VTT unveils pilot plant to convert carbon emissions into recyclable plastics

21 Aug 2024 --- European research institution VTT, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT University) and partnering companies have opened a pilot plant in Espoo, Finland, to process captured carbon dioxide into compounds that can replace fossil raw materials in plastic products and chemicals. 

PP and PE are the most common plastic types used for everyday applications and are typically produced from fossil raw materials. Therefore, plastics play an important role in sequestering carbon dioxide in long-lasting products. 

The pilot plant, built in sea containers, started operating this month. Next to renewable energy and the hydrogen economy, bio-based carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sectors support Finland’s net zero industry.

Bio-based carbon dioxide is CO2 captured from the emissions of bio-based operations, such as bioenergy production by burning biomass, from pulp mills (also coming from burning biomass), biogas production and bioethanol production.

VTT research professor Juha Lehtonen tells Packaging Insights that in Finland, over 20 million metric tons of biogenic CO2 is emitted annually from pulp mills and almost 10 million metric tons annually from other bioenergy production.

VTT’s CO2 pilot plant Bioruukki is built in sea containers (Image credit: VTT).“To utilize approximately 30 million metric tons of CO2 available in Finland annually from biogenic industrial emissions, huge investments are needed, especially for renewable power and hydrogen production,” he asserts.

“It has been estimated that two to three times current power production of renewable power (mainly wind power) is needed to convert the amount above of CO2 to polymers, chemicals and fuels.”

Renewable investments needed

Lehtonen says that, for example, wind power potential on Finland’s west coast is relatively high. 

“We need companies investing in wind power and green hydrogen, PPA contracts between these companies and governmental actions for the construction of needed infrastructure (electricity grid, hydrogen pipelines, etc.)”

“Due to current EU regulations, it seems that fuels made from CO2 and H2 have a higher potential to be commercialized before polymers and chemicals where the regulations are still immature,” he predicts.

Finland wants to utilize bio-based carbon capture as one way of reducing GHG emissions. For example, the Government Programme aims to significantly increase the use of technological carbon sinks. 

The Forest CUMP research project of VTT and LUT University investigated how bio-based carbon dioxide from, for example, the forest industry and waste incineration can be captured and converted into high-value products such as PP and PE. 

The promising results of the project will now be put into practice as VTT and its partners open a pilot plant built in sea containers in the Bioruukki pilot center in Espoo, Finland.

Production chain study 

VTT’s CO2 pilot equipment Bioruukki (Image credit: VTT).The Forest CUMP project is implemented in close cooperation with business partners as part of Business Finland’s Veturi ecosystem, which supports sustainable development. One of the Veturi companies is Borealis. Forest CUMP is part of Borealis’ SPIRIT program, which promotes the green transition of the plastics industry.

“This is a significant development project to support our vision of capturing and utilizing industrial carbon emissions by producing long-lasting or fully recyclable plastic products that can sequester carbon for a long time,” says Ismo Savallampi, project manager for renewable and bio-based feedstocks, circularity and decarbonization at Borealis.

The research project studied the entire production chain from carbon capture to ethylene and propylene production. Ethylene and propylene are the raw materials for PE and PP.

Currently, the chemical compounds are produced at VTT Bioruukki from flue gas carbon dioxide. 

In the future, the technology can be brought into production wherever bio-based carbon dioxide is produced, such as in the forest industry or waste incineration plants.

The Forest CUMP project, funded by Business Finland, is part of the Business Finland Veturi ecosystem, which develops various solutions toward sustainable development and national carbon neutrality together with major Finnish companies. 

The project started in August 2022 and will run until the end of 2024. The project involves the leading companies Borealis, Neste and ABB, as well as Metsä Spring, Kemira, Vantaa Energy, Stora Enso, Kleener Power Solutions, Carbonreuse Finland, Fortum and Essity. In addition to VTT, LUT University is a research partner.

By Natalie Schwertheim