LanzaTech, SEKISUI to scale up waste-to-ethanol plants in Japan

LanzaTech announced a significant partnership with Japanese firm SEKISUI Chemical to deploy multiple commercial-scale waste-to-ethanol plants across Japan.

The collaboration aims to transform municipal solid waste (MSW) and industrial solid waste into sustainable ethanol under a master license agreement.

Under the agreement, SEKISUI will utilise LanzaTech’s technology to convert syngas derived from waste into ethanol. The produced ethanol can be further refined into various products, including ethylene, kerosene for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and materials for apparel, personal care, and packaging.

The partnership builds upon a decade-long collaboration between LanzaTech and SEKISUI, with successful pilot and demonstration plants already operating in Japan. The first commercial-scale facility is expected to produce 10-12 kilotons of ethanol annually.

Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, emphasised the importance of the partnership in addressing the global waste crisis. “Our continued collaboration with SEKISUI is setting the groundwork for providing municipalities with a platform that reduces waste, captures carbon, generates valuable sustainable feedstocks, and importantly, creates local jobs,” she said.

The partnership is expected to have a significant impact on Japan’s waste management efforts as the country generates over 56m tons of combustible waste generated annually.

Earlier in June, LanzaTech Global and LanzaJet streamlined their offering and launched CirculAir to convert waste, carbon, and renewable power into SAF.