CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY, PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Prnewswire | April 03, 2023
Nacero will transition its current pre-construction, multi-billion USD facility in Texas, designed to produce low carbon gasoline to the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and lower carbon aviation fuel (LCAF). When fully completed, Nacero's facility in Texas will be the largest commercial scale facility in the US for producing SAF and LCAF utilizing TOPSOE's MTJet™ technology.
Nacero will produce SAF and LCAF from renewable natural gas (RNG) sourced from dairy farms and landfills, and from mitigated flared gas sourced in the Permian Basin. The SAF and LCAF products will contain no sulfur, while produced utilizing 100%, low-cost renewable power, and utilizing integrated carbon capture within the process. As a result, Nacero and TOPSOE offer America's aviation industry a lower carbon solution for everyday jet fuel at an affordable price and with up to a 100% reduction in its lifecycle carbon footprint.
"Topsoe fully supports Nacero's decision to shift its focus to SAF and LCAF production given the challenge of meeting 2030 and 2050 consumption goals of renewable jet fuel. We have been working very closely with Nacero's experienced project team to implement Topsoe NG to gasoline process and we are very excited about the opportunity to continue this successful collaboration while building a scalable solution to meet the world's growing demand for SAF and LCAF."
- Henrik Rasmussen, Topsoe's Managing Director, The Americas
Nacero will leverage already complete project development work, site permitting, and extensive engineering and construction planning for the earlier proposed TIGAS™ gasoline project. This work will be updated by TOPSOE and Nacero with minimal design modifications required to enable utilization of the very similar MTJet™ process. The already completed engineering and construction planning work, remains unchanged and is completely compatible as designed with TOPSOE's MTJet™ process. This includes TOPSOE's proprietary processes, catalysts, and equipment designs for their SynCOR Methanol™ technology as well as integrated carbon capture technology provided by Giammarco Vetrocoke. Leveraging this previous work enables and achieves significant schedule advantages for the joint development effort to achieve commercialization of SAF production.
TOPSOE has more than 50 years of commercial experience and internal research and development with methanol synthesis and methane-rich gas-to-gasoline processes which support a methanol-to-jet solution. TOPSOE, with Nacero participation, is currently working with ASTM to qualify the methanol to jet pathway. Topsoe will provide the required samples (produced from their demonstration unit) to validate fuel quality, safety, and compatibility with existing jet engines.
TOPSOE will provide Nacero with engineering and design services to update their Process Design Package (PDP) for MTJet™ technology and will supply catalyst and proprietary hardware for Nacero's Texas facility.
Nacero and TOPSOE together will focus on long-term, large-scale impacts to achieve the established U.S. carbon reduction goals for 2030 and 2050, including expanding the supply of TOPSOE technology and catalysts for future Nacero SAF production facilities in the U.S.
TOPSOE's MTJet™ technology, incorporated with Topsoe's SynCOR Methanol™ technology, achieves exceptional economies of scale with each future production phase. By using six parallel SynCOR Methanol™ and MTJet™ process units, Nacero's Texas facility, when fully developed, will produce more than 30,000 metric tons per day (MTPD) of methanol, which will be processed to SAF and LCAF for the aviation industry.
"At Nacero, we recognize the need to address climate change and decarbonize all sectors, yet we believe that we can make the greatest impact by helping to reduce carbon produced from air travel," said Nacero's CEO and Chairman, Bruce Selkirk. "The airline industry and U.S. government agencies have pledged significant carbon reduction targets to be achieved by 2030 and 2050 which presently appear to be challenging to meet with current technologies and limited feedstocks. By transitioning our facilities to SAF and LCAF, we believe we can make a significant contribution to meeting these goals while at the same time offering a product to the aviation industry that is cost competitive to traditional jet fuel."
About Topsoe
Founded in 1940, Topsoe is a leading global developer and supplier of decarbonization technology, catalysts, and services for the energy transition. Our mission is to combat climate change by helping our partners and customers achieve their decarbonization and emission-reduction targets, including those in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation, shipping, and the production of raw materials. From carbon reduction chemicals, to renewable fuels and plastic upcycling, we are uniquely positioned to aid humanity in realizing a sustainable future.
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CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
NuScale Power | March 10, 2023
On March 9, 2023, NuScale Power Corporation, one of the top providers of the advanced nuclear small modular reactor (SMR) technology, announced that it has placed the first order with Doosan Enerbility for the first upper reactor pressure vessel (RPV) long lead material (LLM) production. Doosan is a world-class engineering and manufacturing company.
The materials ordered are crucial for producing the first NuScale Power Modules, anticipated to be operational at the Carbon Free Power Project of the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems as early as 2029. NuScale Power and Doosan Enerbility also agree to manufacture extra modules for upcoming NuScale VOYGR™ SMR power plant projects with comparable delivery schedules.
President and CEO of NuScale, John Hopkins, said, "Finalizing and submitting this order to our valued partner, Doosan, showcases NuScale's transition to the manufacturing phase of our modules and highlights our advanced position in the market to deploy our SMR technology to customers by the end of the decade." He added, "Our strong relationships with experienced partners like Doosan demonstrate NuScale's robust global supply chain and positions us to meet the growing interest for NuScale VOYGR power plants that we are seeing around the world."
(Source – Businesswire)
To prepare for the long lead order, NuScale Power and Doosan began working together in April 2022 to manufacture the forging dies required for the upper RPV. Following the successful completion of this step, the newly-placed LLM order consists of heavy forgings, steam generator tubes, and welding material for six upper RPVs, totaling more than 2,000 tons in weight.
NuScale Power is enhancing its readiness in supply chain management by collaborating with a diverse group of high-quality manufacturers and suppliers both domestically and globally, in addition to Doosan Enerbility.
About NuScale Power
NuScale Power is a US-based company specializing in designing and developing small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). Its innovative SMR technology offers a safer, cleaner, and more flexible solution for generating electricity, particularly in remote or off-grid areas. In addition, NuScale Power's SMRs are designed to be scalable, which can be combined to create larger power plants as needed. The company's mission is to provide reliable, affordable, and carbon-free energy to people worldwide while reducing traditional power sources' environmental impact.
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PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES, MARKET OUTLOOK
businesswire | June 06, 2023
Pembina Pipeline Corporation is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement ("MOA") with Marubeni Corporation ("Marubeni"), to progress an end-to-end, low-carbon ammonia supply chain from Western Canada to Japan and other Asian markets (the "Project"). The Project includes the joint development of a world-scale, low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia production facility (the "Facility") to be sited on Pembina-owned lands adjacent to its Redwater Complex in the Alberta Industrial Heartland near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
"This project represents a transformative opportunity that is highly aligned with Pembina's strategic priorities, including supporting global decarbonization efforts by exporting low-carbon energy derived from natural gas responsibly produced in Western Canada," said Stu Taylor, Pembina's Senior Vice President & Corporate Development Officer. "The Project is an example of Pembina's ability to leverage its existing asset base and core competencies to develop new integrated value chains, including carbon capture, utilization and storage ("CCUS") and low-carbon energy such as hydrogen, and ammonia as a hydrogen carrier and fuel source. Marubeni has deep expertise in areas critical to the success of the Project and we are delighted to be working with them to facilitate the global movement towards greater use of low-carbon ammonia and to support Japan's decarbonization strategy."
Demand for low-carbon ammonia in Japan and other Asian markets is expected to grow substantially given its efficiency as a carrier of hydrogen and use as a low-carbon fuel source. Ammonia is one of the most widely produced synthetical chemicals in the world today and the production technology and handling are well understood and established. Alberta is the leading region in Canada for existing ammonia production and the Project is another opportunity to support development of a hydrogen and low-carbon economy.
"The Project will leverage access to existing infrastructure and benefit from Canada's abundant natural gas supply, advantaged West Coast shipping access to Asia, and growing carbon capture and sequestration industry. Pembina has a long history and strong reputation as a leading Canadian energy infrastructure provider and we are honoured to be working together as partners in the establishment of a low-carbon fuel supply chain from Canada to Japan," said Yoshiaki Yokota, Marubeni's Chief Executive Officer, Energy & Infrastructure Solution Group.
Initial feasibility studies have been completed and the Facility has an anticipated design capacity of up to 185 kilotonnes per annum of low-carbon hydrogen production, which will be converted into approximately one million tonnes per year of low-carbon ammonia. The Facility is contemplated to utilize innovative technology to capture a significant amount of the CO2 emissions with the potential for integrated transportation and sequestration on the proposed Alberta Carbon Grid being developed by Pembina and TC Energy. The low-carbon ammonia would be transported via rail to Canada's West Coast and shipped to Japan and other Asian markets.
Pembina and Marubeni will utilize their complementary strengths to develop and execute the Project. Pembina brings its expertise in Western Canadian energy infrastructure development, construction and operations, rail logistics and export. Marubeni, a globally leading independent power producer and integrated trading conglomerate, will leverage its marketing and marine logistics capabilities, and is expected to contract for offtake from the Facility, which will be used to supply Marubeni-owned and other Japanese utility power plants. Under the MOA, Pembina and Marubeni will focus on completing work critical to the development of the Project, including preliminary Front End Engineering Design ("pre-FEED"), engagement with various stakeholders, including governments in Canada and Japan, and commercial activities. The Project is expected to be structured as an infrastructure-style, fee-based business with investment grade counterparties. Pre-FEED work is currently expected to be completed by early 2024.
Pembina Low Carbon Complex
The Project would potentially serve as an anchor development to advance Pembina's ongoing efforts to establish a new growth platform known as the Pembina Low Carbon Complex ("PLCC"). With over 2,000 contiguous acres of undeveloped land located in the Alberta Industrial Heartland, Pembina's vision is to develop an industrial complex for low-carbon energy infrastructure to better enable Pembina and third parties to develop projects, while reducing costs, emissions, and risk.
The PLCC will be focused on attracting and developing investment for innovative and emerging energy transition technologies, sustainable fuels, and chemicals, specifically low-carbon hydrogen and hydrogen carriers such as ammonia and methanol. Projects within the PLCC would gain access to one or more of the following prerequisites to enable the construction and operation of large-scale clean energy projects: land, low-carbon hydrogen, clean power, natural gas and industrial gases, water, CCUS, and the construction and operation of rail assets to support product movement.
Within the PLCC, Pembina would lease land to third parties and provide infrastructure, logistics, and shared services to tenants, depending on their needs, under typical Pembina commercial models. Tenants are contemplated to capture CO2 and direct those emissions to Pembina in support of the proposed Alberta Carbon Grid. Pembina may also consider direct investments in projects.
Commercial discussions are progressing with various potential tenants and strategic partners and Pembina looks forward to providing future updates.
About Pembina
Pembina Pipeline Corporation is a leading energy transportation and midstream service provider that has served North America's energy industry for more than 65 years. Pembina owns an integrated network of hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas pipelines, gas gathering and processing facilities, oil and natural gas liquids infrastructure and logistics services, and a growing export terminals business. Through our integrated value chain, we seek to provide safe and reliable infrastructure solutions which connect producers and consumers of energy across the world, support a more sustainable future and benefit our customers, investors, employees and communities.
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