On June 22, Veolia and Braskem officially inaugurate the Foundation Stone of the site in which the Clean & Efficient Energy Project (Projeto Energia Limpa e Eficiente) will take place, located at the industrial complex in Marechal Deodoro, State of Alagoas. The ceremony will be attended by municipal and state governments and authorities, as well as representatives of local industries and institutions.

In 2021, the companies signed a partnership to produce renewable energy using steam from biomass, mainly from eucalyptus, but also using other sources such as industrial waste, municipal organic waste and bambu, among other sources under evaluation. The 20 year duration project has an investment of nearly R$400 million (€66 million) and will generate 900 thousand tons of steam/year, which will represent a reduction in emissions of approximately 150 thousand tons of CO2 per year.

Focusing on sustainability, but also on eco-efficiency and productivity, the solution aims to meet the steam demand required for the continuous, high-performance operation of Braskem's PVC plant in Marechal Deodoro, AL. To achieve this objective, Veolia has developed the engineering project and today begins the construction of the steam production plant, which will also be under their responsibility to operate and maintain during the 20-year contract.

The site will be dedicated to the preparation, stocking and mechanical processing of the biomass for its treatment into sustainable steam. With high end technology, 100% made in Brazil, four industrial boilers will be installed and set to operate in a 24/7 schedule in order to deliver a continuous steam supply to feed Braskem’s production processes.

During the construction phase, the project will create more than 400 direct jobs and approximately 100 jobs will be needed for the operation phase (post-work). Scheduled to start operations by the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024, the site will generate a positive socio-environmental impact for the region and the country, and is in line with the companies' global sustainable development strategies.

"This project is aligned with Veolia's purpose, which is Ecological Transformation, by bringing sustainability at the heart of every process and decision, ensuring also production efficiency. The climate change scenario speeds-up the urgency for implementing decarbonization actions, where industries have a major challenge in diversifying their energy matrices and having efficient energy consumptions. We are glad with this partnership with Braskem because it represents a commitment and determined actions towards this goal." says Pedro Prádanos, CEO of Veolia Brazil.

“The partnership with Veolia reinforces our fundamental commitment to generating wealth, with the environment and the communities in our surroundings — adopting the best practices in the industry — and with social transformation in the State. Additionally, it places Alagoas in a unique and pioneering position regarding innovative and sustainable projects”, says Braskem's Industrial Director in Alagoas, Hélcio Colodete.