Page 152 - CW E-Magazine (24-6-2025)

News from Abroad

ARTIFICIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS

OCOchem’s new pilot plant set to convert CO
2
and water to formic acid

US-based clean chemistry startup,
OCOchem has announced the success-
ful start-up and commissioning of the
“world’s first” pilot plant to produce for-
mic acid and potassium formate at indus-
trial scale using only carbon dioxide and
water as feedstocks.

The $5-mn facility, capable of produc-
ing 60-tpa of formates, represents the first
industrial-scale application of a CO elec-
2
trolysis process using commercial grade
and size gas diffusion electrodes measur-
ing 1.5-m each in surface area. Third pathway to organic molecule sation efforts at larger plant with thousands
2
“For the last three centuries, humanity’s of cells,” said Todd Brix, CEO, OCOchem.
The new plant leverages a 4-cell stack options to harvest useful carbon molecules “In the world we see moving forward, the
of the “world’s largest” CO electrolyser have been limited to two: either grow it new platform molecules, the precursor
2
cells – each measuring 1.5 square metres in the form of vegetation taking months molecules from which all other organic
in gas diffusion electrode surface area – or mine it from the earth in the form of molecules are made, will increasingly start
and operates at ambient temperature and hydrocarbons which takes millennia. We and be made from the molecules that can
pressure to produce formates with unprece- now have a third way, CO electrolysis, to be made from CO at a lower cost than the
2
2
dented energy and cost efficiency. For- directly and instantly synthesise organic incumbent fossil fuel-derived feedstocks.
mates are versatile chemicals used in agri- molecules from CO and water. This That means a C1 molecule, and that means
2
culture, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, artificial photosynthesis approach – using a 2-electron molecule. Of all the carbon
cleaning products, metal processing and industrial-scale components – substantially molecules that can be made from CO ,
2
increasingly as a liquid carrier for hydro- reduces technology risk. And it allows us only formic acid can meet this standard
gen and carbon monoxide (syngas). to accelerate our scale-out commerciali- with today’s energy cost,” he added.
COLLABORATION

Solvay and Veolia open unit for recycling industrial

flue gas treatment residues

French water and waste recycling The Rosières-aux-Salines site recovers tive resources, thereby enabling the preser-
major, Veolia and Belgium’s Solvay, via their the salt contained in the flue gas treatment vation of natural materials.
subsidiary Resolest, a specialist in recy- residues obtained after the use of sodium
cling of industrial flue gas treatment resi- bicarbonate. “For more than twenty years, Resolest
dues, have inaugurated a new unit increas- has been a pioneer in the valorisation of
ing capacity of the Rosières-aux-Salines The salt is extracted in the form of material from residues deemed non-valo-
site in Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. purified brine, which then enters into the risable. With this extension, we are rein-
production of sodium carbonate by Solvay forcing our ability to produce reusable
This operation marks a major step in Dombasle’s facilities in France. Through industrial salts, and to actively contribute
Resolest’s development, which will be this virtuous local loop, based on the inno- to the preservation of natural resources,”
able to process and recover up to 50% vation and know-how of Solvay and stated Jean-Michel Frada, Directeur de
more flue gas treatment residues per year. Veolia, waste is transformed into alterna- Resolest.

152 Chemical Weekly June 24, 2025

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