Renewable energy in focus when FSCN professor contributes to European conference
How can we replace petroleum-based materials with renewable raw materials? This is the focus of Professor Magnus Norgren's lecture at RRB 2024, a European conference that brings together experts and researchers to discuss biorefinery and the manufacture of renewable raw materials and products.
During his lecture, Magnus Norgren, Professor of Chemical Engineering and active at Mid Sweden University's FSCN research center, will present the research that is ongoing at the center. FSCN collaborates with companies in the pulp industry, but also with smaller companies that want to convert their manufacturing in the plastics industry to the pulp industry.
"We need to convey knowledge about the research and development that is going on in this part of Europe. I will talk about how we in our research put cellulose at the centre in order to be able to move from petroleum-based products to more sustainable alternatives," says Magnus Norgren.
New research on carbon sequestration
In his lecture, Magnus Norgren will also present one of the more recent discoveries about so-called cellulose mineralization. They are in the early stages, but have discovered that carbon dioxide, together with lime and cellulose-based polymers, can create a material that could be useful in, for example, construction. In the long run, this could mean that carbon dioxide captured using so-called CCUS technology (Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage) can be stored in a material that also benefits society.
"It's still only at the experimental stage, but we see that cellulose-based polymers in combination with carbon dioxide have great potential when it comes to creating environmentally sustainable materials," says Magnus Norgren.
Experiments in a laboratory environment continue. The big question in this type of development is whether it is possible to produce a material that is environmentally sustainable and sufficiently competitive in terms of price," says Magnus Norgren.
In addition to gaining access to the latest in research in biorefinery and the production of renewable raw materials, the RRB 2024 conference is also an opportunity to make contacts and initiate collaborations.
"We have a long tradition of innovation and development in the field in our region. I want to show this in this context so that we arouse interest in partnerships that mean that we can create sustainable raw materials and products with other players at the forefront," says Magnus Norgren.