Sasol's emission abatement project a world first

JOHANNESBURG (ICIS news)--Sasol is to convert the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide into harmless nitrogen and oxygen in the first project of its kind, the South African synthetic fuels giant said on Monday.

The emission abatement scheme, at its two nitric acid plants in Sasolburg and Secunda, has been registered as a Clean Development Mechanism project in terms of the Kyoto Protocol.

The project, which uses secondary catalyst technology, was expected to earn significant income through sales of the resulting carbon credits.

Sasol said that a share of the credits would be invested in community-based sustainable development projects in South Africa.

“This project offers significant environmental benefits for Sasol, our local communities and South Africa.” says Dr Reiner Groh, group general manager of Sasol Chemical Businesses.

Sasol Nitro commissioned the technology during the first quarter of 2007. It expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to about a million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

One tonne of nitrous oxide has the greenhouse gas equivalent of 310 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The project was developed with the assistance of specialist international suppliers MGM International and Heraeus.

MGM International is a leader in the development of greenhouse gas emission reduction projects. Heraeus provides catalyst technology for nitric acid production.