Net-Zero｜Pascal Chalvon Demersay
Date：2022-01-06
Source: China-Europe-America Wechat Official Account
(Click to Watch Video)
Solvay Chief Sustainability & Government Affairs Officer, Pascal Chalvon Demersay's Speech
With close to 50 million electric, hybrid, or hydrogen vehicles expected to be produced per year in the world by 2030, the chemical and material industry is an essential piece in the overall puzzle of this huge mobility transformation.
Thank you for inviting me to this “Smart Transportation and New Materials” session.
My name is Pascal Chalvon Demersay and I’m Chief Sustainability Government Affairs Officer for Solvay. Solvay was founded over 150 years ago and is now present in 64 countries with over 23,000 employees. We are a science company which offers a large portfolio of solutions, thanks to our technology and innovation. Our purpose: we bond people, ideas, and elements to reinvent progress, is a call to go beyond, to reinvent future forms of progress, and create sustainable shared value for all through the power of science.
The chemical industry has a key role in developing and mainstreaming critical building blocks to deliver sustainable mobility: the enablers. As members of the chemical industry, it is our objective to bring solutions regarding sustainable mobility.
Three key enablers for sustainable mobility: the first enabler is to provide low-carbon technologies. The chemical industry is engaged to reduce its own emissions, align greenhouse gas emissions with Paris Agreement & SBTis, phase out coal, reduce pressure on biodiversity. At Solvay, we have announced the target of carbon neutrality scope 1+2 before 2050, with 2040 for most of our business lines.
The second enabler is developing a circular economy. Almost 50% of the carbon emission reduction in personal cars is anticipated to come from circular supply chains.
The third enabler is the sustainable demand. Downstream customers accelerate sustainability commitment as they create a pull for greener products. Partnerships and transparency across the value chain - embarking suppliers and customers with us - is also essential.
But there are also significant barriers to sustainable mobility. First, the need for massive investments in infrastructure, in terms of freight, energy, pipes & fluid transport, and digitalization.
Second, access to competitive decarbonized energy, essential for the massive electrification of the industry.
Third, the absence of a global playing field for carbon markets. Differences in carbon cost and risk of carbon leakage lead to complex compensation mechanisms and slowdowns cooperation. Currently, only 15% of the world's emissions are covered by a carbon price, Europe's EUA is getting close to 100€/t, while China's price is around 100 RMB/t and the USA carbon market only exists in a few states.
Looking at the automotive industry trends, the chemical and material industry is providing sustainable mobility solutions. Three examples.
First one, lightweighting. Thermoplastic battery design concept offers potential to increase power density by 23% and reduce weight by 55%, by replacing incumbent metallic design.
Second, electrification. Solvay is a key materials solutions supplier in the electrical vehicle market. We provide solutions for e-motors, e-drive, power electronics that improve safety, power, and efficiency.
Third, low carbon footprint value chain. For example, Solvay’s Amodel Bios: partially bio-based using castor oil, which is non-competitive with feedstock crop, and produced with 100% renewable electricity.
Let us have a more specific look at batteries. Solvay has a wide portfolio of specialty polymers formulated to provide Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries cells.
Solef® PVDF improves the performance and durability of electric vehicles, providing higher battery energy density, safety, and power, successfully used on Solar Impulse, the solar plane, during its flight around the world.
Next-generation of batteries, too. Solvay is advancing its innovation power in the electric vehicle market, leading the development of advanced inorganic materials for solid electrolytes, a key component of solid-state batteries, and accelerating the scale-up of these materials. Full operation is anticipated for Q2 of next year.
Battery recycling, finally, is a key challenge for the industry. The Renault-Solvay-Veolia consortium, or alliance, is a systemic partnership benchmark in the industry as it spans the entire value chain: from electrical vehicle manufacturing through battery recycling, with Li, Co, Ni metal extraction and purification, thanks to Solvay’s technology.
Let us turn now to hydrogen technologies. Solvay has launched the Hydrogen Platform in 2021 to organize all Solvay’s products, materials, and technologies relevant to the green hydrogen economy.
The majority, over 90%, of fuel cells are based on proton exchange membranes technology in which Solvay’s Aquivion® ionomer solution is a key element for proton exchange membranes and electrode binders.
Solvay leverages its broad advanced materials portfolio and know-how offering and continuously developing high-performing solutions for balance of stack, balance of plant, and hydrogen tank solutions for Fuel Cell Electrical Vehicles.
Green hydrogen will be one of the most competitive low carbon solutions for transportation applications in the future, starting with heavy trucks.
Solvay has also joined the Hydrogen Council, a global CEO-led initiative that brings together leading companies with a united vision and long-term ambition for hydrogen to foster the clean energy transition.
Let us conclude on the importance to build global partnerships. Our chemical and materials industry is global, the supply chains are all interconnected, the sustainable mobility trends we observe are true in all regions, China, Europe, Americas where technology champions are competing.
Technological partnerships are needed along the value chain and across the planet to contribute fully and efficiently towards a sustainable future, creating an efficient and viable circular ecosystem.
The challenges of the planet are huge: climate warming, nature degradation, partnerships, and cooperation are boosters to speed up innovation, technology development, and deployment, and make them affordable to build a better world.
Thank you for your attention.
