Page 162 - CW E-Magazine (17-10-2023)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

PROJECT PROGRESS of biogas and the extraction of hydro-
gen, for example, Evonik is making an
Borealis – TotalEnergies jv starts up polyethylene important contribution to the defossili-
sation of the energy industry. The trend
unit in US towards renewable energy is driving
the steadily growing demand in the
Austrian petrochemicals fi rm, Bo- membrane business.
realis, and French oil & gas major,
TotalEnergies, have announced the The upcoming capacity expansion
start-up of their ‘Baystar’ joint ven- includes construction of an additional
ture’s new 625,000 metric ton-per-year plant for spinning hollow fi bres and the
Borstar polyethylene (PE) unit, which expansion of the infrastructure neces-
more than doubles the current produc- sary for producing membrane modules
tion capacity at Baystar’s site in Pasa- at the Schörfl ing site. The neighbouring
dena, Texas (USA). The new $1.4-bn site in Lenzing will expand production
unit completes the partners’ integrated of the required raw material (high-per-
petrochemicals venture, which includes formance plastic). methane from regional production. By membrane technology are fi ne hollow
the expanded Bayport PE facility, and switching to environmentally friendly fi bres based on a high-performance
the ethane cracker at the TotalEnergies Evonik’s production in Schörfl ing energy, Evonik is reducing its direct plastic that can withstand extreme
Platform in Port Arthur, Texas. already powered entirely by renewable CO emissions in Upper Austria by pressure and temperature loads. The
2
energy. Since the beginning of 2022, around 5,000 metric tons a year. membranes can separate gases such as
The new PE unit, referred to as ration of greater amounts of post-con- “After the inauguration of the the company is also covering 100 per- methane, nitrogen, and hydrogen parti-
‘Bay 3’, increases the Baystar site’s sumer recycled materials in a variety of ethane cracker unit in Port Arthur last cent of its gas requirements with bio- At the heart of Evonik’s Sepuran cularly effi ciently from gas mixtures.
total production to over one million end products. year, the start-up of the new PE unit is
tons per year, which includes two leg- the second milestone of this joint ven- TRACKING GHG EMISSIONS
acy polyethylene production units. Bay “Expanding and deepening our ture aimed at establishing Baystar as a Solvay launches new product carbon footprint
3 features the proprietary Borstar 3G footprint through Baystar enables us fully integrated US petrochemical player.
technology licensed in North America to better serve customers and partners The fruition of this venture also ad- digital tool
for the fi rst time. Borstar technology is by offering improved access to Borstar vances TotalEnergies’ ambition to grow
said to deliver value-added polymers based products produced right here in in the US,” said Mr. Bernard Pinatel, Belgian chemicals fi rm, Solvay, has “Automated and fully aligned with
with enhanced sustainability by ena- North America,” said Borealis CEO, President, Refi ning & Chemicals, developed an automated system to cal- existing global initiatives, this digital
bling light-weighting and the incorpo- Mr. Thomas Gangl. TotalEnergies. culate product carbon footprint (PCF), tool will be used to drive our com-
a measurement that takes into account mercial relationships, enabling us and
GROWING DEMAND all greenhouse gas emissions generated our customers to make informed deci-
Evonik to further expand gas separation membranes by a product from raw material extrac- sions that will both reduce our carbon
tion to when it leaves the Solvay fac-
footprints and advance innovation,”
capacity in Austria tory (cradle to gate). The digital tool is said Mr. Mike Radossich, President
being rolled out across the Group’s
of Solvay’s Novecare business. “It
Evonik will further expand capacity plant, Evonik’s Chief Executive Offi cer with completion planned for the fi rst Novecare business, which offers solu- will also empower our business to
for production of its Sepuran branded Mr. Christian Kullmann announced the half of 2025. tions across the agro, home and personal better manage our decarbonisation
hollow fi bre membranes in Schörfl ing construction of a further production care, coatings and industrial markets. strategies across all scopes, particu-
and Lenzing, Austria. line. By 2030, Evonik aims to increase larly by providing us with a way to
the proportion of revenue genera- Developed using best-approved effectively measure upstream Scope 3
The German specialty chemicals “We are going full throttle for the ted by ‘Next Generation Solutions’ to PCF and digital principles, and ad- emissions.”
company had already put into operation green transformation and are investing more than 50 percent from currently vancing integration with suppliers, the mers to identify areas in which emissions
a new hollow fi bre spinning facility in a mid-double-digit million euro amount 43 percent. The company defi nes ‘Next new tool will enable Solvay’s Novecare can be reduced, and regularly track The project is currently being pilo-
Schörfl ing at the beginning of the year as the next step to grow our membranes Generation Solutions’ as products with business to calculate the PCF of its en- progress. It will also serve as a spring- ted at fi ve of Solvay’s Novecare sites,
to meet the continuing strong demand business,” he said. demonstrably superior sustainability tire portfolio of products and meet cus- board for collaboration across the sup- in France and the US. It will be rolled
for in biogas, nitrogen, hydrogen and benefi ts. tomer demand for increased accuracy ply chain, enabling the development of out across all Novecare sites over the
natural gas applications. On the occa- Construction in Schörfl ing and Len- and timely updates. This information innovative, climate-friendly solutions coming months and extended to more
sion of the ceremonial opening of this zing is scheduled to start in early 2024, With membranes for the treatment will allow the business and its custo- aligned with customer needs. business areas in the near future.

162 Chemical Weekly October 17, 2023 Chemical Weekly October 17, 2023 163

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