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Two Bayer Processes Among Finalists for German Innovation Prize

Nov. 12, 2013

German federal government to present the awards in early December.

Two Bayer processes are among the finalists for the German Innovation Prize for Climate and the Environment. The first nominee is a technology that requires vastly less energy for the production of chlorine, an important basic chemical. The other finalist is a method for using carbon dioxide for the production of plastics with the goal of conserving petroleum.

The German Ministry for Education and Research and the Federation of German Industry will present the award in Berlin on Dec. 3.

A total of 15 sustainable product and process innovations have reached the final round. They were chosen from 97 entries by a jury of experts from industry, academia, the media and government.

Bayer’s chlorine process reduces the very large amount of energy required to obtain the basic chemical by as much as 30 percent versus conventional processes, the company said. Chlorine is a primary base material in the chemical industry and is needed for two-thirds of all its products, including plastics, medicines and crop protection agents.

The new oxygen depolarized cathode technology was developed by Bayer Material Science in collaboration with ThyssenKrupp Uhde/UDENORA. It was recently made available worldwide following successful testing.

The other finalist is a method for using the greenhouse gas CO2 for the production of high-quality plastics. The CO2 replaces a portion of the fossil fuels, such as petroleum.

Find more information at www.materialscience.bayer.com.