Celanese Earns Certification for Its Low-carbon CCU Methanol Under ISCC CFC System

TAGS:  Sustainability / Natural Coatings    

Celanese, as part of its Fairway Methanol joint venture with Mitsui, announces that the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) has certified its low-carbon CCU (carbon capture and utilization) methanol under the ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (CFC) system.

70% Carbon Footprint Reduction in Methanol Production

The newly certified low-carbon CCU methanol demonstrates a greater than 70% reduction in carbon footprint. This is relative to a global average benchmark for fossil-based methanol production, as included in EU legislation.

Celanese began operating one of the largest active CCU facilities in the world at its Clear Lake, Texas, site in January 2024. By leveraging CCU, Celanese now offers customers low-carbon options across its Acetyl Chain and Engineered Materials products under the ECO-CC name.

CCU takes CO₂ industrial emissions that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere. It applies reduced-carbon-intensity hydrogen to chemically convert the captured CO₂ into a methanol building block used for downstream production.

“We’re proud to be the first to receive ISCC CFC certification for CCU materials. This allows us to strengthen our ability to offer customers a wider range of lower-carbon footprint products,” said Kevin Norfleet, global sustainability director, Acetyls at Celanese.

“This is another step Celanese has taken to provide third-party validation of sustainable product benefits while helping our customers to meet the growing demand for more sustainable solutions,” added Norfleet.

Tracking Sustainable Feedstocks & CO₂ Capture Benefits

The ISCC CFC system establishes a structure and methodology to validate appropriate accounting for the CO₂ capture benefits of the CCU process as well as tracking sustainable feedstocks using the mass balance system.

“We have observed an increasing interest, especially from the chemical industry, in certifying the carbon footprint of their products and making credible claims towards their customers. With our new carbon footprint certification, we provide the respective solution,” said Jan Henke, director ISCC and MEO Carbon Solutions.

“For us, the integration of CCU and CCS into the new certification is only the start. Step-by-step, we will optimize the scheme together with our stakeholders and taking into account existing standards,” added Henke.

Source: Celanese