Chemical company Vynova uses residual heat and reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Tessenderlo

The Chemical company Vynova in Tessenderlo has commissioned a new installation that uses residual heat for the production of steam. Thanks to this project, both energy consumption and CO2 emissions at the production site will decrease significantly. Vynova is investing 6 million euros in the heat recovery installation.

Vynova produces various basic chemicals in Tessenderlo, including monovinyl chloride (MVC), an intermediate for PVC. PVC is a versatile plastic mainly used in the construction industry – such as for window profiles, floors and pipes – and is essential for the manufacture of medical products such as blood bags, respirator masks and flexible tubing.

Less energy, less CO2
In order to make the MVC production process more sustainable, Vynova has commissioned a heat recovery installation. On an annual basis, it will be able to generate 80,000 tonnes of steam that was previously generated by natural gas boilers. That means an annual energy saving of 65,000 MWh, which corresponds to the energy consumption of 2,850 families. This will reduce CO2 emissions from the production plant by 12,000 tonnes per year.

More sustainable production process
This heat recovery installation is part of a global investment programme in new technologies that make Vynova’s installations even more sustainable and energy efficient. Since 2016, the chemical company has invested more than 150 million euros in its Tessenderlo site. For this green investment, the company received financial support from the government of Flanders.