- The Rheticus project will receive €2.8 million in funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
- The project will run for two years, with a test plant scheduled to start by 2021 in Marl, Germany.
- The test plant will produce chemicals like butanol and hexanol, used in plastics and food supplements.
- The next stage could see a plant with a production capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes a year.
Project Overview
Evonik and Siemens are collaborating on the Rheticus project to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into specialty chemicals using renewable electricity and bacteria. The project, which combines electrolysis and fermentation processes, was launched recently and will run for two years.
Funding and Timeline
The Rheticus project has secured €2.8 million in funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The first test plant is scheduled to go on stream by 2021 at the Evonik facility in Marl, Germany.
Production Goals
The initial test plant will produce chemicals such as butanol and hexanol, which are feedstocks for special plastics and food supplements. Future plans include scaling up to a plant with a production capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes per year, with potential to manufacture other specialty chemicals or fuels.
Technological Contributions
Siemens is providing the electrolysis technology to convert CO2 and water into hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO) using electricity. Evonik is contributing the fermentation process, which uses special micro-organisms to convert gases containing CO into useful products. These steps are being scaled up from the laboratory and combined in a technical test facility.
Future Potential
The Rheticus platform aims to demonstrate the feasibility of artificial photosynthesis, converting CO2 and water into chemicals through chemical and biological steps. The modular and flexible nature of the platform makes it attractive for the specialty chemicals industry, allowing plants to be adapted to local conditions and raw material sources.
