nova Session: The Future of Refineries & Big Chemical Production Sites

Chemical Verbund sites and refineries are the backbone of the European industry, prosperity and comfort. But to match the urgency of action and tackle climate change seriously, a transformation of these large structures is indispensable. A sustainable development is only possible if chemistry decouples from fossil carbon sources. This transformation needs to happen quickly and on a large scale. If Europe’s chemical industry fails to transform, these structures could be lost and Europe will become totally dependent on China and the Gulf states. Politics plays a big role here, but is not fully aware of the big challenge and does not yet have comprehensive concepts for a chemical industry of the future.

What are the challenges in detail?

New feedstocks from biomass, biogenic waste, CO2 plus hydrogen, or even plastic waste via chemical recycling must be integrated.
The product portfolio has to change significantly. Much less gasoline and diesel fuels, but a strong focus on chemicals and derived materials.
Sustainable aviation fuel from biomass, CO2 and chemical recycling will probably be the first new large-volume application.
Naphtha and crackers: What will become of this pathway, is it to be redesigned and/or will other processes and intermediates become the starting point? Ethanol and methanol, lignin?
What role will electrochemistry play?

What are the solutions for a future-proof chemical industry in Europe? These questions will be discussed with leading experts from the industry and market and strategy research:

Michael Carus, nova-Institute (DE): Challenges for European Refineries and Big Chemical Sides for Transition to Renewable Carbon
Gillian Tweddle, nova-Institute (DE): Refineries – who needs them?
Hans Rovers, New Normal (NL): Collaboration needed to achieve 55% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050
Peter Orth, OPC (DE): Circular Feedstock for the Chemical and Plastics Industry – Needs and Expectations
Lars Börger, NESTE (FI): Renewable Carbon and future refinery concepts
Jörg Dehmel, Shell (DE): Energy Transformation – Shifting Towards Sustainable Chemicals and Energy Products in Shell’s Rheinland Site
Sylvain Verdier, Haldor Topsoe (DK): Technology innovation for the petrochemical industry transition: Topsoe story from green methanol to chemical recycling
Okko Ringena, UPM (DE/FI): Make it happen: Implementing a first-of-its-kind industrial scale biorefinery
Ludo Diels, VITO (BE): Lignin to aromatics and the role in a recycling economy

All speakers have confirmed to be on-site at the Wöllhaf Conference Center in the Airport Cologne/Bonn, Room 7, 31 March 2022, 10:00 – 17:00

Registration fee

On-site: 495 € (plus VAT)
Online: 395 € (plus VAT)

A maximum of 30 participants can be present on site. Please register quickly. From the 20th registration onwards, we will open a waiting list from which we will select the other 10 participants (e.g. only one person per company). Online, the number of participants is unlimited.

https://events.renewable-carbon.eu/refineries