Page 174 - CW E-Magazine (3-12-2024)

News from Abroad

LAB TO PILOT PRODUCTION
Elkem reports progress in scaling up silicone waste

upcycling project

Norway’s silicone major, Elkem, has
announced the successful scaling of its
chemical silicone waste upcycling project
from a laboratory to pilot unit at its Saint-
Fons production site in Lyon, France.

As part of its climate strategy, Elkem
is committed to cutting CO emissions
2
and resource-use to reach climate-neutral
production by 2050, notably by increas- the provision of the critical raw material, recycling of silicones is a key technologi-
ing recycling in its own operations and demand for which is rising due to the cal enabler to close the loop. Through our
developing circular loops with customers green transition and digitalisation, Elkem innovative technology, we can provide a
and suppliers. In 2021, Elkem initiated a said in a press note. solution for silicone waste and offer low
collaborative project dedicated to breaking carbon solutions from recycling with the
down silicone waste, using eco-designed The technical implementation of the same quality as those made from virgin
depolymerisation methods. This project chemical recycling is now being per- material to the market,” said Ms. Joséphine
led to the implementation of innovative formed at a pilot scale. The pilot unit will Munsch, Sustainability Project Leader at
routes and processes for the recycling of provide vital scale-up information for safe Elkem. Elkem’s depolymerisation process
silicones that are patented by Elkem and and energy-efficient recycling of silicones technologies offer multiple unique bene-
partners and embedded in the construction at the industrial scale. “As a manufacturer fits, such as low process temperatures,
and operation of the unit at Saint-Fons. of silicones since 1948 and leading global which enable lower carbon emissions,
supplier of silicones, we are committed high conversion rates and chemical selec-
Recycling silicones reduces their car- to creating a circular economy for our pro tivity that avoids the generation of undesir-
bon footprint and contributes to securing ducts, giving them a second life. Chemical able by-products and residues.
SUPPLY AGREEMENT
BP inks deal to source non-food industrial waste

to produce biofuels at Spanish refinery

UK energy major, BP, has signed an element of BP’s transformation process includes the possibility of identifying new
agreement with Spanish agri-food group into an integrated energy hub. opportunities in the future for the reuse of
Migasa for the supply of up to 40,000 vegetable oil waste. Non-food industrial
tonnes per year of non-food industrial “When used on a large scale, biofuels waste will come from the supply chain of
waste from vegetable oil for a decade. can help reduce life-cycle emissions the vegetable oil refining industry, so the
BP will use these biological feedstocks in these sectors, which is why we are alliance between BP and Migasa will also
together with other fossil feedstocks investing and collaborating with customers contribute to strengthening the circular
to co-process renewable fuels at its and partners such as Migasa to expand our economy model of the Spanish agri-food
Castellón refinery, such as HVO for heavy offering of advanced fuels derived from sector. This is a further step in the planned
road transport, or SAF for aviation. renewable sources,” said Mr. Olvido transformation of BP’s Castellón refinery
Moraleda, President of BP Spain. This into an integrated energy hub that produces
Co-processing biological feed- agreement, signed for a period of 10 years not only conventional fuels but also pro-
stocks in refineries is the most cost-ef- with the possibility of extension, is key ducts derived from renewable sources. The
fective way to produce renewable fuels because it allows BP to ensure the availability refinery has been co-processing biological
on a large scale and is an important of raw materials to produce biofuels. It feedstock with fossil feedstock since 2016.

174 Chemical Weekly December 3, 2024

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