Borealis says it has signed two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) to source renewable electricity from Finnish wind farm operator Ilmatar Energy for its integrated petrochemical production facility at Porvoo, Finland.
The purchase agreements have been made jointly with Neste, Borealis’s long-term partner in Porvoo, Borealis says. The purchase and supply of more than 20 megawatts of wind power over the next decade will enable the company to increase the share of renewable power in its overall electricity consumption at its Porvoo complex to 13%, it says. The purchase volume will comprise the annual output of approximately four wind turbines, with Ilmatar to build onshore wind farms scheduled to start delivering the electricity by mid-2022, it adds.
Borealis aims to source at least half of its overall electricity supply from renewable sources for its polyolefins, hydrocarbon, and energy businesses by 2030, it says. The PPAs also support the aim of the chemical industry in Finland to be carbon neutral by 2045, it adds.
Indirect carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at its facilities in Porvoo will be reduced by approximately 16 kilotons/year, according to Borealis.
The company needs to take “meaningful action” to reach its energy and climate targets by 2030, says Martijn van Koten, executive vice president/base chemicals and operations at Borealis. “The long-term power purchase agreement with Ilmatar is the first of its kind for us.”
The petchem facility at Porvoo includes a steam cracker producing ethylene, propylene, and butadiene; a phenol and aromatics plant; two polyethylene plants; a polypropylene plant; a compounding unit; and an innovation center.
By: Mark Thomas
Source: Chemical Week
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