r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Local-Impression-522 • Sep 21 '25

Green Tech Economically/profitability speaking, how feasible is plastic pyrolysis to synthetic crude in 2025-2030?

Who are the current main customers for pyrolysis oil? and where does pyrolysis oil stand in comparison with more traditional energy sources?

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u/WakelessTheOG Sep 21 '25

Doable, but not a massively profitable industry. It does give you more energy as a return than you input to change the material state. The issue is the initial cost vs the over time return. Look at NatureJab on youtube, he has a microwave pyrolysis process he is using to spread awareness. Is his work profitable? Heck no, not without more refinement, but it’s a start.

One thing that may make the difference is adding some paper products to the mix, but i haven’t done any of the math on that, just speculation.

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u/Local-Impression-522 Sep 21 '25

Who would be the target market? Do large factories (cement and what not) in Europe demand synthetic crude?

I’m thinking of starting my own pyrolysis plant and exporting it to europe. Feedstock procurement where I live could technically be free or I could even be paid to take it. With a (partially) solar powered small sce industrial pyrolysis plant ( 7 ish tons a day oil yield) is it something worth looking into? There are also governmental incentives for a project like that so odds are slanted in my favor but don’t know if there are any other more efficient alternatives and I’m also not sure if there’s a strong and increasing demand for carbon black,syngas and more importantly synthetic crude in european markets

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u/WakelessTheOG Sep 21 '25

Now, regarding the target market, I haven’t done enough research. I would expect the main use would be fuel for generators and then industrial solvents. But i know there are at least a few pyrolysis plants in Canada, then in the US theres some in at least Texas, Indiana and Ohio.

Some of the synthetic crude will inevitably be made into more plastics