MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay says it has launched a hydrogen platform that will “bring together all the innovative material and chemical solutions the group has to offer to advance the emerging hydrogen economy, said Chemweek.
" At the heart of the platform is the company’s membrane technology, “which constitutes a necessary component in the process of hydrogen production," the company says. By creating the platform, Solvay says it is increasing its resources dedicated to the emerging hydrogen market, including efforts in research and innovation. Starting this year, Solvay is dedicating teams involving research, engineering, sales, and marketing working together to craft the company's added value to the future hydrogen market.
Solvay’s membrane technology, under the brand Aquivion, will be a key contributor to the electrolyzer and fuel-cells markets, the company says. Solvay intends to bring other hydrogen applications and components to the market, such as hydrogen tanks.
"The hydrogen economy has taken off, and with our new hydrogen platform, we are partnering with our customers in the electrolyzer and fuel-cells space to make it happen,” says Solvay CEO Ilham Kadri. “Green hydrogen will be one of the most competitive low-carbon solutions for transportation applications in the near future."
Solvay, meanwhile, has joined the Hydrogen Council, a worldwide CEO-led initiative that brings together leading companies with a united vision and long-term ambition for hydrogen to foster the clean-energy transition. Solvay also says that its hydrogen platform is integral to the group’s One Planet initiative, which includes 10 measurable commitments to achieve sustainable-development goals across three focus areas: climate, resources, and better life.
Solvay notes that the production of green hydrogen via water electrolysis is expected to reach more than 100 gigawatts of worldwide capacity by 2030, and that the global fleet of fuel-cell electric vehicles is forecast to reach “several million vehicles" by 2030.
Meanwhile, public support for hydrogen is increasing exponentially, with USD10 billion of post-COVID-19 stimulus being dedicated, mostly in Europe and APAC, to green hydrogen R&D and infrastructure deployment, Solvay says.
As MRC reported earlier, in August, 2020, through the acquisition of the Solvay polyamide (PA) business, BASF enhanced its R&D capabilities in Asia Pacific with new technologies, technical expertise, and upgraded material and part testing services. BASF is planning to integrate the R&D centers from Solvay into its R&D existing facilities in Shanghai, China, and Seoul, Korea. The enhanced capabilities will boost BASF’s position as a solution provider to develop advanced material solutions for key industries.
We remind that BASF-YPC, a 50-50 joint venture of BASF and Sinopec, undertook a planned shutdown at its naphtha cracker on 30 April 2020. The company initially planned to start turnaround at the cracker on April 5, 2020. The plant remained under maintenance unitl 18 June, 2020. Located in Jiangsu, China, the cracker has an ethylene capacity of 750,000 mt/year and propylene capacity of 400,000 mt/year.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's DataScope report, PE imports to Russia decreased in January-November 2020 by 17% year on year and reached 569,900 tonnes. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the greatest reduction in imports. At the same time, PP imports into Russia increased by 21% year on year to about 202,000 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2020. Propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounted for the main increase in imports.
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