BIOCON-CO2 aims to develop and validate a platform of flexible and versatile techniques capable of using biological processes to transform raw CO2 waste from the iron, steel, cement and electric power industries into value-added chemicals and plastics. To facilitate this partners from Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP) in Ghent, in conjunction with MTSA Technopower B.V. have been working to design and construct a mobile pilot plant that will enable industrial CO2 emissions to be used in biomanufacturing!
In May 2022, construction on the unit was completed and the mobile pilot plant made the short journey to the first temporary host – ArcelorMittal in Ghent, where it will be connected to the blast furnace gas piping. This CO2-containing gas from the blast furnace pipe will be used as the raw material for our gas fermentation process. Within the unit microbes consume and convert CO2, preventing its release into our atmosphere, while simultaneously making sustainable bioproducts – this process is called ‘gas fermentation’. This is a step in the right direction in creating value-adding products from waste CO2 and ensuring waste CO2 is no longer ‘waste’.
The new mobile unit will be the main focus of a site visit during the upcoming BIOCON-CO2 Final Symposium on the 15th of June 2022. Presentations exploring the design and construction of the unit will be featured the previous day during an industry focused session on the 14th of June. You can register for the event here.
Images above show the transport of the mobile until from BBEPP to ArcelorMittal, assembly of the until and the final set up on site.