Objective The European polymer industry is under increasing pressure to produce innovative products at lower cost to compete with overseas imports. Econic Technologies has invented a catalyst that enables replacing up to 40% of petrochemical feedstock in the production of polyurethane polyols, an important polymer segment, with low cost waste CO2, resulting in high performance product. Econic Technologies is spun out of Imperial College London, where the technology was invented, now grown to a family of patent-protected catalysts whose unique characteristic is high reactive activity and selectivity for polymers under low pressures. The catalysts enable the maximum theoretical uptake of CO2 with far superior reaction rates than their competitors under industry relevant conditions.The Econic catalyst creates novel value-add polyol building blocks for polyurethanes whilst offering significant feedstock savings: CO2 costs $100/Tonne whereas PO costs $1900/tonne. When competitive technologies require expensive new plant facilities to meet stringent process conditions Econic’s catalyst can be deployed by a low cost retrofit. The technology is proven in the lab (TRL6) and client-site demonstration (TRL7) has commenced on small scale. The Phase I feasibility study has established that early adopting market leading polyol producers are keen to deploy the technology but they still need to persuade their downstream customers, the polyurethane producers. This will crucially be assisted by demonstrator applications which Phase II will now develop. Over the first five years after Phase II completion, Econic generates EUR180m catalyst sale revenues. Polyol producers will benefit by increased profit margins to the tune of EUR380m over the same period. Catalyst toll manufacturers will generate turnover of EUR30m+ and carbon capture plants will be able to sell EUR18m worth of CO2. Total expected qualified job creation from the project exceeds 100 over the first five commercial years. Fields of science engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsnatural scienceschemical sciencescatalysisengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringcarbon capture engineering Programme(s) H2020-EU.3.5. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials Main Programme H2020-EU.2.3.1. - Mainstreaming SME support, especially through a dedicated instrument Topic(s) SMEInst-11-2016-2017 - Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials Call for proposal H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-SMEINST-2-2016-2017 Funding Scheme SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2 Coordinator ECONIC TECHNOLOGIES LTD Net EU contribution € 2 490 767,00 Address Biohub block 19s alderley park SK10 4TG Macclesfield cheshire United Kingdom See on map Region North West (England) Cheshire Cheshire East Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 1 067 471,75
