en.Wedoany.com Reported - Catalyxx has announced the construction of a commercial-scale bio-based chemicals plant in Sines, Portugal, with a total investment of €120 million. The plant will use bioethanol as feedstock to produce butanol, hexanol, and octanol, offering a low-carbon alternative to traditional petrochemical routes, with products fully compatible with existing industrial applications and value chains.

The Portuguese government has designated the project as a Project of National Interest (PIN), recognizing its strategic contribution to domestic industrial development, innovation, and sustainability, and granting it an accelerated regulatory approval process. Additionally, the project has obtained key environmental approvals and is now in the preparation phase for construction.

Catalyxx's pilot plant in Seville, Spain, has previously validated its proprietary catalytic process under continuous operating conditions, generating operational data and technical expertise that will directly support the scaling of the Sines plant. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, with engineering activities supported by Worley, a global company in the energy, chemicals, and resources sectors, and Quadrante, an engineering consultancy firm.

The project has received €20 million in funding from the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), supported by a combination of private investment and public funds. The Sines facility alone is expected to avoid approximately 105,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and will attract additional private and institutional investment to Portugal, driving the development of new sustainable value chains.

Catalyxx CEO Joaquín Alarcón stated that the facility represents the next step in replacing fossil-based chemicals with renewable alternatives that are chemically identical but have significantly lower carbon intensity. He specifically thanked the support of AICEP - Global Parques ZILS, CCDR Alentejo, the Sines City Council, and the Ports of Sines and Algarve Authority (APS), noting that the project not only accelerates the defossilization of the chemical industry but also positions Portugal as a leader in sustainable industrial innovation in Europe.