Swiss speciality chemical company Clariant and Austrian petrochemical giant OMV are partnering to lower the carbon footprint of ehthylene and ethylene oxide derivatives.
The companies have signed a letter of intent to collaborate in meeting sustainability targets in the ethylene supply chain in Europe.
OMV will supply renewable low-carbon footprint ethylene to Clariant, which will in turn grow its bio-based ethylene oxide derivatives portfolio.
The partnership will include the joint analysis of collaboration potential for the Ethanol-to-Ethylene (E2E) technology. The technology converts ethanol, a renewable fuel made from biomass plant materials, into ethylene through catalytic dehydration.
Clariant and OMV plan will also share their research findings, adopt a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology for unified approaches, and define detailed CO2 reduction roadmaps.
“We are continuously working on solutions for our customers’ journeys towards the use of lower carbon footprint ethoxylates and this cooperation is an important step forward to reach this goal,” said Christian Vang, member of the executive steering committee at Clariant. “Renewable low-carbon footprint ethylene from OMV will enable us to grow our bio-based ethylene oxide derivatives portfolio, as well as strengthen the supply chain with production in Europe, for Europe.”
In addition to the production of polymers, bio-ethylene can be used in the chemical industry as an intermediate compound in the synthesis of alcohols, olefins, acetaldehyde, ethylbenzene, and vinyl acetate, amongst others.
“There is a broad application base for ethylene oxide and derivatives, and we are dedicated to enabling sustainable transformations for our customers as well as for OMV,” said Daniela Vlad, executive vice president chemicals of OMV. “This agreement is an important contribution to the progress we are making towards our Strategy 2030 ambitions,” she added.
In June, OMV unveiled a new brand identity focused on sustainability and circularity, which it says captures its ambition and significant progress towards becoming net-zero by 2050.