Page 170 - CW E-Magazine (2-1-2024)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

CARBON NEUTRALITY The initial phase involves the intro- Based on these evaluations, decisions solution and infrastructure partners,
Thailand’s GC ropes in MHI to explore decarbonisation duction of the fi rst electric heavy-duty will be made regarding potential scal- and industry organizations, with the
truck to replace the existing diesel truck ability.
network steadily expanding.
of petchem production for transporting polymeric diphenyl- “As a pivotal route toward achiev-
methane diisocyanate (pMDI) from the Scope 3 emissions reduction
Shanghai site to nearby warehouses. Approximately 80 percent of ing net zero, green logistics is poised
Thailand’s largest integrated This transition is set to cover part of the Covestro’s total missions stem from to deliver sustainable solutions for
petrochemical and refi ning fi rm, PTT annual pMDI shuttle volume at Coves- scope 3, or indirect emissions result- mitigating scope 3 emissions,” said
Global Chemical Public Company Ltd. tro’s largest production site, resulting ing from upstream and downstream Mr. Fu Peng, Executive Vice President
(GC), has signed a Memorandum of in a projected reduction of 43-tonnes of processes, including supply chains, of COSCO Shipping Logistics & Supply
Understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi CO equivalent in well-to-wheel emis- material transport, and raw material Chain Management.
2
Heavy Industries Asia Pacifi c Pte. Ltd. sions (CO emissions over the entire processing.
2
(MHI-AP) to jointly study the techno- life cycle of fuels) in 2024 compared “The supply chain plays a crucial
logies required to decarbonise petro- to the 2022 baseline – a 22% decrease. In the Asia Pacifi c region, where role in the chemical industry’s journey
chemicals production. The future use of green power to charge around 70% of Covestro’s products are to achieve climate neutrality, demand-
the trucks will further contribute to the transported by truck, concerted efforts ing collaboration beyond individual
The collaboration will involve the goal of achieving net zero in logistics, to reduce emissions within the logistics company boundaries. The commercial
study of solutions that use low carbon the company said. framework are specifi cally targeted at deployment of this groundbreaking
fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia, trucks. In light of this, the green logis- electric truck for chemical shuttling is
as well as Carbon Capture and Storage Both companies will consistently tics programme was launched last year poised to act as a catalyst, propelling
(CCS) technologies. evaluate the electric truck’s perfor- with the objective of devising more our site and company towards climate
mance and effi ciency, aiming for contin- sustainable methods for road transpor- neutrality and a circular economy,”
The MoU will span four years and a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate explore how we can utilise our tech- uous optimisation of the total cost of tation via trucks. Collaborators in this stated Dr. Yun Chen, General Manager
includes two main objectives to assess the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will sup- nology and expertise to reduce carbon ownership associated with the vehicle. endeavour include customers, logistics of CISS.
feasibility of applying decarbonisation port this by providing carbon capture emissions from GC’s existing business
technologies to GC’s assets. The fi rst is technologies as well as hydrogen com- assets and support the establishment OPERATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
to conduct research to compare the feasi- bustion gas turbines and ammonia gas of an economically viable large-scale
bility of using hydrogen and ammonia turbines. carbon neutral petrochemical plant.” Neo tweaks manufacturing strategy at Estonian rare
as fuels for gas turbines, as well as CCS
technologies to reduce carbon dioxide Mr. Osamu Ono, Managing Di- This collaboration is aligned with metals facility
emissions from power generators. rector of MHI-AP, said, “Low-carbon Thailand’s announcement to achieve
fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and carbon neutrality by 2050 and with Canada’s Neo Performance Mate-
The second objective is to assess how CCS technologies have great poten- GC’s commitment to reduce green- rials has announced plans to shift focus
CCS technologies can best be applied tial in reducing carbon emissions from house gas emissions by 20% by 2030 of its processing of niobium and tantalum
and optimised for the Steam-Methane existing energy infrastructure. MHI-AP and achieve net zero greenhouse gas away from midstream toward down-
Reforming (SMR) process. MHI-AP, is honoured to partner with GC to emissions by 2050. stream operations at its NPM Silmet
OU plant in Sillamae, Estonia.
SUPPLY CHAIN DECARBONISATION
The company said the shift in focus
Covestro to deploy electric trucks for short-distance is expected to “diversify feedstock
chemical shuttling at Shanghai site supply, reduce working capital require- allurgical processing of niobium- and than $1.5-mn of employee restructuring
ments, and reduce volatility by lowering tantalum-bearing ores. Going forward, costs, but noted that the savings should
inventory volumes and holding times.” future products will be derived from offset these costs in less than a year.
As part of its efforts to decarbonise transitioned into operational implemen- oxides and recycled materials. Neo said
the chemical supply chain, German tation, with Covestro signing an agreement NPM Silmet will begin updating its it has completed testing of these pur- “We are continuing to execute on our
polymer form, Covestro, had initiated with COSCO Shipping Logistics & manufacturing processing of niobium chased oxides and has entered into nu- new manufacturing strategy to improve
a green logistics pilot programme in Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. and tantalum to improve business per- merous sourcing agreements for these the return on capital employed, reduce
collaboration with partners in China to propel the commercial deployment formance of its high-purity rare metals input materials. Neo anticipates taking dependency on concentrated supply ar-
in November 2022. The collaboration of electric trucks dedicated to the short- production. It will shift further down- a charge to its fourth-quarter earnings, rangements, and better control volatility
has yielded positive results during the distance transport of chemicals at stream in its value-add operation, by including up to a $3-mn non-cash in earnings,” said Mr. Rahim Suleman,
proof-of-concept phase and has now Covestro Integrated Site Shanghai (CISS). halting the energy-intensive hydromet- charge for impairment of assets and less President and CEO of Neo.

170 Chemical Weekly January 2, 2024 Chemical Weekly January 2, 2024 171

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