Australian energy producer Woodside has partnered with US-based technology developers ReCarbon and LanzaTech to assess the potential of launching a carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) project, in Australia.
Planned to be built in Perth, Western Australia, the proposed pilot facility would utilise the technologies of ReCarbon and Lanzatech to recycle greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane, into value-added ethanol.
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ReCarbon’s technology would convert CO₂ and methane into synthesis gas, which will be later fermented into ethanol, using the LanzaTech technology.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said: “What’s notable about CCU is the wider co-benefits. Some end products have a further decarbonisation benefit. Products such as ethanol can be used as raw materials in the chemical manufacturing industry.
“We also see a potential role for the technology in helping to abate some of our Scope one and two emissions.”
Currently under the front-end engineering design phase, the project is expected to help reduce the dependence on land and water for source crops, such as corn, that are typically used to produce ethanol.
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By GlobalDataAustralia’s Clean Energy Regulator is leading a co-design process, which invovles the development of a carbon capture use and storage method.
LanzaTech CEO Dr Jennifer Holmgren said: “Waste carbon can be transformed into critical resources like ethanol, without adding CO₂ to the atmosphere.
“Together with Woodside and ReCarbon, we can create an opportunity to reuse greenhouse gases for meaningful applications.”
Last year, Woodside unveiled plans to invest $5bn in new energy products and lower-carbon services such as hydrogen, renewables, and CCUS, by 2030.
