Using plant residues for a climate-neutral chemical industry.

In order to protect the climate, we must move as far away as possible from using fossil raw materials in the future. Plants are an interesting alternative here; they bind CO₂ in their biomass and can therefore serve as a renewable carbon source.

We are investigating this potential at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). We focus on residual materials such as straw or wood waste generated in the agriculture and forestry sectors. We use these plant residues as raw materials for products used in our daily lives, such as fuels.

At various sites, we are testing thermochemical and biochemical to convert residual materials into liquid or gaseous energy- and carbon-rich intermediate products.  These are then split into hydrogen and carbon monoxide at high temperatures in larger plants. This synthesis gas can be used to produce fuels and chemical feedstocks. Such biorefineries also allow a wide range of other materials to be produced sustainably, such as packaging, sportswear, or car parts.

To develop this promising technology further and to promote technology transfer, we not only demonstrate the manufacturing processes in the laboratory, but also run them on a pilot scale in a small chemical plant. This can serve as a model for the climate-neutral transformation of the chemical industry.

(Photo: KIT)