Origin Materials Converts Wood Residue Feedstock into Sustainable Intermediates at Commercial-Scale Plant

Feedstock milestone demonstrates versatility and scalability of biomass conversion technology

Origin Materials (“Origin”), the world’s leading carbon negative materials company with a mission to enable the world’s transition to sustainable materials, announced the successful conversion of wood residue feedstock into sustainable intermediates at Origin 1, its first commercial-scale plant.

“This week we brought sustainable wood residue feedstock online for our biomass conversion technology at Origin 1,” said John Bissell, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Origin Materials. “This marks an evolution from the corn starch-based production we have employed since commencement of plant operations in October of last year. We are using locally sourced, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) controlled wood residues produced by a sawmill as a byproduct of lumber and wood flooring production. From that mill’s wood chips, shavings, and sawdust we produced our sustainable intermediates, which can be used to make a wide variety of products that normally would be made from petroleum. Products like apparel and textiles, plastics, tires and automotive components, fuels, and high-performance polymers, can all be produced from intermediates made from sawdust using our technology.”

Converting the first batch of wood residues into sustainable intermediates demonstrated several milestones for the scale-up of Origin’s biomass conversion technology. The commercial-production scale wood mill and wood handling system performed to specification, mechanically conveying wood residues from feed inventory into the reaction system. The reaction system performed well, producing Origin’s intermediates CMF, HTC, and oils and extractives. Reactor effluent transferred smoothly to downstream unit operations. Yields and process insights generated during this run will inform planned process improvements and future production campaigns. This run will also provide proof points to demonstrate the relationship between feed types and HTC product morphology.

“Our customers are engaged and excited about the ability of our technology to create a variety of sustainable and in many cases performance-advantaged products using a range of feedstocks,” continued Bissell. “We have proven the versatility of our technology to accept various feedstocks at lab scale. Now we have proven it at our commercial-scale plant, Origin 1, with respect to woody biomass. We look forward to continued progress in scaling our biomass conversion technology in support of our mission to enable the world’s transition to sustainable materials.”

The Origin 1 plant, located in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, is an asset used to support Origin market development, including customer materials testing and formulation in preparation for future technology scale-up. With the plant’s wood handling system activated and the successful conversion of wood residues into intermediates, including CMF, HTC, and oils and extractives, the company’s biomass conversion technology continues to perform as expected and support market development activities. For sample inquiries, please contact commercialorders@originmaterials.com.

For full press release and video click here.

About Origin Materials

Origin is the world’s leading carbon negative materials company with a mission to enable the world’s transition to sustainable materials. Our innovative technologies include all-PET caps and closures that bring recycling circularity and enhanced performance to a ~$65 billion market, specialty materials, and our patented biomass conversion platform that transforms carbon into sustainable materials for a wide range of end products addressing a ~$1 trillion market. Origin’s technology, economics, and carbon impact are supported by a growing list of major global customers and investors. For more information, visit www.originmaterials.com.

Contact:

Media Contact – media@originmaterials.com

Source: Origin Materials