Pyrolysis as innovative energy technology - Results from SkyClean Scale-up

Stiesdal and several other partners across the energy and agricultural sectors have succeeded in developing and demonstrating a 20 MW pyrolysis plant for efficient CO₂ capture and green energy. New studies show that biochar produced through pyrolysis provides substantial, stable carbon storage and beneficial environmental effects.

Challenge

Agriculture, shipping, aircraft, trucks and certain industrial processes are difficult sectors to decarbonise. For example, a significant proportion of agricultural CO2 emissions come from fiber in livestock manure that is spread in the fields and from plant residues that, when plowed and decompose, emit large amounts of CO2.

Solution

The SkyClean Scale-Up projekt has matured the SkyClean pyrolysis technology and constructed the first 20 MW SkyClean pyrolysis plant in Vrå. The plant uses biogas digestate fibres from the Agri Energy Vrå biogas facility and delivers biochar for carbon storage and green energy to replace fossil fuels.

Also, the project has documented the stability of the biochar in the soil along with CO2e sequestration and environmental effects. Last but not least, the project has developed biochar value chains and investigated how to best handle, distribute and apply the biochar in the agricultural sector.

Result

In October 2024, Stiesdal inaugurated the world’s largest pyrolysis plant, with a capacity of 20 MW, in Vrå. Annually, the plant can store up to 28,000 tons of CO₂ through the production of biochar and displace natural gas corresponding to 9,500 tons of CO₂.

New research confirms that biochar produced through pyrolysis provides stable long-term carbon storage in agricultural soils, and that biochar improves soil properties and can be an effective alternative fertilizer.

The Danish pyrolysis collaboration continues through new pyrolysis projects facilitated by Energy Cluster Denmark. These include for instance the FRO-supported projects PytoN, PytoX and PytoCCUS.

Gain more knowledge about pyrolysis by watching videos and reading articles here on the site, where researchers and experts from the project elaborate on results generated as part of SkyClean Scale-up.