{"id":395319,"date":"2026-05-28T08:52:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T06:52:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/?post_type=product&p=395319"},"modified":"2026-05-28T10:43:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T08:43:09","slug":"could-the-production-of-european-chemicals-be-achieved-without-naphtha-and-steam-crackers-what-alternative-pathways-could-be-viable-in-the-future-pdf","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/product\/could-the-production-of-european-chemicals-be-achieved-without-naphtha-and-steam-crackers-what-alternative-pathways-could-be-viable-in-the-future-pdf\/","title":{"rendered":"Could the production of European chemicals be achieved without naphtha and steam crackers? What alternative pathways could be viable in the future? (PDF)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the next few decades, naphtha steam cracking will remain the dominant and most efficient process in the European chemical industry. However, naphtha is produced from crude oil, which is linked to several problems: (1) climate change, especially from Scope 3 emissions; (2) a linear instead of a circular economy; (3) most innovation taking place in other areas than crackers; (4) a failure to achieve resilience and strategic autonomy; and (5) Europe’s inability to compete with other regions of the world that have better access to cheaper crude oil and naphtha. Furthermore, (6) renewable naphtha produced from biomass, waste or CO\u2082<\/sub> is very expensive (2\u20133 times more expensive), and (7) other pathways than naphtha and steam crackers are often more efficient for these alternative renewable feedstocks.<\/p>\n

These are seven good reasons to discuss what alternative pathways could be viable in the future of Europe\u2019s chemical industry and how they could be implemented. This paper mainly focuses on methanol, ethanol and biodiesel. Before delving into these topics, two brief comments on ammonia production, biotechnology and biomanufacturing and electrochemistry are provided.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over the next few decades, naphtha steam cracking will remain the dominant and most efficient process in the European chemical industry. However, naphtha is produced from crude oil, which is linked to several problems: (1) climate change, especially from Scope 3 emissions; (2) a linear instead of a circular economy; (3) most innovation taking place in other areas than crackers; (4) a failure to achieve resilience and strategic autonomy; and (5) Europe’s inability to compete with other regions of the world that have better access to cheaper crude oil and naphtha. Furthermore, (6) renewable naphtha produced from biomass, waste or CO\u2082<\/sub> is very expensive (2\u20133 times more expensive), and (7) other pathways than naphtha and steam crackers are often more efficient for these alternative renewable feedstocks.<\/p>\n

These are seven good reasons to discuss what alternative pathways could be viable in the future of Europe\u2019s chemical industry and how they could be implemented. This paper mainly focuses on methanol, ethanol and biodiesel. Before delving into these topics, two brief comments on ammonia production, biotechnology and biomanufacturing and electrochemistry are provided.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"qubely_global_settings":"","qubely_interactions":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_uag_custom_page_level_css":""},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[47,48,50],"product_tag":[481],"renewable-carbon":[64,65,66],"publication-type":[70],"class_list":{"0":"post-395319","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","5":"product_cat-markets","6":"product_cat-policy","7":"product_cat-technology","8":"product_tag-nova_280526_2","9":"renewable-carbon-bio-based","10":"renewable-carbon-co2-based","11":"renewable-carbon-recycling","12":"publication-type-reports","14":"first","15":"instock","16":"downloadable","17":"virtual","18":"sold-individually","19":"product-type-simple"},"bundle_layout":"","bundled_by":[],"bundled_items":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"qubely_landscape":false,"qubely_portrait":false,"qubely_thumbnail":false,"mega-menu":false,"blog-teaser":false,"woocommerce_thumbnail":false,"woocommerce_single":false,"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":false,"sow-carousel-default":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Dominik Vogt","author_link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/author\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Over the next few decades, naphtha steam cracking will remain the dominant and most efficient process in the European chemical industry. However, naphtha is produced from crude oil, which is linked to several problems: (1) climate change, especially from Scope 3 emissions; (2) a linear instead of a circular economy; (3) most innovation taking place…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/395319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=395319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=395319"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=395319"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=395319"},{"taxonomy":"renewable-carbon","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/renewable-carbon?post=395319"},{"taxonomy":"publication-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication-type?post=395319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}