Dow is committed to working with industry, government, communities, NGOs and especially our customers to identify and develop new solutions and best practices addressing the challenges of energy and climate change. In fact, Dow believes one way to address both challenges head-on is by adopting a strategy of putting carbon dioxide (CO2) to use.
That’s why Dow is working with Algenol Biofuels on a pilot bio-refinery project to use concentrated CO2 to create an algae-derived ethanol that offers a green alternative to transportation fuel and a more sustainable feedstock for ethylene.
Dow and Algenol are planning a first-of-a-kind pilot project in Freeport, Texas to demonstrate the commercial scale-up of converting industrial-sized levels of CO2 emissions into ethanol using salt water, sunlight, non-arable land and Dow’s engineering expertise and chemistry. In addition to land and providing an industrial CO2 source, Dow will provide the advanced materials, specialty films and water treatment solutions that will be used in the “photobioreactor” (PBR) system.
The process involves capturing and flowing the carbon dioxide into the photobioreactors that contain algae and seawater. While exposed to direct sunlight within each PBR unit, the algae uses the photosynthetic process to consume CO2 to create a more sustainable form of ethanol.
The result? A clean energy breakthrough capable of producing a renewable feedstock source that’s cost-competitive and a win-win solution for the planet.
Dow’s contribution to the Algenol project is the latest example of Dow chemistry leading the way to a more sustainable future. Dow continues to invest in research and development to achieve breakthrough solutions that lead to energy alternatives and less carbon-intensive raw materials and processes.