New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Transition to a sustainable future
27/7/2022
6 min read
Feature
Petrochemicals is one of the largest and most greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive industry sectors, but it has ambitions to become climate neutral by 2050. Brian Davis reports on key European initiatives.
The European petrochemical industry’s goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050 is a big challenge, according to Frans Stokman, Executive Director of Petrochemicals Europe, part of the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic).
He maintains that the sector is dealing with a quadruple challenge, namely:
• Reaching climate neutrality.
• Achieving a circular economy.
• Undergoing digital transformation.
• Implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS).
The challenges are being tackled under the European Green Deal, for which Stokman has identified several priority areas including electrification, feedstocks, the need for a level playing field with carbon pricing; carbon neutrality; energy efficiency; implementing the CSS and sustainable products; recycling; innovation; and carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS).