Dow plans new carbonate solvents facility on US Gulf Coast

Dow has announced plans to invest in ethylene derivatives capacity on the US Gulf Coast, including the production of carbonate solvents, critical components to the supply chain of lithium-ion batteries.

Dow said it is collaborating with the US Department of Energy (DoE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) and was selected for award negotiations to establish the carbonate solvents facility. The project is supported by agreements with customers, including leading electric vehicle (EV) original equipment manufacturers and electrolyte manufacturers.

This facility will capture more than 90% of the carbon dioxide from the ethylene oxide manufacturing process and will utilise it to produce carbonate solvents needed for the electrification of vehicles and to strengthen the US power grid through energy storage.

“This investment is in line with Dow and the US government’s goals to enable reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the mobility and transportation sector by investing in supply chain resiliency for domestic battery and EV manufacturing,” a Dow press note informed.

Mr. Brendy Lange, Dow Industrial Solutions Business Vice President, said, “The support from the DoE is a critical enabler of this project, localising the supply of low-carbon value-added products to help enable the clean energy transition while advancing the decarbonisation of our own operations.”

Carbonate solvents are an important component of the electrolyte inside lithium-ion batteries, which help to enhance battery performance and longevity, enabling the advancement and adoption of electric vehicle technology. They will expand Dow’s ‘MobilityScience’ portfolio to address mobility industry challenges like decarbonisation and improving EV performance.