“No miracle solution” for carbon neutrality by 2050, says Beneo director

21 Sep 2020 --- Beneo is seeking a “combination of approaches” to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as described in the EU’s Green Deal. Most recently, the functional ingredients manufacturer cut carbon emissions by 40 percent at its Oreye chicory root facility in Belgium, following a 10-year program that was finalized by an €11 million (US$13 million) investment into increased energy efficiency.

“There is not one ‘miracle’ solution, especially in central Europe,” Philippe Dumont, operations managing director at Beneo, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “Each option brings only a part of the solution.”

Dumont highlights that alternatives to fossil energy must be developed beyond the technological limitations of the process equipment. “Some solutions are already being investigated, such as biomass, solar and wind energy, as well as green hydrogen.”

“The facility’s energy production system is based on a ‘co-generation’ process of steam and electricity with power generators. This provides some high yields on primary energy usage. In the past, the predominant energy source was fuel, which since 2008 has been turned into 100 percent natural gas,” says Dumont.

As part of the recent investment at the Oreye facility, a new gas turbine and heat recovery boiler was installed. 

Philippe Dumont, operations managing director at Beneo.The new system provides for Beneo’s electricity production needs and enables the company to export an additional five megawatts to the public electric grid network each year. 

The gas turbine went into pilot operation in August 2019 and is now running at full capacity.

Steps to reducing the carbon footprint
Beneo has achieved a 50 percent reduction in specific (Scope 1) emissions since 2013 across all its factories. These consist of direct emissions, which are owned or controlled sources, according to the Global Reporting Initiative. 

Saving water is one area where Beneo has made progress. “Up to 50 percent of the total water consumed in Beneo’s production plants is from cyclical water usage and we continue to explore ways to reduce this further,” adds Dumont. 

“Fresh water usage has already decreased due to the increased use of process water in Beneo’s production plants. By using the existing water in chicory root raw material production, we have been able to reduce fresh water usage by one-sixth,” he affirms. 

“For all ongoing and future investments, the highest level of energy efficiency is applied and monitored so that we can learn more about our progress over the period,” he adds. 

“No organization can do this alone”
Dumont reiterates the challenges of reaching carbon neutrality, highlighting that “no company or organization can do this alone,” calling for a joint effort across industry. 

“There is an undeniable dependency on the infrastructure, which needs to be changed by many stakeholders from governments, authorities, communities and of course, companies. While it seems long term, it fits into our self-understanding of taking care today for the generations to come,” Dumont says. 

Beneo is also focusing its attention on the social aspects of sustainability, particularly in Chile, where another production facility is located. There Beneo encourages people to set up their own businesses in the region surrounding the production plant. 

The “Beneo Emprende” scheme enables three to four businesses to be set up each year.

In March, Beneo revealed it was making a significant expansion in its chicory root fiber production facility in Chile by 2022, funded by an investment of more than €50 million (US$56 million). 

The news came following the rising demand for chicory root fibers, inulin and oligofructose, as consumer interest in digestive health continues to grow.A new gas turbine was recently installed as part of the investment at the Oreye facility (Credit: Karel Duerinckx). 

Growing while reducing emissions
Beneo continues to expand where production is needed in light of reducing its carbon footprint. In July, Beneo announced a 50 percent production capacity increase at its facility in Wijgmaal, Belgium, to cater to the rising customer demand for rice starches. 

The expansion comes as Beneo continues to invest in streamlining the variables of environmental sustainability at its Wijgmaal facility. 

A recent investment into its docking station means that the company can now accept two barges at its plant, rather than one. As a result, two-thirds of rice raw material is now received by barge and just one-third by truck. 

“The impact is on cost-saving, but also on the environment, due to lower carbon emissions and a reduction in traffic.” 

The move from land to water also has a social impact, noted Roland Vanhoegaerden, operations managing director specialty rice ingredients at Beneo in July. 

“Our factory is in the middle of an urban area and by increasing barge use, we can reduce congestion and noise levels in the neighborhood," he said. 

Exploring new technologies and techniques to save energy is a continuous effort for Beneo in its target to actively reduce carbon emissions at all plants.

“We are striving for further improvement,” concludes Dumont. “We will have to be innovative and consistent [to reach our goals].”

By Missy Green