Bayer Looks to Scale Camelina Faster
Bayer is seeking to accelerate the expansion of camelina production in North America as renewable fuel markets create new demand for oilseed feedstocks.
The company had previously been working toward production across millions of acres by the middle of the next decade but now wants to reach greater scale sooner.
Camelina can be grown as an intermediate crop between primary growing seasons or on some underutilised land, potentially allowing farmers to produce an additional oilseed crop without directly replacing their principal harvest.
The crop’s oil can be processed for use in biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.
Bayer and bp Build a New Feedstock Supply Chain
Bayer and bp announced a long-term strategic alliance in May 2026 to commercialise camelina beginning in North America.
Bayer is contributing seed technology and its relationships with farmers, while bp brings expertise in fuel production, refining and renewable fuel markets.
The partnership is intended to connect agricultural production more directly with processors and fuel producers.
Creating that connection is important because new renewable fuel capacity requires reliable volumes of feedstock, while farmers need confidence that buyers will exist before committing acreage to a relatively new commercial crop.
Feedstocks Become a Strategic Part of Renewable Fuels
The expansion of camelina reflects a broader challenge facing renewable fuel producers: scaling fuel output requires scaling the supply of sustainable raw materials at the same time.
Vegetable oils, waste fats and other lipid feedstocks are already used across renewable diesel, biodiesel and several SAF pathways.
Rapid growth can therefore create competition for available supply and increase pressure to develop additional feedstocks.
Intermediate crops such as camelina are attracting attention because they may provide additional oil production while reducing direct competition with established food crops.
Whether camelina becomes a major renewable fuel feedstock will depend on agricultural yields, farmer economics, processing capacity, sustainability requirements and long-term demand from fuel producers.
For Bayer and bp, the next challenge is therefore not simply developing a suitable seed. It is building a commercial value chain capable of taking the crop from farms to large-scale renewable fuel production.
Sources
Reuters — Bayer Hopes to Speed Up Biofuel Feedstock Plan, June 10, 2026
Bayer — Bayer and bp Form Strategic Alliance to Jointly Scale Camelina as Intermediate Crop for Biofuels, May 6, 2026