On the path to sustainability
Covestro’s Zhangbin chemical site reduces energy demand by 7%
The multi-million euro investment in a Direct Fired Thermal Oxidizer (DFTO) took four years and was completed on schedule. The DFTO passed and received the operation permit from local government, enabling the Zhangbin site to reduce Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) by 85% more than the site’s previous VOC reduction technology. The site generates VOCs when using solvent to produce monomers. The project will also lead to a reduction of 254 tons of carbon emissions reduction per year via circulating the waste heat from the DFTO to production line operations, replacing 7% of the energy consumption.
Covestro Taiwan announced today that it has received the operation permit for a multi-million euro investment project to make its Zhangbin chemical site more sustainable. The company can now operate the new Direct Fired Thermal Oxidizer (DFTO), as approved by the Environmental Protection Bureau of Changhua County. The DFTO installation took four years and was completed on schedule. This step helps the Zhangbin site to reach another important milestone in terms of sustainability, while also contributing to Covestro’s goal of reaching operational climate neutrality by 2035.
The Zhangbin Site primarily produces energy-curable resin raw materials known as monomers and UV resins synthesized by combining monomers with organic solvents. The UV resins, which allow coatings to be cured under UV lights, save more time and cost comparing to regular coatings and are widely used on optical fibers, solar panels, and electronics. The production process of such UV resins involves the use of organic solvents, leading to the generation of VOCs. However, with the new DFTO, the Zhangbin site can reduce VOC by 85% more than the site’s previous VOC reduction technology.
The DFTO also allows waste heat generated in this process to be used for the regular production line, which allows the site to reduce 7% of its overall energy consumption during production. As a result, the Zhangbin site will produce approximately 254 metric tons less carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year - roughly equivalent to 1.5 times the annual CO2 absorption capacity of Daan Forest Park in Taipei1.
From the initial design concept to the completion of receiving the operation permit, the DFTO project spanned from 2019 to 2023 and the equipment officially started operation in August of this year.
“The DFTO project is a large-scale sustainable investment project for Covestro in Taiwan,” said Dr. Carsten Wildebrand, Managing Director of Covestro Taiwan. “Through this process improvement, the Zhangbin site also contributes to carbon reduction in line with Covestro’s target of circularity and our goals for operational climate neutrality by 2035. In addition, it resonates with the responsible production goal of the UN SDGs. At the same time, we remain optimistic about the development of the energy curing market and continue to invest in Taiwan.”
1 Source: "How much carbon can Da'an Forest Park absorb? The academic community proposes to cultivate climate citizen scientists", published by United Daily News, June 19, 2023.
About Covestro:
Covestro is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. Covestro supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from Covestro are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.
The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). Covestro generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).
Find more information at www.covestro.com.
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