A collaborative effort between Technip Energies and LanzaTech Global Inc. to transform carbon dioxide (CO2) into sustainable ethylene has been awarded up to $200 million in funding by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This funding is part of the DOE’s Industrial Demonstrations Program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, as announced in a news release on March 25.
The two companies are working together on a CO2-to-ethylene technology that involves capturing up to 95% of the flue gas from ethylene cracker furnaces and combining it with hydrogen. LanzaTech’s biorecycling technology will then convert recycled waste carbon into ethanol, which will be further converted into ethylene using Technip Energies’ Hummingbird technology.
Arnaud Pieton, CEO of Technip Energies, stated that the goal is to test and develop this technology at scale in a real plant to be replicated in other facilities. This innovative process is expected to help decarbonize ethylene, an essential component for various chemicals and materials such as plastics, polyester, and PVC pipes.
If awarded, the funding will support the design, engineering, construction, and equipment for a commercial-scale integrated technology unit in the U.S., which LanzaTech highlights as having significant replication potential for ethylene crackers worldwide. Over 40% of them currently utilize Technip Energies’ technology, including eight in the U.S.
