Dow announced that its board of directors has declared Final Investment Decision on the company’s Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero investment to build a net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions-integrated ethylene cracker and derivatives facility in Alberta, Canada.  

The $6.5 billion project, excluding governmental incentives and subsidies, includes building a new ethylene cracker and increasing polyethylene capacity by 2 million MTA as well as retrofitting the site’s existing cracker to net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions. 

The investment will decarbonize 20% of Dow’s global ethylene capacity.

This new capacity will enable Dow to meet the growing customer demand in packaging, infrastructure and hygiene, with potential additional value captured from commercializing low and zero-emissions products. 

The board’s approval enables the company to begin construction in 2024. 

To achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions, the Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project will deploy Linde’s air separation and autothermal reformer technology to convert the site’s cracker off-gas to hydrogen, which will be used as a clean fuel to supply the site’s furnaces. In addition, carbon dioxide emissions will be captured and stored, reducing existing emissions by approximately 1 million MTA of CO2e while abating all emissions from the addition of the site’s new capacity.

“The project serves as a leading example that industrial decarbonization is both possible and profitable,” said Jim Fitterling, Dow Chair and CEO, in a statement. “The opportunity to decarbonize our assets while driving growth is central to Dow’s business strategy. All our stakeholders benefit from this investment – creating value for our customers and shareholders, new opportunities for our employees, economic growth for the community, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions for the environment.”