To achieve a carbon-neutral society by 2050, technologies for the Capture of CO₂ are gaining attention. JCCL, a startup spun off from Kyushu University, has two types of advanced CO₂ capture technologies. By combining technology that separates and recovers CO₂ from flue gases produced by heavy oil and city gas combustion with technology that can directly separate CO₂ from the atmosphere (direct air capture: DAC), it is possible to recover low-concentration CO₂ from the atmosphere in a continuous process at a high concentration of 97–99%, with lower costs and higher efficiency compared to conventional technologies.
In this initiative aimed at reducing environmental impacts, JCCL will early implement its energy-efficient CO₂ capture technology. This will be in collaboration with Toyo Seikan Group, which will leverage its technology cultivated in the production of packaging containers, and Mitsui & Co. Plastics, which will use its sales network and other resources.
・JCCL's absorbent material, “amine-containing gel,” efficiently absorbs CO₂ from exhaust gases and allows for easy desorption and recovery of absorbed CO₂ by simply supplying low-temperature steam at 40–60℃. This system harnesses waste heat from factories and other industrial sources that would otherwise go unused.
・In conventional CO₂ recovery technologies from post-combustion gases, a large amount of energy is required due to repeated absorption and regeneration cycles several hundred times per day. In contrast, by using “amine-containing gel,” JCCL's technology allows for recovery at a constant temperature with low-pressure steam, leading to reduced thermal energy consumption. As a result, recovery energy can be minimized by about one-fourth compared to conventional methods.
・It is less susceptible to moisture effects and demonstrates improved performance in environments with high relative humidity; this means that there is no need to dry absorbent material, thereby saving its costs and time.
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| Company | Role |
|---|---|
| JCCL | Improvement of CO₂ separation materials and separation-recovery devices, along with the expansion of a global patent network aimed at the implementation of devices with CO₂ recovery capacities of several tons or more |
| Toyo Seikan Group | Standardization, scale-up, and manufacturing of CO₂ separation-recovery devices utilizing technological expertise developed in the production of packaging containers |
| Mitsui & Co. Plastics | Marketing aimed at establishing a global standard for this recovery process by leveraging expertise in market development and sales networks |
In fiscal year 2025, a demonstration experiment will be conducted using a small-scale recovery device (VPSA1) at the Kudamatsu plant of Toyo Seikan Group’s Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd. We will advance the evaluation of the durability of various materials, optimize the equipment from a practical perspective, and develop technology for mass production. Based on the validation results, we will work toward the implementation of a small device (CO₂ recovery capacity: 30 kg/day) in fiscal year 2025 and a container-type CO₂ recovery device (CO₂ recovery capacity: 300–500 kg/day) in fiscal year 2026. We are also progressing in the development of an energy-efficient DAC for the start of demonstration experiments within fiscal year 2025.
Additionally, we have begun collaborating with other partner companies on initiatives for the utilization of recovered CO₂. The three companies will work together to contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society by 2050 via the early implementation of energy-efficient CO2 capture processes and CO₂ utilization models.
JCCL is a startup founded in 2020 that originated from Kyushu University; it is dedicated to the development of technologies and businesses aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions worldwide. The team, led by our founder and current CTO, Professor Yu Hoshino from the Graduate School of Engineering at Kyushu University, has developed a patented material called “amine-containing gel,” which applies the gas exchange system found in living organisms.
Using this as our core technology, we manufacture CO₂ absorbent materials that do not require a drying process, and we are commercializing CO₂ recovery devices that achieve low-cost, high-performance processes. A significant feature of our CO₂ recovery devices incorporating our absorbent materials is the substantial reduction in recovery costs. Our recovery process allows for desorption simply by flowing low-pressure steam at around 50 °C, which can reduce energy costs to about one-fourth compared to methods using conventional amine absorbent solutions.
We have multiple achievements, including participation in national-level projects, inquiries for our devices from major companies, and various contract testing, and we are now advancing several projects concurrently. Moving forward, we will continue to implement our technology in society and contribute to solving the challenges toward Japan’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and global CO₂ recovery and utilization.
Mitsui & Co. Plastics is a specialized trading company that handles a wide range of chemicals, from various synthetic resin materials and product sales to chemical ingredients, functional films, and electronic component-related materials. It proposes solutions to industrial challenges in various fields, such as automotive, food packaging, building materials, and advanced electronics, and it is expanding its global business by utilizing Mitsui & Co.’s extensive domestic and international network to create new value.
“Business development toward building a circular economy” is one of this company’s core pillars. It actively promotes environmental-related businesses tailored to industry and application, including “CCUS,” “recycling,” “biomass,” and “biodegradable” materials.
Founded in 1947, this company has seven domestic bases and approximately 630 employees, including those working at Mitsui & Co.’s overseas bases.
For inquiries about this press release, please contact:
Babasaki / Mori
Business Development Dept.
JCCL, Inc
(Email) inquiry@jccl.co.jp
Nakanori / Takada / Kakimoto
Corporate Communication Group
Sustainability Department
Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, Ltd.
(Email) tskg_contact@tskg-hd.com
Koga
Circular Economy Development Department.
Mitsui & Co. Plastics Ltd.
(Email) MBP-TGSG-TKZCL@mitsui-plastics.com