Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals) will increase the use of bio-steam at its salt production at Hengelo, in the Netherlands, making the production more sustainable and reducing CO₂ emissions.

The bio-steam, produced by waste processing company Twence, will allow Nouryon to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 50,000 tons per year, equivalent to approximately 400 million car kilometers.

“This deal is another step towards greener processes and products,” said Knut Schwalenberg, managing director Industrial Chemicals at Nouryon. “Salt is an essential raw material for customers in markets ranging from pharmaceuticals to construction and cars. As salt production requires a lot of heat, we continue to focus on improving our energy efficiency and sustainable use of energy.”

Nouryon uses steam from Twence to remove water from brine to produce high-purity salt. Previously, half of this steam was certified as sustainable based on the bio-content of the waste. Twence recently started up a new biomass facility, allowing it to deliver additional, fully sustainable steam produced from waste wood. The steam supply allows the company to save up to 80 million cubic meters of natural gas per year – equivalent to the consumption of up to 45,000 households.

Currently, almost half of the company’s worldwide energy consumption is sourced from renewable sources.

Recently Nouryon transitioned from fossil fuels to sustainably-produced steam at its Delfzijl site in the Netherlands. The company also signed a new energy contract that enables it to ramp up renewable energy usage at its facilities in Sweden. It also initiated a unique green energy purchasing consortium, enabling the construction of two Dutch wind farm projects.