Project Air – Leading the chemical industry into the future

For the past 100 years or so, the chemical industry has been characterized by linear production, dependency on fossil raw materials, and large emissions. However, the chemical industry is currently ongoing a sustainable transformation. Already today we are seeing new initiatives, methods, and partnerships in value chains, that all strive to drive and support the transformation.  

The partners behind Project Air believe the future chemical industry is based on circular production methods, uses waste streams as raw materials, and minimizes emissions by closing loops.  

Project Air is a perfect example of an initiative that is pushing the chemical industry into the future as it breaks fossil dependency, greatly reduces CO2 emissions, makes use of circular production methods, and thereby makes thousands of end products more sustainable. Let us take a closer look at some of the key benefits of the project.  

Breaking fossil dependency: 

One of the great benefits of Project Air is that it breaks the chemical industry’s dependence on fossil raw materials by utilizing existing resources and closing loops.  

Traditionally, the chemical industry has been heavily based on fossil raw materials and feedstock such as oil and coal. In Perstorp’s case, methanol of fossil origin has been, and still is, a key raw material. This changes with Perstorp and Project Air.  

The project will allow us to shift from fossil-based to methanol based on recycled and renewable raw materials, which brings the chemical industry, and society, one step closer to breaking fossil dependency.   

Minimizing carbon emissions - Benefits global climate goals:

Project Air will minimize carbon emissions and contribute substantially to the targets and objectives established by the EU by:  

• Significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions in energy- and carbon-intensive chemical processes (expected annual CO2 reduction of approximately 500,000 tonnes, which corresponds to the annual emissions of around 340,000 new cars running on fossil fuel). 
• Combining proven technologies and processes along with a system integration approach: CCU, biogas, green hydrogen (produced from renewables, through electrolysis), and utilization of residue streams in several applications. 
• Focusing on resource efficiency and circularity, e.g., utilizing wastewater in the electrolysis process used to product green hydrogen. 

Enabling sustainable transformation across value chains

Project Air is a game changer not only for Perstorp as it enables the sustainable transformation for a large variety of value chains by giving thousands of end products lower carbon footprint. To illustrate the significance, we know that as much as 96 percent of everything that is produced needs chemicals.  

This means that when chemical products become more sustainable, so do most other industries and products. Consequently, the chemical industry is a crucial player in tackling the climate crisis, and the transformation of Perstorp and the chemical sector will have far-reaching effects in many value chains. 

Do you want to learn more about Project Air?

Find out all the details regarding how Project Air works, and how its innovative technology can save up to 500 000 tonnes carbon emissions yearly here >>