Page 163 - CW E-Magazine (26-9-2023)

News from Abroad

SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY

LG Chem and Italy’s Eni to explore biorefinery

in South Korea
South Korea’s leading chemicals overseas markets. In October 2022, LG
producer LG Chem and Italian energy Chem expanded its ISCC Plus certified
group Eni Sustainable Mobility have eco-certified product portfolio to over
announced that they are exploring the 50 items. LG Chem will now work
possibility to develop and operate a closely with Eni to increase the visibi-
new biorefinery at LG Chem’s Daesan lity of its eco-friendly integrated brand,
chemical complex in South Korea. LETZero.

Together, the companies are exa- Eni will bring its experience in bio
mining the technical and economic feasi- refining, along with its Ecofining tech-
bilities for the proposed project. Final renewable bio-feedstocks and produce nology. In 2014, Eni has accomplished
decision for the investment is scheduled multiple products including Sustain- the world’s first refinery-to-biorefinery
by 2024 and the plant will be completed able Aviation Fuel (SAF), Hydrotreated conversion at Porto Marghera, Venice,
by 2026 at the existing integrated petro- Vegetable Oil (HVO), and bio-naphtha. followed by a second converted bio-
chemical complex in Daesan. The new refinery that has been working in Gela
biorefinery will leverage LG Chem’s Combining expertise (Sicily) since 2019. In June 2023, Eni
integrated value chain as well as the In the collaboration, LG Chem entered in a joint venture with PBF
existing utilities and facilities of the in- will leverage on its knowledge and Energy acquiring 50% interest of St.
dustrial site. The potential biorefinery resources to ensure the project’s suc- Bernard Renewables LLC bio-refinery in
aims to meet the growing demand for cess. LG Chem has been manufactur- Louisiana (USA) also based on the use
more sustainable fuels and plastics pro- ing eco-friendly plastic products using of the Ecofining technology. Eni will
duced by low-carbon processes, as well bio-naphtha since 2020. In April 2021, provide the South Korean biorefinery
as to help progressively decarbonise it became the first South Korean chemi- with sustainable feedstock mainly based
the energy and mobility sector. It is de cal company to receive ISCC Plus certi- on waste and residues from the process-
signed to process approximately 400-ktpa fication for nine bio-circular balanced ing of vegetable oils, used cooking oil,
of bio-feedstocks annually using products. Four months later, LG Chem and also vegetable oils from drought-
Eni’s Ecofining process, developed in started shipping its first bio-balanced resistant crops in degraded, semi-arid,
collaboration with Honeywell UOP. It Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) pro or abandoned soils not in competition
will also have the flexibility to process ducts – also certified with ISCC Plus – to with the food chain.

GREENER MANUFACTURING
Orion gets German, EU funding for circular carbon

black project

Orion, the US-based speciality chemi- feedstocks and thus potentially reduce the Orion plans to invest in this initiative,
cals producer, is investing €12.8-mn – carbon footprint of the process by a signi- called the “Clean Carbon Black Research
including funding from the German ficant amount. This could accelerate the and Development Project,” will be provided
government and EU – to further deve- shift to a circular economy and feed the by the decarbonisation programme of
lop and demonstrate a climate-neutral growing demand for sustainable materials Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic
process for producing carbon black in the tyre industry. “Technological break- Affairs and Climate Action, supported by
from alternative carbon sources. throughs in this increasingly important the EU’s NextGenerationEU fund.
field could have significant ramifications
The technology is designed to im- for energy integration and the molecular A research facility is being built for
prove Orion’s yield and throughput in the recycling of tyres,” Orion’s CEO, Mr. the project at Orion’s main innovation
production of carbon black using circular Corning Painter, said. Half of the €12.8-mn centre at its plant in Cologne, Germany.

Chemical Weekly September 26, 2023 163

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