Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health, and Sustainable Living, has announced that it is cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at its vitamin production facility in Sisseln, Switzerland, by 50 000 tonnes per annum thanks to a new on-site biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant officially opened on April 9, 2019.
The combined heat and power plant is built, owned and will be operated and maintained by global energy major ENGIE S.A. and Swiss energy provider ewz. DSM’s vitamin site in Sisseln produces amongst other things DSM’s high-quality Vitamin A and E for customers worldwide.
One of the largest in Switzerland
The biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant supplies process steam to the production facility of DSM Nutritional Products in Sisseln and other non-DSM production sites. The renewable electricity – enough to power 17 500 local households – is fed into the public grid.
On an annual basis, the plant will generate 267 GWh of steam and 42 GWh of renewable electricity making it one of Switzerland’s largest and most efficient biomass power plants.
The new CHP is another example of DSM’s commitment to reducing 30 percent of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from direct production and purchased energy in absolute terms by 2030 compared to 2016. DSM will decouple emissions from its growth through energy efficiency measures and sourcing more renewable electricity.
As a complementary target, DSM will be purchasing 75 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, with 41 percent already being renewable in 2018.
Our site in Sisseln in Switzerland is considered the largest vitamin manufacturing site in the world. We are successfully competing globally thanks to our technology, our well-trained employees and the political stability this country provides. This investment in sustainability further enhances the site’s profile by significantly reducing our CO2 footprint – a key priority for DSM, said Chris Goppelsroeder, President & CEO DSM Nutritional Products.
Part of DSM science-based GHG reductions
The initiative in Sisseln is another proof point of DSM’s drive to actively reduce emissions in its own operations and in the value chain of its products. Recently, DSM set new science-based reduction targets for GHG emissions that have been reviewed and approved by the Science Based Targets initiative and aligned with the Paris climate agreement.
DSM was the first European company in its sector to join the group of almost 180 leading companies with validated science-based targets.
Other DSM initiatives include the 40 percent renewable purchased electricity in the United States (US) through wind power agreements with NextEra Energy Resources in Minco, Oklahoma and the 100 percent renewable purchased electricity in the Netherlands through agreements with windfarm Krammer, Bouwdokken and energy supplier Eneco.
