Page 164 - CW E-Magazine (17-9-2024)

News from Abroad

LICENSE AGREEMENT SIGNED
LanzaTech, Sekisui plan multiple waste-to-ethanol

plants across Japan

US-based carbon recycling com- and use it to generate feedstocks that to follow on how to access and utilise
pany, LanzaTech, has signed a master would otherwise come from fossil re- the carbon locked in local garbage,”
license agreement with Japan’s Sekisui sources or food crops. The agreement said LanzaTech’s CEO, Dr. Jennifer
Chemical to deploy, at commercial follows the success of a 2017 pilot plant Holmgren.
scale, a jointly developed platform that in Yorii-machi, Saitama, Japan, and the
converts syngas derived from munici- 2022 completion of an MSW-to-ethanol Around 56-mt of combustible waste
pal solid waste (MSW) and industrial demonstration plant in Kuji City, Iwate, is generated in Japan each year, and
solid waste into ethanol. Sekisui intends Japan, which has the capacity to pro- municipal and industrial trash are both
to build multiple facilities in munici- duce approximately 400-tpa of ethanol. massive and accelerating global chal-
palities across Japan which incorpo- lenges. Normally, combustible waste
rate equipment packages, engineering “We are pleased to expand our col- is either sent to landfi lls – emitting
and advisory services, consumables, laboration with longstanding partner methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times
and intellectual property provided by LanzaTech, whose waste-to-ethanol more potent than carbon dioxide – or
LanzaTech. technology is converting municipal incinerated for power generation, with
solid waste into a valuable resource the embedded carbon emitted into the
Sekisui expects its fi rst commer- and providing an innovative solution atmosphere.
cial-scale facility to produce 10-12 to ending our reliance on fresh fossil
ktpa. The ethanol output is synthetic fuels. Signing this agreement is an With the application of this jointly
alcohol (Japan Alcohol Association important next step on our path to com- developed biology-based platform,
Standard (JAAS)) and can be converted mercialising this game-changing tech- Sekisui can turn unsorted waste into a
into ethylene and kerosene for use as nology,” said Mr. Futoshi Kamiwaki, cost-competitive replacement for fossil
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as well Sekisui Representative Director, Senior fuel-derived feedstocks. The biopro-
as widespread material and chemical Managing Executive Offi cer. cessing platform gasifi es unsorted com-
applications. bustible waste accumulated at waste
“We are grateful to Sekisui for their disposal facilities and converts this gas
This latest agreement between commitment to scaling carbon recy- into ethanol using a microbial catalyst
LanzaTech and Sekisui progresses a cling across Japan and for being at the and gas fermentation technology that
decade-long collaboration to divert forefront of developing a global blue- does not require any chemical catalysts,
garbage from landfi lls and incinerators print for other countries and businesses heat, or pressure.
Babcock & Wilcox bags contract for waste-to-energy

plant in Canada

Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) has been “This initial engineering contract is structed northeast of Edmonton and
awarded a contract to conduct front- an important fi rst step in what we anti- would be capable of processing up to
end engineering and design (FEED) for cipate will be an exciting, large-scale 200-ktpa of waste. Following completion
Varme Energy’s planned waste-to-energy municipal waste-to-energy with carbon of the FEED contract, B&W’s anticipated
with carbon capture and sequestration capture and sequestration project. We scope for the proposed project would
in Alberta, Canada. are pleased to partner with Varme Energy include the design, supply and construction
to help turn waste into a clean energy of the plant’s combustion grate, boiler
As part of the contract, B&W will source with reduced greenhouse gas and economiser, as well as the design and
conduct engineering and design for the emissions,” said B&W Chief Operating supply of the air quality control system
plant’s waste-fi red boiler, emissions Offi cer Mr. Jimmy Morgan. (AQCS) for particulates, nitrogen oxide
control technologies and post-combus- and sulphur oxides, and a carbon capture
tion carbon capture system. The proposed facility would be con- absorber and sorbent regeneration system.

164 Chemical Weekly September 17, 2024

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