Viridhys offers industries with a lot of plastic waste the means to recycle it on site to meet part of their energy needs. Called Pyroplas, the technology can convert up to 80% of the plastics processed in this way.
Context
Hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastics are produced around the world every year. While they are linked to more than half the world’s CO2 emissions, barely 10% of plastics are currently recycled. And some, although theoretically recyclable, are entirely excluded from mechanical recovery processes. To remedy this lost opportunity, Viridhys Technologies has developed a thermal process for producing electricity directly from plastic waste. A specialist in using plasma to sterilise seedlings for agriculture, the Fribourg-based company has added this latest process to its portfolio of innovative solutions.
Technology
Viridhys Technologies has improved its plasma pyrolysis technology and developed a continuous process for converting plastics into pyrolysis oil. The addition of a catalyst used in petrochemicals transforms this crude product into refined oil that can be used on site to produce electricity, using a generator equipped with a CO2 filtration system. The food-grade CO2 is then liquefied and can be sold and used in a wide range of applications. The entire system fits into four standard containers and is sold as a turnkey solution that can process up to 2000 tonnes of plastic a year, to produce 5 GWh of electricity. The company’s winning combination enables industrial firms to not only cover part of their energy needs but also sell the CO2 emitted during the process, all while eliminating their plastic waste.
Maturity
While no Pyroplas unit is yet operational in Switzerland, ten or so have already been sold and installed around the world, in Germany, the Netherlands, Indonesia and Japan. Viridhys Technologies’ customers are chemical companies and industrial firms that produce a lot of packaging waste. The company currently has a production capacity of five units a year, working with a network of partners to manufacture the various components then assembling and commissioning them on site. A funding round in 2024 enabled Viridhys to raise CHF 7 million to develop the technology and manufacture the units. Numerous orders have already been placed for delivery in 2025 and 2026.
‘Our process makes it possible to recover plastics that cannot be recycled mechanically, with minimal environmental impact.’ – Frédéric Haase, CEO of Viridhys Technologies
This portrait is taken from the second edition of the cleantech start-up overview published in 2024. Discover the full publication here.
