Neste announced financial support for three universities in Finland to advance cutting-edge catalysis research and strengthen long-term academic expertise across complementary disciplines critical to the energy and chemicals industries.
Funding targets engineering, chemistry and modelling expertise
The funding will support research in catalysis engineering at Åbo Akademi University, catalysis chemistry at the University of Eastern Finland, and catalysis modelling at the University of Jyväskylä. Neste selected the recipients based on their pioneering and complementary strengths, spanning the entire catalysis value chain—from molecular-level modelling to catalyst preparation and process engineering.
Research to support future raw material diversification
According to Neste, strengthening catalysis research is essential to expanding its current and future raw material base, particularly as the company increases its use of waste and residue streams as feedstocks.
“Fostering research on catalysis is essential for the expansion of Neste’s current and future raw material base, supporting the use of waste and residues from a wide variety of streams as raw materials,” said Lars Peter Lindfors, Senior Vice President, Technology and Innovation at Neste.
“There is extensive catalysts research and development in Finland, and we want to support this valuable work while further strengthening competence building in catalysis,” Lindfors added.
Catalysts play a central role in refining processes
Neste operates refineries that produce renewable and fossil fuels for road transport, aviation, marine and industrial applications, as well as renewable and circular solutions for the polymers and chemicals sectors. In this context, catalysts are critical to refining renewable, recycled and fossil raw materials efficiently and sustainably.
Enabling cleaner fuels through advanced chemical reactions
As per the press release, catalysts accelerate and control chemical reactions during refining, enabling the conversion of diverse feedstocks into high-quality fuel products. One key process is hydrotreatment, in which catalysts help remove impurities such as sulphur, nitrogen and oxygen from raw materials. As Neste continues to diversify feedstocks and scale sustainable fuels, advanced catalysis remains central to process efficiency, product quality and emissions reduction.
