February 9, 2023 • Polyestertime

Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET 09-02-2023

February 9, 2023

Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET

Crude Oil Prices Trend

-Why pink hydrogen produced using nuclear may have a big role to play – EQ Mag

There’s a buzz about green hydrogen. But pink, produced using nuclear, may have a huge role to play too

While there’s a buzz about hydrogen and its use as a tool in securing a low-carbon future, the vast majority of its production is still based on fossil fuels.
Today, an array of sources and systems of hydrogen production are being put forward as alternatives.
From blue to grey and green to pink, a host of colors are being used to classify these different methods of production.

From Tesla’s Elon Musk to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the past few years have seen many high-profile names talk about the role hydrogen may — or may not — play in the planet’s shift to a more sustainable future. Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET

Musk has expressed skepticism about hydrogen’s usefulness, but many think it could help to slash emissions in a number of sectors, including transportation and heavy industry.

While there’s a major buzz about hydrogen and its importance as a tool in securing a low-carbon future — a topic that’s generated a lot of debate in recent months — the vast majority of its production is still based on fossil fuels.

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Pink hydrogen - China-bottled-PET

-Honda to sell next-generation hydrogen fuel cell system from mid-2020s

Honda said Thursday it will start selling its next-generation hydrogen fuel cell systems for cars and other products in the mid-2020s, initially targeting 2,000 units per year and ramping up to 60,000 in 2030, to meet its goal of reducing carbon emissions.

The manufacturer, seeking to expand the take-up of zero-emission hydrogen, said it hopes to sell “a few hundred thousand” units of the system, jointly developed with General Motors, annually by the second half of the 2030s. Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET

Hydrogen fuel cells, which produce electricity through a chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen without any carbon dioxide emissions, are touted as a solution to tackle global warming, although the requirement to build hydrogen refueling infrastructure remains a challenge.

Honda said fuel cell systems can be used not only to power passenger vehicles but are also viable for commercial trucks, stationary power stations and construction machinery.

Arata Ichinose, Honda’s operating executive and head of the business development supervisory unit, told a press briefing that by achieving sales of 60,000 units in 2030, the company hopes to secure a double-digit percentage market share of new hydrogen-powered medium and large commercial trucks sold globally.

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Honda to sell next-generation hydrogen fuel cell system from mid-2020s

-Export prices of bottled PET in China have increased

Export prices for bottled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in China rose in the spot market amid higher demand, ICIS reported.

Prices were USD970-1,030 per tonne, FOB China in the week ended February 3, compared to USD955-995 per tonne, FOB China in the week ending January 20.

Prices have generally increased as consumer interest in Chinese spot bottle PET has grown as traders and processors are known to be replenishing stocks after the Lunar New Year holidays. Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET

Prices also sounded in a wider range amid fluctuations in oil and commodity prices.

Earlier it was reported that the contract price of purified terephthalic acid (TPA) in Europe for January 2023 increased by EUR27. Thus, the January contract price of TPA increased by EUR27 per tonne to EUR951-985 per tonne, FD NWE (Northwest Europe).

According to the ScanPlast survey, the estimated consumption of PET in December 2022 increased by 24% compared to last year. In the reporting month, the estimated consumption of PET amounted to 86.15 thousand tons. In total, by the end of 2022, the total estimated consumption in Russia increased by 2% and amounted to 844.84 thousand tons of PET (830.43 thousand tons in 2021).

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Pink hydrogen - China-bottled-PET

-Idemitsu and Toray Creating Japan’s First Biomass ABS Resin Supply Chain

Toray Industries, Inc., and Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., announced today that they have agreed to build a supply chain for plastics made from biomass naphtha. They would manufacture biomass styrene monomer derived from biomass naphtha and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) (see note 1) resin made from that monomer.

Idemitsu will leverage the mass balance method (see note 2) to manufacture biomass styrene monomer. Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET

Toray’s Chiba Plant will use that polymerize to become the first in Japan to produce biomass ABS resin, starting in October this year.

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Pink hydrogen - China-bottled-PET

-Maire Tecnimont acquires control of new chemical recycling technology

NextChem intends to scale up CatC’s industrialisation in the plexiglass market, while progressively expanding its application to other value-added plastics, as this technology could also be suitable for the depolymerisation of polystyrene, a largely used plastic with numerous industrial applications from food packaging to electronics and automotive, among others. Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET

Moreover, further optimisation of the technology could address the even larger polyolefins market.

The CatC technology has been developed in the Abruzzo region (central Italy), where the first market development plant has already been built.

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Maire Tecnimont acquires control of new chemical recycling technology

-Marelli develops new technology for electric cars

Marelli has been awarded the supply of the central system for electric cars of one of the most important car brands.
Starting from 2026, the control unit that manages the batteries of future low-emission electric vehicles, the BEVs (acronym for Battery Electric Vehicles), of a well-known global carmaker, will be signed by Marelli.
A hardware but also a software that allows you to optimally manage the energy reserve in electric vehicles. Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET
Hannes Prenn, President of Marelli’s Electric Powertrain division said: “We are excited about this important assignment, particularly as this technology plays a key role in energy management in electric vehicles. This award further strengthens our collaboration with leading global carmakers and is a recognition of the consolidated experience achieved by Marelli over the years in the development of BMS with different architectures, to adapt to the specific needs of our customers and co-create with them the vehicles of tomorrow”.
A reduced wiring through which a control unit monitors and controls the state of the battery, a system that is positioned directly on the module of the cell to be monitored. In addition to reducing the overall dimensions of the wiring, this solution also allows for the completion of a limited number of sensors and cables that connect the adjacent CMC modules. Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET
Each Cell Module Controller is autonomous and manages the measurements and connections according to the need for energy and autonomy.
The BMS (acronym for Battery Management System) manages the stored energy and the battery’s ability to supply energy to the vehicle, while at the same time controlling the operational conduct and the battery status.

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Marelli develops new technology for electric cars

-Polestar Vehicle Seat Integrates Bio-Attributed PVC

Made from renewable vinyl and recycled polyester textile, the bio-attributed MicroTech is a “vegan” alternative to leather and comes as standard equipment in the Polestar 3.

The recently launched Polestar 3 electric SUV is not only drivable without the need for fossil fuels — featured as standard is a seat-covering material made from renewable polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and recycled polyester textile. The bio-attributed component of MicroTech is derived from tall oil. Pink hydrogen – China-bottled-PET

Polestar has printed the details of the source, carbon footprint, and percentage of recycled/renewable content on the surface of the upholstery. Optional materials include animal welfare–secured Nappa leather, and animal welfare–certified wool combined with 20% recycled polyester content. Polestar Bio-Attributed PVC

Made from renewable vinyl and recycled polyester textile, the bio-attributed MicroTech is a “vegan” alternative to leather and comes as standard equipment in the Polestar 3.

European textile – Sorting technology 08-02-2023

Nuclear pink hydrogen 09-02-2023

February 9, 2023

Nuclear pink hydrogen

-Why pink hydrogen produced using nuclear may have a big role to play – EQ Mag

There’s a buzz about green hydrogen. But pink, produced using nuclear, may have a huge role to play too

While there’s a buzz about hydrogen and its use as a tool in securing a low-carbon future, the vast majority of its production is still based on fossil fuels.
Today, an array of sources and systems of hydrogen production are being put forward as alternatives.
From blue to grey and green to pink, a host of colors are being used to classify these different methods of production.

Musk has expressed skepticism about hydrogen’s usefulness, but many think it could help to slash emissions in a number of sectors, including transportation and heavy industry.

Indeed, according to a Sept. 2022 tracking report from the International Energy Agency, low-emission hydrogen production in 2021 accounted for less than 1% of global hydrogen production.

If it’s to have any role in the planned energy transition, then hydrogen generation needs to change in a pretty big way.

“The first thing to say is that hydrogen doesn’t really exist naturally, so it has to be produced,” said Rachael Rothman, co-director of the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures at the University of Sheffield.

“It has a lot of potential to help us decarbonize going forwards, but we need to find low-carbon ways of producing it in the first place,” she said, adding that different methods of production had been “denoted different colors.”

“About 95% of our hydrogen today comes from steam methane reforming and has a large associated carbon footprint, and that’s what’s called ‘grey’ hydrogen,” Rothman told.

Grey hydrogen is, according to energy firm National Grid

, “created from natural gas, or methane.” It says that the greenhouse gases associated with the process are not captured, hence the carbon footprint that Rothman refers to.

The dominance of such a method is clearly at odds with net-zero goals. As a result, an array of sources, systems and colors of hydrogen are now being put forward as alternatives. Nuclear pink hydrogen

These include green hydrogen, which refers to hydrogen produced using renewables and electrolysis, with an electric current splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen.

Blue hydrogen, on the other hand, indicates the use of natural gas — a fossil fuel — and carbon capture utilization and storage. There has been a charged debate around the role blue hydrogen could play in the decarbonization of society.

Pink potential

Alongside blue and green, another color attracting attention is pink. Like green hydrogen, its process incorporates electrolysis, but there’s a key difference: pink uses nuclear.

“If you split … water, you get hydrogen and oxygen,” Rothman said. “But splitting water takes energy, so what pink hydrogen is about is splitting water using energy that has come from nuclear.” Nuclear pink hydrogen

This means that “the whole system is low carbon, because … there’s no carbon in water … but also the energy source is also very low carbon because it’s nuclear.”

Alongside electrolysis, Rothman noted that nuclear could also be used with something called a thermochemical cycle.

This, she explained, harnessed very high temperatures to split water into oxygen and hydrogen.

Pink hydrogen already has some potentially significant backers. These include EDF Energy, which has floated the idea of producing hydrogen at Sizewell C, a 3.2-gigawatt nuclear power station planned for the U.K.

“At Sizewell C, we are exploring how we can produce and use hydrogen in several ways,” the firm’s website says. “Firstly, it could help lower emissions during construction of the power station.” Nuclear pink hydrogen

“Secondly, once Sizewell C is operational, we hope to use some of the heat it generates (alongside electricity) to make hydrogen more efficiently,” it adds.

EDF Energy, which is part of the multinational EDF Group, said in a statement : “Hydrogen produced from nuclear power can play a substantial role in the energy transition.”

The company also acknowledged there were challenges facing the sector and its development.

“Hydrogen is currently a relatively expensive fuel and so the key challenge for low carbon electrolytic hydrogen, whether produced from renewable or nuclear energy, is to bring down the costs of production,” it said. Nuclear pink hydrogen

This needed “supportive policies which encourage investment in early hydrogen production projects and encourage users to switch from fossil fuels to low carbon hydrogen.”

“Growing the market for low carbon hydrogen will deliver the economies of scale and “learning by doing” which will help to reduce the costs of production.”

While there is excitement about the role nuclear could play in hydrogen production and the wider energy transition — the IEA, for example, says nuclear power has “significant potential to contribute to power sector decarbonisation” — it goes without saying that it’s not favored by all.

Critics include Greenpeace. “Nuclear power is touted as a solution to our energy problems, but in reality it’s complex and hugely expensive to build,” the environmental organization says. “It also creates huge amounts of hazardous waste.” Nuclear pink hydrogen

A multi-colored future?

During her interview , the University of Sheffield’s Rothman spoke about the bigger picture and the role different types of hydrogen might play. Could we ever see a time when the level of blue and grey hydrogen drops to zero?

“It depends how long a timeframe you’re looking at,” she said, adding that “in an ideal world, they will eventually drop very low.”

“Ultimately, we ideally get rid of all of our grey hydrogen, because grey hydrogen has a large carbon footprint and we need to get rid of it,” Rothman said.

“As we improve carbon capture and storage, there may be a space for blue hydrogen and that’s yet to be evaluated, depending on the … developments there.”

“The pink and green we know there has to be a space for because that’s where you really get the low carbon [hydrogen], and we know it should be, it’s possible to get there.”

Fiona Rayment, chief scientist at the UK National Nuclear Laboratory — which, like EDF Energy, is a member of trade association Hydrogen UK — pressed home the importance of having a range of options available in the years ahead. Nuclear pink hydrogen

“The challenge of net zero cannot be underestimated; we will need to embrace all sources of low carbon hydrogen generation to replace our reliance on fossil fuels,” she told.

While there has been a lot of talk about using colors to differentiate the various methods of hydrogen production, there is also a lively discussion about whether such a classification system should even exist at all.

“What we want is low carbon hydrogen,” Rothman said. “And I know there is a lot of confusion about the various colors, and I’ve heard some people say … ‘why do we even have the colors, why do we not just have hydrogen and low carbon hydrogen?’”

“And ultimately, it’s the low carbon bit that’s important, and both pink and green would do that.”

Source: PTI

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Nuclear pink hydrogen

European textile – Sorting technology 08-02-2023

Biomass ABS Resin -Japan 09-02-2023

February 9, 2023

Biomass ABS Resin -Japan

-Idemitsu and Toray Creating Japan’s First Biomass ABS Resin Supply Chain

Idemitsu will leverage the mass balance method (see note 2) to manufacture biomass styrene monomer.

Toray’s Chiba Plant will use that polymerize to become the first in Japan to produce biomass ABS resin, starting in October this year. Biomass ABS Resin -Japan

It has become vital in recent years to combat global warming, which has resulted from rising carbon dioxide emissions. Idemitsu and Toray recognize that striving to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 is a key business challenge. They both explored establishing a biomass plastics supply chain by deploying eco-friendly biomass raw materials.

Because of its plant-derived raw materials, biomass naphtha’s carbon dioxide emissions are lower than those of petroleum-derived naphtha.

Idemitsu and Toray seek to lower emissions from the plastics sector through their joint efforts. Biomass ABS Resin -Japan

Idemitsu aims to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions from its own operations by 2050. It will do so by maintaining stable supplies of energy and materials that are essential for industry and daily living while tapping the technologies, expertise, and infrastructure that it has amassed over years of handling fossil fuels. It will also help cut customers’ emissions by delivering energy and materials that make it possible to attain a carbon-neutral, circular economy.

Toray seeks to lower greenhouse gas emissions by expanding Green Innovation businesses that help resolve environmental, resources, and energy issues. It also aims to develop technologies and products that help absorb these emissions, thus helping to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 internally and for the economy as a whole. Biomass ABS Resin -Japan

The two companies will leverage a robust partnership in driving a materials transition to a carbon-neutral, circular economy by building a biomass plastics supply chain.

Notes

ABS resin is a thermoplastic polymer made from styrene monomer, acrylonitrile and butadiene. It is hard and impact-resistant. Applications include automobiles, electronics, and toys. Biomass ABS Resin -Japan

A mass balance method assigns properties to parts of products according to the inputs of raw materials with those properties when blending biomass-derived raw materials with certain properties with petroleum-based raw materials without such properties in processing those　materials into finished products and distributing them.

Profile of Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.

Head office : 2-1, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Representative：Shunichi Kito, Representative Director & Chief Executive Officer

Establishment: 1940 (its predecessor started out in 1911)

Principal businesses: Global operations in such areas as fuel oil, petrochemicals, lubricants, electronic materials, electric power and renewable energy, oil and gas development, and coal Biomass ABS Resin -Japan

Profile of Toray Industries, Inc.

Headquarters: 1-1, Nihonbashi-Muromachi 2-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Akihiro Nikkaku, President and Representative Director

Establishment: January 1926

Principal businesses: Manufacturing, processing, and selling fibers and textiles, functional chemicals, carbon fiber composites, environment and engineering, life sciences, and other offerings Biomass ABS Resin -Japan

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Biomass ABS Resin -Japan

European textile – Sorting technology 08-02-2023

Chemical recycling technology 09-02-2023

February 9, 2023

Chemical recycling technology

-Maire Tecnimont acquires control of new chemical recycling technology

Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. has announced that its subsidiary, NextChem S.p.A., has signed an agreement with Biorenova S.p.A. to acquire, scale up and industrialise the proprietary CatC technology – a continuous chemical recycling process to recover monomers (building blocks for the plastic value chain) with ultra-high levels of purity from sorted plastic waste, particularly polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, commonly plexiglass). NextChem intends to scale up CatC’s industrialisation in the plexiglass market, while progressively expanding its application to other value-added plastics, as this technology could also be suitable for the depolymerisation of polystyrene, a largely used plastic with numerous industrial applications from food packaging to electronics and automotive, among others. Moreover, further optimisation of the technology could address the even larger polyolefins market.

The CatC technology has been developed in the Abruzzo region (central Italy), where the first market development plant has already been built. Chemical recycling technology

Monomer samples have been fully validated by perspective off-takers. Once scaled up, CatC would provide a cost-effective, competitive alternative to other existing depolymerisation technologies for plexiglass, as the obtained monomers can be used directly without any further treatment. Biorenova S.p.A. is an innovative company engaged in the development of circular economy proprietary technologies, particularly in recovering materials through CatC technology, and hydrogen bioproduction.

NextChem will hold a 51% stake of a new company (NewCo) which will own the CatC technology. Biorenova will maintain the remaining 49%. Closing is expected to take place by 30 April 2023, subject to customary conditions. This acquisition is strategically significant since it allows the Group to expand its technological portfolio and enter new markets. Chemical recycling technology

Expected revenues coming from such activity are expected to progressively grow to an overall value of €30 million by 2028. After this ramp-up period, yearly revenues are expected to be in the €15 – 20 million range.

NextChem, through the NewCo, will act as technology licensor, high-value process engineering and critical equipment provider.

Alessandro Bernini, Maire Tecnimont Group Chief Executive Officer, commented: “With this agreement we are further expanding the Group’s technological portfolio of depolymerisation technologies, following our experience in chemical recycling. We will progressively apply such innovative technology to several added-value markets. This is a further step for NextChem’s Circular District model, which integrates technologies for decarbonization and recycling, leveraging our existing leadership in the plastics value chain.” Chemical recycling technology

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Chemical recycling technology

PET film – Sorting-technology – Battery 07-02-2023

Polestar Bio-Attributed PVC 09-02-2023

February 9, 2023

Polestar Bio-Attributed PVC

-Polestar Vehicle Seat Integrates Bio-Attributed PVC

Made from renewable vinyl and recycled polyester textile, the bio-attributed MicroTech is a “vegan” alternative to leather and comes as standard equipment in the Polestar 3.

Bio-attributed PVC suppliers include Ineos group company Inovyn with its Biovyn material, and Vynova with its bio-circular PVC portfolio. The materials are manufactured using ethylene derived from waste and residues of biological origin that do not compete with the food chain. Tier I Continental has already started using Biovyn in the production of its technical and decorative surface materials for its automotive customers.

Polestar is also undertaking an ambitious project with multiple partners to decarbonize the complete production of its vehicles. The Polestar 0 project aims to enter its ultimate phase in 2027 to design and construct manufacturing sites and finalize a complete supply chain for high-volume production of climate-neutral vehicles targeted for the early summer of 2030. Polestar Bio-Attributed PVC

The Polestar 0 team is currently looking to find more partners who deal with the most elementary building blocks of material development to join the project. This includes everything from raw material extraction to bio-based plastics and chemicals, electronic components, and other base materials. Current partners include auto interior component Tier I TMG Automotive, a manufacturer of dashboards, door panels and pillars, seat inserts and arm rests, and gear shift covers upholstered with PVC and thermoplastic elastomer.

“We’ve initiated a reset of car making. While we don’t have all the answers yet, we know what isn’t working, and that a greener version of car manufacturing awaits,” said Hans Pehrson, project head of Polestar 0. Polestar Bio-Attributed PVC

“We also know that it is through visionaries, transformers, and innovators that we can reach our goal — a car that begins and ends with zero.”

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Polestar Bio-Attributed PVC

European textile – Sorting technology 08-02-2023