SK Innovation·SKIET Invest in Airrain, Holder of Separator Capture Technology Shares

Utilizing CCUS Core 'Capture'
Strengthening Carbon Reduction Competitiveness

SK Innovation and SK IE Technology (hereinafter SKIET) announced on the 8th that they will invest in shares of Airrain, a gas separation membrane specialist company, to pioneer the membrane capture market.

SK Innovation and SKIET plan to combine their lithium-ion battery separator (hereinafter LiBS) manufacturing technology with Airrain's gas separation technology to utilize it in the core 'capture' of CCUS (Carbon Capture and Storage). They aim to secure competitive membrane technology necessary for carbon capture and explore entry into overseas markets such as North America and Europe in the future.

As the importance of CCUS is emphasized for carbon neutrality, the carbon capture market size is also expected to grow. It is impossible to completely stop carbon emissions themselves, and existing carbon remaining in the atmosphere must also be reduced. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry expects that, driven by the global expansion of CCUS investment, the related equipment market size will accumulate to 45 trillion yen by 2050, with an annual economic ripple effect of 10 trillion yen. The global CCUS industry anticipates that about 60% of the economic effect will be generated from the capture sector alone.

After the investment contract signing ceremony, Kang Dong-su, Head of SK Innovation Portfolio Division (from the left), Ha Sung-yong, CEO of Airrain, and Lee Byung-in, Head of BM Innovation Office at SK IE Technology, are holding the signed contracts and taking a commemorative photo.
[Photo by SK Innovation]

Airrain provides membrane production as well as membrane module and system design, production, and technical services using these membranes. Airrain started from a nationally designated membrane laboratory and built its technological capabilities in the early stages of its business through OEM product production and joint development with overseas advanced companies such as Air Products, Asahi Glass Engineering, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical.

Currently, it is evaluated as possessing global-level commercial technology across the entire gas separation membrane field, from material design and procurement to membrane and module production, system design, manufacturing, operation, and management. In the carbon capture field, it is expanding its business to supply carbon dioxide separation systems necessary for producing high-purity clean hydrogen from biogas as a raw material to hydrogen charging stations and fuel cell power plants, in addition to petrochemical and cement industries.

Kang Dong-su, Head of Portfolio Division at SK Innovation, said, “Through collaboration with Airrain, we expect to further strengthen our competitiveness in the CCUS field, which is essential for the ‘Carbon to Green’ strategy.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.