Swedish company Blykalla, formerly called Leadcold, has announced its participation in a new project focused on integrating small modular reactors (SMRs) with thermochemical processes to produce renewable fuels such as bio-coal and bio-oil. The aim is to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency in Sweden’s steel and chemical industries.

This project focuses on leveraging the heat generated by SMRs to power thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC). The objective is to produce renewable materials that can replace fossil-based products in the steel and chemical industries. By coupling SMRs with these processes, the project aims to maximise resource efficiency and contribute to Sweden’s target of becoming fossil-free by 2045.

The project has secured a total of SEK 10.37m ($1m) in funding, with the Swedish Energy Agency covering 96.4% of the costs. The project is a collaboration between several key players in the field of sustainable energy and industrial processes including:

  • RISE Research Institutes of Sweden: project leader responsible for researching and developing the thermochemical processes involved, particularly pyrolysis and HTC.
  • KTH Royal Institute of Technology: to investigate how best to integrate heat from SMRs into industrial processes, ensuring optimal energy transfer and efficiency.
  • Envigas: specialist in bio-coal production, to evaluate the feasibility of using bio-coal as a sustainable alternative in industrial applications.
  • SSAB: a leading steel producer, to assess the quality and applicability of bio-coal in steel production to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.
  • Blykalla: SMR developer, to ensure the reactors are efficiently integrated into the overall process.

The project will contribute to a more resilient and sustainable energy system in Sweden, with potential applications beyond the steel and chemical industries. By developing a practical and scalable approach to integrating SMRs with renewable material production, the project supports Sweden’s climate goals and also sets a precedent for similar initiatives globally. The results are anticipated to have far-reaching implications, providing a model for other countries and industries looking to reduce their carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency.

Blykalla, a spin-off from KTH (the Royal Institute of Technology) established in 2013, is developing the SEALER (Swedish Advanced Lead-cooled Reactor), a lead-cooled fast compact reactor with passive safety. Each reactor will have a 55 MWe/140 MWt capacity, which can be increased by installing multiple units at the same location. The reactor designed with the smallest possible core that can achieve criticality in a fast spectrum using 19.9% enriched nitride fuel. Blykalla’ aims to have its first SEALER-55 reactor in operation by 2030.