Market outlook: Covestro to start up CO2-based polyols plant in June

Joseph Chang

08-May-2016

Germany-based polyurethanes and polymers producer Covestro (formerly Bayer MaterialScience) is on track to start up its new 5,000 tonne/year polyether polyols plant using carbon dioxide (CO2) feedstock in June 2016.

“The small-scale commercial quantity plant will be inaugurated in June, and we will have customers there that are deeply interested in flexible foam that can be made sustainably. There is a real sense of intrigue and curiosity,” said Richard Northcote, chief sustainability officer at Covestro, in an interview with ICIS.

The plant in Dormagen, Germany, will use as feedstock waste CO2 (flue gas) piped from an on-site ammonia plant which would replace 20-30% of the propylene oxide (PO) feedstock used.

“We’re not taking all of the gas produced, so there is definitely room for expansion,” said Northcote.

Solar impulse Covestro

Solar Impulse

Covestro’s materials reduce weight and provide protection to the Solar Impulse 2 aircraft

Potential expansion would depend on market demand for the CO2-based product used to produce polyurethane foam.

Bayer MaterialScience initially announced the collaboration to produce polyether polyols from CO2 with RWE Power and RWTH Aachen University in June 2010. CO2 from RWE at a nearby plant was initially used to prove the concept, but ultimately it was more efficient to use waste CO2 from the on-site ammonia plant, he said.

“When you talk about a circular economy, why recycle [just] plastic when you can recycle carbon? We can capture CO2 and reuse it as a raw material to make polymers and other chemicals,” said Northcote.

ELASTOMERS RESEARCH

Covestro is researching the production of elastomers from CO2 as well, he noted.

“We are now in the lab looking at other uses, tweaking the catalysis. Flexible foam is only a portion of the overall market [for this technology],” said Northcote.

“If you can apply this to other polymers, then we’re really talking about closing the carbon loop,” he added. Partnerships, like the one on CO2-based polyether polyols, are key for the chemical sector in developing future sustainable solutions, he said.

“Twenty to 30 years ago it would have been unlikely to come up with these innovations, as the industry was deliberately isolated. Rarely did companies work together to overcome hurdles,” said Northcote.

SOLAR IMPULSE 2 PARTNERSHIP

Another example of a major partnership is Covestro’s involvement in the Solar Impulse project.

The solar-powered Solar Impulse 2 plane uses Covestro’s advanced polyurethane (PU) and polycarbonate (PC) systems, significantly reducing weight while providing protection for the pilot.

“We will have customers there that are deeply interested in flexible foam that can be made sustainably. There is a real sense of intrigue and curiosity”

Richard Northcote
Chief sustainability officer, Covestro

The Solar Impulse project involves a number of partners from a wide range of industries, including Belgium-based chemical company Solvay and France-based industrial gases and engineering company Air Liquide.

“Once the industry embraces partnerships and information sharing, there will be a big step change in the way people view the chemical and plastics industry,” said Northcote.

“Many big brands are flying the sustainability flag, aiming to lower their carbon footprint… A good way to look at any fossil fuel or carbon is to view the payback. If 1 kg of carbon used to make MDI (methyl di-p-phenylene isocyanate) for insulation can save 70 kg in carbon emissions, that’s a good investment of carbon,” said Northcote.

“Companies look at return on capital employed (ROCE). Why not look at return on carbon employed?” he added.

Solar Impulse is an example of using carbon to “create something that requires no carbon to fly”, he noted.

“Solar Impulse and the CO2 project are some ways we can convince a sceptical world that this industry is doing the right things,” said Northcote.

The Solar Impulse 2 aircraft relaunched from Hawaii around 20 April, weather permitting, and land among several options in the western US, including Los Angeles, California, and Phoenix, Arizona.

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