LanzaTech considering waste conversion plant in Abu Dhabi

Skokie, Illinois-based LanzaTech Global Inc., a carbon capture and transformation company that converts waste carbon into materials such as sustainable fuels, fabrics, packaging and other products that people use in their daily lives, and the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Co. (“Tadweer”), headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), have announced a collaboration to study the feasibility of building a large-scale conversion plant for transforming solid municipal waste into sustainable alternative fuel.

“This is another great partnership we are exploring in 2023—the UAE’s Year of Sustainability,” Tadweer CEO Ali Al Dhaheri says. “It exemplifies our commitment to partnering with leading waste management entities and driving sustainability across our organization. We believe that waste is a resource to be harnessed, and with LanzaTech’s support, we aim to make this a reality.”

Tadweer is the sole custodian of waste management for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is committed to developing an integrated waste management sector and becoming a leader in extracting value from waste to contribute to national sustainability ambitions.

“The project represents a tremendous opportunity to protect the planet by turning waste carbon into sustainable aviation fuel, keeping fossil fuels in the ground,” LanzaTech CEO Jennifer Holmgren says. “The carbon found in municipal solid waste, which is piling up in landfills or being incinerated globally, can play a critical role in eliminating the virgin fossil resources used to make fuels and chemicals. It is a testament to the UAE’s leadership and strong sustainability agenda that our technology has found a home here. This collaboration further advances the US and UAE’s Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE) and provides a foundation for deepening cooperation on circular economy and low-carbon fuels.” 

Using a variety of waste feedstocks, LanzaTech says its technology can create a future where consumers are not dependent on virgin fossil feedstocks for everything in their daily lives. The company’s goal is to change the way the world uses carbon, enabling a new circular carbon economy where carbon is reused rather than wasted.