- Borealis is investing EUR 17.6 million in a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer for its polyolefins plants in Porvoo, Finland.
- The project starts in February 2021 and is expected to be completed by 2023.
- The new equipment will save around 60 GWh of energy annually and reduce flaring by 6,000 tons/year.
- The installation will cut nearly 18,000 tons of CO2 emissions, equivalent to the annual emissions of 10,000 passenger cars.
Investment and Project Timeline
Borealis is investing EUR 17.6 million in a new Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) for its polyolefins plants in Porvoo, Finland. The project kicks off in February 2021, with completion planned for 2023.
Energy Efficiency and Emission Reduction
The RTO installation aims to significantly lower CO2 emissions, reduce flaring, and save around 60 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy annually. The equipment will generate approximately 16 bar steam, replacing around 50% of the heat energy currently required for Porvoo Polyolefins operations in a cleaner and more efficient way.
CO2 Emissions and Renewable Energy
By generating its own steam, the Porvoo plant will avoid nearly 18,000 tons of indirect CO2 emissions, equivalent to the annual emissions of 10,000 passenger cars. Additionally, long-term purchase power agreements (PPAs) to source power from Finnish wind farms will elevate the share of renewables in Porvoo’s overall electricity consumption to 13%, moving closer to the goal of sourcing 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
Flaring Reduction
The new RTO will also help achieve the goal of zero continuous flaring by decreasing flaring at Porvoo by around 6,000 tons per year. Flaring, while necessary for safely burning excess gases, results in emissions, noise, and high operational costs.
