Expansion and construction projects linked to shale gas continue to drive investment in the US chemical industry. The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has identified 264 projects that have been officially announced, of which around 40% have completed or begun construction works.
The projects include new facilities, expansions and factory re-starts. If they all go ahead, they represent a combined investment of $164 billion (£115 billion) in the sector. Most of the developments that are not yet committed are in the planning phase, but 5% of the total are ‘delayed or uncertain,’ the ACC said.
The number of projects being undertaken has grown considerably since 2013, when the ACC identified 100 announced projects representing a potential $72 billion in investment.
More than 60% of these projects are being undertaken by foreign-owned firms looking to take advantage of the cheap energy and feedstock that shale provides.
By Rebecca Trager
Source: Chemistry World
France has launched an offshore green hydrogen production platform at the country’s Port of Saint-Nazaire this week, along with its first offshore wind farm. The hydrogen plant, which its operators say is the world’s first facility of its type, coincides with the launch of another “first of its kind” facility in Sweden dedicated to storing hydrogen in an underground lined rock cavern (LRC).
The project sets up the Hydrogen Valley in Rome, the first industrial-scale technological hub for the development of the national supply chain for the production, transport, storage and use of hydrogen for the decarbonization of industrial processes and for sustainable mobility.
At first glance, hydrogen seems to be the perfect solution to our energy needs. It doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide when used. It can store energy for long periods of time. It doesn’t leave behind hazardous waste materials, like nuclear does. And it doesn’t require large swathes of land to be flooded, like hydroelectricity. Seems too good to be true. So…what’s the catch?
