LG Chem and GS EPS to build biomass power plant

LG Chem will team up with the eco-friendly energy company GS EPS to convert heat sources into biomass fuel, said Businesskorea.

The company announced on Dec. 20 that the two companies signed the main contract for establishing a biomass power plant that will produce industry-use steam and electricity using waste wood at the Yeouido LG Twin Tower with the attendance of executives from both companies. This agreement follows up the conclusion of the heads of agreement (HOA) signed by the two companies in June of last year.

LG Chem and GS EPS will establish the biomass power plant called “Yeosu Green Power” by investing a total of 320 billion won at the LG Chem Hwachi Plant in Yeosu with the goal of beginning operations by the first half of 2026.

The biomass power plant will turn waste wood from homes and industrial sites in Korea, which are usually incinerated or buried, into the form of woodchips to be used as raw materials. As waste wood is treated as a resource that cannot be recycled, power generation using it is not viewed as using forest resources as energy. Therefore, it is recognized as sustainable biomass.

GS EPS is Korea’s first private power producer, and it possesses accumulated business capacity and operational know-how in the eco-friendly energy and generator sector, as well as a domestic woodchip supply chain network.

Yeosu Green Power is expected to produce steam (heat source) and electricity needed for LG Chem’s Yeosu Hwachi Plant, thereby reducing carbon emissions by 400,000 tons annually. This is equivalent to planting 2.8 million pine trees.

The two companies anticipate that this will accelerate the age of carbon neutrality by using sustainable fuels and contribute to constructing a circular economy.

Also, the electricity produced by the power plant will be sold directly to LG Chem through the renewable energy power purchase agreement (PPA).

Regarding this cooperation, GS EPS CEO Jung Chan-soo said, “We will continue our partnership with LG Chem, which is the leading company for net-zero in Korea based on the core eco-friendly energy capacities of GS EPS.”

LG Chem Petrochemicals Company President Noh Kug-lae commented, “Carbon reductions through this biomass will become a key element for achieving 2030 carbon neutrality together with major initiatives currently being promoted such as recycling, biomaterials, etc.," while adding, “LG Chem will continue its efforts to become a company that leads eco-friendly innovation.”

We remind, with the launch of its eco-friendly, highly functional bio-based ABS, LG Chem has added a further product to its growing portfolio of LetZero materials. LetZero is the brand name under which the company has brought its range of sustainable materials together, and includes PCR made of reprocessed waste plastics, renewably-sourced biomaterials, and biodegradable materials made of glucose and waste glycerol extracted from corn.

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Borealis has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Austrian power firm VERBUND for hydropower supply from sites on the Danube, said the company.

The 10-year PPA will start in January 2023 and will supply 220GWh/year of electricity from renewable sources from VERBUND sites in Aschach and Abwinden-Asten on the Danube to power Borealis’ production in Schwechat, Austria.

This deal brings Borealis closer to its goal of powering operations in its polyolefins and hydrocarbons business with 100% renewable electricity by 2030, the company said.

Through the PPA, Borealis will reduce Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – those generated on site using electricity or generated by steam, heat, and cooling – by approximately 75,000 tonnes/year, it said.

Borealis and VERBUND recently installed a second photovoltaic facility in Schwechat.

VERBUND is one of the largest producers of hydroelectricity in Europe and generates around 97% of its electricity from renewable energy sources, primarily from hydro.

We remind, Borealis is designing a first-of-its-kind commercial-scale advanced mechanical recycling plant to be located in Schwechat, Austria. The plant will be based on Borealis’ own Borcycle™ M technology, which transforms polyolefin-based post-consumer waste into high-performance polymers suitable for demanding applications. This represents another tangible step forward on Borealis’ path to net zero.

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In Italy, Versalis, Eni’s chemical company, has acquired the technology to produce enzymes for second-generation ethanol from DSM, said Biofuelsdigest.

The agreement has a strategic value for Versalis as it integrates with proprietary Proesa® technology, applied at the Crescentino plant for the production of sustainable bioethanol and chemical products from lignocellulosic biomass, improving the competitiveness of technology and production.

The acquisition of this technology strengthens Versalis’ position as a leader in chemistry from renewable sources. This agreement also provides an important boost to both the Crescentino plant development program and the Proesa technology, which bolsters the path towards decarbonization for the Eni chemical company.

DSM enzymes have already been successfully tested at Versalis research centers for their use in conjunction with the proprietary Proesa technology. Furthermore, starting from the technology acquired, Versalis plans to proceed with research activities to ensure further development in this area.

We remind, Versalis Dunkerque cracker offline after fire. A major fire broke out this Friday evening, around 10:50 p.m. on the site of the petrochemical plant based in Mardyck, classified Seveso, in the industrial port of Dunkirk, said Francebleu. Firefighters extinguished the fire overnight at 1:30 a.m. No injuries are reported. A significant number of firefighters from the North lent a hand to the plant's own fire department, as required by procedure in this type of situation. The operation lasted from 10:50 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
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Industrial gas major Linde will expand nitrogen supply to a new USD4bn petrochemical project in Cilegon, Indonesia, owned and operated by Lotte Chemical Indonesia (LCI), said Gasworld.

Having today (14th Dec) signed a 20-year agreement with the company, Linde will build, own and operate a new pipeline across the Cilegon Industrial Park.

According to a statement released by the company, when the pipeline comes onstream in June 2024, it will have additional capacity to meet the needs of current and future customers located within the industrial cluster.

“We are pleased to expand our business relationship with Lotte Chemical in Indonesia,” enthused Vinayak Kembhavi, President of Linde Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. “This pipeline investment also opens new opportunities for Linde to expand our supply to additional industrial customers and is key to support Indonesia’s economic growth."

Some of the main industrial uses of nitrogen includes the manufacture of ammonia that is required for fertiliser, although the gas is also used in several commercial foods and drinks production processes such as in modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) and as an alternative to CO2 carbonation.

We remind, Linde, the world’s largest industrial gases company, said on Tuesday it has started producing green hydrogen at its facilities in Greece. Green hydrogen is made from water by electrolysis using renewable wind and solar power. The U.S.-German company, which supplies gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen to factories and hospitals, said it was the first green hydrogen production in Greece. Hydrogen is key in Europe’s energy transition to a sustainable environment and net zero emissions by 2050.

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Azelis, a leading global innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, announced a new distribution agreement with Sun Chemical, a global leader in inks, coatings, pigments, and advanced materials, said the company.

Effective from January 1st, 2023, this new mandate allows Azelis to strengthen its portfolio of pigment products in the coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers (CASE) and advanced materials & additives (AM&A) markets in France and Benelux. The agreement includes the pigment portfolio that Sun Chemical acquired from BASF in 2021.

This mandate is an expansion of the long-standing partnership between Sun Chemical and Azelis. Sun Chemical offers a variety of pigments that meet high performance as well as sustainability requirements for a range of coatings, inks, and plastics. The new products enable Azelis to position itself as a market-leading pigment provider.

To ensure a high and qualitative investment into innovation, Azelis’ team is now supported by a new Business Development Manager for Pigments, Berna Noyan. This addition strengthens Azelis’ capacity to assure that industrial chemicals customers will benefit from a broad product portfolio, solid backup, and technical expertise.

We remind, Azelis has agreed to acquire Chemiplas Agencies, a distributor of specialty chemicals, plastic raw materials and ingredients in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Chemiplas has about 100 employees who serve more than 1,900 companies from headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand and six other offices across Australia and New Zealand.

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