The potential for chemical industries
2.3
billion
tons CO₂
chemical industries are one of the largest industrial contributors to global CO2 emissions.
7%
of global carbon dioxide emissions comes from the chemical industry.
x2.1
CO₂ multiplier
producing 1 ton of fossil-based CO emits 2.1 tons of CO2
45%
we can decarbonize MDI production by 45%, without any modification to the current MDI production process.
Decarbonizing the Chemical Industry.
The chemical industry accounts for about 7% of global CO2 emissions, driven by energy-intensive production processes. To reach net-zero emissions, CCUS technologies and greener energy sources are essential.
CO is a critical feedstock for numerous high-value chemicals, including methanol, acetic acid, and polycarbonate. However, the production of CO relies on fossil fuel-intensive methods, which contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
The global average carbon footprint of one ton of CO is 2.1 tons of CO2 equivalents. This high footprint is because conventional CO production is based on fossil feedstock.
Our plasma technology can produce CO based on CO2, drastically reducing its carbon footprint to -0.69 t CO2 eq./t CO considering the avoided emissions corresponding to biogenic CO2 and renewable energy usage.
The chemical sector can now drive circularity by converting CO₂ into high-purity feedstock for new raw materials, lowering environmental impact, and supporting sustainability goals, all while fostering innovation in chemical production.
Achieving Net-Zero through network-effects
To achieve net-zero, chemical park partners can embrace the hub benefits and embrace CCU together to achieve on-site circularity within the network and transition to a low-carbon economy.
Mitsubishi
From emission to valuable feedstock
CCUS will play a critical role in decarbonizing existing assets in the steel industry. Our collaboration with ArcelorMittal and D-CRBN in Belgium provides another tool for the industry to reduce its carbon footprint — capturing emissions, converting them into a valuable feedstock, and feeding them back into the process.
Tatsuto Nagayasu
Senior VP, Mitsubishi HI
BASF
Toward a circular economy
BASF's global ambition is to reduce its CO2 emissions by 25% by 2030. By researching new, additional technologies in which CO2 is captured and converted into a high-quality chemical raw material via plasma technology, we can achieve even more emission reductions. That way, we will be contributing to the circular economy as well.
Koen Vandewalle
VP Monomers, BASF
D-CRBN
Sustainable CO business models
Converting CO₂ into valuable CO opens up new revenue streams for chemical hubs and companies and ensures that chemical manufacturers stay competitive in an increasingly sustainability-conscious market.
David Ziegler
CCO, D-CRBN
PRESS RELEASE
Investing in local Carbon Monoxide (CO) production with BASF
BASF global ambition to reduce CO2 emissions by 25% led to the investment in the D-crbn plasma technology.
the benefit of being tightly interlinked in chemical hubs, a combined CO2 conversion can yield valuable co feedstock downstream while mitigating the need for off-site storage.
Decarbonize MDI (polyurethanes) production by 45%
D-CRBN can decarbonize the MDI production by 45% without modifying the current MDI production process.
NEW CCU BUSINESS MODELS
New business models for chemical park management
Modern chemical parks can create circular, low-carbon ecosystems within their networks by either utilizing shared infrastructure for carbon capture and utilization (CCU) or playing a central role in converting one company's emissions into valuable feedstock for another.
Sharing assets helps meet sustainability goals and reduces the need for external raw materials, lowers waste treatment costs, and fosters collaboration among players in the park to drive overall emissions reductions.
CIRCULAR CHEMISTRY
Opportunities for
the chemical industry
decarbonizing chemical production reduces reliance on fossil fuel-based feedstocks, limits the need for external raw materials, and helps chemical producers achieve their sustainability targets.
Stay at the top of your game and go for net-zero chemicals without modifying your existing installations.
“Reduce dependency through reduced waste.”
Reduce your dependency on expensive raw materials while meeting circularity and sustainability goals. The conversion of CO₂ into CO provides a cost-efficient and reliable source of carbon monoxide, a critical feedstock for many high-value chemicals.
Reduced waste treatment through shared infrastructure for multiple emitters spreads capital expenditure while lowering the unit cost of CCU and accessibility for smaller emitters.
No need for storage of CO2, especially in regions without access to local storage.
On-site CO production
Facilitating on-site conversion mitigates the need for CO2 storage strategies. Leapfrog linear storage and enable smart CO production on-site.
CCU for chemical industry
Embracing CCU offers opportunities to lead the industry in the transition to a low-carbon economy, all while competitively complying with stringent environmental regulations and market demands for sustainable products.
