Pioneering carbon dioxide technology at new Runcorn plant
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND plant has opened in Runcorn, demonstrating how innovative catalyst technologies can convert carbon dioxide into polyols which can be used to make more sustainable polyurethanes.
Clean-tech pioneer Econic Technologies now has a facility at The Heath, one of the UK’s leading independentlyowned business and technical parks.
It comprises all elements of the production process, integrated from reaction through to final product treatment, in a bespoke industrial unit.
The new demonstration plant is an exciting step for- ward in Econic Technologies’ journey to help manufacturers unlock the positive potential of waste carbon dioxide.
Until now, the creation of polyols from carbon has been performed in plants at highpressures and temperatures.
Thanks to its new tuneable catalyst, Econic Technologies’ plant will be able to produce samples of carbon dioxidebased polyols at lower, industrially relevant temperatures and pressures.
The more sustainable polyurethanes eventually produced could be used in automobiles, bedding and footwear.
Econic Technologies chief executive Rowena Sellens said: “The demonstration plant is essential to helping our pioneering catalyst technologies develop as they move out of the lab and into the factory.
“As a company, we want to help drive the market adoption of polyols and our new plant provides an opportunity for us to encourage significant uptake in the industry.
“The interest from polyol manufacturers and downstream polyol users in the plant has been overwhelming already.
“We are extremely confident that once we start demonstrating what our technol- ogy can do, we will help catalyse a transformation in attitude when it comes to the positive potential of carbon.”
The launch of the plant comes just weeks after Econic announced that they had closed a major founding round where climate investment group OGCI Ventures came on board alongside existing investors.
As well as private capital investment, the demonstration plant has also received substantial European support through a Horizon 2020 SME Award.
Econic Technologies head of process and project engineering Rulande Rutgers said: “Securing such highly competitive public funding has been an important vote of confidence for Econic Technologies, and is allowing the company to accelerate development pace. Using some of this funding for the new demonstration plant is one way it is helping turn the potential of our catalysts into reality.”
Econic Technologies’ catalysts enable manufacturers to reuse waste carbon dioxide by allowing it to be incorporated as a feedstock, which offers not only a sustainable benefit by reducing the reliance on fossil fuels but also an economical benefit by enhancing margins. ●
The company hopes that by 2027, 30% of all polyol production will take place using Econic’s catalyst technologies, which could save 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – the equivalent to taking two million cars off the road.