London, Ontario-based Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. has achieved a significant milestone in its development, announcing its successful graduation from the prestigious Shell GameChanger accelerator program. The multi-year collaboration, focused on Shell's Chemical Decarbonisation innovation initiative, has culminated in a strong technical validation of Aduro's proprietary Hydrochemolytic™ Technology (HCT).
Technical Validation and Key Findings
The company's journey through the competitive Shell program involved a rigorous series of technical evaluations. Aduro's patented chemical process was tested for its ability to transform mixed and contaminated waste plastics into high-quality, usable hydrocarbons. The focus was on producing materials suitable for steam cracking, specifically in the C₅–C₂₃ carbon range, which are foundational for many chemicals and fuels.
Under the tested conditions, the Hydrochemolytic™ process demonstrated impressive results, yielding over 80 percent liquid hydrocarbons while minimizing the production of gas and solid char byproducts. The technology also showed a strong ability to suppress unwanted olefin formation and exhibited notable tolerance to common plastic contaminants, including PET, polyamides, and PVC. These findings point to significant advantages in feedstock flexibility and process efficiency, crucial for real-world waste stream applications.
Pathway to Commercial Scale
The program provided more than just lab-scale validation. It offered critical external review of Aduro's process-design model, building confidence in the engineering pathway for scaling up the technology. The insights gained on reaction kinetics and system architecture are now directly informing the company's next steps.
This work supports the ongoing commissioning of Aduro's Next Generation Process (NGP) Pilot Plant and the engineering design for a larger Demonstration Plant. The targeted capacity for this future demonstration facility is approximately 8,000 tonnes of input material per year, marking a major step toward commercial deployment.
A Milestone for Circular Chemistry
"Graduation from the Shell GameChanger program marks an important milestone," said Ofer Vicus, CEO of Aduro. He emphasized the progression from early chemistry validation to demonstrating continuous operation and preparing for scale-up. Vicus credited Shell personnel, including Ed Holgate and Guus van Rossum, for their guidance in advancing this innovation for chemical decarbonization.
While the formal GameChanger engagement concludes, Aduro plans to maintain contact with Shell, providing updates on its pilot plant operations and progress toward the demonstration-scale facility. The graduation signifies a strengthened engineering and commercial readiness position for Aduro's technology, which aims to turn complex plastic waste into resources for a circular economy.
