Dow resumes green PE project

Andrew Liveris, CEO of Midland, Mich., U.S.A.-based Dow Chemical Co., said the company is resuming its green polyethylene (PE) resins project in Brazil, a US$1 billion investment that would use ethanol from sugarcane as raw material. Liveris says the Brazilian expertise in ethanol makes the country ideal for such a project. Dow has entered into a contract with ERB (Eenergias Renovaveis do Brasil) that would supply it with vapor for 18 years and energy to the Aratu (Bahia) complex. ERB is supplying vapor from eucalyptus trees chips, allowing savings of 180,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide. ERB is to set up a 160 million real (US$) plant next to the Aratu complex, and should start operations by mid-2013. (December 2, 2010)