Industry: Chemicals & Plastics

In a significant milestone for aviation decarbonization, the methanol-to-jet (MTJ) pathway for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production received approval last month under ASTM D7566 Annex A5. Exhibit 1 below shows all the approved SAF production pathways. The approval also includes e-methanol produced via power-to-liquid (PtL) processes using renewable electricity and captured CO₂ as an eligible […]

In the July 2026 edition, we examine how carbon regulation, portfolio optimization, and emerging technologies are reshaping the chemical industry. The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is increasing cost pressure on emissions-intensive imports and accelerating the shift toward lower-carbon supply chains, while evolving chemical regulations continue to influence compliance and sustainability strategies. Meanwhile, investments, […]

Liquid bulk storage operators are entering a more selective growth cycle. Demand remains resilient across fuels, chemicals, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas liquids (NGLs), biofuels, ammonia, and methanol. Increasingly, value is shifting toward terminals that can handle a broader range of products, connect to major trade routes, and generate higher returns from existing assets. […]

Specialty metallocene resins have emerged as a resilient bright spot in a structurally oversupplied petrochemical landscape where standard polyolefins face historically low margins at a 15-year trough. Driven by our ongoing market tracking and newly updated Multi-Client Study on Global Polyolefin Elastomers and Plastomers, ADI Chemical Market Resources has mapped three critical trends reshaping the current mPOE […]

In the June 2026 edition, we highlight how evolving regulatory frameworks and technology innovation are accelerating the transition to low‑carbon and high‑performance solutions across the chemical industry. The IMO’s approval of ammonia fuel safety guidelines and China’s tightening carbon accounting standards signal growing momentum behind decarbonization, while advances in battery materials and thermal management solutions […]

The global blue ammonia market is rapidly expanding, driven by increasingly stringent decarbonization policies and regulations that promote the production and adoption of low-carbon ammonia. Examples include the European Union’s (EU) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which incentivizes low-carbon ammonia production by imposing a carbon cost on imports based on their embedded emissions. Besides, the […]

For much of the 20th century, R&D was viewed as a long-term investment in scientific discovery, often insulated from day-to-day operational pressures. Success was measured in patents, breakthrough technologies, and the promise of future growth. Today, that view no longer holds. Across energy, chemicals, and broader industrial sectors, R&D has been reshaped by a combination […]

Ammonia has increasingly emerged as a potential low-carbon marine fuel to support decarbonization in the maritime sector due to its carbon-free combustion profile. However, compared to methanol, ammonia has lagged behind in commercial adoption as a low-carbon marine fuel. This is primarily due to its toxicity, which requires more complex storage and handling systems, as […]

On April 7, 2026, the European Commission announced the first official Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) certificate price for Q1 2026 at €75.36 per tonne of CO2 equivalent (~$88/t CO2e), marking the EU’s first explicit carbon price applied to imported goods. This rate will be applied to the embedded emissions in CBAM-covered imports and is […]

Immersion cooling fluids are taking on more importance as data‑center operators deploy higher‑power artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. Rack densities are increasing faster than traditional air systems can accommodate, and liquid cooling is now part of the design discussion for many new builds and retrofits. In that context, fluid properties affect reliability, […]

Part of ADI Analytics’ ongoing coverage of the implications of the Iran conflict across oil & gas, LNG, refined products, and chemicals. The UAE’s exit from OPEC (see our prior blog) in late April 2026 reflects a decisive shift toward a volume‑driven strategy focused on monetizing its hydrocarbon resource base ahead of the global energy […]

Part of ADI Analytics’ ongoing coverage of the implications of the Iran conflict across oil & gas, LNG, refined products, and chemicals. On April 28, 2026, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it was quitting the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the producer group created in 1960 to coordinate and unify petroleum supply […]