Slashing emissions: DSM “significantly” reduces CO2 emissions at Swiss vitamin facility

15 Apr 2019 --- Royal DSM has reduced its CO2 emissions at its vitamin production facility in Sisseln, Switzerland, by 50,000 tons per year, through a new on-site biomass heat and power plant. DSM’s vitamin site in Sisseln produces, among other things, its vitamin A and E (Quali-A and Quali-E) for customers worldwide.

“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,” says Chris Goppelsroeder, President & CEO DSM Nutritional Products.

The power plant was built, is owned and will be operated and maintained by energy company ENGIE and Swiss energy provider ewz.

The biomass power plant supplies 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. The plant will generate 267 GWh of steam and 42 GWh of renewable electricity per year and will be one of Switzerland’s largest and most efficient biomass power plants.

The new heat and power plant is an example of DSM’s commitment to reducing 30 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions from direct production and purchased energy in absolute terms by 2030 compared to 2016, the company describes. It notes that it 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.

Recently, DSM set new science-based reduction targets for greenhouse gas 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 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.

In February, DSM reported robust Q4 figures, organic sales growth of 6 percent and adjusted EBITDA up 26 percent, including €290 million (US$327 million) due to temporary exceptional vitamin effects. With Q4 core profit topping expectations, the company has announced that it will buy back €1 billion in shares.