Commencement of Bench-Scale Verification for CO2-Derived Solid Carbon Production Using Molten Salt Electrolysis Technology

Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd. (President: Katsushi Nishi, hereinafter 'Cosmo Oil'), a group company of Cosmo Energy Holdings Co., Ltd., Kyoto University (President: Nagahiro Minato), I'MSEP Co., Ltd. (President: Koji Kuroda), Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (CEO: Toshiro Watanabe), and SEC Carbon, Ltd. (President: Ko Nakajima) have announced the start of a bench-scale verification project for producing solid carbon from CO2 using molten salt electrolysis technology.

Building on prior collaborative efforts between the Cosmo Energy Group, Kyoto University, and I'MSEP, this project marks the next phase of evaluating technical feasibility from a holistic supply chain perspective—from CO2 supply to equipment design, material evaluation, and application development. This collaboration now includes Sumitomo Heavy Industries, which has an established track record in energy plant and chemical process equipment lifecycle management, and SEC Carbon, which brings extensive expertise in manufacturing and evaluating carbon materials for electrolytic and high-temperature processes, such as graphite electrodes.

Through carbon production verification using bench-scale equipment with an annual capacity of several tens of kilograms, the partners will assess the feasibility of converting CO2 to solid carbon from both process and material perspectives.

Background Carbon dioxide capture and utilization (CCU) is recognized as a vital technology for a carbon-neutral society, with growing interest in technologies that fix and utilize CO2 as solid carbon. Molten salt electrolysis is distinct because it converts CO2 into carbon materials using only electrical energy, eliminating the need for costly clean hydrogen required by other CCU methods like e-fuel production. When combined with renewable energy, it is expected to become a low-carbon, low-environmental-impact solution.

Furthermore, carbon materials (graphite, carbon nanomaterials) are indispensable for batteries and next-generation energy industries, yet they face global supply chain risks and geopolitical concentration. Manufacturing carbon materials from CO2 offers the potential to contribute to decarbonization while diversifying and stabilizing the supply chain for domestic carbon materials.

Project Overview This project will advance collaborative studies using bench-scale equipment focusing on: - Verification of the technical feasibility of manufacturing carbon materials from CO2 using molten salt electrolysis. - Examination of the entire supply chain, from raw material procurement to manufacturing and application. - Identification of key issues and topics for future societal implementation.

Moving forward, the partners will continue their assessments in line with global technical and policy trends and the business environment in the material and energy sectors, aiming to achieve both a decarbonized society and the creation of new value.