Braskem and Norsk e-Fuel Team Up to Make Plastics from Captured Carbon
Braskem and Norsk e-Fuel have partnered to integrate e-Naphtha derived from captured carbon into plastics production, aiming to create durable, circular plastics with a lower climate footprint and advance carbon capture utilization in the industry.
Norsk e-Fuel AS, a Power-to-Liquid (PtL) technology expert, and Braskem, a polymers and biopolymers manufacturer, have announced a strategic collaboration to explore the possible integration of e-Naphtha into the plastics value chain. This partnership aims to accelerate the development of plastics derived from carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, reinforcing both companies' commitment to a circular future.
Norsk e-Fuel is driving the industrial rollout of PtL technology by building large-scale facilities that convert fossil-free electricity, water, and captured CO2 into synthetic fuels and feedstocks. The company's plan foresees at least three plants in operation by 2032, with a combined annual capacity of more than 200,000 tons of e-Fuels. Around a quarter of this output could be supplied as e-Naphtha - a versatile feedstock used to produce plastics.
Braskem's sustainability strategy, "Keeping Carbon in the Loop", focuses on retaining carbon within products and the economy through renewable, circular, and carbon-optimized solutions. The company already produces 'I'm green' bio-based polyethylene at an industrial scale, a renewable plastic made from sugarcane ethanol-and offers mass balance certified solutions for markets where segregated routes are not yet feasible. By potentially processing e-Naphtha into polypropylene and other essential materials, Braskem aims to expand its portfolio with innovative plastics that could have a significantly reduced climate footprint.
Lars Bjørn Larsen, CCO of Norsk e-Fuel, commented: "e-Naphtha is more than a by-product; it is a valuable feedstock for creating long-lasting, circular products. By capturing carbon and embedding it into durable, recyclable materials, we keep carbon in use and out of the atmosphere."
Walmir Soller, Vice President for North America, Europe, and Asia (NAMEA) and CEO of Braskem, added: "Plastics are essential to modern life, and by producing them with captured carbon, we keep that carbon in the economy-not in the air. This collaboration reflects our commitment to innovation and to building value chains that enable circularity and carbon neutrality."
The collaboration will focus on developing a framework for integrating e-Naphtha into plastic production, assessing market opportunities, and engaging with customers seeking circular solutions. It also highlights the role of carbon capture utilization (CCU) in creating new value chains for the plastics industry, circulating carbon through products, not emissions.
