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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter

@industrydecarbonization.com
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Independent Journalism for the Energy Transition. industrydecarbonization.com

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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 02/09/2026
I'm covering stories like this regularly in my newsletter📧, please subscribe: industrydecarbonization.com/subscribe.html If you like my work and can afford it, consider supporting me on Patreon or Ko-Fi. Reach out if you can support me in other ways.
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 02/09/2026
A government answer to a parliamentary inquiry📜 reveals the backstory. The initial start-up was interrupted due to a safety issue🦺. In 2025, an accident happened💥 Furthermore, the relationship between electrolyzer manufacturer ITM Power & Linde turned from a close partnership🤝 to a complicated one😠
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 02/09/2026
4 years later⏳⏳⏳⏳ — still no Green Hydrogen💧🔋 In 2022, Linde wanted to start an Electrolyzer at the chemical complex🧪🏭 Leuna (Germany). To this day, the company has not announced a production start. 🔌💡 industrydecarbonization.com/news/safety-... 🧵
industrydecarbonization.com
Safety Issues and an Accident delayed Linde's Green Hydrogen Plant for Years
An Electrolyzer at the chemical site in Leuna, Germany, was supposed to start producing Hydrogen in 2022. Extensive repairs due to safety concerns and an accident in late 2025 caused a multi-year dela...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 20/08/2026
Green H2 plant delayed 4 years due to safety repairs & accident💧🔋 A Linde electrolyzer in Leuna, Germany, was supposed to start production in 2022, but no production start has been announced yet. I'm finally able to reveal the backstory: industrydecarbonization.com/news/safety-...
industrydecarbonization.com
Safety Issues and an Accident delayed Linde's Green Hydrogen Plant for Years
An Electrolyzer at the chemical site in Leuna, Germany, was supposed to start producing Hydrogen in 2022. Extensive repairs due to safety concerns and an accident in late 2025 caused a multi-year dela...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 01/07/2026
Plastic pyrolysis is a controversial technology that could recycle plastic waste that is currently unrecyclable🪣🗑️🔥🏭♻️. However, Plastic Energy, one of the leading pyrolysis companies, is in financial peril💶. Check my latest newsletter 🔌💡 industrydecarbonization.com/news/chemica...
industrydecarbonization.com
Chemical Recycling, Pyrolysis, and the downfall of Plastic Energy
The chemical industry promised that favorable policy treatment of chemical recycling would enable investments in more circularity and alternative feedstocks. However, one of the most promising compani...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 24/06/2026
It is possible that broader developments within the chemical industry impacted Plastic Energy. SABIC recently sold its assets in Geleen, including the cracker that was supposed to process pyrolysis oil from its joint venture with Plastic Energy.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 24/06/2026
Furthermore, Plastic Energy never caused any negative headlines about pollution😷, fires🔥, explosions💥, or other incidents that are not uncommon in this industry — one reason why it is so controversial. Plastic Energy's UK-based companies are now in an administration process and looking for buyers.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 24/06/2026
Plastic Energy appeared to be one of the more successful players. It has 2 plants🏭🏭 in Spain🇪🇸 and lately built two larger ones in collaboration with TotalEnergies and SABIC.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 24/06/2026
The chemicals/plastics industry in Europe🇪🇺 promised that favorable policy, so-called fuel-use exempt mass balance, would unlock massive investments into chemical recycling. However, even though it looks like the industry will get most (but not al) what it asked for, the prospects don't look good.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 24/06/2026
Plastic Energy, one of the most promising chemical recycling🧪♻️ startups, is in financial peril💶 Plastic pyrolysis is a technology that promises to recycle plastic waste🗑️ too dirty or mixed to be recycled otherwise. It's also a controversial technology with a history littered with failures.🔌💡 🧵
industrydecarbonization.com
Chemical Recycling, Pyrolysis, and the downfall of Plastic Energy
The chemical industry promised that favorable policy treatment of chemical recycling would enable investments in more circularity and alternative feedstocks. However, one of the most promising compani...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 17/06/2026
For some context, my last two newsletters covered Green Methanol: Why China Is Winning the Green Methanol Race industrydecarbonization.com/news/why-chi... Should we give up on E-Methanol and CO₂ utilization? industrydecarbonization.com/news/should-...
industrydecarbonization.com
Why China Is Winning the Green Methanol Race
Methanol made from sustainable feedstocks is a key technology for climate-neutral shipping, aviation, and fossil-free chemicals. Chinese companies are already building industrial production facilities...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 16/06/2026
SunGas Announces Cessation of Beaver Lake Biofuels Project sungasrenewables.com/sungas-annou... This was one of the largest Green Methanol projects outside of China, and it looks like it won't happen.
sungasrenewables.com
SunGas Announces Cessation of Beaver Lake Biofuels Project - SunGas Renewables
Carbon Direct & C2X advance Beaver Lake Biofuels in Louisiana, producing biofuel and CDR credits from forestry byproducts.
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 10/06/2026
The thermodynamics of creating energy-rich chemicals like Methanol directly from CO₂ are brutal. Is it time to ask whether E-Methanol was the right idea to begin with - or whether we should look at combined Bio-e-Methanol pathways and advanced, cellulosic🪵 biofuels🌿⛽ made via gasification🔥💨?
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 10/06/2026
Is making fuels & chemicals from Water, CO₂, and Green Electricity viable?💧🏭⚡ Recently, Liquid Wind 💧💨, a Swedish developer of E-Methanol plants, filed for bankruptcy. It wanted to make Methanol, e.g., to fuel ships🚢, with green H2 & CO₂ from bioenergy🏭🔥 industrydecarbonization.com/news/should-... 🧵
industrydecarbonization.com
Should we give up on E-Methanol and CO₂ utilization?
Liquid Wind, a Swedish developer of E-Methanol projects, filed for bankruptcy. While Green Methanol is an important climate solution, is it time to ask whether making it from nothing but CO₂, Water, a...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 29/04/2026
Electrified cement production still causes CO2 emissions due to its chemistry (CaCO3->CaO+CO2). However, eliminating fossil fuel emissions makes capturing that remaining CO2 and implementing CCS much easier. I explained that back in 2023: industrydecarbonization.com/news/cements...
industrydecarbonization.com
Cement's future could be a combination of Carbon Capture and Electrification
Cement is an industry where capturing carbon emissions may be necessary. A combination with process heat electrification could be better than CCS alone.
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 29/04/2026
SaltX+Holcim announced they produced Portland-quality cement with a fully electrified process www.saltxtechnology.com/cision/saltx... "Common wisdom" is that electrifying cement is really hard. Some try it anyway.
saltxtechnology.com
SaltX and Holcim have produced Portland-quality cement clinker in a fully electrified process - SaltX Technology
SaltX Technology and Holcim have, within the framework of their joint development collaboration, successfully and repeatedly produced Portland-quality cement clinker using a fully electrified, scalabl...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 27/04/2026
I wrote a detailed background article about the Danish CCS tender recently: industrydecarbonization.com/news/denmark...
industrydecarbonization.com
Denmark's CCS Strategy: Deliver or Pay
In recent years, Denmark pushed CCS technology and ran multiple tenders handing out substantial subsidies. But they came with a catch: either deliver on time or risk hefty penalties. What can be learn...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 27/04/2026
Gaia is a collaboration between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners & Vestforbrænding, the project wants to implement CCS at a waste incinerator🗑️🔥 in Copenhagen🧜🏻 (not the famous "Copenhill" incinerator). There have recently been changes in the company behind the Gaia project, likely to shift risks.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 27/04/2026
In response to a freedom of information request, the Danish Energy Agency🇩🇰⚡🏢 confirmed to me that the two bidders are Aalborg Portland and Gaia ProjectCo, the latter being the "secret" second bidder.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 27/04/2026
In a surprise turn of events, the Danish Energy Agency announced two bids earlier this year. One bidder had announced to "drop out" and then reconsidered. While it was widely suspected who the second bidder was, there was no final confirmation.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 27/04/2026
"Secret bidder" in Danish CCS tender confirmed 🤫💨🏭🇩🇰 Denmark currently runs a tender process for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects. In the latest round, 9 out of 10 preselected projects had announced their withdrawal from the process, with only the cement plant🪨🏭 Aalborg Portland left.🔌💡 🧵
The names of the two tenderers who submitted a final offer for the CCS Fund:
Gaia ProjectCo P/S
Aalborg Portland A/S
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 13/04/2026
I'm covering topics like this regularly in my newsletter, you can subscribe here: industrydecarbonization.com/subscribe.html If you enjoy my work, please also consider supporting it, e.g., via Patreon or Ko-Fi, or just by sharing links to my texts.
industrydecarbonization.com
Subscribe
Here you can subscribe to the Industry Decarbonization Newsletter via E-Mail.
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 13/04/2026
Green Methanol is seen by many as a key🔑 technology for a future climate-neutral industry where direct electrification⚡ is not an option: aviation✈️, shipping🚢, plastics🧴. China is building a sizeable Green Methanol industry, replicating developments in other cleantech sectors like Solar☀️
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 13/04/2026
The main reason? Vioneo needs a supply of Bio- and/or E-Methanol. While plenty of green Methanol production facilities have been announced in Europe, the ones that have been built are, with few exceptions, in China.
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 13/04/2026
Backed by a powerful company that was notably not one of the large players in the existing chemical industry, Vioneo wanted to use a technology called Methanol-to-Olefins to make plastics🧴 from green Methanol⚗️. However, early this year, Vioneo changed its plans & will build its first plant in China🇨🇳
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 13/04/2026
How Europe🇪🇺 lost a massive opportunity for the future of the chemical industry🧪🏭 A startup with close ties to shipping🚢 giant Maersk wanted to build a fossil-free plastics plant in Antwerp, Belgium. 🔌💡 🧵 industrydecarbonization.com/news/why-chi...
industrydecarbonization.com
Why China Is Winning the Green Methanol Race
Methanol made from sustainable feedstocks is a key technology for climate-neutral shipping, aviation, and fossil-free chemicals. Chinese companies are already building industrial production facilities...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 31/03/2026
China's Green Methanol Industry is racing ahead 🇨🇳🌱⚗️🏎️ Many expect that Green Methanol is the future clean shipping fuel🚢⛽, as well as a promising feedstock for sustainable aviation fuels✈️ & fossil-free plastics🧴 In 2023, something happened in China🇨🇳 industrydecarbonization.com/news/why-chi... 🔌💡 🧵
industrydecarbonization.com
Why China Is Winning the Green Methanol Race
Methanol made from sustainable feedstocks is a key technology for climate-neutral shipping, aviation, and fossil-free chemicals. Chinese companies are already building industrial production facilities...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 24/03/2026
I'm covering in-depth stories like this about industrial decarbonization in a newsletter. You can subscribe via e-mail here: industrydecarbonization.com/subscribe.html
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Subscribe
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 24/03/2026
Noteworthy about Denmark's CCS tender is that companies that don't deliver could face significant fines💵. That scared away most of the power plants🔥🏭 that had submitted bits. Denmark also ran a tender specifically for negative emission technologies, and it was won entirely by Biomethane🌱 projects.
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 24/03/2026
How 8/10 projects in Denmark's CCS latest tender dropped out 🇩🇰 Denmark has started handing out significant subsidies to CCS projects. In its latest tender, 10 projects were pre-selected: the only cement plant🪨🏭 + 9 projects at bioenergy🪵🔥 and waste-to-energy🗑️🔥 plants. In the end, only 2 remained🔌💡 🧵
industrydecarbonization.com
Denmark's CCS Strategy: Deliver or Pay
In recent years, Denmark pushed CCS technology and ran multiple tenders handing out substantial subsidies. But they came with a catch: either deliver on time or risk hefty penalties. What can be learn...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 11/03/2026
In the coming years, we will likey see a cement plant🪨🏭, Biomethane🌱 upgraders, two bioenergy plants, and a waste-to-energy plant with CCS in Denmark. I sympathize with the first two. I'm skeptical about bioenergy plants and waste incinerators with CCS. More in my latest newsletter.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 11/03/2026
In the last round, 9 of 10 preselected applicants dropped out, all of them bioenergy🪵🔥 or waste-to-energy🗑️🔥 plants. Did I say 9? Well, 9 announced they were dropping out, but one mystery🔮 bidder decided to un-drop out. The tender ended with two bids.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 11/03/2026
What happens if you offer generous subsidies💰 for Carbon Capture and Storage💨 - but you demand that projects deliver on time⏰? In recent years, Denmark🇩🇰 has started a rollout of CCS technology. 🔌💡 🧵 industrydecarbonization.com/news/denmark...
industrydecarbonization.com
Denmark's CCS Strategy: Deliver or Pay
In recent years, Denmark pushed CCS technology and ran multiple tenders handing out substantial subsidies. But they came with a catch: either deliver on time or risk hefty penalties. What can be learn...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 17/02/2026
Some of the cleanest Caprolactam factories are shutting down 🧪🏭🚧 The production of a chemical used to make Nylon+plastics, results in significant N₂O emissions, a potent greenhouse gas🌿🏠🔥, but emissions can easily be avoided. 🔌💡 industrydecarbonization.com/news/some-of...
industrydecarbonization.com
Some of the cleanest Polyamide and Nylon precursor Factories are shutting down
The production of a chemical called Caprolactam results in significant N₂O emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. Most EU producers largely avoid these emissions. Some have made investments in drastic em...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 14/01/2026
Obviously, that does not look plausible, and is likely a data reporting error. Yet, despite having informed responsible authorities months ago, the EU emission database has not been corrected. It is not the only strange issue in EU emission databases: industrydecarbonization.com/news/errors-...
industrydecarbonization.com
Errors and Inconsistencies in European Emission Data
Factories that suddenly have emissions a thousand times lower than before, unexplained data gaps, and inconsistent CO₂ emissions from different data sources are some of the issues one finds when havin...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 14/01/2026
The plant you can see in this picture had CO2 emissions of around 300-400 thousand tons annually up until 2014. But, according to an EU emission database, it had no emissions for the three following years and only around 1/1000th of the emissions in later years. 🔌💡 /thread 🧵
Elkem Ferrosilicon Plant Iceland
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 30/12/2025
More in my latest newsletter. And if you prefer a video, I presented this at the #39C3 - a recording is available: media.ccc.de/v/39c3-green...
media.ccc.de
Greenhouse Gas Emission Data
Data about greenhouse gas emissions, both from countries and individual factories, is often publicly available. However, the data source...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 30/12/2025
In all likelihood, the data📊 was entered in the wrong unit🤷‍♂️ Less clear is why an ArcelorMittal steel🔩 plant & a Yara fertilizer🌾 plant in France🇫🇷 have diverging emissions for some years in the ETS and the EU's Industrial Emissions Portal. (Brought to my attention by @leonardstimpfle.bsky.social)
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 30/12/2025
It's so much that it is hard to believe this really happened. And that is not the only odd thing I found in emission databases. Another factory in Iceland, Elkem's ferrosilicon plant, did not report CO₂ emissions for multiple years, and afterwards, they fell by a factor of 1,000 twice.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 30/12/2025
Was there a massive leak of a dangerous greenhouse gas in Iceland🇮🇸 in 2011-or was it a data📈 reporting error? Emission databases show that the Norðurál aluminium factory🏭 released 60 tons of SF₆ in 2011 — but no such emissions in any other year. 🔌💡 industrydecarbonization.com/news/errors-... 🧵
industrydecarbonization.com
Errors and Inconsistencies in European Emission Data
Factories that suddenly have emissions a thousand times lower than before, unexplained data gaps, and inconsistent CO₂ emissions from different data sources are some of the issues one finds when havin...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 17/12/2025
SF6, a Greenhouse Gas 25,000 times as bad as CO2 💨🟡🌍🔥 It's been known that reported📊 SF6 emissions & measurements☁️ don't match. Now, scientists have been able to identify a significant SF6 source in Southern Germany - a chemical plant🧪🏭 operated by Solvay industrydecarbonization.com/news/super-e...
industrydecarbonization.com
Super-Emitter of the most Damaging Greenhouse Gas found in Germany
Through atmospheric measurements, scientists have identified a chemical factory operated by Solvay in Southern Germany as the source of massive amounts of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF₆) emissions. Being 24...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 12/12/2025
A Solvay factory in Bad Wimpfen emits far more than reported. Solvay and local authorities are now in legal disputes over orders to reduce & measure emissions. It's probably safe to say that this is truly impactful climate research by Katharina Meixner, Andreas Engel, and their many collaborators.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 12/12/2025
It also has an extreme impact on the climate, with a 100-year global warming potential of ~24.000. Studies have warned that atmospheric measurements and reported SF6 emissions don't add up. And now, it looks like the research was able to find a major source of these discrepancies.
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 12/12/2025
It's the worst known greenhouse gas, and a factory in Southern Germany emits a lot of it 🌍🏡💨🏭 Sulfur Hexafluoride or SF6 is a gas that has been used in Nike shoes (until 2006), Magnesium production, soundproof windows, and electric switchgear. 🔌💡 /thread 🧵 industrydecarbonization.com/news/super-e...
industrydecarbonization.com
Super-Emitter of the most Damaging Greenhouse Gas found in Germany
Through atmospheric measurements, scientists have identified a chemical factory operated by Solvay in Southern Germany as the source of massive amounts of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF₆) emissions. Being 24...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 02/12/2025
The UNFCCC makes it needlessly difficult to download emission data📊📈 I am now providing a service that allows downloading bundles of tables that the UNFCCC — for whatever reason — does not want you to access easily. 🔌💡 industrydecarbonization.com/news/why-is-...
industrydecarbonization.com
Why is it needlessly difficult to access UNFCCC Emission Data?
Due to international climate agreements, countries report annual data about their greenhouse gas emissions to the UNFCCC. However, downloading and using that data is a lot more difficult than it shoul...
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Industry Decarbonization Newsletter @industrydecarbonization.com · 11/11/2025
Will Enerkem's Waste Gasification tech work in Spain after it failed to deliver in Canada? ♨️🗑️ Repsol wants to build a Waste-to-Methanol plant in Tarragona🇪🇸. The tech was used in Edmonton🇨🇦 for ~10y, but never came close to its expected production volumes. industrydecarbonization.com/news/is-ener...
industrydecarbonization.com
Is Enerkem's Waste Gasification technology a Failure or a promising Climate Solution?
Repsol wants to build a waste gasification plant to make circular and biogenic Methanol in Spain. The Ecoplanta project will use a technology that previously failed to deliver on its promises in Canad...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 06/11/2025
Given Enerkem's poor performance in Edmonton, it is worth asking: why does Repsol think that the tech will work better in Spain? Is it worth additional money💶 from the EU🇪🇺 and indirectly Spanish🇪🇸 taxpayers? Unfortunately, neither Enerkem nor Repsol wanted to talk to me. More in my latest newsletter
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 06/11/2025
While Enerkem's projects in CA failed, one in Spain moves ahead. Ecoplanta at Repsol's Tarragona complex🧪🏭 is probably Enerkem's last chance to succeed. Ecoplanta only came to pass after plans for the extension of an energy tax🏛️ in Spain were dropped after the party Junts declined to support it
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 06/11/2025
Is Enerkem's Waste Gasification technology a Failure or a promising Climate Solution? Gasification of waste🗑️ and biomass🪵 could be an enormously helpful tool to make circular+renewable chemicals. Yet, the list of failed gasification projects is long.🔌💡 🧵 industrydecarbonization.com/news/is-ener...
industrydecarbonization.com
Is Enerkem's Waste Gasification technology a Failure or a promising Climate Solution?
Repsol wants to build a waste gasification plant to make circular and biogenic Methanol in Spain. The Ecoplanta project will use a technology that previously failed to deliver on its promises in Canad...
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Hanno Böck @hanno.hboeck.de · 03/11/2025
Most existing CO2 storage is something called Enhanced Oil Recovery. Existing CCS usually uses easye CO2 sources, and gas-fired power plants are the opposite of that. A key determinant for the costs of CCS is the concentration of a CO2 source. Check my video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO72...
youtube.com
Carbon Capture and Storage looks different from what you may think
YouTube video by Decarbonize Everything
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