Sojitz Corporation (“Sojitz”), together with Tokuyama Corporation (“Tokuyama”) and NanoMist Technologies Co., Ltd. (“NanoMist Technologies”), has been notified that it will be selected for a New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (“NEDO”) consignment project designed to develop and propagate carbon recycling technologies: “Development of Technologies for Carbon Recycling and Next-Generation Thermal Power Generation / Development of Technologies for CO₂ Reduction and Utilization / Development of Technologies for CO₂ Utilization in Carbonates, Concrete Products, and Concrete Structures.”

This is a three-year project that will run through the 2022 fiscal year. The project seeks to achieve the cost reduction of CO₂ separation and capture, as well as its reuse, which are technological issues announced in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s roadmap*¹ for carbon recycling technologies. Currently, CO₂ derived from limestone combustion is used as a raw material in the production process of carbonates (soda ash). But in this project, it is our aim that CO₂ in the combustion exhaust gas of coal-fired power plants can be absorbed by a technically developed NanoMist*² and used as a replacement raw material for carbonate production, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions.

Through this project, Sojitz will try to solve social issues in countries around the world by realizing the early implementation of carbon recycling in society with new Japanese-developed technologies.

As a global company, Sojitz Group considers environmental issues a crucial topic to be addressed in its management moving forward. Striving for a sustainable society, we will work to preserve the environment and prevent pollution in our business activities, while creating businesses that are both highly competitive and environmentally friendly.

＜Roles of each company＞
・Sojitz　　　　　　　　 ：Project management, feasibility evaluation, LCA evaluation
・Tokuyama　　　　　　 ：Development of CO₂ extraction technology, engineering work
・NanoMist Technologies：Development of CO₂ absorption technology using a fine mist
・All three companies　 ：Formulation of conceptual designs, development of CO₂ absorbent materials

*1）Announced in June 2019, the roadmap identifies cost reduction for separating and capturing CO₂ as a technological target to be reached by 2030 (1,000 to 2,000 JPY per ton of CO₂).
*2）Originally developed by NanoMist Technologies, ultrasonic waves are used to atomize an aqueous solution to a particle size of five micrometers or less. By making the solution into a ‘NanoMist’, the surface area is increased, thereby improving CO₂ absorption efficiency and reducing costs.

[Related Information]

[Project Overview】

Company Overview – Tokuyama Corporation

Established	February 1918
Located	1-1 Mikage-cho, Shunan-shi, Yamaguchi
Representative Director	Hiroshi Yokota, President and Executive Officer
Main Business	Manufacturing and sale of… ・Chemicals Division: Soda, chlor-alkali, PVC, NOC ・Special Products Division: Electronics materials (polycrystalline silicon), dry silica, high-purity chemicals for the electronics industry, aluminum nitride ・Cement Division: Cement business and Recycling & Environment business ・Life Amenity Division: Fine chemicals, microporous film, synthetic resin film, ion exchange membranes, dental materials

Company Overview – NanoMist Technologies Co., Ltd.

Established	October 2002
Located	635-1 Kizu, Muya-cho, Naruto-shi, Tokushima
Representative Director	Kazuo Matsuura, President & CEO
Main Business	Development, manufacture, and sale of… ・Atomization and separation equipment ・Sewage purification equipment ・Hot spring concentrators ・VOC recovery and recycling equipment ・Fine powder manufacturing equipment