What are biolubricants?

Gears, transmissions, chains and other pistons are examples of mechanical moving parts that need to be protected from friction, excessive wear or overheating that occurs as a result. Greasy substances called lubricants are used to do this.

The development of the petroleum industry enabled "mineral" or "fossil" oils to be used as effective and cheap lubricants. ("Mineral" is an incorrect term that signifies "derived from the petrochemical industry".)

Awareness of the environmental impact of petrochemical derivatives led NOVANCE to develop vegetable oil-based lubricant products that are not just effective but also offer high performance results, along with being biodegradable and non-toxic to humans and our environment. For these reasons, these products are called "biolubricants".

In France, the term "biolubricant" refers only to those lubricants that are biodegradable and derived from biomass (animal or plant), contrary to numerous countries where this term includes biodegradable lubricants that contain mineral oils.
According to the ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency), biolubricants enable us to make an over 50 % reduction in greenhouse gases (expressed in CO₂ equivalent) and to economise over 65 % of energy in comparison to their petroleum-derived equivalents.)