The shortage of carbon dioxide in the UK, threatening industries ranging from healthcare to food, is spilling over into Europe.
- Nippon Gases that sold close to $1.5 billion of industrial gases in the EU last year, stated that “other European countries will also suffer shortages” of CO2, forecasting that its supplies had dropped 50% across the region.
- Rising natural gas prices have led to forced closures of fertilizer plants, the UK’s main source of CO2 used in producing fizzy drinks, stunning animals for slaughter, and cooling nuclear power plants.
- Nippon’s warning message was supported by the head of Yara, the Norwegian chemicals group that announced last week that it would cut 40% of its EU production of ammonia.
- CEO of Yara, Svein Tore Holsether, stated that record natural gas prices were hurting the profitability of EU fertilizer plants, which used fossil fuel as feedstock to produce ammonia.
Industrial gas companies are lining up CO2 supplies to end-users. Japanese-owned Nippon Gases stated that power stations, meat production, and medical purposes were a top priority.
Nippon Gas down -0.71 %Source: FT
