Akzo Nobel has teamed up with a cleantech company, Photanol, to develop a sustainable technology for using light energy from the sun to make chemicals. The two companies will develop a number of specific chemicals that are currently used by AkzoNobel's Specialty Chemicals Business Area.
Peter Nieuwenhuizen, Director of Innovation and Partnerships, AkzoNobel, said, “Given the challenges the world is facing in terms of resource scarcity, we are actively looking for bio-based alternatives for our chemicals and Photanol’s existing technology is a potential game-changer.”
The collaboration is focused on Photanol’s existing proprietary technology, which uses light to directly convert CO2 from the air into predetermined raw materials such as acetic acid and butanol.
"The cooperation with Akzo Nobel is of major strategic importance to us. Not only does it give us access to a large potential market, but AkzoNobel's processing technology expertise also means that we will shorten our time to market,” says Michiel Lensink, CEO, Photanol.
