Prysmian plant in Emmen saves significantly on CO2 with new heating system
Once again, Prysmian is taking a big, concrete step in reducing its CO₂ emissions, in line with the tightened target of achieving net zero CO₂ emissions by 2035. The Prysmian factory in Emmen is investing heavily in a new heating system with heat pumps. In this way, it will reduce its current gas consumption by two-thirds and save almost 1,300 tonnes of CO₂. Every year.
Sustainable step towards 2035
The time has come in mid-2026. Then the Prysmian factory in Emmen will undergo a major sustainability operation. The building that houses two factories and the warehouse will get a new heating system.
"We are going to feed the heat from the heated cooling water back into the factory's heating system," Wim Westera summarizes the system. And the HSE manager is proud of that: "Within Prysmian, we are one of the first countries with an approved sustainability project."
Prysmian is investing more and more intensively in sustainability, and this project is one of the first concrete realizations within the sharpened route to net zero by 2035. From next winter, the factory will be heated sustainably.
Showing the path
Sustainable investing is not something you do lightly. Certainly not when you have high sustainability ambitions, such as Prysmian. The company goes beyond international and national guidelines and has been at the forefront for years.
"We are aiming for zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, while most companies have set that ambition at 2045 or 2050," says Sustainability Manager Klees Verkuil.
This ambition was previously aimed at 2050, but Prysmian has recently tightened that target to 2035; a clear acceleration that underlines its leading position.
Green light
Prysmian actually lives up to its ambitions.
"In the Netherlands, we already buy our electricity completely sustainably. Now we want to reduce our gas consumption completely, no matter how difficult that is."
For five years, Westera researched all kinds of CO2-saving solutions, together with external specialists.
Recovering residual heat
The factory in Emmen is an important location within Prysmian Netherlands. This is where the production of Draka low-voltage cables mainly takes place. When installing insulation and jackets, a lot of heat is released and cooling is necessary. The heat from that cooling water is still being dissipated. A new, integrated installation will recover this residual heat and upgrade it for heating the factory during the winter. A unit with two large heat pumps ensures that 98 percent of the heat requirement is covered.
Clean and quiet
The investment yields substantial benefits. Two-thirds of the gas consumption of the Prysmian plant is currently used for heating. By replacing this part with electricity, Emmen can also save two-thirds of its CO2 emissions (almost 1,300 tons) per year.
"Our - green - electricity consumption may be increasing, but we are saving 5 units of gas on every unit of electricity," says Westera. "At the same time, we have slightly expanded our contract with the grid operator to be able to do this solution with heat pumps."
Never enough
However, these benefits are not enough for Prysmian. Although the new heating system saves considerably on gas for heating the building, it hardly saves on gas for production.
Westera: "That is why we are investigating how we can further minimize that gas consumption in the next phase. We are also looking at how we can improve energy efficiency by, for example, reducing power consumption at weekends. In addition, we will also tackle a number of transformers and electrical subdivisions at this location to be able to connect the heat pumps."
More sustainable cables
With the greening of the Prysmian factory in Emmen, its products automatically become more sustainable. That advantage certainly counts in tenders.
Verkuil: "Customers benefit from the supply of cables with the lowest CO2 emissions. Our much lower footprint makes Draka cables even more attractive to them."
Let the winter come.