Waste-to-energy : HZI and CarbonFree develop technology for energy from waste

The Swiss-Japanese cleantech company Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) and the innovators at CarbonFree Chemicals Holding LCC (CarbonFree) in the USA have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and are now planning to join forces in implementing a unique solution to reduce the carbon footprint of the waste industry. Texas-based CarbonFree developed its separation and mineralization technology some 15 years ago and has refined it further to create the SkyCycle™ concept. This process allows the CO2 contained in industrial flue gases to be captured at the source. The CO2 is being reacted with calcium to form mineral calcium carbonate – a stable, non-toxic, valuable component which has many uses, including as a raw material in the construction industry, a fertilizer, and a mineral filler in the paper, paint, and plastics industries. The high achievable capture rates can enable incineration plants to become carbon sinks. The system is geographically independent: it does not require storing CO2 in a gaseous phase underground, nor additional pipelines for transportation. The MoU expresses both companies’ desire to integrate the technology within existing and new energy from waste plants.

The further development of this technology opens the way to new projects for both companies. “We are delighted to have found an experienced partner in HZI that can help us to adapt our technology directly to EfW processes. Branching out into this industry will bring us much closer to our goal of separating 10% of the CO2 emitted by industrial processes worldwide,” says Scott Gardner, CFO of CarbonFree. Fabio Dinale, Vice President Business Development at HZI, adds: “In the best-case scenario, our joint efforts will help us to reduce CO2 emissions from EfW plants to zero or even negative and make our technologies even more embedded within the circular economy changing our plants from being WtE to real WtX plants. At the same time, we will be creating a marketable zero carbon emission end product. In CarbonFree, we have secured a partner that already has 15 years of experience in carbon capture utilization and an impressive record of success.”

With the MoU now signed, the active phase of the project begins immediately.