Energy-Related Businesses in Several Global Chemical Companies

In a previous blog, I showed the reporting segment names used by 38 global chemical companies.  (Click here to see that blog.)   Two of the 38 companies have energy in one of their reporting segments names (Sumitomo and Umicore).   

In this blog, I provide brief descriptions in the table below on those two companies’ (Sumitomo and Umicore) energy-related businesses.  I also reviewed the annual reports of the other 36 companies as to what energy-related businesses they have, even though they have no reporting business segments with energy in the name.  The other companies that indicate energy-related businesses are also presented in the table below, along with brief descriptions of their energy-related businesses based on my review of the companies’ annual reports.  Altogether, 21 of the 38 companies indicate energy-related businesses, and 17 of the 38 companies report no energy-related businesses and are not listed in the table below. 

 

company	energy-related businesses
air products	gasses for refineries	gasses for energy producers
akzo nobel	coatings for wind turbines
albemarle	lithium for batteries	catalysts for petroleum refining
arkema	materials for batteries	additives for reducing energy needed for asphalt	chemistries to improve photovoltaic cells	polymer recycling	insulation materials	improved agents to reduce tire friction
asahi kasei	battery materials
basf	performance chemicals used in refining	performance chemicals used in gas extraction
celanese	products used in energy storage
clariant	catalysts used in hydrogen production by renewable energy	converting agricultural residues to biofuels
covestro	additives for improving insulating forms
dow	chemicals for improving energy exploration, recovery	chemicals for refining
evonik	improving renewable energy generation
huntsman	improved insulating materials
linde	gases for energy production
mitsubishi	battery materials
nitto denko	materials for wind energy generation	filtration technologies for oil drilling
olin	epoxy products for wind energy systems
shin-etsu	battery materials
sumitomo	energy and functional materials is a reporting segment	battery materials
toray	battery materials	carbon fibers for wind turbines
umicore	energy technologies is a reporting segment	battery materials	fuel cell technologies
wacker	silicon-based products for solar industry

 

I believe the following are some interesting conclusions based on the information above: 

• Many global chemical companies recognize that energy generation, storage, efficiencies, and other energy-related activities represent business opportunities for their company skills and technologies. 
• Many of the businesses identified in the table above are non-fossil fuel, renewable energy-related business pursuits.   This suggests that chemical companies are likely to make important contributions to global renewable energy goals. 
• Many chemical companies likely will benefit significantly from governmental policies directed at increasing renewable energy production.