Germany – Aker Carbon Capture has been given the opportunity to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of two carbon capture plants for Röhm, a renowned chemical producer, to capture almost 500,000 tons of CO2 annually.
The partnership combines the patented amine technology of Aker Carbon Capture with Röhm’s background in the production of goods based on methyl methacrylate. Applications for these items include everything from paint and automotive materials to medical uses.
In addition to bolstering Aker Carbon Capture’s position in the developing German market, the collaboration intends to boost Röhm and the German industry’s decarbonization goals.
“The carbon capture technology for separating and concentrating carbon dioxide from flue gas of our processes opens several options for Röhm. On the one hand, the captured CO2 can be transferred and stored in empty gas fields, so-called carbon capture and storage. On the other hand, the CO2 can be utilized as raw material to produce methyl methacrylate. For example, CO2 can be converted into methanol or acetone, contributing to the transition to a circular economy,” explains Steffen Krill, responsible for sustainability transformation at Röhm.
Feasibility study
With a total annual CO2 capture capability of close to 500,000 tons, the feasibility study examines carbon capture in Röhm’s main manufacturing areas in Germany. According to a preliminary analysis that has already been done, potentially disruptive substances like SO2 and NOx that are present in the flue gas for the operational units are not a technical barrier for the Aker Carbon Capture technology.
While Germany’s overall emissions of greenhouse gases have decreased by nearly 40% since 1990, industrial CO2 emissions have stayed virtually constant and will be 181 million tons in 2021. CCUS is a way to dramatically cut emissions from industries that are difficult to regulate, like cement manufacture, waste-to-energy, and chemical manufacturing.
