Alternative Energy

Making biodegradable plastic from biomass

Total Petrochemicals and biotechnology firm Galactic have co-launched an R&D program for a technology to manufacture transparent, printable plastic suitable for food packaging using polylactic acid (PLA) derived from sugar beets. The plant-based plastic is compostable and biodegradable.

A demonstration plant will be commissioned in Escanaffe, Belgium, in April 2010. The trial is another step in Total Petrochemicals’ search for alternatives to oil and commitment to integrating renewable sources. Ultimately, the goal is to expand the range of available polymers by synthesizing agricultural and food industry waste.

Marketing biolubricants that do not harm fragile natural environments

Total now has a comprehensive line of biodegradable lubricants, made partly from renewable resources. They have been designed to meet the specific requirements of operating machinery such as chain saws and tractors in sensitive environments — mountains, forests, farming and fishing — and to prevent pollution caused by accidental spills of hydraulic fluids. This product line has been awarded a European Union ecolabel in recognition of their environmental friendliness.

Incorporating plant-derived substances in coated materials

Total’s Biostyrelf is a binder that includes renewable raw materials. Manufactured in Germany and recently tested in Denmark, it shows that the asphalt industry too is capable of reducing its environmental impact through the use of biomass, among other measures.

Shortening the biofuel production process

We are applying our expertise in engineering and community development to study the potential of various plants convertible to automotive and other fuels via shortened systems. The initiative has two advantages: utilizing bioresources close to the fields and plantations on which they grow maximizes the economic and environmental benefits in developing countries for the communities involved.

An experiment along these lines is being conducted in Mali with NGOs and specialized partners. It aims to replace the diesel fuel used to run the generators in a few villages with the oil from an inedible succulent called jatropha.