Leading European carpet manufacturer DESSO has signed an agreement, together with Eneco and HOST, confirming their participation in the joint exploration of whether biomass digestion in Waalwijk, the Netherlands, where DESSO is headquartered, could allow the company to operate manufacturing on renewable energy.
Sustainable energy supplier Eneco has expressed its intention to explore whether a new plant, to be named Wabico, could deliver mutual gains for all parties involved. The plant is an initiative between, Eneco, HOST and the Municipality of Waalwijk. DESSO’s production in Waalwijk is located close to Wabico, and given that the company annually uses 28,000 GJ of heat in Waalwijk and 200.000 GJ (electricity is usually expressed in kWh or GWh) electricity worldwide, they are an ideal candidate for such a venture.
Responsible use of renewable energyWhile electricity can be easily transported via the grid, utilizing heat is more challenging. It requires a nearby outlet and low-temperature applications. DESSO’s production in Waalwijk, being so closely situated to Wabico, is an ideal location to explore whether this heat can be supplied to DESSO.
How it worksA methanation plant produces biogas from organic waste like verge grass, fat, oil and grease from the hospitality sector. This gas is then fired into a combined heat-power installation (CHP) which allows for optimum use of the caloric value of biogas. The CHP plant produces about 45,000 GJ per annum of electricity and nearly the same amount of heat. The biomass residue can be reused as compost or organic fertilizer – guaranteeing recovery of nutrients according to the Cradle to Cradle® principle.
Working together for mutual gainEnergy supplier Eneco is aiming for 100% renewable energy production by 2030, as supported by its slogan ‘sustainable, decentral, together’ (“duurzaam, decentraal, samen”). Its business unit Solar, Hydro & Bio is leading their ambition within the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and the UK. Manager Tim Barenbrug looks forward to the Wabico project: ”Eneco sees Wabico in Waalwijk as a great development. We’ve already been producing sun and wind energy for years. If we can add the bio CHP plant, we’ll be making a huge, sustainable step forward”.
DESSO has been a Cradle to Cradle® company since 2008 and seeks to meet high standards for raw material procurement, product design and recycling. This principle, however, also demands the use of current solar income (renewable energy). DESSO has already achieved Silver Certification for its EcoBase® carpet tile and, following its ambition to become a fully Cradle to Cradle® company by 2020, DESSO aims to use only renewable energy in all of its processes, ideally generated and used at source.
HOST is a leading designer and supplier of biomass installations throughout the Netherlands, with 40% market share of biomass digestion. Since 2004, HOST has delivered 30 installations within the Netherlands and, since 2008, has been operating internationally. Apart from designing biomass installations, HOST is also an engineering expert in the field of energy challenges within industry.
The Municipality of Waalwijk is the driver behind Ecopark Waalwijk, where Wabico will be located. Ecopark Waalwijk, formerly a landfill site, is a unique location for the production of renewable energy from the sun, wind and biogas. The land hosts 4,200 solar panels, five windmills and exploited landfill gas.
Stef Kranendijk, Chief Executive Officer at DESSO, is looking forward to the joint cooperation: “This is an exciting development for DESSO and is an important step towards achieving our goals for 2020. Renewable energy is an extremely integral part of the Cradle to Cradle® principle that we are passionately committed to. With this partnership, we are happy to be working with the best partners in the field to create a better future for us all.”
About EnecoEneco applies an integrated distribution strategy and specialises in the production, transmission, trading, supply and metering of energy (electricity, gas and heat) and related products and services. Eneco is making a transition to becoming a sustainable energy company and will make substantial investments in the area of sustainable energy during the coming years. Eneco developes sustainable projects working on windpower, waterpower, sunpower, biomass and heat. In total the company serves approximately two million business and domestic customers. Eneco employs about 7,000 people (6.628 FTEs). The head office is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. For more information, see http://corporatenl.eneco.nl
About DESSOToday, DESSO can look back on almost 80 years of proven performance, having built a reputation as a leading manufacturer of high quality carpet tiles and broadloom. DESSO has four factories and two major distribution centres in Europe, as well as specialist customer service centres throughout Europe, America, Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia. DESSO products are specifically designed for both commercial and domestic applications. Its commercial products can be found in offices, banks, retail units, public buildings, schools, universities and care centres.
Cradle to Cradle®In signing a partnership agreement with the Hamburg-based Environmental Protection
Encouragement Agency (EPEA), DESSO has become the first carpet manufacturer in EMEA to adopt the Cradle to Cradle® design. It marks DESSO’s radical decision to move beyond ‘mere’ sustainability in producing its carpets and artificial grass. In the Cradle to Cradle® principles, products are made from pure components that are easy to disassemble, in order to create new products (= up-cycling) in both the biological and technical cycles.
DESSO Consumer Carpets is represented by three strong brands: Parade, Bonaparte and DESSO. All with a rich history in manufacturing high-end consumer carpets where products are available through specialist retail traders, plus selected carpet stores and home furnishing shops.
DESSO’s creative carpet design and service oriented approach means that it has become a market leader in developing solutions for the Hospitality, Marine and Aviation (HMA) markets.
DESSO Sports Systems leads the market in the provision of artificial turf for sports fields and reinforced natural grass systems that provide the perfect surface at every level of sport.
DESSO’s innovation strategy is concentrated in 3 key areas: Creativity, Functionality and Cradle to Cradle®.
For more information visit www.desso.com
