Page 195 - CW E-Magazine (10-10-2023)

Interview

tic – from an energy content – to derive
the energy for the process conversion.
So you lose mass balance there. Then
you’re producing, let’s say a pyrolysis
oil or a heavier naphtha-type fraction,
which is going to yield probably 30-50%
olefi ns.

That’s why there’s an advantage of
being able to take these materials more
directly to light olefi ns and aromatics.
Synova is an example of a technology
to do that, but there are other players
in the space as well. The more you start-up will be shortly thereafter. We’re They are going to make selective fur-
can go directly into light products, the not announcing that date yet, but we’re nace replacements and this is why the
lower the energy intensity and asset taking a staged approach. We have technology has to be feasible from a
complexity, and you can leverage exist- invested in two furnace options, and retrofi t perspective. While retrofi t capa-
ing infrastructure, which simplifi es the the facility has both types, side by side. bility is critical, also knowing what’s an
processes. That way we’ll be able to make not idealized design for a full build is going
just a direct comparison, but also with to be important as well.
Mechanical vs chemical recycling – regard to operability and how the dif-
your comments? ferent components wear through. The UN is looking at a global treaty
for plastic waste. Your comments?
If I prioritise the pyramid of how to It’s been an interesting journey;
manage recycling, I’d rather mechani- SABIC had a set of solutions, and We’re supportive of the UN acti-
cally recycle. I’d rather focus on how to BASF & Linde had also been develop- vities. There are obviously different
get more high quality pure streams that ing a different set of solutions. And we regional and country-specifi c views.
we can better mechanically recycle. came together with high confi dence that There are certain positions around
It has a lower carbon footprint, is more each of us had the better approach. And plastic production caps and reducing
carbon-effi cient, is less wasteful and the closer we looked at the data, we saw production. There are others on how to
lowers cost. We need to deliver either the pros and cons of both approaches. manage recycle rates, how to do invest-
improved resins that can tolerate more I think both are likely to show improved ments upstream, etc.
recycled content. olefi n yields at the cracker and probably
improved long-term performance, but But, to me, the discussion on caps
We view chemical recycling as a there could be slight differences. There doesn’t address the real critical issues,
big part of the picture because there are might be a better fi t for retrofi t with one which are: how do you fi x the value
going to be limitations on mechanical option, versus another in a new build. chain? How do you address the invest-
recycling. That’s why we felt it was important to ment in waste? How do you address
de-risk by investing in both at scale. where you should and shouldn’t be
We need to participate in both of I don’t think it’s question of ‘will it using plastics? What are the best opti-
these equations. But to me, from an work or won’t’. It’s going to be a ques- mal uses to decarbonize society? How
R&D perspective, our biggest place to tion of subtle performance differences. do you best standardize, so that you
have an impact is to transform the cost Linde is prepared to come to the market can simplify? How do you best move
and complexity of advanced recycling. end of the next year with a commercial to mono-material solutions? These are
offering. the complexities that are being worked
What are the recent developments on through in the process. We, as an
the cracker electrifi cation project? To really make an impact you need to industry, have to engage productively
be able to retrofi t? and see what are the right places to use
The transformers are now in, and plastic; where they’re the best solution;
mechanical completion is due for the I don’t think anybody’s going to re- and where they can provide effi ciency
fourth quarter of this year. Hopefully, place all their furnaces with e-furnaces. across the value chain.

Chemical Weekly October 10, 2023 195

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