Seaweed Spoons and Fossil-Free Fuels with IDTechEx

A world where plastic products are biodegradable and biofuels are increasingly available is one that would see far less harmful emissions being released into the atmosphere. IDTechEx's portfolio of Sustainability Research Reports and Subscriptions explores emerging technologies allowing for major sectors to contribute to global sustainability goals.

 

 

 

Having a picnic with a fork made of seaweed that can be composted after use could be one realistic goal for the bioplastics industry, that is focusing on creating plastics from biomass feedstocks free from fossil fuels. The need for bioplastics and the move away from fossil fuel reliance has been becoming increasingly prevalent over the last 70+ years, whereby plastic demand has jumped from 2 million tonnes in 1950, to 502 million tonnes in 2025.

 

Alternative bioplastics such as PLA and PHAs provide sustainability benefits due to their biodegradability. However, these bioplastics remain more costly to produce and can suffer from reduced durability than regular plastics. Overall, this makes alternative bioplastics best suited for single use items such as ice cream spoons and other cutlery. This approach will improve the circularity of the plastic sector, where waste plastic can be composted at end-of-life to complete a circular lifecycle.

 

 

 

On the other hand, so-called "drop-in" bioplastics that can serve as direct substitutes for conventional fossil plastics, such as bio-based PE, PP and PET, are created using biomass-derived feedstocks that are chemically identical to petrochemicals, therefore providing the same material properties. Chemical catalysis and microbial biosynthesis are two key technologies for the conversion of biomass into bioplastics, as outlined in IDTechEx's report, "Bioplastics 2026-2036: Technology, Market, Players, and Forecasts". These materials are not biodegradable, unlike alternative bioplastics, but can utilize the same production and recycling infrastructure as regular plastics, making them more attractive to existing plastic producers.

 

 

Transport fuels are another huge driver for fossil fuel reliance globally, which is where biofuels can come in as a more sustainable alternative to relieve this pressure. With 20% of global CO₂ emissions coming from transportation, the shift has been long awaited.

 

 

Biodiesel is already widely implemented, making up a percentage of diesel in fuel stations today. Many biofuels, like blends containing biodiesel, can be drop-in replacements and won't require any infrastructure changes. While electric vehicle numbers will continue to rise and provide their own means of curbing carbon emissions, biofuels are a shorter-term solution, as regular combustion engine vehicles can run on them just the same as regular fuels.

 

IDTechEx's report, "Sustainable Biofuels & E-Fuels Market 2026-2036: Technologies, Players, Forecasts", splits biofuels into conventional 1^st generation, and advanced 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th generation categories. 1^st generation uses food crops like sugar cane, corn, and wheat to produce bioethanol, while vegetable and food oils such as soy, palm, sunflower, and rapeseed can be used to make biodiesel. Going forward, feedstocks such as algae and genetically engineered microorganisms could be used to create a variety of biofuels, highlighting the already vast scope for the future of sustainable fuel production. In planes, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is already used alongside traditional jet fuel. SAF is expected to continue to have its uptake increase going forward as it becomes cheaper and more widely available.

 

 

E-fuels, on the other hand, are synthetic fuels created with green hydrogen from water electrolysis and can also be used as drop-in fuels without the need for infrastructure changes. Despite their carbon neutrality and the nature of their feedstocks being unlimited, e-fuels are very expensive to produce and require energy intensive processes, while not currently having as high efficiency as electric vehicles. IDTechEx does however state that their efficiency is aiming to be improved alongside efforts to expand e-fuel production, which may hopefully lower costs as a result.

 

 

Similarly to the feedstocks used to produce biofuels, sustainable chemicals can be created from waste residues and other renewable feedstocks, contributing to the decarbonization of the chemical sector. 2nd generation feedstocks for sustainable chemicals could be anything from agricultural waste to plants that are not for human consumption, while 3rd generation feedstocks include algae. IDTechEx's report, "Next-Generation Feedstocks for Sustainable Chemicals 2025-2035: Markets, Players, Forecasts", outlines the use of various next-generation feedstocks in producing sustainable chemicals.

 

A large part of the demand push for sustainable chemicals is down to increasing regulations and government legislations coming in across the world to reduce plastic waste and promote a circular economy. The report also outlines other drivers for the uptake of next-generation feedstocks, including stakeholders, such as retailers and brands, opting for more sustainable approaches, and a wider public interest in positive environmental change. Captured carbon dioxide can also be used to create chemicals through electrochemistry and biological conversion routes, further highlighting the positive nature of sustainable chemical production and its means of putting harmful gases to good use. IDTechEx's report, "Carbon Dioxide Utilization 2026-2036: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players", explores this in more detail.

 

 

White biotechnology is one means of producing certain specialty chemicals that are used across multiple industries from food and cosmetics to catalysts and coatings. This route to their production sees microorganisms and enzymes undergoing biocatalytic processes and enables a more sustainable means of manufacturing complex molecules. The use of renewable feedstocks and precision bioprocessing also allows for these specialty chemicals to be created without greenhouse gas emissions and harmful byproducts. IDTechEx's report, "Biomanufacturing Specialty Chemicals 2026-2036: Technologies, Markets, Players, Forecasts", covers white biotechnology alongside other processes, and explores in detail the technologies which make the production of sustainable chemicals possible.

 

 

For more information, visit IDTechEx's portfolio of Sustainability Research Reports and Subscriptions for the latest updates and sustainable developments across major sectors.