Arno Schrauwen & Bas NijssenThrough initiatives such as the V-RISE project, Cosun Beet Company is cutting gas consumption by more than half and reducing CO₂ emissions from its sugar factories by 50%. KH Engineering is supporting Cosun with the engineering of this complex project.
Cosun Beet Company produces sugar from sugar beet at three factories, one in Germany and two in the Netherlands: in Dinteloord and Vierverlaten. The company is currently implementing its V-RISE sustainability project at the latter location. Energy transition manager Bas Nijssen and Arno Schrauwen, manager project office, share insights into the project and their collaboration with KH Engineering.
Sugar beet campaign
Cosun Beet Company operates on a campaign basis. This means that its factories run only during the period following the sugar beet harvest (the so-called ‘beet campaign’) and for a short thick juice refining phase in the spring. Part of the production is not immediately converted into crystal sugar but temporarily stored as thick juice. In a separate refining campaign, Cosun Beet Company processes this thick juice into white crystal sugar. This approach allows their production capacity to be spread over a longer period and the factory to be used more efficiently. However, for much of the year, production is paused. The factories are either shut down or under maintenance. This makes it all the more important that investments deliver returns quickly.
EleCtrification and biogas
Despite the need for a short payback period, Cosun Beet Company is taking bold steps. ‘We’ve committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)’, says energy transition manager Bas Nijssen. ‘That means we aim to reduce our CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 2021. We’ve already brought our scope 2 emissions down to zero by purchasing 100% green electricity, including for our site in Germany. The biggest challenge now lies in our scope 1 emissions. We are tackling those through electrification, expanding our biogas production, and projects like V-RISE’, Bas explains.
sustainable production
‘The V-RISE project, short for Vapor Recompression Integrated Sugarend: Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) + Vertical Crystallisation Tower (VKT), is a key part of making our production more sustainable’, Bas continues. ‘We’re going to upgrade residual heat from the process using heat pumps’, he explains. ‘This requires a completely new crystallisation process, which will shift from batch to continuous operation. That means major modifications to the factory.’ Once the project is complete, the factories in Vierverlaten, and later, Dinteloord, will consume over 50% less natural gas. CO₂ emissions will be reduced by 50% compared to 2021. Cosun Beet Company also expects to save around ten million euros annually on gas and CO₂ emission allowances.
a deliberate choice for KH Engineering
To realise complex projects like this, Cosun Beet Company partners with KH Engineering. ‘We deliberately chose a mid-sized partner’, explains Arno Schrauwen, manager project office. ‘KH Engineering is large enough to handle a project like V-RISE, yet flexible enough to work with us on site as part of an integrated team. That’s essential, as we don’t have the capacity to do everything in-house.’
Brownfield challenges
The decision to bring in an external engineering partner was no coincidence, Arno explains. ‘Our installations weren’t designed with today’s sustainability targets in mind’, he says. ‘What’s more, the local factory teams are focused on production and maintenance for most of the year, which makes delivering large projects even more complex. In addition, the Vierverlaten factory is located in the middle of a residential area. Space is limited, the installation density is high, and any expansions must comply with strict environmental permit conditions. It’s a classic brownfield project, with all the challenges that come with it’, Arno concludes.
collaboration
V-RISE is now nearing the completion of its basic engineering phase. KH Engineering is closely involved in this stage as part of the on-site project team in Vierverlaten. Preparatory work has already begun on the site, including clearing space for new construction. The collaboration is highly practical: a KH Engineering team is present on-site three to four days a week. ‘What I value in an engineering partner is proactivity, expertise, and engagement on the shop floor. We see all of that in KH Engineering’, says Arno. ‘They also support us in assessing field queries during the construction phase. That support is crucial, especially given the complexity of the project.’
Live in 2028
In 2028, Cosun Beet Company plans to implement the new process for the first time during the thick juice refining campaign in Vierverlaten. This allows them to test the technology during a quieter period before deploying it in the more intensive beet campaign.
For more information about Cosun Beet Company: cosunbeetcompany.com