Shin-Etsu’s PVC factory aiming for 30% energy savings
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Shin-Etsu is currently designing plans to save as much as 30% energy in its factory facilities in Rotterdam. The investment decision is scheduled for 2025. Shin-Etsu is the global market leader in the field of PVC production. If the project turns out to be a success in this location, it will probably have an effect on the Japanese company’s other production locations as well.
The production process in the Shin-Etsu factory consists mainly of two sections. In the first part of the process, energy is released in the form of low-temperature heat. In the second part, on the other hand, heat is needed to dry the product. The plan is to boost the low-temperature heat from the first process to a higher temperature, so that is becomes suitable to be used in the second process. By electrifying all processes, the factory could in principal become CO2 neutral. With emissions of almost 100,000 tonnes of CO2, the company is only just in the Top 20 of CO2 emitters in Rotterdam.
PVC is used to make water pipes, window frames, flooring and cables, among other applications. It’s life spans decades and it can be recycled up to ten times.
Source: VNCI newsletter 16 May 2024.