29-06-2022

Sulzer enabling world’s first commercial-scale waste-to-fuel plant with zero carbon emissions

Sulzer has supported Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. to complete construction of the world’s first commercial-scale production plant that will convert municipal solid waste (MSW), or household waste, into renewable transportation fuels.

The plant will convert approximately 175’000 tons (159’000 tonnes) of MSW into approximately 11 million gallons (41.6 million liters) of renewable synthetic crude oil (syncrude) per year. Since 2016, Sulzer has delivered a full range of pumps that will play a critical role in the site’s energy generation circuit — fundamental to the conversion process that produces fuel from waste.

Thanks to the class-leading efficiency and high degree of customization offered by Sulzer’s pumps, the company was able to win the order consisting of boiler feed, condensate extraction and other process pumps central to the plant’s energy generation circuit. These pumps will therefore play a critical role in converting the 175’000 tons (159’000 tonnes) of MSW into approximately 11 million gallons (41.6 million liters) of syncrude per year. The waste-to-fuel process has the power to transform the transportation industry with renewable, zero-carbon transportation fuels.

Frédéric Lalanne, CEO of the Sulzer group and President of Sulzer’s Flow Equipment Division, commented “This is an extremely exciting project that will help to reduce the carbon footprint of transport systems and also reduce the volume of waste going to landfill. This revolutionary new plant is the first in the world to achieve commercial scalability, and we hope it will be the first of many. We are glad to be using our pumping expertise to support this important step towards zero-carbon circular energy.”