PHA bioplastics: Feedstocks
Why low yields make the feedstock bill so painful
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.PHA can be made from almost any carbon, but yields are low, so feedstock is a big share of cost: about 2-3 t of sugar or 1-1.5 t of vegetable oil per t of PHA (indicative). Cheap oils, sugar or wastes, high-productivity fermentation and efficient extraction decide who survives. Vegetable oils at roughly $900-1,800/t (soybean oil $912-1,781/t, 2024-2026, World Bank via soybeans tile) make the feedstock alone about $1-2 per kg of PHA, more than fossil PE costs in total.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rs Rapeseed | about 1-1.5 t per t PHA (indicative) | carbon source for oil-fed PHA | large (indicative) | indicative; rapeseed tile |
| Su Sugar | about 2-3 t per t PHA (indicative) | carbon source for sugar-fed PHA | large (indicative) | indicative; sugar tile |
| PO Palm oil | about 1-1.5 t per t PHA (indicative) | alternative oil feed | large | indicative |
| Solvents and energy for extraction | not published | recovery of PHA from cells | significant (indicative) | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
No producer has shown a cost near PLA. Lowest costs are expected at large oil- or sugar-fed plants with high cell PHA content and solvent-free recovery (indicative).
Raw materials on the commodity table
Rs RapeseedSu SugarWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| PLA Lactic acid and PLA | PHA is blended with PLA to toughen it and speed biodegradation |