Potassium Carbonate from CO₂ Capture: A Model of Circular Chemistry

At our Saline di Volterra site, we produce Potassium Carbonate (K₂CO₃) starting from caustic potash—manufactured on-site through electrolysis—and carbon dioxide. Initially, part of the CO₂ used in the process was sourced from external suppliers. Later, thanks to an innovative circular economy system, we began capturing part of the flue gases generated by the site’s cogeneration unit and reusing them directly in production.

This system allows us to use 6,500 tons of CO₂ per year, helping to reduce atmospheric emissions, eliminate the need for truck transport of synthetic CO₂, and cut methane consumption by 20%. This is possible because the flue gases, already at 80°C, require less energy to reach the reaction temperature.

Since June, to strengthen this approach, we have expanded the facility with a new production line, increasing our capacity from 65 to 80 tons of Potassium Carbonate per day. With these upgrades, we can now use up to 8,000 tons of CO₂ annually in the carbonate production process, more than half of which comes from recovered flue gases from the cogeneration plant.

This is a virtuous model of industrial circular economy, where what was once a climate-altering by-product becomes a key ingredient in a more efficient and sustainable chemical process.