INEOS signs deal to reduce carbon footprint by 1,150,000 tonnes of CO2 from next year

“This agreement is an important step for INEOS in reducing emissions from energy consumption in Belgium” – John McNally, CEO of INEOS Project ONE

INEOS has signed a deal which will reduce its carbon footprint in Belgium by more than one million tonnes of CO2. The CO2 saving will be the equivalent of taking 100,000 cars off the road each year.

Gerd Franken Chairman of INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe, said the 10-year deal with energy producer ENGIE was also the largest-ever purchase contract of wind energy for heavy industry in Belgium. “This is just the first of many environmental investments from our business,” he said.

INEOS, he said, was committed to helping to shape the circular economy by using ‘green’ energy, instead of gas and oil, to make its high-value chemical products. “This agreement is a further step towards that,” he said. Renewable electricity will be supplied to INEOS from ENGIE’S Norther offshore wind farm in the North Sea from 1 January 2021 Initially it will be used by INEOS’ production sites, but will later feed into INEOS’ new cracker and world-scale PDH plant in Antwerp to produce ethylene and propylene.

John McNally is CEO of the project, which was set up to manage that €5 billion investment. "This agreement is an important step for INEOS in reducing emissions from energy con-sumption in Belgium,” he said.

INEOS’ new chemical complex in Antwerp will be the most energy-efficient of its kind in Europe, using the newest technologies. “Our propane dehydrogenation unit has been designed with a maximum level of electrification, which makes it possible to virtually eliminate indirect emissions by using only green electricity,” he said. “And in the coming months, we will continue to look at the options for further expanding the use of renewable energy." INEOS’ com-mitment to Antwerp has been described as the most important investment in the European chemical industry for 20 years. INEOS now hopes other European chemical companies will follow suit and replace their old, outdated technology with energy-efficient systems with low emissions.

The Norther wind farm is located about 23km from the Belgian coast. Its 44 turbines can produce a maximum of 370 MW. Of that, INEOS has secured 84MW. ENGIE is the largest producer of green energy in Belgium. “We are proud to help INEOS meet their environmental goals, by facilitating their consumption of renewable energy in Belgium,” said CEO Philippe van Troeye.

She added: “This contract also illustrates ENGIE’s strong ambition to increase renewables’ development in Belgium, as several PPAs have been signed with major companies during the last months.”

In numbers

• The Norther wind farm is located about 23km from the Belgian coast.
• Its 44 turbines can produce a maximum of 370 MW.
• INEOS' supply starts in January 2021.
• The deal will reduce CO2 emissions by more than one million tonnes over 10 years which is the equivalent of 100,000 cars each year.