BluePlasma gets approval to set up CO2 into CO conversion pilot project

In Belgium, BluePlasma consortium has received approval from VLAIO to set up an R&D pilot project. In concrete terms, an infrastructure will be built in Antwerp to convert CO2 into CO via plasma technology. The idea is to capture greenhouse gas (CO2) locally and convert it into a high-quality chemical material (CO). This carbon monoxide can then be used in many different industries, such as metallurgy and petrochemistry.

Plasma technology is not new, but the efficiency to convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide has traditionally been low. In cooperation with D-CRBN, the University of Antwerp has developed a new process in which the efficiency is at least five times higher. And that is important because it makes it possible to ‘”harvest” CO2 locally and reuse it locally. The purpose of the BluePlasma project is to scale up this academic breakthrough to a pilot installation. In addition to storage and electrification, plasma technology is becoming an important third avenue to ensure that less CO2 is released into the atmosphere.

The ICON project aims to develop an R&D pilot infrastructure in Antwerp. This is part of their ongoing research and development. The next step would then be to develop a locally applicable concept in Flanders. If that scale-up is successful, manufacturing plants could integrate a plasma reactor into their processes as a way to contribute to a circular economy.