LyondellBasell Secures €40 Million EU Innovation Fund Grant for Advanced Recycling Plant: MoReTec Technology Driving Sustainable Polymer Production
LyondellBasell (LYB) has secured a €40 million grant from the European Union (EU) Innovation Fund to support the establishment of an advanced recycling demonstration plant in Wesseling, Germany. The project, known as the MoReTec plant, is among the 41 initiatives chosen in the EU Innovation Fund's 'Third Call for Large Scale Projects.' As part of its commitment to funding innovative clean-tech endeavors for decarbonization, the EU is allocating EUR 3.6 billion for such projects.
Jim Seward, EVP and Chief Innovation Officer, expressed enthusiasm for the EU Innovation Fund's backing, emphasizing the significance of investing in the MoReTec technology's development. The planned industrial-scale recycling plant will serve as a valuable platform for gaining operational experience and enhancing technological expertise crucial for the technology's future scaling and commercialization.
The MoReTec technology stands out for its innovative approach to recycling polyolefin waste, producing pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis gas. The former serves as a substitute for fossil-based materials in polymer production, while the latter, traditionally used as fuel, is efficiently recovered by the MoReTec process. This recovery contributes to polymer production and reduces reliance on fossil-based feedstocks, resulting in lower CO2 emissions.
The technology's core reaction process is electrified, enabling the entire unit to operate on renewable electricity. The single train design, scalability, low operating temperatures facilitated by catalysts, and innovative heat transfer design provide additional advantages, allowing MoReTec to achieve high plastic-to-plastic conversion rates. This capability enhances the circularity of plastic waste, aligning with sustainability goals.
The MoReTec demonstration plant in Germany aims to convert post-consumer plastic waste into feedstock for new plastic materials under the CirculenRevive brand. These products, catering to various applications such as medical and food packaging, will contribute to a circular economy. With an annual processing capacity equivalent to the plastic packaging waste generated by over 1.2 million German citizens, the MoReTec plant is scheduled to commence operations in 2026.
The EU Innovation Fund, financed by revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) allowances auction, plays a pivotal role in supporting the demonstration and commercialization of innovative low-carbon technologies. As part of the European Green Deal Industrial Plan, it remains one of the world's largest funding programs dedicated to this purpose.
Jim Seward, EVP and Chief Innovation Officer, expressed enthusiasm for the EU Innovation Fund's backing, emphasizing the significance of investing in the MoReTec technology's development. The planned industrial-scale recycling plant will serve as a valuable platform for gaining operational experience and enhancing technological expertise crucial for the technology's future scaling and commercialization.
The MoReTec technology stands out for its innovative approach to recycling polyolefin waste, producing pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis gas. The former serves as a substitute for fossil-based materials in polymer production, while the latter, traditionally used as fuel, is efficiently recovered by the MoReTec process. This recovery contributes to polymer production and reduces reliance on fossil-based feedstocks, resulting in lower CO2 emissions.
The technology's core reaction process is electrified, enabling the entire unit to operate on renewable electricity. The single train design, scalability, low operating temperatures facilitated by catalysts, and innovative heat transfer design provide additional advantages, allowing MoReTec to achieve high plastic-to-plastic conversion rates. This capability enhances the circularity of plastic waste, aligning with sustainability goals.
The MoReTec demonstration plant in Germany aims to convert post-consumer plastic waste into feedstock for new plastic materials under the CirculenRevive brand. These products, catering to various applications such as medical and food packaging, will contribute to a circular economy. With an annual processing capacity equivalent to the plastic packaging waste generated by over 1.2 million German citizens, the MoReTec plant is scheduled to commence operations in 2026.
The EU Innovation Fund, financed by revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) allowances auction, plays a pivotal role in supporting the demonstration and commercialization of innovative low-carbon technologies. As part of the European Green Deal Industrial Plan, it remains one of the world's largest funding programs dedicated to this purpose.
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