At the conference in Athens, several hundred participants discussed, among other topics, the demand for soda and its role in the ongoing energy transition. A significant aspect of the discussions was the efforts undertaken by global producers to reduce the emissions of the energy-intensive soda ash production process. For instance, the so-called Solvay method requires significant amounts of thermal energy. CIECH’s production plants obtain this energy from coal combustion (facilities in Poland), as well as from gas and waste (facility in Germany). Qemetica Group's commitment, as outlined in its ESG strategy, is to reduce the carbon footprint in production processes, mainly for soda ash, and achieve climate neutrality in its business operations by 2040.
In his presentation, Kamil Majczak emphasized the intention to utilize sustainable energy sources in energy production processes (including biomass, solar and wind energy, waste, and nuclear and hydrogen-based energy in the future). Currently, Qemetica is collaborating with an external partner to construct a thermal waste processing facility in Inowrocław, aimed at reducing coal consumption, and concurrently, making preparations for the integration of biomass. Another significant element in reducing the carbon footprint is the improvement of the soda production process itself, which has remained largely unchanged since the mid-19th century. This includes proprietary R&D solutions in areas such as the capture of CO2, resource conservation, production process automation and digitization.
More information about the Qemetica Group's ESG strategy can be found at www.esgciech.com.