
We capture CO2 from our flue gases. We make new products from these in our CO2 capture plant. Think of e.g. baking powder, fertilisers for greenhouse horticulture, or dry ice.
At Twence, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our own CO2 emissions. By capturing it and reusing it as a raw material, we are helping to reduce those emissions. CO2 capture and reuse is also known as CCU - Carbon Capture Utilisation. In other words, we are bringing valuable raw materials back into the cycle.
CO2 can serve a variety of purposes. We highlight a number of them.
Greenhouse horticulture must become more sustainable in the years to come and is making the switch from natural gas to geothermal energy as a way to heat greenhouses. Lower consumption of natural gas means lower CO2 emissions for the horticulturalists. The demand for liquid CO2 is set to rise as a result. Liquid CO2 is very suitable for use during the growing season to help plants grow in the greenhouses.
CO2 can be used as an additive in the application of cement (substitutes). In this way, it can contribute to cutting down on CO2 in the production of clinkers and building blocks. You can also use CO2 to speed up the ageing process of bottom ash coming from waste-to-energy plants. In combination with supplementary process steps, the bottom ash can be upgraded to a clean and readily usable product, for example as a substitute for sand and gravel. By using it in building products, CO2 is permanently fixed and therefore removed from the cycle.
At some point in the future, energy carriers will also be able to be made from CO2. The chemical industry is looking for sustainable alternatives for fossil carbons, oil and natural gas. There is also a need for effective storage of renewable energy such as solar and wind energy. CO2, in combination with hydrogen, offers opportunities for this. Together with the Dutch company Coval Energy B.V., Twence is looking into potential ways for the production of formic acid out of the captured CO2. Formic acid can be used in the chemical sector or for the storage of (sustainable) energy.
Some well-known applications of CO2 are as a coolant in the transport of perishable goods, the use of CO2 in soft drinks, or in the packaging of vegetables. This is only possible if the CO2 meets the strict requirements of the food and beverage industry. Twence is designing the new CO2 plant in such a way that the CO2 will comply with those requirements.
CO2 is generated through the incineration of non-recyclable waste. We clean our flue gases in order to emit as little CO2 as possible through our chimney. Consequently, what you can see coming out of our chimney is largely made up of water vapour. We capture this CO2 when cleaning the flue gas. We convert this - in combination with soda - into baking powder, a raw material for our own flue gas cleaning process. We also liquefy CO2 so that it can be used, for example, as a fertiliser in greenhouse horticulture. The product can also be used for other high-grade applications. Think of e.g. the foodstuffs industry, construction, chemistry and in sustainable fuels.
Do you have any questions about CO2 capture and supply? We'd love to hear what's on your mind. Please fill in the form and we will get in touch with you.