, more research is needed, says Professor Hutchings. Research into catalysts, increasing renewable energy and access to green hydrogen.