A key technology in the long-term strategy for fighting climate change, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is at the heart of this collaboration between Air Liquide and its partner BASF.
We are planning to develop the world’s largest cross-border CCS value chain, including all the stages of carbon capture, from drying and compressing to liquefaction and storage at sea. Air Liquide will use its CryocapTM technology to capture and purify the CO2, and BASF will apply its Sorbead® solution for drying the CO2 which will be transported via pipelines on both banks of the Scheldt River to a liquefaction terminal. We are tackling hard-to-abate emissions, from chemical processes where there is currently no other way of avoiding CO2 emissions. This will lead to an estimated 14.2 million metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided over the first ten years of Kairos@C’s operation. The infrastructure in the port of Antwerp will be available to other industrial players in the region as well.
It certainly is! Importantly, Kairos@C is the first complete value chain of its kind. Besides sequestering CO2 at scale from the moment we go operational, we will deliver proof of concept to other regions. Alone, this work would be impossible to do, but through this partnership we are able to create a large-scale structure with which we can launch the value chain process and attract other industrial players. The fact that we were chosen among seven selected projects, out of 300 applicants, for funding by the EU Innovation Fund is a testament to our innovation power and the maturity of this project, as well as the strength of our partnership.
Air Liquide is contributing gas capturing and liquefaction technology expertise that is central to the process, and BASF is bringing in knowledge, experience and contacts that help Air Liquide further develop the project. We collaborate on the technical and strategic levels. We regularly review and adjust our strategy, notably through technical reviews. This is nothing new for us, as our companies have been working together in Antwerp since the early 1960s. Each partner concentrates on its own strengths, which feeds the growth of complementary expertise and a mutually beneficial relationship.
With its commitment to delivering exceptional customer experience, in 2017, Air Liquide launched the Voice of the Customer platform. This digital tool is used to collect and analyze feedback from customers and patients across the world in real time, meaning any dissatisfaction can be swiftly remedied. The platform gives each Group entity the ability to measure customer and patient satisfaction in a spirit of continued improvement and transparency. More than 200,000 customers and patient reviews have already been posted on the platform, which has been rolled out in over 60 countries.
To help hospitals and health centers manage medical gases, Air Liquide has developed a fully customized solution, Total Gas Management (TGM), which handles all medical gas operations. Airgas, the U.S. subsidiary of Air Liquide, works with 400+ hospitals and healthcare locations around the country to support them in optimizing their supply, monitor parameters and handle all logistics. This allows caregivers to focus on patients and hospitals to operate at peak efficiency. This service was especially pertinent during intake peaks during the Covid-19 pandemic as order volumes, internal protocols and PPE(1)requirements rapidly changed.
