Project Summary (Aim and Main Tasks)
Tüpraş is the largest industrial enterprise in Turkey, 7th largest refinery company in Europe and Turkey's first producer in oil and gas sector.
Tüpraş keeps improving its sustainability, environmental, social and economic performance every day and carrying out its activities with the motto "We Know the Value of Life".
Tüpraş closely follows global developments, primarily the European Green Deal, for transition to a low carbon economy by evaluating the effects of climate change risks in its business processes. As a responsible producer, Tüpraş continues to work on reducing the use of natural resources, efficient use of resources and recycling wastes in all the processes to reduce environmental and social impacts. Evaluation of the environmental impacts of the projects with a holistical approach through "Life Cycle Analysis" is performed by including the possible carbon pricing in investment projects feasibility studies. As a part of R&D activities, Tüpraş intensively continues its partnerships with world-leading research centers, universities and industrial organizations in the field of CO2 reduction. Following the Horizon 2020 program, the company aims to take part in in Horizon Europe with projects on renewable fuels and hydrogen production, as well.
It is possible to capture CO2, which is an important greenhouse gas and released to the atmosphere after industrial processes, and convert it into valuable raw materials. However, this conversion is currently not economically feasible due to the low CO2-product yield. In COZMOS project, the novel catalysts will be developed for a two-stage process that first converts CO2 into methanol and then into propane and propylene as target products. COZMOS project, funded by the European Union, aims to develop an innovative technology to increase the CO2 conversion rate and reduce energy consumption by combining two reactions in a single reactor. With this technology, it will be possible to convert CO2 by using renewable energy sources, so that propane, an easily stored fuel for heating, cooking and transportation, or propylene, raw material of the petrochemical products, will be produced economically. COZMOS technology will contribute to circular economy and replacement of fossil fuels via reduction of CO2 emissions and Europe's dependence on fossil fuel-based resources.
Performance tests of the catalysts developed within the scope of the project will be carried out in a single laboratory scale reactor. In parallel with the studies carried out on process design and modeling, pilot scale unit for CO2 conversion process will be demonstrated in the Pilot Facilities Building at Tüpraş R&D Center. Tüpraş will be responsible from the design, installation, operability and performance tests of the pilot plant unit. After proper and safe integration of the pilot plant unit into the existing Tüpraş R&D infrastructure, operations will be carried out to measure the performance of the most promising catalysts synthesized at pilot scale with feed gas streams having high CO2 content.
Scientific Output/Product/Earning from the Project
COZMOS project aims to develop an innovative technology for the conversion of CO2 gas into C3 hydrocarbons fuels and chemical building blocks. There are natural thermodynamic limits for the conversion of CO2 into above-mentioned valuable products. COZMOS will develop a technological solution to overcome these limits by collaborative development, demonstration and use of innovative catalysts and process technologies. In addition to the development and demonstration of technology at TRL 5, COZMOS will ensure that Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) targets for CO2 emissions is met and will increase social acceptance for fuels and chemicals derived from CO2. COZMOS technology will contribute to circular economy and generation of alternatives to fossil fuels, reducing CO2 emissions and dependence on fossil resources.
Target Group of the Project
COZMOS project brings industrial companies from steel, refining, chemical and engineering sectors, research and technology organizations and universities together. The aim is to develop a technology that will enable the conversion of CO2 into valuable products in every conceivable field of the industry.
Importance of Combatting Global Problems
Greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and similar gases accumulate in the atmosphere, forming a heat-reflecting layer and causing an increase in atmospheric temperature. With an impact of 60%, CO2 is the greenhouse gas with the strongest impact on climate change and is produced as a result of combustion of coal, petroleum-derived fuels, natural gas and other carbon-based fuels.
The requirement for reducing the use of fossil fuels in energy and chemical industry by the conversion of CO2 released by industrial processes into value-added fuels and chemicals, and for returning the carbon lost as emissions back to the fuel pool played an important role in determining the project scope.
Currently, there is no regulation or sanction applied to industrial organizations regarding CO2 emissions in Turkey. However, in case of reducing CO2 emissions that cause global warming and dissemination of environmental practices and possible sanctions such as carbon tax, the technologies to be developed in the project in question will ensure that the technologies that will prepare the refinery for the future are closely followed.
Scientific/Social/Economic/Innovative Contribution
Thanks to the technological solution that will be developed within the scope of COZMOS project and adapted to local requirements and different sectors, it is estimated that 1.9 tons of CO2 emissions will be reduced per each ton of C3 product produced. With the spread of the technology, it is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 0.4 million tons per year in 2030 and 2.2 million tons per year as of 2034.
Contribution to the Development of Professional Skills
With COZMOS project, Tüpraş will have the opportunity to evaluate the conversion of CO2-rich waste process gases into valuable fuels and chemicals through additional catalytic processes. Conversion of waste CO2, released as a by-product in large quantities, into olefins and hydrocarbons will contribute to circular economy and reduce carbon footprint. By participating in this multinational project, Tüpraş will undertake important studies in the development of leading CO2 conversion technologies and will have the opportunity to test this technology at first hand.
Contribution to Human Resource Development
In the near future, carbon-pricing policies will be applied to industrial enterprises in case the regulations regarding CO2 emissions come into force. Within the scope of preparations for these processes, COZMOS project will provide the opportunity to gain knowledge, follow up and transfer technology in CO2 evaluation processes.
Project Partners
The project funded by the European Union and coordinated by the University of Oslo, is carried out with the partnership of 11 organizations from 9 different countries, including Norway, France, England, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, China and Turkey;
1. UNIVERSITETET I OSLO
2. SINTEF AS
3. KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
4. HALDOR TOPSOE AS
5. CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
6. LINDE AG
7. Turkiye Petrol Rafinerileri Anonim Sirketi
8. TATA STEEL UK LIMITED
9. UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO
10. UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD ROYAL CHARTER
11. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Coal Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion
