VTT launches BECCU project for utilising carbon dioxide as a raw material

VTT and its business partners have launched a two-year project to develop a concept for a process to capture and utilise carbon dioxide as a raw material for speciality chemicals.

Carbon dioxide can be used to replace fossil fuels as a raw material in manufacturing numerous chemical products, and VTT has previously evaluated that facilities that utilise and process biomass could be suitable pioneers for viable carbon dioxide capture.

The goal of the project, called BECCU, is to determine whether polyols can be profitably be manufactured from bio-based carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the current market situation.

The project is developing a concept for the entire processing chain, from the use of biomass in energy production all the way to capturing of carbon dioxide and chemical manufacture.

The aim is to prepare this concept to the next point where industrial-scale investments can be targeted.

Henri Nieminen, from Finnfoam, said: “Polyurethane products are increasingly being used in construction industry insulation in the global markets, so it’s important that the fossil raw materials used in these products are replaced by bio-based and recycled materials, both as part of the Finnish chemical industry’s sustainability targets and to strengthen its market position.”

Lars Peter Lindfors, Senior Vice President for Innovation at Neste, said: “At Neste, we’re seeking solutions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 million tonnes per year in 2030. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, we’re continually developing sustainable fuels and circular economy solutions.”

“We’re involved in BECCU because this project seeks possibilities for turning carbon dioxide from a problem into an opportunity.”

Ari Kokko, Director for Technology and R&D for the Energy Business Unit at Valmet, said: “Valmet’s mission is to convert renewable resources into sustainable results.”

“The concept of capturing biomass-based carbon dioxide for the production of new end products is a good fit with our mission. Achieving climate targets calls for new solutions and verifying them with the whole value chain, and the BECCU project is ideally suited for this.”