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6 min ago 2 min read
Finland-based deep tech startup Reduciner is planning to launch an industrial-scale pilot project aimed at turning captured carbon dioxide (CO2) into sustainable fuels at lower cost.
The company has raised €3.6m ($4.2m) in an initial funding round for the one megawatt facility, which it claims will provide a more cost-effective route for converting captured CO2 into usable fuel feedstocks.
Reduciner’s technology uses a thermochemical process that converts CO2 into carbon monoxide using renewable electricity and biogenic CO2, effectively electrifying the combustion process and reducing emissions.
The process produces a synthesis gas rich in carbon monoxide, or syngas, which can then be used as a feedstock for synthetic fuels and chemicals such as methanol.
By producing carbon monoxide directly, the system reduces the amount of hydrogen needed in downstream fuel production, helping improve efficiency and lower costs compared with more conventional CO2-based fuel pathways.
Reduciner said costs can also be reduced because the technology is compatible with existing industrial infrastructure.
“Most technologies that seek to replace fossil fuels with more sustainable ones require rebuilding of infrastructure,” said Johanna Gronroos, Co-Founder and CEO of Reduciner.
“What makes Reduciner stand out from other deep tech companies aiming to develop sustainable fuel alternatives is that with our process the sustainability impacts are reached profitably from the very beginning.”
Part of the technology’s economics is the co-production of activated carbon, which is commonly used in water and gas purification applications.
According to the company, its technology is well-suited for hard-to-abate industry sectors such as lime, cement, steel, and pulp.
“On a global scale, CO2 emissions from the lime and cement industry are bigger than those from aviation and marine transport combined,” said Eeemeli Tsupari, Co-Founder and CTO.
Reduciner’s technology has been validated through pilot-scale testing at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and its commercialisation phase began earlier this year, with the first industrial-scale deployments in Finland.
The company targets broader international expansion before 2030.
