Kanematsu : begins holding discussions with CARBON FLY and FCC on the joint creation of a carbon recycling business

　Kanematsu Corporation (hereinafter "Kanematsu") began holding discussions with CARBON FLY, Inc. (hereinafter "CARBON FLY") and F.C.C. Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "FCC") on the joint creation of a carbon recycling business with the aim of realizing a sustainable society.

■Background

　As part of the environmental efforts to realize a sustainable society, the world needs to achieve carbon neutrality and create a circular economy. In terms of current CO2 emissions, Japan produced 1.064 billion tons in fiscal year 2021 while the world produced 36.3 billion tons, both of which were historic records. While these circumstances demand measures to swiftly reduce emissions, the CO2 produced must also be captured, utilized and stored (CCUS). This field is drawing much attention and various research projects are being conducted on this topic around the world.

■Discussion topics

　Kanematsu began holding discussions on creating a carbon recycling business that will aim to realize a sustainable society.

　The business will develop technologies to capture the CO2 produced at chemical factories, extract carbon from the CO2, and produce carbon nanotube (CNT), a high-performance material. A method will simultaneously be developed to collect products that use CNT and recycle them once again into CNT raw materials. Kanematsu will be the hub for this business, but it will partner with organizations both in Japan and abroad, including chemical manufacturers who will supply the CO2 and universities that have technologies to separate and capture CO2. In this way, the business will construct an open structure supply chain.

　CARBON FLY possesses an original technology to manufacture CNT and is able to produce CNT that can be used for various purposes, such as for automotive components and lithium-ion battery conductive agents. CNT is already a material that reduces the volume of CO2 emissions* across a product's life cycle compared to other materials, but this business will aim to make it a green material that contributes even more to carbon neutrality by adding carbon recycling to the supply chain. Furthermore, the business's goal for the future is to produce CNT from thin air and make it the ultimate green material by utilizing direct air capture (DAC) technologies to capture CO2 from the air. This means the elements necessary to produce CNT--carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen--can all be captured from the air.

*CNT is produced using a process that emits less CO2 compared to other carbon fibers. In addition, CNT is stronger and more lightweight than iron or steel, which can reduce the volume of materials used. This makes the final product lighter and reduces CO2 emissions when the product is used (such as by improving fuel efficiency).

　Kanematsu, CARBON FLY, and FCC will contribute to realizing a sustainable society by developing a carbon recycling technology and supply chain that reuses CO2 to create a high-value-added green material, thereby providing a concrete solution to achieve carbon neutrality and create a circular economy.

*About CARBON FLY, Inc.

Established in January 2022, Carbon Fly is a startup that develops and manufactures CNT. Kanematsu and FCC jointly invested in the company in 2022.

CARBON FLY succeeded in developing a technology to control and mass produce high-quality CNT, which was a longstanding issue in the CNT industry. While CARBON FLY's CNT is ultra-high quality and mass productional multi-walled carbon nanotube(s), the company offers products that outperform single-walled high-performance CNT.

In addition to CNT powder that can be used for lithium-ion battery conductive agents, the company can also manufacture CNT fibers, CNT films and molded items.

The Kanematsu Group states under the "Metrics and Targets" category of its disclosure, which is based on recommendations of the TCFD, that in addition to reducing CO2 emissions produced by the Group, it will increase avoided emissions in its business--aiming for achieving carbon neutrality by 2025, becoming carbon negative by minus 150,000t-CO2 by 2030, and minus 1,000,000 t-CO2 by 2050.

[Contacts]

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