ASPEN South Africa’s flagship manufacturing site in Gqeberha will reduce its carbon emissions by thousands of tons by switching to steam generated from a biomass steam plant. Sustainable Heating took about two years to implement the plant which it funded and built and operates to sell steam back to Aspen at a cost per ton.
The new installation boasts a capacity of 12 MWh thermal energy, supplying 20 tons of steam per hour. Over the next 15 years, the Aspen facility is projected to save approximately 550,000 tons of carbon emissions, underscoring the long-term environmental and economic benefits of the project.
Recent studies highlight the advantages of biomass over fossil fuels, particularly in terms of reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality. The plant’s advanced filtration system further enhances its environmental credentials, ensuring cleaner steam production compared to conventional fuel-based methods.
“We are thrilled to launch this cutting-edge biomass steam plant, which marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a more sustainable future,” said Paul Gorremans, managing director at Sustainable Heating. “Our commitment to reducing carbon footprints and enhancing energy efficiency is at the core of our operations, and this new facility exemplifies that dedication.”
International pressure to shift to carbon-neutral energy generation is driving increasing demand for sustainable heating solutions. The biomass steam plant at Aspen is a good example of how Industrial-scale process heat can be generated from biomass feedstocks.
The steam plant is fuelled by woodchips which are sourced from Sustainable Heating’s chipping facility. Other sources of biomass feedstocks are wood pellets, wood shavings or residues, energy crops or empty fruit bunches (EFB), such as shell fibre from oil palm production. Refuse-derived fuel (RFD) can also be used from municipal, industrial, or agricultural waste.
Gorremans says that the feedstock must be within a 100 km radius of the plant, otherwise the carbon emissions generated by transportation cancel out the environmental gains, not to mention the cost.
In an interview with the SABC, Gorremans said that the company has about 12 biomass boilers running in South Africa – in Cape Town, Durban and in Gqeberha.
He said the benefits of the plants include a reduction in the generation of greenhouse gas emissions, a lower cost to the client to produce steam and a reduction in waste that goes to landfill.
He explained that Sustainable Heating’s current business model is capital-intensive and suits plants with a 24/7 demand for steam. The company finances the plant build and operation and provides steam to the client at a cost per ton over an agreed period from around 10 to 30 years. Gorremans said companies need to invest with a long-term horizon.
The company’s current business model, Gorremans said, is not suitable for smaller-scale applications as the capital investment required is too high to deliver a suitable return.
The company is, however, exploring options with an Austrian supplier to provide smaller-scale solutions.
