Enefit’s goal is to reach carbon neutrality by 2045 at the latest and in doing so transform Estonia’s more than century-old oil shale industry into a zero-waste chemical industry based on a circular economy. The production of liquid fuels will be gradually replaced by the production of plastics and compounds needed for other industries. Next to oil shale, waste plastics and waste tyres will be used as raw materials.
A study conducted together with TalTech has selected two technologies with the greatest potential to capture carbon from Enefit's pyrolysis plants. The next step is to choose the most suitable among them together with technology providers and to find the best ways to use the captured CO2 in the future with research and development partners.
Enefit Outotec Technology (EOT) is a joint venture of Enefit and Outotec established in 2009. EOT features an in-house R&D laboratory, an engineering team, and pilot testing facilities. By providing multi-level studies and test work and project execution support, EOT helps oil shale developers to fulfil shale oil projects all around the world.
Enefit Technology is a pyrolysis process that turns oil shale, end-of-life tires and plastic waste into oil and gas and generates electricity as a by-product. The efficiency of the technology comes from its 100% use of the mined oil shale. All organic matter is fully utilized, and high performance in oil extraction is further aided by additional revenue streams associated with utilisation of excess heat and gas generated in the process.
Waste heat is used to generate electricity, making Enefit shale oil plants net producers of electricity. Enefit Technology uses a wealth of industrial oil production experience obtained over 100 years of oil shale history in Estonia. Enefit’s dedicated engineers, operators and researchers have been developing the process for more than 340 years, resulting in numerous patents for the key elements of Enefit Technology.
Learn moreMillions of tons of non-recyclable waste plastics and waste tyres are generated in Europe every year, which are burned or landfilled due to the lack of recycling options. This is a huge burden on the environment.
Millions of tons of non-recyclable waste plastics and waste tyres are generated in Europe every year, which are burned or landfilled due to the lack of recycling options. This is a huge burden on the environment.