The Forest CUMP project, which ended in the spring and was led by VTT and LUT University, and 11 Finnish companies, developed technologies that can produce plastic raw materials from carbon dioxide and green hydrogen.
The project was initiated by the forest industry, as its processes generate a large amount of biogenic carbon dioxide, and in addition, bio-based polyethylene or polypropylene, for example, could also be used in forest industry products, such as plastic films for cardboard packaging.
"The basic idea was to capture carbon dioxide generated in the forest industry and turn it into raw materials for plastic. Another source studied was carbon dioxide generated in waste incineration," research professor Juha Lehtonen VTT reports.
“In the project, we studied the entire production process and demonstrated it on a small pilot scale at VTT’s own Bioruukki in Espoo.”
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
At the core of the research was a two-step Fischer-Tropsch synthesis route.
"Carbon dioxide is captured from the pulp mill, either from the recovery boiler or the lime kiln, because they are relatively significant point sources of carbon dioxide. The second raw material is green hydrogen, i.e. hydrogen produced electrolytically using renewable electricity, by splitting water. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide react in a two-step process, i.e. first a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen is made, and then hydrocarbons of different lengths are synthesized from it."
The study examined two paths: the production of ethylene and propylene directly as raw materials for polyolefin plastics, or alternatively, naphtha, which serves as a feedstock for a steam cracker in petrochemicals. The main products of a steam cracker are ethylene and propylene.
"We would like to explore the oil route in particular further in the future, as this production route can optimally utilize existing petrochemical production facilities."
30 million tons of bio-based carbon dioxide per year
Although the studied processes proved to be effective, they should be developed to be much more efficient.
"Producing products from carbon dioxide and hydrogen is still quite valuable, which has also slowed down development and commercialization. However, I hope there will be companies eager to develop these technologies further in order to reduce production costs."
There is sufficient potential for bio-based carbon capture in Finland: it would be available from relatively large point sources, such as pulp mills, which would enable reasonably sized production plants. Approximately 30 million tonnes of bio-based carbon dioxide is produced in Finland annually, and due to EU regulation, it is expected to have significant demand in products made from carbon dioxide.
Forest CUMP
The three-year Forest CUMP project was implemented as part of Business Finland's driver funding. The drivers involved were Borealis, Neste, ABB, as well as Metsä Spring, Kemira, Vantaan Energia, Stora Enso, Ekotuhka, Carbon Reuse Finland, Fortum Waste Solutions and Essity. The research partners were VTT and LUT University.
