Polish chemicals producer Qemetica Soda Polska has announced the receipt of PLN 100 million (USD 25.5 million/EUR 23.2 million) in financial support from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.
This funding will facilitate the conversion of a coal-fired boiler to biomass combustion at its soda production facility located in Inowroclaw, central Poland.
The financial assistance will enable the company to generate energy from biomass, significantly reducing coal consumption in its soda production, which is one of Qemetica Group's most energy-intensive operations.
The project will also involve constructing a biomass fuel management system, which includes infrastructure for unloading, storing, and transporting biomass. A tender process is currently underway to select a contractor for the engineering works, with completion anticipated in 2027.
By reconstructing the boiler, Qemetica aims to replace nearly 100,000 tonnes of coal annually with biomass fuel, leading to a reduction of approximately 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. The company has set ambitious sustainability targets, aiming for a 45% reduction in CO2 emissions from soda production by 2029 compared to 2019 levels, and plans to eliminate coal combustion at its plants entirely by 2033.
Qemetica Soda Polska is the only manufacturer of heavy and light soda ash in Poland and the second-largest in Europe. Its product portfolio also includes baking soda, calcium chloride, and hopkalite, with production facilities in Inowroclaw and Janikowo.
