Page 174 - CW E-Magazine (14-5-2024)

News from Abroad

CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION
Syensqo begins work on new battery-grade PVDF

facility in US

Belgian chemicals firm, Syensqo,
has broken ground on its battery-grade
polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) faci-
lity in Augusta, Georgia, (US) recog-
nised as the American Battery Belt.

When complete, the site will be the
largest PVDF production facility in
North America, supplying the growing
needs of domestic energy storage mar-
kets. “This facility will help create
battery materials needed to unlock eco-
nomy-wide electrification and electric reliable supply for the rapidly growing Act to expand domestic manufacturing
vehicle (EV) adoption,” the company US EV battery market. of batteries for EVs and the electrical grid.
said. Additionally, Syensqo is investing $1-mn
Mr. Mike Finelli, chief technology & to support local workforce develop-
PVDF is a thermoplastic fluoropoly- innovation officer and chief North ment by expanding access to educational
mer used as a lithium-ion binder and America officer at Syensqo, said, “We resources and technical training for eco-
separator coating in batteries. Specifi- are ready to become a part of the ‘Made nomically disadvantaged, underrepre-
cally, the new site will produce Solef, in America’ Battery Belt and realise our sented and rural communities.
Syensqo’s signature PVDF product, commitment to driving sustainable EV
which enables EVs to go farther on innovation while bolstering economic The Augusta facility is part of a
each charge, extends battery life and growth in the Augusta region.” joint venture between Syensqo and
improves battery safety. Orbia, a US-based diversified chemicals
The US Department of Energy’s group. In combination, Orbia’s raw mate-
The site is estimated to produce Office of Manufacturing and Energy rial assets and production expertise and
enough PVDF for more than 5-million Supply Chains awarded Syensqo a Syensqo’s Solef PVDF will ensure a
EV batteries per year at full capacity, $178-mn grant to help build this facility. consistent supply of a superior, PVDF
or 45% of expected PVDF demand The grant was awarded as part of the product that contributes to performance
required by 2030, creating a new and US Infrastructure Investment and Jobs and battery longevity, Syensqo said.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Neste concludes first processing run with pyrolysis

oil from discarded tyres

In its efforts to advance chemical For the processing run, Neste
recycling, Finland-based renewable sourced pyrolysis oil derived from dis-
fuels and chemicals firm, Neste, has carded vehicle tyres by Scandinavian
successfully conducted its first processing Enviro Systems, a Swedish company
trial run with liquefied discarded tyres. developing technologies to recover mate-
The company said the processing run rials from end-of-life products. The goal
resulted in high-quality raw material of Neste’s pilot run was to evaluate the
for new plastics and chemicals. potential of chemical recycling beyond

174 Chemical Weekly May 14, 2024

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