No one can predict the future, but one thing is certain: sustainability is gaining importance. The energy transition is also a hot topic in the engineering world. That is why we spoke to Pascal Du Four, Head of Technical Services and Energy Manager at INEOS Inovyn in Antwerp. He talks about the cooperation with KH Engineering and his vision of the future.
INEOS Inovyn is Europe's largest producer of vinyl products and is one of the top three in the world. The company’s sites are located across Europe, two of which are in the port of Antwerp: Zandvliet (whose main product is dichloroethane) and Lillo (whose main products are chlorine, hydrogen, sodium and potash).
Built on good experiences
Both sites of INEOS Inovyn Antwerp have their own small-scale engineering office. For projects they cannot take on in-house, the company relies on KH Engineering, among others. The collaboration started about nine years ago during the BIGAN 3 project (expansion of chlorine production) in Lillo and still continues today due to the good experiences. ‘We see KH Engineering as the expert we don't have ourselves; as an extension of our own engineering offices,’ says Pascal. ‘There are different situations in which we contact them. These can be small, technical questions that require an answer at short notice, smaller assignments such as stress calculations, but also studies that are too big or too specific for our local departments.’
The type of projects also varies. For example, INEOS Inovyn's Antwerp sites date from the early 1970s. To maintain the installations, typical replacement projects take place annually, in which KH Engineering can assist INEOS Inovyn. ‘But we also have SHE (safety, health, and environment) and LTO (license to operate) projects, complemented by Business Improvement projects,’ says Pascal. ‘For example, last year KH Engineering assisted us in investigating the feasibility, choice and installation of a hydrogen boiler.’
Innovation via hydrogen
INEOS Inovyn has announced its intention to play an important role in hydrogen developments. In the next ten years, the company is investing more than 2 billion euros into electrolysis projects to produce carbon-free, green hydrogen across Europe. Its first plants will be built in Norway (Project Aquarius), Germany and Belgium. Investments are also planned in the United Kingdom and France. The hydrogen boiler project is part of this initiative. ‘This boiler could burn 100% hydrogen and also generate steam. This means no natural gas is needed, there is no CO₂ emission and we make optimal use of our own hydrogen’, says Pascal. The company is also exploring the use of hydrogen for transport with the conversion of a barge shuttling between the site in Antwerp and the site in Jemeppe to transport caustic soda and dichloroethane and has recently proposed the first hydrogen truck for bulk PVC supply to its customers in France.
There is also the Power-to-Methanol Antwerp pilot project, in which INEOS Inovyn and six other partners convert captured CO₂ and hydrogen to green methanol. This would mean a reduction of 20,000 tonnes of indirect CO₂ emissions from the Lillo site. Completion of this plant is scheduled for 2024-2025. Pascal: ‘INEOS Inovyn's goal is to reduce the company's CO₂ emissions by 10% by 2025 and by 33% in 2030. By 2050, we want to be completely carbon neutral. Robust roadmaps have been developed site by site to reach those ambitious targets.’
Engineering in the future
What exactly does the future of engineering have in store? Pascal has no ready-made answer to that. He does see the energy transition as a major challenge, not in the least for engineering firms. ‘A lot of technologies to be greened are still in their early stages. Especially for larger-level processes, we actually need proven solutions, but of course this is not obvious. Further training and finding the right specialists will therefore become more important than ever.’
Besides focusing on sustainability, INEOS Inovyn therefore also considers it important to have some engineering knowledge in-house. ‘We have our own internal expertise and part of our future strategy is to build on this expertise by attracting new people in an increasingly competitive market, whilst also working with strategic partners,’ says Pascal. The combination of in-house specialists, fixed contractors onsite and a reliable external engineering partner like KH Engineering is therefore the ideal future-proof solution to handle projects of different sizes, according to him.
‘KH Engineering has proven to be a reliable and competent partner. We hope this relationship will continue in the same way in the future,’ concludes Pascal.
For more information about Inovyn, please visit: www.inovyn.com.