Agreements with Dow about reducing CO2 emissions | News item

News item | 06-12-2022 | 4:15 pm

Less CO2 and less nitrogen emissions

An important part of the letter of intent is making so-called ‘steam cracking’ more sustainable. Dow uses crackers to make the plastics and chemicals we need in our daily lives, such as food packaging and hygiene products. The crackers now use residual gas from the process as fuel. Dow wants to make that process more sustainable by not using residual gas but hydrogen as fuel. In addition, Dow wants to replace gas turbines used for cooling in the cracking process with electric motors. This not only reduces CO2 emissions, but also reduces nitrogen emissions. Dow also wants to capture and store the CO2 released during production in order to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Micky Adriaansens “We desperately need the products from the chemical industry for our daily life and convenience. At Dow they make the plastics and chemicals that are used for food packaging, hygiene products, smartphones and mattresses, for example. We want to make these processes cleaner, but we can’t do that in one day. With this letter of intent, we are taking an important step towards a clean and sustainable chemical industry. We are developing this further into tailor-made agreements so that Dow produces completely climate-neutral by 2050.”

Improving the living environment

The letter of intent also includes ambitions to further improve the immediate living environment of the company. The government and Dow are making agreements about making water intake and discharge more sustainable by, for example, reusing water. Dow will also use the heat released during the processes in the built environment.

State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, Vivianne Heijnen: “Our industry only has a future if that future is clean and sustainable. Because people have a right to clean air, clean soil and clean water. Today, with Dow Benelux, we are taking an important step towards that clean and sustainable future. With this letter of intent, we set out the ambitions for 2030 and 2050. In addition to CO2, nitrogen emissions are also reduced and Dow is using our scarce water more sustainably. I would like to sign it.”

Jo-Annes de Bat, deputy of the Province of Zeeland: “Dow is one of the largest employers in the province of Zeeland. For the inhabitants of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and beyond, it is important that we put the living environment first in the declaration of intent. By signing, Dow contributes to the realization of a green industry in the Netherlands. I look forward to seeing the results of these agreements.”

Customized agreement in 2023

The declaration of intent between the government and Dow is an important step in the government’s tailor-made approach. In the declaration of intent, the governments indicate how plans and projects can be supported towards more sustainable production. The government aims to conclude a binding tailor-made agreement with Dow in 2023.

With the tailor-made approach, the 20 largest industrial emitters can take an extra step to shape new sustainable technologies that lead to lower CO2 emissions. This challenges companies to come up with their own ambitious plans to reduce CO2 emissions in their own stacks and elsewhere in the chain, and to improve their impact on the environment. The cabinet wants to remove as much as possible the uncertainties, obstacles and delaying factors surrounding sustainability with tailor-made solutions. Companies must have a vision on their path to climate neutrality and circularity, so that they can continue to develop their activities in the Netherlands now and in the future. In addition, agreements can be made about, among other things, energy and gas savings, training of technical personnel, limiting nitrogen emissions and matching the supply and demand of electricity.

Anton van Beek (President-director Dow Benelux): “Dow has played a central role in Zeeland since 1965, and we want to continue to do so in a clean and sustainable manner in the coming decades. With our ‘Path2Zero’ project, we are working towards zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. Given the size and complexity of this challenge, collaboration with industry, academia, government and others is crucial. If the climate transition can be made a success anywhere, it is in Zeeland.”