Sustainable fuels & feedstocks
OMV is the first Austrian company to verifiably produce fuels with biogenic components in a sustainable way and market them countrywide through its own filling station network. The sustainability of the applied biogenic components was rewarded with the ISCC-EU certificate demonstrating our compliance with the highest legal sustainability standards. Furthermore, OMV also meets the requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive of the European Union, which focuses on applying sufficient environmental and social principles along the entire supply chain of biofuels.
What’s best about Co-processing? Utilizing this process leads to an annual reduction in OMV’s carbon footprint of up to 360,000 metric tons of CO2. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of around 200,000 cars driving an average of 12,000 km per year. The bio-based fuel meets the highest quality standards and can be used in any type of vehicle. The technology applied is also not limited to vegetable oil. Waste products such as used cooking oil and advanced feedstocks, such as algae oil, can also be used based on availability.
In December 2020, OMV reached an important milestone with the innovative project by committing to invest EUR 200 million for the construction of a co-processing unit at the Schwechat refinery.
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Advanced Bioethanol
Since January 2021, OMV is supplied with advanced Bioethanol from AustroCel Hallein. The Bioethanol is produced exclusively from cellulose scrap, leftovers in the cellulose production, which are fermented and distilled. This process makes it exceptionally environmentally friendly and sustainable as no food or animal feed is used. Substituting fossil fuels at OMV will save around 45,000 metric tons of CO2 per year. This product will thereby help reduce the carbon intensity of the OMV product portfolio and aid in meeting OMV’s 2025 Sustainability Targets.
Glycerin2Propanol
OMV also plans the production of propanol which is a bio based alcohol used as an additive for gasoline. For this purpose, a pilot plant will be built at the OMV Schwechat refinery which will produce second-generation biofuels starting in 2023 using a patented process developed inhouse. A typical refining process will see the waste-based substance glycerin turned into bio-alcohol, which when added to gasoline reduces its CO2 footprint. OMV is set to invest around EUR 30 million to reach production capacities of 1.25 million liters of propanol per year. The long term goal is to produce 125 million liters of propanol annually and reduce CO2 emissions by around 180,000 metric tons.
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Imagine CO2 emissions are cut off – for example from an industrial plant – and hydrogen is being added to them. In doing so, a so-called synthesis gas forms, which itself can be processed further to so-called synthetic fuels. This means that no CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, but instead is being recycled into fuel. Furthermore, not a single drop of refined crude oil is needed to produce synthetic fuel. The resulting CO2 saving is immense, about 90 to 95 % compared to, fossil-based fuels. Especially in areas that are difficult to electrify, synthetic fuels offer a good and CO2-saving alternative. Air, heavy load and naval transportation could in particular benefit from synthetic fuels.
The goal is to create a cross-value chain and operate a full-scale plant by 2030 that will eventually capture nearly 100% of the 700,000 tons of carbon dioxide emitted annually by Lafarge’s cement plant in Mannersdorf, Austria. The aim is to use the captured CO2 as a resource. The captured CO2 will be combined with the green hydrogen in the renewable energy produced by VERBUND and converted into renewable hydrocarbons by OMV.
An industrial-scale demonstration project of the carbon value chain will be built and operated in a first step to be completed by 2025. It will convert up to 10,000 t of CO2 per year into renewable-based polyolefins. The estimated CAPEX of more than EUR 100 mn comprises the costs of an off-grid PV plant, an electrolyzer, a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) plant, a carbon capture facility, hydro- carbon synthesis facilities, and a hydrocarbon inte- gration facility at the refineries in Schwechat and Burghausen. The objective of this phase is to pro- duce more than 2,000 t/a of renewable-based poly- olefins (e.g., polypropylene and polyethylene).
A modern scale demonstration of the carbon value chain will be fabricated and operated in an initial step to be finished by 2025. It will change over up to 10,000 t of CO2 each year into renewable-based polyolefins. The assessed CAPEX of more than EUR 100 mn includes the expenses of an off-grid PV plant, an electrolyzer, a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) plant, a carbon capture facility, hydro- carbon synthesis facilities, and a hydrocarbon inte-gration office at the refineries in Schwechat and Burghausen. The target of this stage is to pro- duce more than 2,000 t/a of renewable-based poly- olefins (e.g., polypropylene and polyethylene).
C2PAT – Cross-sectoral value chain to drive climate neutrality
The actions in the demonstration phase will show the data to address key technological, economic, social, and regulatory questions as well as the constraints to scaling up to industrial size. Due to the novelty of the technology and the inherent costs, EU funding has been requested for the project.
The activities in the exhibition stage will show the information to address key technology, economic, social, and regulatory inquiries just as the requirements to increasing to industrial size. Because of the novelty of the innovation and the intrinsic expenses, EU funding has been requested.
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