Aiming to develop carbon dioxide into a processable side stream
The European Commission has estimated1 that the EU should be able to capture at least 50 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide by 2030. By 2040, the figure is expected to increase to approximately 280 Mt, and by 2050 up to 450 Mt. According to Mikkanen, these amounts would require massive investments, but they also create considerable business opportunities. “The EU has estimated that 50–80 per cent of wood-based carbon to be captured would be generated in the Nordic countries. A large-scale chemicals industry could develop here around carbon dioxide captured from the forest industry.” Metsä Group has been involved in multiple research projects and has been examining different production chains. According to Mikkanen, the company aims to develop wood-based carbon dioxide into a processable side stream. “Our role in this value chain is initially to act as a producer of carbon dioxide. However, I see no reason why we could not also try our hand at further processing in the future.” •
“Wood-based carbon dioxide generated by the forest industry is a significant side stream that could be utilised better.”
Pirita Mikkanen
Capturing carbon using amine-based technology
Fuels from wood-based carbon dioxide
Matti Toivonen, VP, Production Technology at Metsä Fibre, says that the company is currently investigating how to integrate carbon capture into the pulp process. The study will determine the optimal size of a recovery system that would be the most energy efficient combined with the bioproduct mill, as well as the cooling and logistical requirements of the system. The goal is to use the electricity, heat and steam generated in the bioproduct mill as efficiently as possible so that no waste heat is generated. The carbon capture process would likely utilise amine- based technology that separates carbon dioxide from combustion gases by absorbing it in an amine solution. The amine solution is then heated to release the carbon dioxide so it can be captured. After processing, the carbon dioxide content of the gas would be 98–99 per cent. Carbon dioxide capture using an amine solution is an existing, proven technology that has been used for decades around the world. However, combining this technology with a pulp or bioproduct mill is progressive. “During the investigation, we are estimating the amine solution’s tolerance to combustion gases and its reusability. We must also estimate how much space the recovery plant and other necessary units would require”, says Toivonen. A production plant the size of the Äänekoski bioproduct mill could capture approximately three million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, which is equivalent to around 200 tanker lorries a day.
Carbon dioxide has a variety of uses. At pulp and bioproduct mills it is used in the parcelling of tall oil, while the food industry uses it to carbonate soft drinks and beer, for example. Power-to-X (P2X) processes allow carbon dioxide to be combined with hydrogen to produce methanol or other hydrocarbons for fuels or the manufacture of chemicals. This helps to reduce dependency on fossil raw materials. P2X processes have yet to become competitive against comparable fossil products. Therefore, a political driver is needed to boost their further development. This could be, for example, a statutory obligation to mix fuels, requiring the mixing of a certain amount of biofuel with fossil fuels such as petrol or diesel oil. “For example, due to the challenges related to electrification, heavy goods vehicles will continue to need fuel for many years to come,” Mikkanen estimates.
Renewable energy enables greater production capacity
The use of carbon dioxide in the hydrogen economy is limited by the availability of energy. The utilisation of all the carbon dioxide produced by Metsä Fibre’s production plants in the hydrogen economy would consume approximately two thirds of Finland’s current power production. Renewable energy could be the solution to this problem. The number of wind power projects in development in Finland greatly exceeds the current need for power. If all the envisaged projects were to be realised, the amount of power produced by wind plants annually would be significantly higher than it is now. Thus, there is potential for greater energy production capacity.
1 European Commission. 2024. Commision sets out how to sustainably capture, store and use carbon to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Press release.
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