Mitsubishi Heavy Industries places bets on Japanese clean fuels production start-up

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has opted to invest in iPEACE223, a compatriot start-up company focused on engineering the technology needed for the production of carbon-neutral, clean fuel from bioethanol.

Through its investment in the Tokyo-headquartered venture, MHI stated that it would seek to speed up the development of clean energy-related technological solutions and support efforts that can make way toward decarbonization.

According to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the solutions that iPEACE223 is developing rely on renewable resources, aiming to transition away from fossil fuels that emit large volumes of carbon dioxide (CO2). Specifically, the company uses zeolite (a porous mineral), i.e., zeolite catalyst technology to provide green fuels and chemicals from bioethanol, aiming to accomplish carbon neutrality.

As explained, ethylene produced by catalytic dehydration of ethanol can be converted to propylene through an ETP (ethylene to propylene) process, which is said to result in a “continuous and stable” production of bio-propylene as well as of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) alternative.

Per MHI, through strategic investments like these, the company seeks to support the manufacturing and adoption of new technologies as well as energy/fuel sources