- 3M is expanding its climate
technology portfolio with green hydrogen and low-carbon intensity
energy separation solutions
- Innovative 3M climate
solutions have potential to deliver scalable impact in critical
industries
- 3M demonstrates power of
people and science to create a bright future with its Climate
Innovation Center exposition during Climate Week NYC (Sept. 20-22)
ST.
PAUL, Minn., Sept. 20,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 3M
is expanding research and development into emerging technologies
focused on decarbonization and renewable fuels. Through
cross-functional global teams, 3M
Corporate Research and 3M Ventures,
the company's corporate venturing arm, 3M is investing in and developing innovative
materials for green hydrogen and low-carbon intensity energy
separations. Their work builds upon current climate-focused
solutions from 3M, which will be on
display at a temporary 3M Climate
Innovation Center during Climate Week NYC, Sept. 20-22.
"3M's diverse global portfolio and deep industry expertise
enables our company and our customers to address climate change
from both a mitigation and an adaptation perspective," said
John Banovetz, 3M executive vice president, chief technology
officer and environmental responsibility. "3Mers around the world
are collaborating and applying their extensive knowledge of science
and large-scale manufacturing to produce solutions for the most
pressing climate challenges. Science offers hope for a brighter
future, and we are making investments to help achieve it."
3M
developing solutions to lower carbon emissions
3M is applying materials science
that could make the production of green hydrogen more
cost-effective and efficient. Green hydrogen is a sustainable fuel
source that is produced with renewable energy and does not release
operational carbon emissions. This form of hydrogen could offer a
solution for sectors that are hard to decarbonize, such as steel
and long-haul transport. Leveraging support from the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE), 3M is
developing a catalyst technology used in water electrolysis, which
is the primary means of green hydrogen production.
- The innovative 3M™ Nanostructured Supported Iridium Catalyst
Powder reduces the amount of iridium, a rare precious metal, that
is required to meet the stringent efficiency and lifetime
requirements of water electrolyzers.
- The catalyst technology can result in substantial cost savings
for customers, reducing another barrier to the adoption and
expansion of green hydrogen production.
- Given that more than 95% of current hydrogen production is
fossil-fuel based, 3M anticipates a
substantial opportunity to address the needs of customers in the
field of green hydrogen, a $450
million market in 2021 that is expected to grow to
$4.3 billion by 2026.
3M is also using its deep
expertise in membrane separation technologies to explore new
applications in low-carbon intensity energy separations. While
membrane separations are established technologies in various
sectors—many of which 3M has advanced
—the company believes new solutions can improve and scale up
renewable fuel production, battery recycling and decarbonization
technologies like carbon capture.
This climate technology research would, when fully
commercialized, help expand 3M's portfolio of climate solutions,
which includes a major focus on automotive electrification, and
builds on external investments by 3M
Ventures, which include ongoing support of the TPG Rise Climate
fund.
3M
Climate Innovation Center at Climate Week NYC
To demonstrate the power of people and science to address
climate change, 3M solutions for
decarbonization, electrification, energy efficiency, waste
reduction, and sustainable infrastructure will be on interactive
display in New York City at The
Battery during Climate Week NYC, Sept. 20-22. These
innovations represent a portion of 3M's broader cross-industry
climate portfolio, which has the potential to deliver scalable
impact in some of the most critical industries, including
manufacturing, transportation, construction, and retail. In
addition to the green hydrogen catalyst technology, solutions that
will be on display include:
- 3M™ Passive Radiative Cooling Film: This innovative multi-layer
film enables 24/7 passive thermal management and 10-20% energy
savings when deployed on SkyCool Systems panels and integrated with
a building's HVAC or refrigeration system.
- 3M™ Sun Control Window Film Prestige Series: By rejecting up to
97% of the sun's infrared light and 60% of the heat coming through
a window, this film offers energy savings and solar protection
while maintaining natural light and interior aesthetics.
- 3M™ Natural Pozzolans: This technology can be used as a partial
cement replacement to help lower the carbon dioxide emissions of
concrete. For every ton of natural pozzolans used to displace
concrete, CO2 emissions can be reduced by an estimated
0.75 tons.
- Scotch™ Cushion Lock™ Protective Wrap: To help make shipping
sustainable, this wrap is made from 100% recycled paper and is
curbside recyclable after use. It can expand to fill a box using up
to 60% less material than plastic bubble (based on filling a
1-cubic foot box vs. 3/16" plastic bubble).
- 3M™ Cool Roofing Granules: When used in shingles to reflect
more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof, this
product can assist in saving energy and money—and can help reduce
the effects of urban heating.
- 3M™ Smog-reducing Granules: Roofing shingles with this embedded
technology can help reduce smog pollutants and improve urban air
quality.
- 3M™ Thinsulate™ 100% Recycled Featherless Insulation: Made from
100% post-consumer recycled content, this material is as
lightweight as natural down, and it still performs when wet.
- 3M™ Boron Nitride Cooling Fillers: Through formulation into
many different thermal management solutions, this technology helps
manufacturers facilitate crucial heat removal in the battery packs,
motors, electronics, and antennas of electric vehicles.
Collaboration and commitments to
expand positive impact
Climate change is an issue that people around the world are
concerned about, according to the 3M
2022 State of Science Index. Despite this growing focus on climate
change, however, people may not be aware of the role that they can
play in advocating for solutions. To help educate the public,
3M is partnering with Sophia Bush, actress, entrepreneur, and climate
advocate, to showcase the power of climate innovation and why it's
important for addressing climate change.
To enable individuals to join 3M
and drive a positive impact on the climate issues they care about
most, the company is facilitating a donation to a group of
nonprofits via GlobalGiving. By visiting
www.3M.com/ClimateInnovation through Friday,
Sept. 30, members of the public can vote for the cause of
their choice and help designate what portion of the donation will
go to a corresponding nonprofit. This donation builds on an annual
commitment of nearly $2 million in
environmental philanthropy from the company via 3Mgives, its
community investment arm.
The impact driven by 3M innovation
and investment to address climate change is bolstered by positive
progress on its environmental and operational commitments.
Coinciding with the 3M Climate
Innovation Center exposition at The Battery, Senior Vice President
and Chief Sustainability Officer Gayle
Schueller will represent the company at Climate Week NYC.
Through her engagements, she will detail the company's
decarbonization roadmap, including its accelerated transition
toward renewable energy and goal of 100% renewable energy use by
2050. After achieving its initial goal of 25% renewable energy use
by 2025 six years early, 3M set a
more ambitious goal of 50%, which it successfully reached at the
end of 2021.
To learn more about 3M's commitments to decarbonize industry,
accelerate climate solutions and improve its environmental
footprint, visit www.3M.com/ESG. For a broader perspective on 3M's
portfolio of climate solutions, current applications and resulting
impact around the world, visit www.3M.com/ClimateInnovation.
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter
world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and
science to reimagine what's possible, our global team uniquely
addresses the opportunities and challenges of our
customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we're working to
improve lives and make what's next at 3M.com/news or on Twitter
at @3M or @3MNews.
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