Category: Sustainability/Environment

Advanced Methanol Amsterdam (AMA) is a production facility, that will be realised in the Port of Amsterdam's Biopark, which is destined to produce advanced methanol that meets the European renewable energy directive (RED) requirements. Once completed, AMA will be the flagship production site for GIDynamics and GIDARA Energy and for its High Temperature Winkler (HTW ® ) gasification technology. AMA will also be the first of its kind green methanol unit designed by Casale.

The energy transition has already commenced and while sulphuric acid production is already virtually carbon free, there will likely still be impacts on the sulphuric acid industry resulting from this energy transformation. Hannes Storch, Shailesh Chandrol, Collin Bartlett and Jens Kleiber of Metso Outotec present their view on a roadmap to sustainability, preparing for energy transition in the sulphuric acid industry through permanent product development, digitalisation and new technologies.

With energy prices skyrocketing, sulphuric acid plant operators face a heightened challenge to improve plant efficiency. Martin Alvarez from Topsoe discusses how the company’s new high-activity catalyst, VK38+, can help acid plants maximise energy efficiency to secure important economic benefits while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint.

A move towards so-called ‘sustainable aviation fuels’ (SAF) could see refineries having to recast their operations. What might this mean for sulphur production?

The fertilizer price and supply chain shocks caused by the war in Ukraine have supercharged the debate about the shift to more sustainable and efficient crop nutrition – with farmers and governments urgently looking for different approaches to maximise crop productivity.

Producing efficient fertilizers that deliver nutrients directly to crops in exactly the right amounts has clear economic and environmental benefits. Recent advances in controlled-release and stabilised fertilizer technology are highlighted.

M. Rameshni and S. Santo of Rameshni & Associated Technology & Engineering (RATE USA) report on advanced catalysts for increasing the sulphur recovery efficiency of new and existing sulphur recovery units to meet stricter environmental regulations.

The recently-published IEA Ammonia Technology Roadmap sets out a future pathway for decarbonising the nitrogen industry. New technology options for low-carbon ammonia production are emerging and project activity is on the rise.

By using modular construction, operational modelling and digital plant control, thyssenkrupp Uhde can offer customers fast-build, capital efficient green ammonia plants. Dr Christian Renk and Dr Klaus Nölker explain the company’s innovative approach to plant construction, design and control.

Heat recovery systems at sulphuric acid plants have been providing carbon-free energy for decades now and continue to improve. There is also potential to combine the clean power generated at acid plants with hydrogen production from water electrolysis. This could provide the basis for green fertilizer production.