Many chemical industry companies are embracing de-carbonization strategies to reduce their carbon footprint and make the world cleaner. What can the chemicals sector do to contribute significantly to climate change by reducing greenhouse gases from the chemicals manufactured using fossil fuels?

Today we will review current practices and regulations in an industry-wide drive to meet goals and look at how the latest technological breakthroughs play a pivotal role in shifting toward more sustainable and eco-friendly infrastructure.

We'll look at de-carbonization in general and talk about the role boron can play as boron, and boron compounds are energy carriers that can increase energy efficiency.

Welcome back to the Borates Today podcast.

Today, we're going to look at de-carbonization efforts in a

specific industry sector where a number of initiatives are underway

to reduce carbon emissions for a cleaner and greener set of practices.

To reduce their carbon footprint and to make the world cleaner, many

chemical industry companies are embracing de-carbonization strategies.

What can the chemicals sector do to contribute significantly to climate change

by reducing greenhouse gases from the chemicals manufactured using fossil fuels?

Today we will review current practices and regulations in an industry wide drive

to meet goals and look at how the latest technological breakthroughs play a pivotal

role in shifting towards more sustainable and eco-friendly infrastructure.

We'll look at de-carbonization in general and talk about the role

boron can play as boron and boron compounds are energy carriers that

can increase energy efficiency.

Even as industry leaders have publicly declared their intention

to become carbon neutral by 2050, in decarbonizing the chemicals industry.

Industry players struggle to understand the material impacts

that becoming carbon neutral will have on their valuations, operations

and markets over the coming years.

It is also unclear how changes will be implemented during a time when

so much remains unknown about what exactly needs changing and how to

meet all set goals in a feasible and profitable way for the industry players.

The primary factors that are pushing companies to decarbonize are community

perception and customer demands, pressure from investors, adherence to

new policies and government targets and cost optimization of current operations.

Using unique and innovative technologies, the chemical industry

relies heavily on hydrocarbons used as feed stocks and energy sources.

Such challenges make it difficult to decrease emissions because

companies can not just turn them off.

However, the global impact is potentially profound with advances

in decarbonizing chemical production.

External factors also play their part in forcing change.

One example is the overwhelming issue of plastic waste plaguing the entire world

as a result of the chemicals industry is under enormous social pressure

to cut down on single use plastics and improve waste disposal methods,

The first practical step towards a more sustainable world involves

lowering atmospheric CO2 levels via decommissioning old plants to shift

beyond the current carbon cycle.

The second step towards decarbonizing the chemical industry would involve avoiding

carbon dioxide altogether, for example, by sourcing hydrogen exclusively from

splitting water instead of steam, methane, reforming and water gas shift reactions.

These two routes transform common feed stocks at the bottom of the free

energy landscape such as carbon dioxide and water into desirable, commodity

chemicals, higher up in this same space through the input of renewable

sources like solar power and wind.

Additionally, the need for green hydrogen is a focus of efforts.

But it's currently considered unavailable.

It takes six to eight times as much energy to make it from water, than

natural gas or oil and if the European chemical industry were run on this fuel

alone, it would require all of Europe's current power consumption to make it.

This is clearly not an option, especially in times of higher energy

costs from suppliers, such as Russia.

New approaches to meet de-carbonization goals start with a focus that

needs to be on emissions that the companies could theoretically control.

Chemical companies are strangers to carefully engineered closed loop systems

that capture virtually every emission and by-product from producing dangerous

gases, such as chlorineand phosgene.

Typically, the limiting factor in these instances is not technology but cost.

However unavoidable emissions.

i.e.

those emitted by customers and third-party suppliers, pose

a more perplexing technical challenge for chemical companies.

A classic example is an ammonia plant.

If you own one, it's your responsibility to find ways, through various technologies

like scrubbers, to reduce all sorts of nitrogen oxide compounds into

less harmful substances after they're released during the course of business.

Using digital tools in the energy sector to manage power sources could also

improve how we manage the resources.

These advancements will help us predict outages better, visualize fault lines

and load swings and efficiently allocate our limited supplies to last longer.

The industry has always been good at managing its natural resource

supply, but maybe able to do even more with predictive analytics

powered by artificial intelligence.

Utilizing sustainable feedstocks to produce energy is considered an

alternative for energy production as well, but is limited to a few

applications because they compete with food biofuels and other uses.

These sustainable resources are also hindered by physical

limitations caused by soil erosion, water shortage, and land usage.

The resource efficiency leaves much to be desired as well.

This makes them an unpopular choice in today's world, where

we have many competing needs fighting over finite resources.

We can see an example of how difficult it is to produce methanol,

for example, by looking at what goes into building a single ton.

For instance, eight tons of sugar are required for ton of methanol, and the

raw materials must also travel long distances before being processed.

The production of Virgin materials significantly contributes to greenhouse

emissions causing climate change.

If people stopped producing new plastics and recycled used ones, the problem would

be substantially reduced with mechanical recycling or chemical recycling.

The downside is an increase in pollution due to littering as there

will not be any more room in landfills, which can negatively affect human

health as well through contact or inhaling toxic fumes at the time

of disposal or by residents nearby.

Recycling materials can benefit the environment and it's

about time to take notice.

Unlike other forms of waste, recyclable material typically does not cause any harm

as long as it is disposed of properly.

In addition, many things that would otherwise end up in landfills often

find a new life through this process.

While many of the approaches described earlier can curb up to 40% of carbon

emissions, companies can only reduce a significant part of the carbon

emissions with the availability of cost friendly green fuels in abundance.

To meet the perpetual demands of the industry, which will then lead

to the reduction of carbon dioxide.

The chemical industry is looking at recycling to a greater or lesser degree

worldwide with its commitment, both to decarbonization and recycling resources

like plastics into green fuel sources.

For example, one major European company, BASF Group, recently pledged $2 billion

towards research over five years at an Institute is established specifically

for advancing methanol technology.

At government level, the Chinese government is doing its part

to reduce plastic pollution.

For example, they've announced a plan to ban single use plastics in the country.

The new law, prohibits non-biodegradable bags and requires producers of other

forms of single use products to find alternatives or incur heavy fines

and potential legal proceedings.

What about boron?

Boron can help as an energy carrier to increase efficiency as a lot of

energy is lost during transmission, especially when we talk about the energy

produced in the deserts of Europe.

Boron, a versatile element, has been helping in creating a more eco-friendly

future with its wide ranges of uses in not just the chemicals industry,

but also in every industry worldwide.

In recent studies researchers found that boron can replace hydrogen

because of its more efficient energy carrying capabilities

improving the overall efficiency of renewable energy plants worldwide.

While its current applications are limited to solar energy, boron and its

compounds undergo extensive research and development to improve existing technology

and develop better alternatives.

As pressure mounts to change, the prospects of a low carbon circular

economy are becoming more feasible.

Governments are starting to see that enacting policies will only create

political capital for them in their fight against climate action problems

when they become increasingly urgent.

It becomes more apparent every day that we'll soon have an opportunity

to establish a new kind of economic system that supports our environment.

While delivering growth on sustainable terms.

But this isn't yet talking about what needs to be done.

Instead, there's an emerging consensus among regulators and businesses

themselves- many realizing how good sustainability can be for

enterprises and for profitability too.

For instance, automotive manufacturers have been perfecting hybrid electric

vehicles in the last few years after seeing the immense success

of Tesla and how it is successfully commercialized electric cars as a

lucrative option in the United States.

And that's all for this podcast.

For more information on topics related to decarbonization.

Please refer to our website Borates Today.