Imagine taking the CO2 that factories pump into the air and, using electricity from solar or wind, converting it into ethylene oxide — a chemical that's in everything from antifreeze to plastics to detergents. Right now, making ethylene oxide requires fossil fuels and generates massive greenhouse gas emissions. This project built a machine that does both jobs at once: one side turns CO2 into a useful chemical, while the other side turns water into hydrogen peroxide — another valuable product. It's like recycling pollution into products the chemical industry already buys in huge quantities.
Chemical manufacturers still produce ethylene oxide from fossil fuels using energy-intensive, high-emission processes. With carbon prices rising and sustainability mandates tightening, these companies face growing cost pressure and regulatory risk. Meanwhile, heavy industries generating CO2 emissions are looking for ways to turn that waste into value rather than just paying carbon taxes.
A 1kW PEM electrolyser system that converts CO2 into ethylene at the cathode while producing hydrogen peroxide at the anode, combined with a cascade reactor that converts these intermediates into ethylene oxide and polyethylene glycol. Plant testing was completed with a fully assembled demonstrator test-rig.
If you are a chemical company producing ethylene oxide from fossil-based feedstocks — this project developed an electrochemical process that converts CO2 directly into ethylene oxide at low temperatures and pressures, substituting fossil-based production. The technology was demonstrated at a 1kW PEM electrolyser scale and advanced from TRL4 to TRL6 with plant testing completed.
If you are a heavy industry operator paying carbon taxes on CO2 emissions — this project built a modular system that converts your CO2 waste into ethylene oxide and polyethylene glycol, chemicals with established market demand. The modular design enables decentralized deployment directly at your emission source, turning a cost center into a revenue stream.
If you are a renewable energy provider dealing with grid curtailment or seeking higher-value offtake — this project demonstrated a technology that uses renewable electricity to power CO2 conversion into marketable chemicals. The 1kW electrolyser was designed to be combinable with renewables, creating products that integrate into the existing chemical supply chain.
The project data does not include specific cost-per-unit figures. A 1kW PEM electrolyser was built for demonstration. Scaling costs would depend on plant size and local electricity prices, but the process operates at low temperatures and pressures, which typically means lower capital expenditure than high-temperature alternatives.
The technology was demonstrated at 1kW electrolyser scale and reached TRL6. Industrial ethylene oxide plants operate at much larger scales, so significant scale-up engineering would still be needed. The modular design is intended to allow decentralized deployment, meaning multiple smaller units rather than one massive plant.
The project was coordinated by Fraunhofer, one of Europe's largest applied research organizations, with 12 partners across 6 countries. IP is likely shared among consortium members. Licensing inquiries should go through the coordinator, as Fraunhofer has established technology transfer offices.
Conventional production uses fossil-based ethylene and energy-intensive processes. CO2EXIDE substitutes fossil feedstock entirely by using CO2 and water as inputs, powered by renewable electricity. The project objective states significant improvements in energy and resource efficiency combined with enormous reduction of GHG emissions, verified by Life Cycle Assessment.
The project ran for 42 months and closed in June 2021. It advanced from TRL4 to TRL6, with completed plant testing and a fully assembled demonstrator test-rig. This means the technology works in a relevant environment but is not yet commercially deployed.
The process produces ethylene oxide as the primary intermediate, which is then converted into oligo- and polyethylene glycol. Both are high-demand industrial chemicals used in antifreeze, detergents, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and many other applications already integrated into existing supply chains.
CO2 utilization technologies align with EU Green Deal targets and carbon pricing mechanisms. As carbon costs rise, technologies that convert CO2 into valuable products become increasingly competitive. The project was funded under the SPIRE topic, which specifically targets sustainable process industry.
The CO2EXIDE consortium of 12 partners across 6 countries (Austria, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, UK) is well-balanced for technology transfer. With 5 industrial partners (42% industry ratio) including 3 SMEs, plus Fraunhofer as coordinator — one of Europe's most commercially active research organizations — this project was designed with commercialization in mind. The mix of 4 universities providing fundamental science, 2 research organizations for applied development, and 5 industry players for real-world validation gives the technology a credible path from lab to market. Having industrial partners already inside the consortium means potential early adopters are already familiar with the technology.
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (Germany) — contact via their technology transfer office or SciTransfer can arrange an introduction
Want to explore licensing or partnership opportunities with the CO2EXIDE team? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the right people in the consortium.
