Asahi Kasei Europe participates in European multi-partner project on CCUS technology

Dusseldorf, 14 November 2017 – Asahi Kasei Europe is participating in the three-year multi-partner ALIGN-CCUS project to help transform six European industrial regions into economically robust, low-carbon centres by 2025. Asahi Kasei“s electrolyzer technology will be one of the cornerstones for CO2 reuse and therefore the reduction of CO2 emissions.

On November 7th, the ALIGN-CCUS Project Consortium announced the launch of the ALIGN-CCUS (carbon capture, utilisation and storage) Project, a partnership project which runs from 2017 to 2020 and consists of 31 research institutes and industrial companies from five European countries. The project received EUR15 million funding from the European ERA-NET ACT (Accelerating CCS Technologies) fund and aims at transforming six European industrial regions into low-carbon centres. ACT is a European Union initiative to accelerate the deployment of safe and cost-effective carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. ACT receives funding support from the European Commission“s Horizon 2020 instrument, the ERA NET Cofund.

Europe in general and especially Germany with its ambitious goals for CO2 reduction, its drop-out of nuclear energy by 2022 and its high share of electric power supply by renewable energy sources have a high need for reliable CCUS- and power storage technologies. Hydrogen has been in the centre of interest in the recent years, not only in the field of energy storage (Power-to-Gas) but also as an important component to produce fuel for automobiles (Power-to-Fuel).

Cooperation with industrial and academic leaders in the CCUS field

Asahi Kasei with its leading technology for ion exchange membranes and chlor-alkali electrolysis has been chosen as partner for the ALIGN-CCUS Project and provides its alkaline water electrolysis system for the production of green hydrogen. Hydrogen produced with Asahi Kasei“s alkaline water electrolysis system and CO2 captured at power plants will be transformed into fuels such as green methanol and green dimethyl ether (DME). This system can be scaled-up and has high energy exchange efficiency. With this technology Asahi Kasei contributes to a decrease in CO2 footprints in the fields of transportation and power generation.

Together with European partner institutions and companies, Asahi Kasei Europe as the operational headquarter of Asahi Kasei in Europe will be a member of Work Package 4 of the ALIGN-CCUS Project. Work Package 4 will focus on designing, constructing and operating a first-of-a-kind, full-chain CO2 capture and conversion project in an industrial environment. The applicability and environmental performance of CCU products, methanol and DME, will also be assessed along with potential market demand. Together with prominent partners such as RWE, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Europe, FEV, Bosch, DEUTZ, RWTH Aachen University, TNO and ECN, Asahi Kasei Europe will conduct a demonstration experiment in Germany.

„The ALIGN-CCUS project contributes to reducing CO2 emissions in the fields of transportation and power generation. We are very happy to participate in this project by using our alkaline water electrolysis system to produce green hydrogen. By further improving our technology we will be a leading company for the realization of a hydrogen society“, Hideki Tsutsumi, Managing Director of Asahi Kasei Europe said.

About the ERA-NET ACT ALIGN-CCUS Project:
For further information on the project please refer to the official website: https://www.alignccus.eu/

About Asahi Kasei
The Asahi Kasei Corporation is a globally active diversified company with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business. The Material division encompasses fibers & textiles, petrochemicals, performance polymers, performance materials, consumables, battery separators, and electronic devices. The Homes division provides housing and construction materials to the Japanese market. The Health Care division includes pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and acute critical care devices and systems. With approximately 34,000 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries.

Asahi Kasei is „Creating for Tomorrow“ with all operations sharing a common mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world.
For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/asahi/en/

Company contact
Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH
Sebastian Schmidt
Am Seestern 4
40547 Düsseldorf
Phone: +49 (0)211 280 68 139
E-Mail: Sebastian.Schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu

Press contact
financial relations GmbH
Henning Küll
Louisenstraße 97
61348 Bad Homburg
Telefon: +49 (0) 6172 27159 12
Phone: +49 (0) 175 903 42 29
E-Mail: h.kuell@financial-relations.de

The Asahi Kasei Group is a diversified group of companies led by Asahi Kasei Corp., with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business sectors. Asahi Kasei distributes its innovative technologies and unique materials on markets worldwide.
With more than 30,000 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries. Asahi Kasei is „Creating for Tomorrow“ with all operations sharing a common mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world.

Company-Contact
Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH
Sebastian Schmidt
Am Seestern 4
40547 Düsseldorf
Phone: +49 (0)211 280 68 139
E-Mail: Sebastian.Schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu
Url: https://www.asahi-kasei.eu/

Press
financial relations GmbH
Henning Küll
Louisenstraße 97
61348 Bad Homburg
Phone: +49 (0) 6172 27159 12
E-Mail: h.kuell@financial-relations.de
Url: http://www.financial-relations.de