Solvay Sodi, through its newly established subsidiary “Devnya Energy”, submitted a letter of investment intention to the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water in Varna, for the construction of a steam generation plant fuelled by local alternative fuels at its soda ash plant in Devnya, Bulgaria. This facility is intended to replace a steam generation plant that is currently powered by imported fossil fuels. This project represents another step in the sustainable development of the  facility as well as one of the largest production investments in Bulgaria in the last 20 years.

 

The new plant in Devnya will use alternative fuels made of  pre-treated non hazardous local waste and/or biomass, thus replacing fossil fuels with sustainable, locally generated, and continuously recoverable resources. The project should create a new value chain for initially non-recyclable wastes from Northeast Bulgaria. The project will recover at least 300k tonnes of waste per year, which will help to reduce the amount of waste in municipal landfills and the methane emissions associated with it. 

 

Solvay Sodi’s new investment will contribute to a significant reduction of the plant’s CO2 emissions and will meet the most stringent European standards for clean air. There are around 500 examples of such installations in Europe, located near or even in urban areas, used both for heating and industrial purposes. The new facility will be built according to the best available technology and will use the SOLVAir flue gas treatment system patented by the Solvay Group, which removes 99 % of air pollutants. 

 

This conversion of the plant is an important step in the company’s commitment to move away from fossil fuels and  reduce CO2 emissions, while reinforcing Bulgaria’s energy independence. With the government's support, this investment will also allow the site to contribute to a proper treatment of waste and maintain competitiveness, while expanding the employment pool with the creation of new direct and indirect jobs.