Covestro Achieves Major Milestone in Climate Neutrality with 99% Emission Reduction

Recently, Covestro announced significant progress toward its Scope 1 climate neutrality goal at its Baytown, Texas facility. The new initiative, named NAUCI (Nitric Acid Unit Climate Initiative), has successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the plant's nitric acid unit by 99%, leading to an overall 60% reduction in Scope 1 emissions at the site.

Thorsten Dreier, Covestro's Chief Technology Officer, emphasized the company’s commitment to achieving climate neutrality in operations by 2035. He stated, "This project is particularly inspiring not only for its substantial impact on our Scope 1 emissions but also because it was implemented solely for environmental benefits and to support our sustainability strategy."

Nitric acid is a crucial raw material in the production of MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) and TDI (toluene diisocyanate), which are key components in polyurethane applications found in mattresses, furniture, energy-efficient insulation, and automotive seating.

Historically, nitric acid production has been a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, making it a focal point in Covestro's decarbonization efforts for over a decade. The newly implemented NAUCI project is expected to reduce approximately 195,000 tons of CO2 equivalent annually. When combined with previous nitric acid reduction projects, the total annual reduction could approach 900,000 tons of CO2 equivalent.

Victor Ortega, Plant Manager at Baytown and Senior Vice President of Functional Materials and Operations for North America, remarked, "Projects like NAUCI are helping us meet our Scope 1 targets. I believe our ongoing efforts will lead to even greater success as we strive for climate neutrality by 2035. I look forward to seeing the lasting positive impact this project will have on both the plant and the Baytown community in the coming years."

Covestro aims for climate neutrality in both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions at its Baytown facility by 2035.