Refining catalysts: Emissions
Where a catalyst's carbon comes from: dryers and metals
Where a catalyst's carbon comes from: dryers and metals What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies.Per t of catalyst, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: indicative. Global total: indicative.
Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
Feedstock 40% Production / process 55% Movement 5%Footprint by lifecycle phase
| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feedstock | not published | 40% | molybdenum, nickel, rare earth and alumina production | Share indicative. | indicative |
| Production / process | not published | 55% | gas-fired spray dryers and calciners | Share indicative. | indicative |
| Movement | small | 5% | container shipping from US and Europe | Share indicative. | indicative |
| Use | outside the cradle-to-gate total | – | coke burned off FCC catalyst in the regenerator | The FCC regenerator is one of a refinery's largest CO2 sources (indicative, often cited as about 20-30% of site CO2). Better catalysts cut coke yield and hydrogen use. | indicative |
| End of life | not published | – | spent FCC catalyst to cement kilns or landfill; hydroprocessing catalyst to metal reclaimers | Metal reclamation recovers Mo, Ni, Co and V (USGS MCS 2026, molybdenum). | USGS MCS 2026 |
Other environmental impacts
Nickel and vanadium in spent catalyst; dust; rare earth mining impacts in China.
Levers to cut emissions
- Catalysts with lower coke selectivity to cut regenerator CO2 (indicative)
- Carbon capture on FCC regenerator flue gas, a large point source
- Spent catalyst metal recovery rather than landfill
- Shift of hydroprocessing towards renewable feeds: Topsoe drew about 20% of 2025 revenue from such fuels
India
India's refinery expansions and BS-VI fuel lift hydroprocessing catalyst use; no Indian catalyst LCA found.
Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.Low-carbon routes
| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydroprocessing of vegetable oils, fats and residues to HVO and SAF | fuel-level savings, not catalyst-level | not published | Topsoe secured three SAF projects in China in 2025 | Topsoe 2025 results |