· The demonstration test is for commercial application of the CO2 capture technology at Hokuetsu Corporation's paper mills
· It is aimed at chemical recovery boilers that use black liquor, a by-product of the pulp manufacturing process, as their main fuel
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Hokuetsu Corporation, one of Japan's leading paper manufacturers, launched a CO2 capture demonstration test at Niigata Mill (Niigata City), in November. This demonstration test aims to capture CO2 from a chemical recovery boiler that produces the steam and electricity needed for paper manufacturing, by using MHI's "CO2MPACT™ Mobile(Note)", a compact CO2 capture system. This is the first case in which MHI's CO2 capture technology is being applied to the pulp and paper industry. This demonstration test will allow MHI to analyze and evaluate data for commercial application and accelerate decarbonization in this industry.
Chemical recovery boilers use "black liquor" as their main fuel, which is generated as a by-product in the pulp production process, the raw material for paper. The wood chips are dissolved in a sodium-containing solvent known as "white liquor" to extract the pulp, and the white liquor component is recovered from the black liquor residue that remains after combustion and is re-circulated for reuse.
As the need for decarbonization grows around the world, Japan is also actively engaged in decarbonization efforts in various industrial sectors. And the pulp and paper industry is one of them. This demonstration test is expected to provide the pulp and paper industry with a solution that contributes to further global environmental measures by directly capturing CO2 emissions in the production process.
MHI Group has formally declared its intent to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, and the Company is now working strategically to decarbonize both the energy demand and supply sides. A core element of the Company's "Energy Transition," which targets decarbonization on the energy supply side, is the development of a CCUS value chain integrating diverse sources of carbon emissions with modes for carbon storage and utilization. Going forward, MHI Group will continue to proactively promote its CCUS business worldwide, applying its proprietary CO2 capture technologies, contributing as a solutions provider to reducing greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale, and developing further solutions that contribute to environmental protection.
