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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. |
