Origin reports mechanical completion of Ontario facility

Origin Materials Inc. on Jan. 27 announced the mechanical completion of Origin 1, a commercial-scale sustainable materials production facility located in Sarnia, Ontario. The company also recently announced progress with financing for Origin 2, a facility planned for development in Louisiana.

According to Origin, the Sarnia plant’s critical mechanical systems have been successfully installed and commissioning is underway. Work onsite will continue, including electrical work, adding new equipment and further refining technology. Startup is currently expected to begin near the end of the first quarter.

Origin’s technology platform can convert carbon found in sustainable wood residues into useful materials while capturing carbon. Origin 1 is expected to have the capacity to process 25,000 dry metric tons of biomass annually and produce a variety of sustainable materials, including chloromethylfurfural (CMF), which can be converted into high-performance products used in packaging, textiles, apparel, automotive and other applications, as well as hydrothermal carbon (HTC). According to the company, HTC can e used in fuel pellets, as activated carbon, and as a replacement for carbon black.

Earlier in January, Origin announced that the Louisiana Sate Bond Commission has unanimously passed a resolution grating its final approval of the issuance of up to $1.5 billion of tax-exempt bonds for the financing of the construction of Origin 2, a proposed facility planned for development in Geismar, Louisiana.

The proposed Origin 2 plant is expected to have the capacity to process 1 million dry metric tons of wood residues annually. The facility would produce a range of materials, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, which is used in packaging, textiles, apparel, automotive and other applications. The facility is also expected to produce HTC. According to Origin, front end design of the proposed Geismar facility is underway with detailed engineering set to begin this year. The company currently expects the facility to be operational mid-2025.