A new chapter in industrial decarbonisation has begun as E.ON Power Plants Belgium and Imerys Graphite & Carbon (IGC) officially opened a landmark energy recovery plant at Imerys’ Willebroek production site.
The 29 MW facility captures and converts industrial off-gas — a previously underused energy source rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide — into electricity through an advanced steam turbine system.
The plant now powers the entire Imerys site while sending surplus electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of around 40,000 households into Belgium’s public grid.
The inauguration was attended by Jean-Luc Crucke, Minister of Mobility, Climate and Ecological Transition, who hailed the project as a blueprint for sustainable industrial transformation.
“This installation is exactly the kind of industrial innovation Belgium needs. Recovering energy from industrial processes, reducing air pollutants, and contributing to grid stability — this is a model for sustainable industrial policy that we should be replicating across the country,” said Jean-Luc Crucke.
Located at Imerys’ Willebroek site, the world’s leading production facility for high-purity carbon black, the new plant represents a major step forward in industrial energy efficiency.
High-purity carbon black is a critical material for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, as well as for advanced polymers used in electric vehicles, power cables, and energy infrastructure.
The carbon black manufacturing process naturally produces syngas, but instead of being flared and wasted, the energy contained within this gas is now fully recovered and transformed into electricity.
The project achieves 100% valorisation of syngas previously lost through flaring, while advanced DeNOx and DeSOx flue gas treatment systems reduce nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide emissions, reinforcing the site’s environmental performance.
The new facility is the result of a long-term partnership between E.ON and Imerys, combining industrial expertise with energy innovation.
“This plant is a lighthouse project for Imerys Graphite & Carbon, as it represents a step change in our production process optimisation, maximising resource efficiency and minimising our climate and emissions impact.
"Together with our valued partner E.ON, we developed this project over the last few years and have now successfully completed it. The mutual trust and respect between our two companies, coupled with sound professionalism, have led to this remarkable success, achieved by our passionate people,” said Frank Wittchen, Vice President & General Manager, Imerys Graphite & Carbon.
Marc Spieker, Chief Operating Officer – Commercial, E.ON SE Board of Management, said the project demonstrates that the industrial energy transition is already underway.
“Projects like the energy recovery plant in Willebroek prove that the industrial energy transition is no longer a distant ambition – it is happening today, in partnership with forward-thinking companies like Imerys.
"Reaching commercial operation is an important milestone for E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions internationally, and we are proud to operate this plant as a tangible contribution to Belgium’s energy transition,” said Marc Spieker.
The energy recovery plant was first announced in June 2023, when E.ON and Imerys signed a long-term partnership agreement. Construction began shortly afterwards at Imerys’ Bedrijvenpark De Veert site in Willebroek, with the facility now fully operational and entering commercial operation.
