Recyclate integration progressed as PureCycle, Mitsui and RM TOHCELLO advanced trials to bring recycled polypropylene into BOPP film in Japan, aiming for a 2027 agreement. The ‘Full Circle’ advanced recycling facility at Bamble will process 33,000 t/y of plastic into cracker feed. BASF added REDcert² biomass‑balanced additives for architectural coatings. Brand-facing pilots broadened with PEF textile prototypes and a Phaenix pilot installation producing PHA‑rich biomass for extraction and application development.
SAF development diversified: France’s first industrial‑scale Jetanol SAF unit (50 kt/y) targets 2030. AlphaCore 400 microchannel Fischer–Tropsch reactor doubles unit capacity for synthetic‑fuel projects. In Central Asia, Topsoe and Sasol license G2L SAF technology for a 300 kt/y eSAF/SAF plant targeting 2030. Feedstock and use cases advanced via Acelen Renewables and Bunge (certified soybean oil supply) and Enilive HVOlution for BMW corporate fleets.
Electrolysis scale-up continued with the EIB lends €450m to OMV for Bruck green hydrogen plant (140 MW, 23 kt/y) to displace refinery gray H₂. Offtake matured through Lhyfe and Messer: 10-year renewable hydrogen supply deal. Low‑carbon ammonia progressed with Topsoe’s SynCOR Ammonia for Nebraska fertilizer.
Hard‑to‑abate sectors moved on capture and electrification via the Catch4Climate Pure Oxyfuel plant and the CI4C catch4climate flagship project, Salzgitter AG to acquire 100% of Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann to shift to EAF steel, and district heating using sewage‑sludge residual heat in Stavenhagen.
Upstream chemicals support expanded with DuPont launches end‑to‑end Direct Lithium Extraction portfolio and POSCO HOLDINGS ‘Triple‑core’ portfolio targeting Top‑5 lithium output by 2033. The EU adopted CRCF certification methodologies for carbon farming. Industrial utilities advanced via Sonatrach’s Ben M’Hidi desalination plant. Collaboration and R&D included the SOCAR and Technip Energies Italy MoU and Sinopec’s national science and technology awards for polyethylene process innovation.
On the U.S. Gulf Coast, OXEA FID for Bay City capacity expansion is paired with Air Liquide to invest $200M in Bay City POX unit for Oxea supply to deliver low‑carbon syngas and H₂. In pharma and bioprocessing, Evonik invests US$100 million to upgrade Tippecanoe Labs, Brenntag and Evonik REXIM agreed exclusive GMP amino acids distribution, and the eviCHO CHO‑K1 transient expression kit launched. Elkem Q2 2026 results highlighted cost reductions amid weak silicon pricing.
