01. Oct 2021

New EU project to convert CO2 emissions into products launched today

New EU project to convert CO2 emissions into products launched today

A new innovation project called PyroCO2 aimed at demonstrating the large-scale con version of industrial carbon emissions into value-added chemicals and materials kicked off today.

The project, largely funded by the European Commission, is being carried out by a consortium of 20 leading industrial and research partners from 11 countries and will run through 30 September 2026. The project has been awarded a total of €40 million in funding from the EU in support of the European Green Deal, the plan to make the EU's economy sustainable and climate- neutral by 2050.

"We are excited to finally start our ambitious work that aims to be a gamechanger for European carbon-intensive industries,” said Senior Research Scientist Alexander Wentzel at SINTEF, the independent Norwegian research institute coordinating the project. “These will be able to create valuable products from their CO2 emissions, meeting the need for a lower carbon footprint while maintaining their competitiveness and being a part of the solution for the climate."

Within the scope of PyroCO2, an innovative platform for CCU that turns industrial CO2 into chemical building-blocks using a new biotechnological approach will be established. These will then be converted further catalytically into a wide range of products, including other value-added chemicals (such as components for paints and plastic), synthetic fuels, as well as recyclable or biodegradable materials normally produced from fossil hydrocarbons.

“The PyroCO2 project aims to establish itself as a lighthouse for innovative CCU technologies that can benefit equally the European industries, citizens, and the environment, on the path to a climate-neutral Europe with global impact", said Dr. Francesca Di Bartolomeo at SINTEF.
The ultimate aim of this 5-year project which has a total budget of 44 million euros, is to build and operate a facility capable of capturing 10,000 tonnes of industrial CO2 per year, an equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions from 2,200 cars and use it to produce chemicals.
“The European Green Deal boosts the transition towards a more sustainable future, and we choose to be a part of innovation projects like PyroCO2 to contribute to develop the circular economy and a climate-neutral Europe,” said Thor Kamfjord, Director Sustainable Development, Norner.

The PyroCO2 factory will be sited at the industrial cluster of Herøya Industrial Park in Porsgrunn, Norway, where several carbon-intensive industries are located. The PyroCO2 process will thus benefit from close to 100% renewable electricity, and complement ongoing large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) efforts in Norway. Once successfully demonstrated, replication and further upscaling is envisioned throughout Europe and beyond.

Partners in the consortium are: SINTEF (coordinator, NO), SecondCircle (DK), Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DK), Arkema France (FR), Le Centre National De la Recherce Scientifique (FR), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (DE), Ciaotech SRL (IT), Axelera (FR), Firmenich SA (CH), NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS (NO), Herøya Industripark (NO), Chalmers Tekniska Hoegskola (SE), Bioprocess Technology (ES), Norner Research (NO), SCG Chemicals (TH), Johnson-Matthey PLC (UK), Ranido S.R.O. (CZ), NextChem SPA (IT), Ecoinnovazione SRL (IT), Vestfold og Telemark Fylkeskommune (NO).
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101037009.

www.norner.no

 

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