Innovation

Introduction

Innovative Stories

Innovations

Contact

Introduction

Innovation is a key aspect in North-CCU-Hub. The implementation of the North-C-Methanol project will provide a perfect backbone for the upscaling of innovative technologies enabling even more and beter carbon capture and utilization in the North Sea Port region. The innovation trajectory is coordinated by the local knowledge institutes Ghent University, CAPTURE and Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant and supported by the spearhead clusters Catalisti and Flux50.

Several innovation vehicles for innovation in sustainability technologies have been founded recently. North-CCU-Hub and its partners are doing and planning different innovations in parallel, using these different channels.

Innovations opportunities are present at different points of the CCU value chain:

Pre-conversion innovations include the generation of green hydrogen and capture of CO₂
Conversion innovations include different (bio)chemical technologies for conversion to methanol, other chemical building blocks (e.g. formic acid, ethanol) or directly to higher added value products
Post conversion innovations include the upgrading of chemical building blocks to higher added value chemicals and innovative applications of green methanol.

Ongoing and planned innovations

Pre-conversion innovations

VORTEX technology : process intensification of CO₂ capture by ad/absorption technologies (UGent, Moonshot project CAPTIN)
SUPER-DRY REFORMING : pre-conversion of CO₂ to CO
- Moonshot basic research project D2M (UGent)
- Moonshot demonstrator project SDR (UGent)
- UGent has the clear ambition to further upscale the Super-Dry Reforming technology to industrial scale together with North-CCU-Hub partners and other industrial partners
Increase of the efficiency of the electrolysis process

Conversion innovations

Conversion to alternative building blocks (ethanol, formic acid, acetate) and/or directly to higher added value products (proteins, fatty acids, fuels,…):

Carbon4PUR : synthesis of polyurethanes from CO/CO₂ mixtures in off-gases (UGent – ArcelorMittal, H2020 project)
CAPRA: fermentation of syngas (CO + H₂) to ethanol, and further conversion of ethanol to C6-C8-rich oils (UGent – ArcelorMittal, Catalisti project)
CO2PERATE: formate syntesis routes and fermentative conversion, and added value products from formate e.g. single cell protein (UGent and BBEPP project)
BioSferA : BIOfuels production from Syngas FERmentation for Aviation and maritime use (BBEPP, H2020 project)
BIOCON-CO2: BIOtechnological processes based on microbial platforms for the CONversion of CO₂ from the iron and steel industry into commodities for chemicals and plastics (BBEPP – Engie – ArcelorMittal, H2020 project)
AMARANTHUS 1+ 2 + 3: Conversion of CO/H₂ into value added chemicals (acetate, ethanol, isobutene): BBEPP subcontractor in French ADEME and Dutch ISPT financed research, respectively.

Post-conversion innovations

Application of methanol or methanol derivatives as green fuels:
- LeanSHIPS : green methanol as alternative for fossil fuels, especially for ships and heavy transport (UGent, H2020 project)
- FASTWATER : engine development for maritime e-fuels (UGent – Anglo Belgian Corporation, H2020 project)
Upgrading of methanol and other building blocks to higher added value products: this is included in projects mentioned above (e.g. CO2PERATE, BIOCON-CO2). In addition, UGent and BBEPP have submitted and will in the near future submit jointly several projects on the conversion of CCU intermediates like methanol to higher added value products like proteins, amino acids, fatty acids, bioplastics, … These can have a wide variety of applications in several sectors (food, feed, transport, materials,…)