Syzygy Plasmonics, LOTTE Chemical and LOTTE Fine Chemical (LOTTE Chemical HQ), and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) announced a joint development agreement to test a fully electric chemical reactor for clean hydrogen production. The reactor will be installed and brought online in the second half of 2023 at LOTTE Chemical HQ facilities in Ulsan, South Korea. The agreement is a clear identifier of LOTTE Chemical HQ and SCOA as early adopters of disruptive technology and reinforces their position as leading the effort to decarbonize Korea.
Syzygy’s technology offers a new way to electrify chemical manufacturing and eliminate emissions.
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With the announcement of their 2030 Vision in May 2022, LOTTE Chemical HQ defined clear pathways and directives for leading decarbonization efforts while simultaneously achieving record revenue growth. Among other climate-focused goals, the company is setting the stage to advance the hydrogen economy in Korea. Plans include importing green ammonia that can be readily transported and stored before it is converted into clean hydrogen with expectations of generating 1.2 million tons of hydrogen per year domestically by 2030.
The traditional thermal “cracking” of ammonia uses high heat and pressure to convert it to hydrogen gas. The heat required to drive this process is achieved by burning fossil fuels, making ammonia cracking extremely carbon intensive. Using fully electric reactors gives hydrogen producers a way to reduce or eliminate their reliance on combustion as the energy source for processing ammonia.
SCOA first invested in Syzygy in 2019 and since that time, the companies have worked together to deploy its cutting-edge technologies. A pioneer in industrial decarbonization, Syzygy has developed platform reactor technology that uses light from ultra-high-efficiency LEDs to power chemical reactions by removing the need for heat from burning fuel, which is how traditional carbon intensive chemical reactors are powered. Syzygy’s process offers a new way to electrify chemical manufacturing and eliminate emissions associated with powering chemical processes. The company has demonstrated through extensive lab and pre-commercial-scale testing its ability to efficiently split ammonia and produce hydrogen gas without combustion. Development results show the technology will not only reduce the carbon footprint of hydrogen production, but it will also help reduce costs. The LOTTE Chemical HQ installation marks the first time the technology will be deployed at a commercial scale.