Neste has announced donations to three Finnish universities to support advanced research in catalysis and strengthen long-term academic expertise in the field. Neste operates refineries that produce renewable and fossil fuels for road transport, aviation and marine use, as well as materials used by the plastics and chemicals industries, Biodiesel Magazine reported.
The funding will support research at Åbo Akademi University, University of Eastern Finland, and University of Jyväskylä. Each institution will focus on a different area of catalysis, covering engineering, chemistry and modelling, with the aim of building knowledge across the full research chain.
Neste said the universities were selected for their strong and complementary work in catalysis, ranging from theoretical modelling to practical preparation and industrial application. The company said the support is intended to encourage new research ideas while also building skills for the future.
Lars Peter Lindfors, Senior Vice President for Technology and Innovation at Neste, said research in catalysis is important for the company’s efforts to widen its raw material base. He said it supports the use of waste materials and residues from different sources and helps develop new production methods. Lindfors added that Finland already has strong expertise in this area, and Neste wants to help strengthen that capability further.
The company said catalysts play a key role in refining by helping convert different raw materials into finished fuel and chemical products.
According to Neste, catalysts are used to speed up and control chemical reactions during refining. One such process involves removing unwanted substances, such as sulfur and nitrogen, from raw materials to improve the quality of final products.The company said the new funding will help advance research that supports cleaner production methods and the growing use of alternative raw materials in the energy and chemicals sectors.
