The next revolution: CO₂ plus renewable energy can serve as a feedstock for fuels, chemicals and plastics

Regarding that sustainable innovation sector the nova-Institut (Germany) organizes the world’s largest conference: From 10th to 11th October 2012 the topic of carbon dioxide as feedstock for fuels, chemicals and polymers is the main focus in the Haus der Technik (Essen, Germany). The world’s leading experts on the use of carbon dioxide will be presenting their latest developments and will put it up for discussion: www.co2-chemistry.eu

Several advanced research projects and even commercial solutions are pioneering possible pathways to using CO₂ as a feedstock for the chemical industry. Participants at our conference will gain an invaluable overview of the ways that have already been paved for a sustainable carbon dioxide economy, and will learn about the solutions international leading companies, universities and research centres have envisaged for the short and medium term.

Dr. Fabrizio Sibilla, a CO₂ expert of the nova-Institute, remarks the new CO₂ process will provide a number of environmental benefits, which is why several countries are researching using CO₂ as a feedstock, notably Australia, China and the US. If someone takes CO₂ as a reactant this can then be reduced with hydrogen to methane or methanol. This can for example be converted to ethylene or propylene which can then be polymerised.

This technology is already on the market where CO₂ is already used as a reactant for example for polyurethanes at Bayer and a polycarbonate at DSM and many other companies are ready to move into this area over the next two years, including German chemicals manufacturers BASF and Evonik.

From 2030 the industry will be able to sequester the CO₂ from the atmosphere cheaply but until then CO₂ from combustion is a way to fill the gap. Producing hydrogen is very energy demanding and for a mass production the industry needs more hydrogen at a cheaper price. Hydrogen is the main problem, the rest of the technology is optimised. Once this issue has been solved industry will be able to produce practically everything everywhere.

Today water splitting in hydrogen and oxygen is mainly realized by solar and wind energy. In the future it will be possible to use photons directly for water splitting – this will be the step to artificial photosynthesis with a much higher efficiency than all crops in the world. Artificial leaves and artificial crops can be placed everywhere, using carbon dioxide, water and solar radiation to produce fuels, chemicals and plastics – and even glucose.

Conference on Carbon Dioxide as Feedstock for Chemistry and Polymers, October 10th-11th 2012
Haus der Technik, Essen, Germany
Please find the final programme at www.co2-chemistry.eu

nova expects at least 400 international participants from the industry and academia. The conference language will be English.
Don’t miss the world’s largest event on CO₂ as feedstock for chemistry and polymers in 2012! Use the unique opportunity to gain early and comprehensive information on this innovative future-oriented sector!

Contacts
Dominik Vogt: [email protected]
Achim Raschka: [email protected]

Download this press release as PDF file:? 12-09-24 CO2 press release

Source: nova-Institut, press release, 2012-08-15.