Converting exhaust gases into valuable biogenic raw material

Since September 2025, a true pioneering project has been operating in Dornbirn: the first CO2 capture plant in the state in the state to be integrated with a biomass power plant has gone into operation.

It captures carbon dioxide from the exhaust gases of the wood-fired power plant operated by EnergieWerk Ilg GmbH and converts it into a valuable biogenic raw material for regional businesses.

The centerpiece of the novel project is an innovative, amine-based CO2 capture technology.

This technology makes it possible to capture carbon dioxide directly from the exhaust gas from the wood-fired power plant and make it available for a wide range of applications. With an hourly exhaust gas volume of 2,500 Nm³, 500 kg of high-purity biogenic CO2 are captured every hour, amounting to approximately 3,700 tons per year.

The potential applications are wide-ranging: In the beverage industry, the captured CO2 replaces fossil sources and thus contributes to decarbonization. In the construction industry, it can be bound long-term in building materials and thus makes a practical contribution to permanent carbon storage.

“The project is unique worldwide and groundbreaking,” says Julia Ilg, a member of the family-owned company. “By implementing this project, we are creating a power plant that simultaneously generates electricity, heat, biochar, and liquid CO2 from the regional energy source biomass.”

Technology: Amine scrubbing
Investment: €5 million
Wood-fired power plant output: 500 kWel
CO2 sequestration capacity of wood-fired power plant:
Biochar: 800 t CO2/a
Carbon capture: 3,700 t CO2/a