Page 71 - Industrial Plants
P. 71

economic value. Di Amato explains: «In Italy we have
            already implemented this technology in an industrial
            plant in the province of Brescia. Managed by MyReplast
            Industries (a subsidiary of NextChem) the Bedizzole
            plant is currently one of the largest and most advanced
            in Europe: in one year we have transformed 40
            thousand tons of recycled polymers, equal to the
            plastic consumption of one million people. This activity
            has made it possible to save 270,000 barrels of oil per
            year, equivalent to about 8,500 tons of CO2».

               With the Circular Districts - says
                the Chairman - not only do we
              significantly increase the recycling
              rate of our country, but at the same
                time we reduce the emissions          At the end of September 2020, the Alliance for the
             altering climate, promote sustainable    Circular Economy comprising 17 companies (including
               mobility, create jobs, professional    NextChem) presented a position paper for the
                growth and new opportunities          development of a circular economic model. According
              for the territory and the companies     to the Alliance, a unique opportunity has arisen today
                         in the sector                to relaunch a coordinated and decisive commitment to
                                                      a new development model. «The Covid-19 crisis -
            As previously mentioned, the Circular District model is   explain the companies - reinforced what the climate
            particularly suitable for the green conversion of   crisis predicted and showed how systems (natural,
            traditional industrial sites with processes based on the   economic and social) are strongly interconnected:
            use of raw materials derived from fossil resources,   pursuing a circular economic model is not only an
            which would be replaced with feedstock derived from   obligation but an opportunity to relaunch the overall
            renewable and circular resources.         competitiveness of the country». The vision of the
                                                      Alliance calls for a circular development that starts from
            «The contribution to the decarbonization and green   the enhancement of Italian excellence, and which will
            conversion of brownfield industrial sites - says Di   be realized, on the one hand through the support of
            Amato - began with a project in collaboration with ENI   companies to promote sustainable innovation, and on
            for the Venice refinery with the aim of producing   the other hand through the involvement and support of
            Circular Hydrogen. Another project involves the refinery   the supply chains, in order to extend the useful life of
            of Livorno, where we will produce methanol again   products and  maintain  their  value. «Networking with
            using the same process, while in Taranto the Circular   the companies of the Alliance for the Circular Economy
            District model designed for the territory foresees the   - concluded Di Amato - allows us to compare these
            partial replacement of feedstock deriving from fossil   issues from  a  broader  perspective. The  aim  is  to
            resources,  currently  used  by  the  industries  of  the   provide a stimulus for these issues to grow in the
            industrial sector. The production of Circular Gas will be   economic world and in civil society».

               The valorization of consumption
             waste, the extension of the life cycle   Chemical Recycling
            of products, the use of secondary raw     The  technological  solution  developed  by  NextChem,
             materials for recycling and the use of   integrating several established technologies, combines
             energy from renewable resources all      two objectives, circular economy and decarbonisation.
             contribute to the definition of a model   On one side it provides for the domestic production of
              of sustainable development for the      chemicals that are currently imported from abroad. On
              environment and economic growth         another side, it allows the green relaunch of brownfield
                                                      industrial sites, with positive consequences for the
            placed in a context of industrial symbiosis, thanks to an   sector industries and employment.
            industrial district of excellence in which the   A central element of the technology platform is the
            infrastructure, facilities and skills of the former Ilva steel   chemical conversion of hydrogen and carbon contained
            plant and the Eni refinery remain».       in Plasmix (the waste discarded from sorted plastics)
                                                      and  RDF  (Refuse  Derived  Fuel  consisting  of  plastics

                                                                               IndustrIal Plants - September 2021
                                                                                                                   69
   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76