Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has invested in a project to convert carbon emissions into ethylene, a key component in plastic.
Researchers at Swansea University in Wales, UK, will consider whether ethylene can be produced using captured CO2 removed from the atmosphere. If successful, it could eventually replace steam cracking, the process of breaking down hydrocarbons through refining petroleum or natural gas.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Ethylene is a key component in plastics including high-density polyethylene, the material used for Coca-Cola’s bottle caps. According to The Global Carbon Project, the process of manufacturing ethylene produced over 260m tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2020, constituting almost 1% of global emissions.
The project is funded through CCEP Ventures (CCEPV), the innovation investment fund looking to drive sustainability in line with the company’s goal to reach net zero by 2040.
Head of CCEP Ventures Craig Twyford said: “Through Ventures, we are committed to seeking out and funding solutions that will build a better future for our business, communities and the planet. If scaled, this technology could impact both our fossil fuel use and carbon emissions and help to accelerate a low-carbon future for CCEP.”
CCEPV’s previous investments include a partnership with the Peidong Yang Research Group at the University of California, Berkeley. The group is seeking to convert captured CO2 into sugar and received a CO2 challenge grant from NASA in 2019, ahead of its mission to Mars in 2024. The ability to convert carbon into glucose has implications for Martian explorers, who might be able to successfully manufacture products from the planet’s atmosphere.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataGlobalData analysis of filings made by CCEPV since 2016 reveals a significant shift towards environmental concerns, with 2023 set to see a massive spike. The trend follows the launch of CCEP’s sustainability initiative, This is Forward, in 2017, with ESG seeing particular growth in this time.
The project will primarily be concerned with the development of an efficient CO2-to-ethylene process. On completion, CCEP will consider the possibility of scaling up the process, the goal being to use carbon dioxide from the air near its factories or its own smoke stacks.
Professor Enrico Andreoli, Head of Chemical Engineering at Swansea University and Principal Investigator of the project, said: “We take a practical approach in our research focusing specifically on sustainable applications, and fossil-free ethylene production is certainly a key one.
“We build upon our strong background and expertise in carbon dioxide conversion and with the support of CCEP Ventures, our common goal of delivering low-carbon sustainable plastic can become a reality.”
It comes as last month CCEP announced a £31m ($38m) investment in its manufacturing site in Wakefield, UK.
The investment will be used to develop a new 2,000-cans-per-minute canning line at the site – which CCEP said will confer CO2 consumption and water savings via air rinsing capabilities, dry lubrication on conveyors and an auto-sleep function on motors. The investment was billed as a milestone in CCEP’s journey towards its goal of being net zero by 2040.
Our signals coverage is powered by GlobalData’s Thematic Engine, which tags millions of data items across six alternative datasets — patents, jobs, deals, company filings, social media mentions and news — to themes, sectors and companies. These signals enhance our predictive capabilities, helping us to identify the most disruptive threats across each of the sectors we cover and the companies best placed to succeed.
