28 March 2024 – The Nitric Acid Climate Action Group (NACAG) and UBE Chemicals (Asia) Public Company Limited celebrated the signing of a grant agreement to install nitrous oxide (N2O) secondary abatement technology in caprolactam production units, which is expected to decrease the amount of nitrous oxide by at least 0.1 MtCO2eq/y from caprolactam production.

Dr Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE) and representative of the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MNRE), Hans-Ulrich Südbeck, Deputy Chief of Mission, German Embassy Bangkok, Reinhold Elges, Director of GIZ Thailand, Dr Angkana Chalermpong, Programme Director of NACAG Thailand and IKI Interface Thailand, GIZ, Watchara Pattananijnirundorn, President and CEO of UBE Chemicals (Asia) Public Company Limited, Benjaphol Tangsripairoje, Executive Vice President of UBE Chemicals (Asia) Public Company Limited, and the board of UBE Chemicals (Asia) Public Company Limited participated in the celebration of grant agreement signing ceremony, held at the Eastin Grand Hotel Phayathai on 28 March 2024.

NACAG, under the International Climate Initiative or IKI, supported by the Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action or BMWK, has been implemented by GIZ in Thailand and across the globe. The agreement between NACAG and UBE Chemicals (Asia) Public Company Limited assigns NACAG to provide advisory and financial support to implement nitrous oxide (N2O) secondary abatement technology in the caprolactam plant of UBE Chemicals (Asia) Public Company Limited to mitigate N2O from caprolactam production.

Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas emission 273 times more harmful than carbon dioxide (Source: IPCC AR6, WG I, 2021). Caprolactam is a chemical product and a raw material in polyamide 6. Production of caprolactam is a main emitter of nitrous oxide. Applied secondary abatement technology at the UBE Chemical (Asia) Public Company Limited plant supported by NACAG is expected to reduce GHG emissions by about 0.1 MtCO₂eq/y.

“This project is an example of good collaboration between a public and private partnership to contribute to GHG emission mitigation. It demonstrates the intention of the government to support private companies in contributing to the national goal,” said Dr Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director-General of DCCE and representative of MNRE. This grant will help the government to promote GHG emission mitigation actions towards the national NDC goal.

Thailand was one of the first countries in Southeast Asia to express a commitment to phasing out nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions within 3 years from 2023, demonstrating the intention of the national contribution to GHG emission mitigation to serve the global goal of GHG emission mitigation. “It also illustrates the success story for climate action in Thailand and the cooperation between Thailand and Germany,” said Hans-Ulrich Südbeck, Deputy Chief of Mission, German Embassy Bangkok.

Following the signing ceremony, DCCE, UBE Chemicals (Asia) Public Company Limited and the NACAG project discussed the work plan for the N2O abatement technology implementation, as well as the monitoring process.

The Department of Climate Change and Environment and NACAG will collaboratively monitor the progress of nitrous oxide emission reduction technologies in the caprolactam industry. This initiative aligns with efforts to reduce GHG emissions within the Industrial Process and Product Use (IPPU) sector, as outlined in the country’s NDC.

For more information about NACAG, please watch the NACAG Video and visit NACAG Website.