Conference Speakers

Kat Knauer, Ph.D.

Senior Researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Kat Knauer is a polymer scientist who has dedicated her scientific career to solving the plastic waste problem. She has a PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi and completed the BASF PhD Leadership Development Program (LDP) in 2018 before taking a Senior Scientist role in BASF’s Plastics Division. Her research efforts focused on advanced recycling technologies which ultimately led her to leading Materials Innovation R&D at Novoloop (formerly BioCellection), a San Francisco Bay Area chemical recycling startup. Recently, Dr. Knauer joined the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics our of Landfills and the Environment (BOTTLE) Consortium where she is developing sustainable technologies to chemically upcycle today’s existing plastic waste streams and develop new plastics for the future that are recyclable by design. 

---

Addressing the Plastic Waste Crisis Today While Engineering Recyclable Materials for Tomorrow

The plastic pollution crisis is intrinsically tied to an energy crisis, with projections indicating that roughly 20% of fossil fuel consumption will be allocated to plastic production by 2050, accounting for nearly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions (twice that of the aviation sector). Existing polymerization processes offer limited potential for efficiency enhancements and reducing energy demand. Moreover, reliance on mechanical recycling, the predominant method at scale, is hampered by its finite life cycles due to polymer degradation and contamination. In light of these challenges, the most promising avenues for decarbonizing the U.S. plastic industry necessitate comprehensive systemic transformations. This involves integrating bio- and waste-based supply chains and establishing a circular economy loop for plastics through innovative recycling techniques aimed at reclaiming plastic waste. At the forefront of these efforts is the Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment (BOTTLE™) Consortium, a multi-organization initiative led by the U.S. Department of Energy. The consortium is dedicated to pioneering new chemical upcycling strategies for current plastics while concurrently designing future plastics with recyclability as a core tenet. This presentation will showcase the flagship technologies developed by the BOTTLE Consortium, including low-energy plastic deconstruction methods, innovative upcycling approaches for waste intermediates, and the development of recyclable-by-design (RBD) polymers poised to revolutionize the plastic industry landscape.