Following a strong year for the chemical process industries (CPI) in 2022, 2023 saw modest growth, with global industrial output rising only 0.6% and chemical production growth at about 0.3% [ 1]. Numerous factors contributed to the lower demand for…
The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), which was passed into law last August, directs federal funding to a variety of sectors in the forms of grants, loans and tax incentives for corporations, and to a lesser extent to…
It has been a full year since our world was changed by the coronavirus pandemic. The disruptions to our lives have been many, and the one perhaps most invasive to our day-to-day routines has been the need for social distancing.…
Every two years, Chemical Engineering honors an innovative technology that has been commercialized with the Kirkpatrick Chemical Engineering Achievement Award. This year, we have six finalists who will have the opportunity to present their technologies at the Chem Show in…
As chemical engineers, many of us work on developing new processes or improving current ones, often with goals of better efficiency, new or improved products and more sustainability. Taking concepts and laboratory work to a commercial scale requires significant effort,…
This year, hurricane season in the U.S. has been active again, with Hurricane Florence battering North Carolina and its surroundings last month. While wind speeds labeled it as a Category 1 hurricane at landfall, the enormous, slow-moving storm caused great…
Last month, the American Chemistry Council (ACC; www.americanchemistry.com) issued its annual year-end report, which offers a positive outlook for the chemical process industries (CPI). The report, “Year-End 2017 Chemical Industry Situation and Outlook,” was prepared by the ACC’s Economics and…
My local municipality recently mailed out a brochure titled “Are you ready?”. It is a guide booklet about what to do in case of a nuclear emergency. I live close to a nuclear power plant. The brochure describes radiation, how…
I recently saw a television commercial that caught my attention and provided “food for thought.” The ad begins with a young girl opening a birthday gift, and is delighted when she sees that it is a Millie Dresselhaus doll. A…
Last month, special recognition to water-related issues was given on March 22, the date designated by the United Nations as “World Water Day.” The first World Water Day was observed in 1993, and has been celebrated every year since. The…