Industrialists committed to carbon neutrality

Dunkirk and its hinterland are home to the industrial sectors which, because of the nature of their processes, are some of the biggest CO2
emitters: cement production accounts for 5% of emissions, the chemistry industry is 4.1%, the iron and steel industry is 4% and the production
of aluminium and other metals is 1.2% (Source: a study by the World Resources Institute).

Therefore, local stakeholders in these sectors are naturallyrallying together and activating all the levers at their disposal.

• Energy efficiency andsobriety
• Circular economy
• Electrification and process transformation
• Use of hydrogen or biogas
• CO2 capture, transport and storage
• CO2 use and recovery

 

 

OVERVIEW OF LOCAL PROJECTS

ARCELORMITTAL

• Smart Carbon Project

The centrepiece of the Smart Carbon initiative is the partial replacement of coal in blast furnaces with other sources of circular carbon from waste flows, such as sustainable biomass from farm or plastic waste.

The Smart Carbon sector also facilitates the integration of carbon capture and reuse (CCU) or storage (CCS) technologies. The carbon emitted is captured during the steelmaking process, making the industry potentially
carbon neutral.

Furthermore, the carbon captured at the end of the process will be able to be recycled and used by other industries, contributing to the production of carbon neutral biomaterials.

• Steel Recycling Project

Recovering used steel (cans, cars, building materials, ships, etc.) and reworking it into the production process. Eventually, steel produced by ArcelorMittal in France will contain up to 25% recycled steel.

Results: – 1 Mt of CO2 per year 

• Innovative DRI Project

The aim of this project is to replace the CO2 generatingblast furnace process with DRI (direct reduction of iron) by substituting coal with another reducing agent : natural gas at first then a natural gas/hydrogen mix.
With respect to this project, ArcelorMittal have joined forces with the territory’s stakeholders to transform the steel production process by developing innovative solutions using low-carbon hydrogen and CO2
capture technologies.
Objectives: – 4.6 Mt of CO2 per year

Pilote industriel DMX^TH – IFPEN

ALUMINIUM DUNKERQUE

The electrification of processes and the elimination of single-use plastics are leading to a growing demand for aluminium. Because of its recyclable and lightweight properties, aluminium will be increasingly used in the automotive and transition sectors (solar panel constructions, batteries, etc.). In addition, Aluminium Dunkerque, which already emits 4 times less greenhouse gas than the world average for its sector, will increase its production while seeking to reduce its carbon emissions: – 30% in 2030 and – 70% in 2050 [scope 1, 2 and 3].

• LOwCAL Project

A new smelting furnace – Recycling several thousand tonnes of aluminium and producing up to 20 kT of additional metal each year from 2025 will significantly reduce environmental impact (CO2 emissions and energy
consumption).

Objectives: – 10% CO2 emissions on average for in got production and 96 GWh of electricity consumption avoided per year from 2025

©Michel Guilbert

• Ameli green lime solutions project

Producing very high quality lime with a minimal environmental impact. 

The AMELI project is rallying its partners around a common strategy for reducing their carbon footprint and is aiming to become part of the industrial ecosystem for decarbonisation in Dunkirk, with the potential to develop a circular economy, particularly through using biomass and CO2 capture and recovery once the infrastructure is put in place. 

Objective: In time..Zero-carbone lime

CAP DECARBONATION

“Cap Décarbonation” is the name of the shared carbon emissions reduction scheme bringing together three complementary projects: Stage 2 of the K6 Programme in the Lumbres cement factory, the CalCC project at the Réty lime production plant and the D’Artagnan project involving the CO2 transport pipelines and the terminal in the port of Dunkirk.

Five businesses are involved: Eqiom, Lhoist (Chaux et Dolomies du Boulonnais), Air Liquide France Industrie, Dunkerque LNG and RTE. The aim of the scheme is to capture the residual CO2 inevitably emitted by Eqiom and Lhoist in their industrial processes, purify it using AirLiquide’s CryocapTM technology and transport it via an 80 km-network of underground pipelines to a CO2 terminal (planned to be located close to the Dunkerque LNG liquefied natural gas terminal) in the port of Dunkirk. Stored temporarily, this CO2 could then be loaded onto suitable ships for dispatch to natural storage sinks in the North Sea.

Objectives of this shared initiative: – 1.5 M tonnes of CO2 per year.

IMERYS

The Imerys factory in Dunkirk manufactures special binders (calcium aluminate cements) for the building chemistry and refractory markets. The site produces around 280 kT of clinker and 170 to 180 kT of cement per year. There are plans to expand the site to host new decarbonisation-related projects:

• AGGLO for raw materials diversification
• FIT (2nd evolution of the pilot project): a new furnace to reduce CO2
  emissions by using decarbonised raw materials and to develop the use of more sober energy sources (natural gas, hydrogen). In 2021 and 2022, two pilot testing phases were set up to check the key feasibility and sizing parameters of the future semiindustrial facility. Funding for the facility, which will produce more than 25,000 tonnes, will be approved at the beginning of 2024.

 

• PRECIZE: Production trials and validation of cement quality using hydrogen (planned for 2025).

These two investments amount to a total of more than 30 million euros.

Result : A potential reduction of 40,000 tonnes of CO2 (50% CO2 reduction compared to clinker produced traditionally) per year has been identified for the Dunkirk site. Futhermore, as part of the development of the FIT Project, an additional reduction of around 40,000 tonnes will be achieved at constant production volumes. (100% reduction of CO2 compared to clinker produced traditionally). 

DILLINGER FRANCE

Since 2013, Dillinger France has been working to improve its energy performance, implementing ISO 50001. The company has been taking actions to reduce its energy consumption such as applying a variable frequency drive across almost all its electric motors, compressed air consumption optimisation, LED relamping of its workshops and offices, recovering heat from all the reheating furnaces and optimising minimum
consumption levels when plant is not up and running.

Dillinger France has won €1,8 million grant from the ADEME as part of the Government’s call for projects on “Energy efficient processes and utilities in the industry”. It is the only Dunkirk project to be selected from among sixteen nationwide. 

Result: This grant has helped to support the renovation of one of the two powerful ovens in which Dillinger France has invested 10 million euros and will help to reduce their CO2 emissions by 2,7%.

Other projects are under consideration, such as the integration of hydrogen into the natural gas being fed into its furnaces, or capturing part of the CO2 emissions for storage purposes.

A study is also being conducted about reducing the impact of the process on water ressources. 

BALL PACKAGING

Ball has ambitious low carbon objectives. 

Objective: 55% reduction in overall CO2 emissions by 2030 (year of reference = 2017, scope 1, 2 and 3).

For the Bierne site, a gain of 30% to date or almost 40,000T of CO2 per year, particularly thanks to:

• A change of metal (from steel to aluminium)
• Lighter cans 
• Saving on compressed air
• Compressors equiped with variable frequency drive (suported by ADEME) 
• Pipe insulation (spported by ADEME)
• Heat recovery (supported by ADEME)
• Optimisation of process setups 
• Use of biodiesel for road freight

On the other hand, 40% water savings in comparison to 2017, or about 55 000 m3/year. Other projects ar under way or being studied to make further progress in these two areas. 

COCA-COLA EUROPACIFIC PARTNERS

CCEP’s objective: – 30% CO2 emissions by 2030 (compared to 2019).

On the Socx site:

• Reduced gas (CH4) consumption using a heat recovery network on 40 bar chillers and compressors
• Substitution of CO2 for nitrogen (N2G) in some of the, production processes.

Result : reduction of site’s carbon footprint by 15% with an increased production capacity.

• Reduction of packaging weight and the distance products are transported, and soon a fleet of 100% electric forklift trucks.
• Under review with a consortium of industrialists : oxycombustion of heating plant burners with CO2 capture/filtration in the chimney.

KUBOTA FARM MACHINERY EUROPE

Kubota Farm Machinery Europe (KFME) is committed to an energy optimisation scheme in order to reduce its consumption :

• An energy meter plan for each piece of equipment with digital supervision (consumption monitoring across 13 pieces of equipment running on gas and 29 electric equipment boxes) which will raise an alarm in the event of a fault and help users understand which pieces of equipment are most energy-intensive and prioritise areas of improvement.
• Air flow from air treatment units is limited to the actual ventilation requirements. (Return on investment over 1.3 years).
• Paint reformulation to reduce the time it takes to dry parts.

AstraZeneca

The Anglo-Swedish laboratory will be increasing its aerosol drug capacity and in doing so will make the most out of its opportunity to decarbonise its business with imporved gas propellants. This is a new investment plan worth around 365 million euros for the Durkirk plant, which produces four inhaled medicines in aerosols, indicated for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The project is expected to create around a hundred jobs. 

©Michel Guilbert