A pilot plant utilising captured carbon dioxide in VTT Bioruukki Pilot Centre, Espoo, Finland. Credit score: VTT Technical Analysis Centre of Finland
VTT Technical Analysis Heart of Finland and LUT College have accomplished a three-year analysis undertaking on carbon seize and utilization. The undertaking investigated totally different applied sciences for producing renewable plastic uncooked supplies from carbon dioxide and inexperienced hydrogen. Renewable power, hydrogen financial system and forest {industry}’s biogenic carbon dioxide emissions current vital alternatives for brand new sustainable industries.
The Forest CUMP analysis undertaking of VTT and LUT College investigated how biogenic carbon dioxide from forest {industry} and waste incineration might be captured and transformed into high-value-added merchandise, reminiscent of polypropylene and polyethylene. They’re uncooked supplies for the most typical varieties of plastics utilized in on a regular basis life, and their manufacturing at present depends primarily on fossil uncooked supplies.
“We investigated through pilot activities and modeling, how the biogenic carbon dioxide recovery chain can be adapted to existing petrochemical plants and the production of key basic plastics. For rapid and significant replacement of fossil feedstocks with renewable ones, technologies need to be adapted to the currently existing production facilities,” says Juha Lehtonen, Analysis Professor at VTT.
For instance, the gear used to separate hydrocarbons is an costly long-term funding. Subsequently, it is sensible to adapt renewable uncooked materials processes to the at present obtainable industrial gear.
“Our analysis confirmed that the low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch course of is a technically and economically promising different for the manufacturing of renewable polymers reminiscent of polyethylene and polypropylene. We will use Fischer-Tropsch naphtha immediately in current petrochemical processes as a feedstock for the above-mentioned plastics with out main further investments into present petrochemical items (e.g., distillation and separation processes or steam cracker).
“Producing the necessary hydrocarbons through alternative process routes such as methanol or the high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch process would require expensive investments in production facilities,” Lehtonen explains.
Finland’s power and hydrogen infrastructure are in fine condition
Finland has vital biogenic carbon dioxide reserves that can be utilized to switch fossil-based carbon feedstocks. Finland’s potential relies on massive, comparatively simply exploitable particular person sources of bio-based carbon dioxide, reminiscent of forest {industry} manufacturing services. A majority of these renewable carbon dioxide sources are not often present in Europe outdoors the Nordic nations.
“The capture of wood-based carbon dioxide offers a significant opportunity for Finland to build new industrial value chains while simultaneously reducing the use of fossil raw materials. The experimental work and piloting conducted within the Forest CUMP project provide valuable insights into the potential of carbon dioxide as a raw material for plastics,” says Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, the undertaking supervisor of Metsä Group’s carbon seize initiative.
Along with a secure, large-scale, and year-round provide of bio-based carbon dioxide, Finland’s power and hydrogen infrastructure is well-positioned to help the rising use of renewable power sources and hydrogen. As we transfer away from fossil hydrocarbon merchandise, one of many primary challenges will probably be securing an ample provide of inexperienced hydrogen. Going ahead, Finland’s power infrastructure offers good potential for large-scale inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing by way of water electrolysis utilizing renewable power.
In accordance with analysis by VTT, changing 10 million tons (Mt) of biogenic carbon dioxide into renewable merchandise would require roughly 60 TWh of renewable electrical energy (whereas Finland’s annual electrical energy consumption is round 85 TWh). For instance, processing 10 Mt of carbon dioxide and 1 Mt of hydrogen would yield roughly 3 Mt of diesel gas, equal to Finland’s whole annual consumption. Finland has about 30 Mt/a of huge bio-based CO₂ sources (over 0.1 Mt/a every), that means the nation already has the required uncooked supplies and infrastructure for industrial-scale manufacturing.
As a substitute of specializing in fuels, the Forest CUMP undertaking explored the potential of capturing bio-based carbon dioxide in long-lasting polymer merchandise.
The enterprise ecosystem covers the chain from manufacturing unit chimneys to plastic merchandise
The Forest CUMP undertaking introduced collectively enterprise companions and researchers to sort out main future challenges. Borealis, a supplier of superior and sustainable polyolefin options, is without doubt one of the firms collaborating within the undertaking. Forest CUMP is a part of Borealis’ SPIRIT program, which promotes the inexperienced transition of the plastics {industry}.
“This vital improvement undertaking helps the transition to renewable options within the plastics {industry}. In our imaginative and prescient, bio-based carbon might be sure into long-lasting plastic merchandise reminiscent of coatings and insulations for electrical cables, varied pipe purposes, or recyclable packaging merchandise.
“The route identified in the research makes this technically feasible, but widespread commercial use still requires both increased demand for renewable solutions and improvements in hydrogen economy technologies,” says Ismo Savallampi, the supervisor accountable for renewable feedstock analysis initiatives at Borealis.
“Finland has immense potential to become a leading European country in the utilization of biogenic carbon dioxide. Each year, around 30 million tons of biogenic CO₂ are generated in Finland. If captured and converted into valuable products, this could position Finland as a major producer and exporter of carbon dioxide and hydrogen-based chemicals, polymers, and transport fuels,” summarizes Juha Lehtonen of VTT.
Abstract of the method studied within the Forest CUMP undertaking:
The analysis undertaking mapped the whole manufacturing chain from carbon dioxide seize to ethylene and propylene manufacturing.
The manufacturing chain begins with carbon dioxide restoration, the place dilute flue gasoline carbon dioxide (10%–15%) is purified and enriched to about 95% carbon dioxide.
The carbon seize know-how was developed by CarbonReuse Finland, Ekotuhka Oy and LUT College.
VTT transformed the recovered and enriched carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons, aiming at most ethylene and propylene yields.
Ethylene and propylene are uncooked supplies for polyethylene and polypropylene. At this stage, their manufacturing has been demonstrated at VTT Bioruukki utilizing native flue gasoline carbon dioxide.
Sooner or later, the know-how can be utilized in locations the place bio-based carbon dioxide is produced, reminiscent of in forest {industry} vegetation.
Extra data:
Forest Trade Carbon dioxide Utilization for Supplies and Plastics. www.forestcu2mp.fi/
Offered by
VTT Technical Analysis Centre of Finland
Quotation:
Changing the forest {industry}’s carbon dioxide emissions into uncooked materials for plastics (2025, April 2)
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Publish date : 2025-04-02 23:25:00
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