Solvay recently announced a plan to reduce its CO2 emissions at its Torrelavega plants by almost half by 2027 , driving the energy transition with an innovative biomass cogeneration system. This initiative marks a key step in the elimination of coal and the commitment to sustainable energy sources.
Biomass: a bet for clean energy
The company has signed an agreement with ENSO , a company specialising in bioenergy, which will be responsible for investing, building and operating the new cogeneration unit. This installation will replace 70% of the plant’s coal consumption, using forestry waste and by-products from the wood industry within a 100-kilometre radius, ensuring that the raw material comes from certified and sustainable sources.
The project will enable the Torrelavega plant to strengthen its position as a benchmark in the production of sodium carbonate and bicarbonate, essential in the manufacture of glass, batteries for electric vehicles and pharmaceutical products.
This energy change will benefit the company and have a positive impact on Cantabria. The Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagessen, has supported the project through the Energy Saving Certificates (CAE), providing financing for this transformation. For her part, the President of Cantabria, María José Sáenz de Buruaga, has highlighted the importance of the project for the regional economy, ensuring that it will guarantee the competitiveness of the plant and the generation of employment.
A model replicated in other Solvay plants
The experience in Torrelavega adds to the company’s efforts in other countries, where it has successfully implemented similar energy transitions. Facilities in Germany and the United States have served as a reference for developing an efficient and sustainable model, aligned with Solvay’s global emissions reduction goals.
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Source and photo: Solvay
