In the name of climate #5: is there a future for synthetic palm oil?

The production of palm oil has a significant effect on the environment; because of this, several companies are attempting to develop a synthetic alternative to natural palm oil.

Palm oil is a vegetable fat extracted from drupes, the olive-like fruit that grows in some varieties of palm; it is very versatile and affordable, which is why it is used in both the food and cosmetic industries, as well as for the production of biofuels. The economies of much of South-East Asia depend on such industries.

Over the last 30 years, increased demand has led to a massive expansion in cultivation, with problems in Malaysia and Indonesia especially - where 85% of the palm oil produced worldwide is extracted: here, thousands of square kilometres of tropical forest have been cleared to allow for palm oil fields, with consequences for biodiversity, deforestation and global warming.

It’s for this reason that biochemical companies, start-ups and researchers are on the search for a synthetic alternative to natural palm oil: the aim is to synthesise more sustainable products which limit the environmental impact of cultivation and also meet the increased demand for palm oil.

Natural palm oil is inexpensive, easily stored and used in many different areas: its synthetic alternative should be at least as versatile, but is unlikely to be as affordable. Researchers at the University of Bath, England, have estimated that the cost of synthetic palm oil would be at least double that of natural palm oil.

According to Professor Chris Chuck, synthetic alternatives could therefore be used in sectors where the high value-added product rationalises higher prices, such as cosmetics, while commercial areas where price is key, such as food could present significant problems.