S Korea unveils strategy to promote circular economy
South Korea unveiled a strategy on 21 June to promote a circular economy across nine major industries, aimed at reducing carbon emissions and stabilising the domestic supply chain of key resources.
The relevant industries include petrochemicals, steel, non-ferrous metals, batteries, electronics, textiles, automobiles, machinery and cement.
South Korea's circular economy strategy will focus on recycling resources in the nine industries to promote and achieve sustainable growth, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Motie). It will initiate its circular economy strategy by creating nine leading projects within these industries, called the circular economy (CE) 9 project.
"The key is to use fewer resources to produce products, use them for a long time and recycle resources after use," said Motie.
Motie will organise and operate a consultative body involving related ministries to review ways that by-products of production processes can be used. The government will also support the setting up of domestic and foreign renewable raw material supply chains. Motie will also advance a national integrated resource management system, create a resource efficiency rating system and a renewable raw material certification system, as well as identify companies that embody circular economy practices to lay the foundation to promote such projects.
Project aims
The first two projects involve the petrochemical industry, with the first aiming to expand pyrolysis oil production. The country hopes to accomplish this by revising laws and regulations that are necessary to promote pyrolytic oil projects, such as the Petroleum and Alternative Fuel Business Act. South Korea also aims to expand infrastructure to secure plastic waste resources.
The second project involves developing technologies such as waste plastic depolymerisation and plasma pyrolysis. It will also provide consulting and facility support for companies looking to convert to the recycling business.
The third and fourth projects are in the steel and non-ferrous metal sectors, with the third project seeking to maximise the use of iron scrap. It will achieve this by recognising steel scrap as a recyclable resource, advancing technology involved in the scrap recycling process and securing overseas scrap.
The fourth project is focused on the recycling of rare metals. Supply and demand patterns of 28 rare metals will be identified by analysing their supply chains. The project will also develop technology for purifying and extracting environmentally-friendly, high-purity rare metals, as well as set up a demonstration facility. This is in line with an earlier plan South Korea released in February to stabilise domestic supply of key metals.
The fifth project will create a foundation for reuse and recycling in the battery sector. A reusable battery safety inspection system and electric vehicle battery history management system will be implemented under this project. The sixth project will promote the production and use of recycled raw materials in the battery sector, by developing technology used to recover lithium and nickel — among other battery materials — from used batteries.
The seventh project will expand eco-design in the electronics and textile industries.
The eighth project is aimed at boosting exports of remanufactured products in the auto and machine industry. This will be done by remanufacturing ageing construction and industrial machinery to be exported to southeast Asia and central Asia. Direct exports or local production of the products will be supported by intergovernmental co-operation projects.
The last and ninth project is geared towards securing alternative fuel and raw materials in cement production.
The circular economy is "attracting attention as a future growth engine," Motie said, with the ministry citing consultancy Accenture's expectations that the market size will increase to $4.5 trillion by 2030.
Related news posts
Japan’s Daio Paper to explore biorefinery
Japan’s Daio Paper to explore biorefinery
Tokyo, 13 May (Argus) — Japanese paper manufacturer Daio Paper is planning a trial biorefinery, aiming to begin commercial production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), second-generation bioethanol and biodegradable plastic feedstock by the April 2032-March 2033 fiscal year. Daio, in partnership with domestic biorefinery venture Green Earth Institute (GEI), plans to develop technology to demonstrate manufacturing the bioproducts by 2030. Daio Paper plans to use wooden biomass, waste paper and paper sludge as feedstock. The company declined to disclose any planned commercial output capacity, as well as location of the biorefinery. The project is financed by Japan's state-owned research institute Nedo. Daio Paper is attempting to achieve decarbonisation, while weakening paper demand has forced the industry to seek new business opportunities. Fellow Japanese paper producer Nippon Paper has also tried to develop biorefinery technology with GEI, targeting to begin commercial production of bioethanol for SAF and petrochemical feedstock by 2027-28. By Nanami Oki Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
China, US pledge joint methane action at climate talks
China, US pledge joint methane action at climate talks
San Francisco, 13 May (Argus) — The US and China have pledged to further co-operate on methane reduction, among other topics, following a first meeting between the countries' new climate envoys in Washington during 8-9 May. The meeting follows video conferencing between the two sides in January under their "working group on enhancing climate action in the 2020s" initiative. China and the US reaffirmed their 2021 agreement to co-operate on reducing carbon emissions in the power generation sector, cutting methane emissions and boosting renewable energy in the " Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis " last November in San Francisco. China confirmed the appointment of Liu Zhenmin to replace Xie Zhenhua as the country's climate advsior in January. Liu's US counterpart John Podesta replaced John Kerry in January. Liu and Podesta discussed co-operation "on multilateral issues related to promoting a successful COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan" at the latest talks, the US state department said on 10 May. They also discussed issues identified in the Sunnylands statement, including energy transition, methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, the circular economy and resource efficiency, deforestation,as well as low-carbon and sustainable provinces, states and cities. They plan to co-host a second event on reducing methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases in Baku and "conduct capacity building on deploying abatement technologies". It remains to be seen how the two new climate advisors will bring the two countries closer in climate negotiations. The Sunnylands statement and the close relationship of their predecessors were instrumental in bringing consensus at last year's Cop 28 UN climate summit in Dubai. China released a much anticipated methane plan last November, although Xie has flagged challenges with data monitoring in the sector. But China and the US have agreed to develop and improve monitoring to "achieve significant methane emissions control and reductions in the 2020s". China has also not signed on to the Global Methane Pledge to cut methane emissions by 30pc by 2030, from 2020 levels. The country's emissions may also rise more than expected after it redefined its meaning of energy intensity, according to the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Argus launches US low-carbon methanol pricing
Argus launches US low-carbon methanol pricing
Houston, 10 May (Argus) — Argus Media today launched pricing instruments for the US low-carbon methanol sector. Argus assessed US low-carbon methanol at $990.7/t fob USGC this week, down by $10.05/t from last week amid softening global markets. European bio-methanol prices slipped by $11/t to $1,080/t this week. The price had been as high as $1,100/t on 17 April. The calculated cost of USGC low-carbon methanol production stood at $1464.7/t, down by $16.55/t from last week. Weaker RINs cost offset higher natural gas prices this week. Low-carbon methanol is attracting widespread attention from multiple industrial sectors because it offers a decarbonization route both for the chemical industry's traditional end-uses and for reducing the sulphur content and carbon footprint of shipping, where it can be used as a bunker fuel. Rather than a specific bio-methanol, green methanol, blue methanol or an e-methanol price, the nomenclature of a comprehensive low-carbon methanol price was determined to be the best approach. In discussions with market participants, feedback indicated an initial wide approach was necessary in the emerging USGC low-carbon methanol market space. Developing technologies that are still in a nascent stage, if split, would segment the market and stifle price generation and transparency, said one trader. The all-encompassing approach allows the Argus US Low-Carbon Methanol price to develop as a standard price index. "It's the molecule that matters," the trader said. Moving forward, this would allow the price discovery process to progress as production volumes grow, and then, if necessary, adjust methodology to reflect the developing market. For more information about this new pricing service, please contact US methanol senior reporter Steven McGinn at steven.mcginn@argusmedia.com. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Mexican power outages enter fourth day
Mexican power outages enter fourth day
Mexico City, 10 May (Argus) — Mexican power grid operator Cenace issued its fourth consecutive day of operating alerts amid the heatwave gripping the country. Net electricity demand reached 47,321MW early today, with deployed electricity capacity slightly below at 47,233 MW, according to Cenace. Since 7 May, Cenace has declared emergency operating alerts as demand exceeded generation capacity during peak evening hours, prompting the grid operator to preemptively cut electricity supply across different states to maintain grid integrity. Power outages have lasted up to several hours in Mexico City and in major industrial states as power demand has outstripped supply by up to 1,000MW. Peak demand this week hit 49,000MW, just below last year's historic peak of 53,000MW during atypical temperatures in June. "We are very concerned about the unprecedented outages detected across 21 states, a situation that affects the normal functioning of Mexican companies," national business chamber Coparmex said. Peak electricity demand typically rises in June-July but temperatures this week have risen as high as 48°C (118° F) across some states. Mexico City reported a record high of 34.3°C on 9 May and high temperatures are forecast to continue into next week, Mexico's national weather service said. The inability of Mexico's grid to respond to increased demand is because of insufficient power generation capacity, non-profit think-tank the Mexican institute for competitiveness (Imco) said this week. "Despite the energy ministry's forecast that 22,000MW of new power capacity would enter service by 2026, only 1,483MW had entered service as of 2022" since late 2018, Imco said. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's administration pledged to build new generation capacity, including five gas-fired, combined-cycle plants, but recognized this week that delays had contributed to the power outages. "We have an electricity generation deficit because some of the combined-cycle plants were delayed, but we are working on it and it will soon be resolved," Lopez Obrador said on 9 May. Lopez Obrador's government has also curtailed private sector power development during his administration. Mexico needs to upgrade and expand its transmission network, industry associations say. "In order to resolve this problem, we believe that a reopening of the electricity market to the private sector is imperative," Mexico's wind energy association, Amdee, said. Mexico has 87,130MW of installed capacity, with 39.5pc from combined-cycle gas-fired power plants and 31pc in renewable power, including wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass, according to the latest statistics from the energy ministry. By Rebecca Conan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Business intelligence reports
Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.
Learn more