The US faces a CO2 crisis that had a significant impact on various sectors. The reasons for this crisis includes plant closures for maintenance or low profits, hydrocarbon impurities affecting the quality and quantity of CO2 from sources like the Jackson Dome, and an increased demand due to the growth of home delivery, dry ice products, and medical uses during the pandemic.
The crisis had a profound effect on the food and beverage industry, which heavily relies on high purity merchant CO2 supply. CO2 is crucial for cooling, carbonating, and packaging food products to enhance their shelf life and quality. Breweries, restaurants, and grocery stores faced difficulties in obtaining an adequate supply.
The medical industry also suffered as CO2 is essential for various applications such as breathing stimulation, anesthesia, sterilization, insufflation, cryotherapy, and maintaining research samples in incubators. The shortage of CO2 posed significant risks to the health and safety of patients and researchers.
The industry responded by seeking alternative sources, improving storage and distribution systems, and developing new technologies. Some companies invested in bioethanol plants that generate CO2 as a by-product of ethanol fermentation. Others explored carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies that convert waste CO2 into valuable products like fuels, chemicals, or building materials. Additionally, innovative dry ice products were developed with applications in fire prevention, hospital emissions reduction, and cold chain management.
This is a wake-up call for the industry to reassess its sourcing strategies and embrace new opportunities and innovations. By overcoming this challenge, the industry demonstrated its resilience and adaptability to changing market conditions and customer demands. The future of CO2 holds promise and potential as it continues to provide numerous benefits across various sectors of the economy and society.
Post time: Aug-22-2023