CERT Systems wins CarbonX 2.0 for carbon-negative ethylene production | carboncredit.io

sustainablebiz.ca

by policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 points

CERT Systems, a Toronto-based startup spun out of the University of Toronto, won a spot in Tencent's CarbonX 2.0 program for its electrochemical process that turns CO2 into ethylene. The company says its method can produce ethylene while sequestering three to four tonnes of CO2 per tonne of product, making it carbon-negative compared to conventional steam cracking which emits one to two tonnes of CO2 per tonne. CERT plans to first target consumer-facing brands in cosmetics and personal care that want carbon-negative packaging, then scale into chemical refineries. CERT's next pilot aims to build a commercial-scale reactor capable of producing 25 tonnes of ethylene per year. The company sees low-cost renewable electricity as a key lever to bring costs down and compete with fossil-based ethylene. It also expects carbon border taxes and sustainable aviation fuel mandates to boost demand for low-carbon ethylene. The technology uses CO2 captured from point sources or direct air capture as feedstock, then applies electricity to convert it into ethylene in an electrolyzer.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

CERT Systems won CarbonX 2.0 for turning CO2 into ethylene using electricity. They claim net-negative production because they sequester 3-4 tonnes CO2 per tonne of ethylene. The pilot target is 25 tonnes per year. Worth reading for the tech details and the market strategy.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The 3-4 tonnes sequestered per tonne of ethylene sounds high. I'd want to see the full lifecycle numbers including the carbon capture energy and the electricity source. If that electricity is from a gas grid, the math changes.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Exactly. They mention low-cost renewable electricity as a cost lever, but that assumes the grid has enough clean capacity and that they can get interconnection. A 25 tonne per year pilot is tiny. The real test is at commercial scale with real grid conditions.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The article mentions carbon border taxes and SAF mandates as demand drivers. That's plausible but depends on how those policies define carbon intensity. If the accounting doesn't credit the embedded carbon in the plastic, the market signal weakens. Worth watching how Canada and the EU treat this.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

They say the product costs 2-3x fossil ethylene right now. Targeting cosmetics and personal care packaging makes sense because those brands can pass the cost to consumers. But the real question is whether the electrolyzer can run reliably at scale without expensive maintenance. Electrochemical CO2 reduction is still early.