Green hydrogen – Australia has committed €9.5 million (AUD 15.6 million) to advance soft plastics recycling, aiming to divert 43,000 tonnes from landfills annually 11-09-2024
Green hydrogen
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China’s exports rose by 8.7% year-on-year in August, surpassing the forecasted 6.5%, reflecting strong performance despite broader economic challenges
In contrast, imports grew by just 0.5%, falling short of the anticipated 2%, as reported by a Reuters poll.
Trade with major partners showed mixed results. Exports to the European Union (EU) increased by 13%, while shipments to the U.S. and ASEAN also rose. Import growth was uneven, with a 12% rise from the U.S., a 5% increase from ASEAN, but a slight 1% decline from Russia.
China’s consumer price index (CPI), excluding food and energy, rose by 0.3% year-on-year in August, the slowest since March 2021, reflecting economic pressures and weak domestic demand. Green hydrogen
Despite growing trade tensions with the U.S. and EU, including tariffs on electric vehicles, China’s export sector continues to be a strong pillar of its economy. The country faces challenges such as weak domestic consumption but remains heavily reliant on exports to sustain economic stability amidst shifting global trade dynamics. Maintaining and expanding its export capacity will be crucial for China as it navigates these ongoing challenges. Green hydrogen
Plastics Recycling in the Middle East: A Promising Future
The Middle East is gearing up for its second edition of the Plastics Recycling Show (PRS) ME&A at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Over 100 exhibitors will gather, reflecting the region’s growing commitment to addressing plastic waste. Though known for its oil reserves, countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are focusing on innovative strategies to combat plastic pollution.
Mechanical recycling remains the primary method in the region, but chemical recycling is gaining interest. With abundant capital and affordable renewable energy, the Middle East is well-positioned to lead in recycling technologies and innovation. Green hydrogen
The region faces a significant plastic waste problem, with the highest per capita plastic leakage into marine environments globally—an average of 6 kg per person annually. However, this waste can be repurposed into valuable products, transforming a challenge into an opportunity for the plastics recycling industry.
Governments and businesses alike are recognizing the potential of plastic recycling. During a recent Sustainable Plastics livestream, experts Tasos Bereketidis from Tomra Recycling and Philipp Niermann from Gneuss shared their insights on the future of plastics recycling in the Middle East and Africa, emphasizing the region’s readiness to embrace these changes ahead of the PRS ME&A event. Green hydrogen
Australia has committed €9.5 million (AUD 15.6 million) to advance soft plastics recycling, aiming to divert 43,000 tonnes from landfills annually
This funding supports three key projects.
Pro-Pac Group, a packaging company, will receive AUD 6 million to expand its facility, enabling the production of 11,000 tonnes of soft plastic packaging with 30% recycled content. This project will create 14 jobs.
Recycler Naula will receive over AUD 5 million to enhance its sorting and processing capabilities. This will process 32,000 tonnes of soft and mixed plastics for use in food-contact packaging, generating 61 jobs. Green hydrogen
Sustainable Plastic Solutions will get AUD 4 million to introduce technology to recycle 8,000 tonnes of agricultural plastics, creating 25 jobs.
This investment builds on a previous AUD 20 million fund for a soft plastics facility in Kilburn, South Australia. These initiatives are part of Australia’s AUD 250 million Recycling Modernisation Fund, aimed at boosting recycling capacity for various materials. When combined with co-investments, the fund is expected to reach AUD 1 billion.
Australia’s national target of recycling 70% of plastic packaging by 2025 is unlikely to be met, as only 18% was recycled in 2023. Green hydrogen
Following the collapse of the REDcycle program, new measures, including bans on soft plastic bags, have been enacted nationwide.
Key tech breakthroughs boost China’s hydrogen energy industry
Key technological breakthroughs have accelerated the development of China’s hydrogen energy industry and expanded the application scenarios of the clean energy, contributing to the country’s green transition drive. Green hydrogen
China has made important headway in the production of hydrogen energy from renewable sources, as well as its storage and transportation, driving the development of the industry.
According to the country’s Medium and Long-Term Plan for the Development of the Hydrogen Energy Industry (2021-2035), hydrogen production from renewable energy sources will reach 100,000 tons to 200,000 tons a year by 2025, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1 million tons to 2 million tons annually. Green hydrogen
To ensure the safety of hydrogen transportation and use, the Jiangsu GUOFU Hydrogen Energy Equipment Co., Ltd. (GUOFUHEE) has used carbon fibers to produce high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks.
“This is called ‘carbon fiber weaving’, a key technique of our company. You can see the machine is weaving carbon fibers around storage tanks like a loom. Carbon fibers can greatly enhance the pressure resistance of storage tanks, making them impenetrable even by a bullet,” said Ding Leizhe, deputy general manager of GUOFUHEE.
“The storage density of this liquefied hydrogen tank we developed is three times that of a conventional Type III tank, which will remarkably improve the range of a hydrogen-powered vehicle,” said Wang Kai, the company’s general manager. Green hydrogen
East China’s Shandong Province has pioneered the opening of expressways to hydrogen-powered vehicles free of charge, and organized 30-plus leading enterprises, universities and research institutes to conduct research in this area, leading to the formation of complete hydrogen industrial and supply chains in the province.
MOL has launched the largest green hydrogen plant in Central and Eastern Europe at its Százhalombatta refinery, with a 10-megawatt electrolysis unit
The facility produces 1,600 tonnes of carbon-neutral green hydrogen annually using renewable energy, significantly reducing the Danube Refinery’s carbon dioxide emissions by 25,000 tonnes, equivalent to the emissions of 5,400 cars. Green hydrogen
Aligned with MOL Group’s SHAPE TOMORROW sustainability strategy, this plant will primarily use the green hydrogen for fuel production. The project, powered by Plug Power’s innovative electrolysis technology, also generates 8-9 tonnes of pure oxygen per tonne of hydrogen, ensuring no polluting by-products.
MOL plans to expand its green hydrogen production with similar plants in Bratislava and Rijeka, aiming to operationalize the Rijeka plant by 2026.
This initiative will play a key role in MOL’s green energy transition, gradually replacing the current natural gas-based processes, which contribute to one-sixth of the company’s total carbon emissions. Green hydrogen
According to Ádám Horváth, Vice President of New and Sustainable Businesses, MOL is committed to reducing its carbon footprint, and green hydrogen is a crucial step in achieving this goal. The new EUR 22 million plant positions MOL as a leader in sustainable energy, setting a precedent for future projects in the region.
Dow has launched its first bio-attributed elastomer for flooring, expanding its Engage REN Polyolefin Elastomers (POE) product line introduced in 2022
Produced using renewable energy and sustainable feedstocks like used cooking oil, Dow’s Engage elastomers are part of the company’s efforts to advance circularity. By applying its Ecolibrium technology, Dow transforms waste and by-products from other industries into high-performance plastics.
Joanna Giovanoli, senior marketing manager at Dow, highlights this as a key step towards reducing carbon footprints and dependence on fossil resources. “By offering bio-circular feedstock options, we can extend the life of waste materials and help our customers meet their sustainability goals,” she stated. Green hydrogen
The bio-attributed elastomers match the performance of traditional fossil-based versions without needing reformulation. Dow’s resins, certified by ISCC Plus using a mass balance approach, ensure traceability in the production chain.
Dow aims to commercialize 3 million tonnes of circular and renewable products by 2030 and ensure all packaging-related products are reusable or recyclable by 2035, advancing its commitment to sustainability. Green hydrogen
Green hydrogen