First Carbon Capture Pilot Facility with Gas Separation Membrane Applied at Yeosu Plant in Domestic Chemical Industry
Factory Design for Commercialization Underway... Targeting Commercial Production in 2023
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Lotte Chemical announced on the 5th that it has completed the demonstration of carbon capture technology (CCU) equipment applying gas separation membranes for the first time among domestic chemical companies and has entered the design phase for commercialization.
In March of this year, Lotte Chemical installed a CCU pilot facility at Yeosu Plant 1 and conducted a nine-month demonstration operation. Through this, the performance verification of the gas separation membrane for carbon capture was completed. Based on the data collected and analyzed during the demonstration process and operational technology, the project has reached the design stage for equipment commercialization.
Lotte Chemical plans to invest approximately 60 billion KRW after an economic feasibility review to build CO2 capture and liquefaction facilities with a capacity of about 200,000 tons at the Daesan Plant. The goal is to start commercial production within the second half of 2023.
The gas separation membrane-based carbon capture facility, whose demonstration was recently completed, is characterized by less environmental pollution, simpler processes, relatively lower operating costs, and the ability to be installed on smaller sites compared to wet and dry capture facilities using chemical absorbents.
Lotte Chemical has partnered with Airrain, a domestic small and medium-sized enterprise possessing original polymer gas separation membrane technology, to commercialize the CCU business. In September, for the first time among domestic chemical companies, Lotte Chemical utilized a 50 billion KRW ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) dedicated fund worth 500 billion KRW to invest 5 billion KRW in Airrain and has been actively cooperating to secure eco-friendly technology.
Hwang Jingu, Head of Lotte Chemical's Basic Materials Business, stated, "Through CCU technology, we will actively promote climate change response and carbon-neutral growth, and contribute to strengthening future competitiveness by securing product and raw materialization of captured CO2 and technology licenses. Based on our plant operation know-how and technological capabilities, we will realize the world's first commercialization of CCU facilities using gas separation membranes."
Lotte Chemical plans to use the CO2 captured through the CCU facilities as raw materials for high-purity EC (ethylene carbonate) and DMC (dimethyl carbonate), organic solvent materials for electrolytes in electric vehicle batteries, and PC (polycarbonate), a plastic material, while also selling it externally as raw materials for dry ice and semiconductor cleaning solutions.
Lotte Chemical plans to invest a total of 300 billion KRW in high-purity EC and DMC production facilities and related businesses. By internally sourcing raw materials through CCU facilities and building a raw material-product value chain, the company aims to improve profitability and secure business competitiveness in line with the global expansion of the electric vehicle battery materials market. In the future, Lotte Chemical plans to expand the scale of CO2 capture and utilization to 500,000 tons annually by 2030 by applying CCU technology to the expansion of Yeosu Plant facilities and green methanol production.
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