Circular Chemical Production from Biomass and Waste

The project is designed to reduce the carbon intensity of ethylene production in Alberta. Ethylene is an important building block for the chemical industry to produce plastics, consumer goods, solvents, and paints. Ethylene is predominantly produced by steam cracking, releasing up to 2.7 kg CO2 eq./ kg of polyethylene produced. In Alberta, the production of ethylene and derivatives results in more than 4.5 million tonnes CO2 eq. / year; this is equivalent to more than 33% of non-energy sector CO2 emissions in Alberta. This project focuses on an advanced recycling process of waste plastic to ethylene (P2P). This will be achieved by using the Enerkem Gasification Technology Platform that allows all such waste (like waste plastic, and municipal solid waste with a significant amount of single-use-plastic as well as biomass that may include agricultural waste and forestry waste) to convert into syngas.

Faculty Supervisor:

Natalia Semagina

Student:

Partner:

Enerkem (Edmonton, AB)

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Alberta

Program: