Dow to Build Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Ethylene and Derivatives Complex
Subject to approval by Dow’s board of directors and various regulatory agencies, the investment would decarbonize approximately 20% of Dow’s global ethylene capacity while growing polyethylene supply by about 15%.
Dow recently announced its plan to build what it calls the world’s first net-zero carbon emissions integrated ethylene cracker and derivatives site, with respect to scope 1 and 2 carbon dioxide emissions. The project would more than triple Dow’s ethylene and polyethylene capacity from its Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, site while retrofitting the site’s existing assets to net-zero carbon emissions. The organic, brownfield investment would significantly increase Dow’s capacity of advantaged ethylene, polyethylene, and derivatives manufactured across Alberta. The company expects to allocate approximately $1 billion of capex annually to decarbonize its global asset base in a phased, site-by-site approach.
Dow expects the new brownfield ethylene cracker to add approximately 1.8 million metric tons of capacity in a phased manner through 2030. Along with derivatives capacity and site retrofit investments, this will reportedly enable the company to produce and supply approximately 3.2 million metric tons of certified low- to zero-carbon emissions polyethylene and ethylene derivatives for customers and joint venture partners around the globe.