Energy management

Fossil fuels are a finite resource and climate change is a major societal problem. As part of the energy transition, it is important to use fewer and fewer fossil fuels.

Electricity and gas usage at all Van Loon Group sites.

Our energy management policy aims to reduce electricity and gas intensity by 5% by 2030 compared to 2022, and to use 100% renewable Dutch electricity by 2030. We are investing in efficient technologies, process optimisation and renewable energy sources, and monitor progress quarterly.

COO

Last year, we took steps at several sites to reduce energy consumption and make our installations more efficient. The focus was on replacing outdated machinery and installations with more sustainable alternatives. At the Oude-Tonge site, for example, eight ovens were replaced by new, more efficient models, which use 28% less energy than the old models. The Deventer site was closed in mid-2024, contributing to a more efficient use of energy. Oude-Tonge was added last year, resulting in a relative increase in energy use. By 2024, we will have made energy-saving and environment-improving investments worth 
€385,500. This will result in an annual reduction of 70 tonnes of CO₂-eq.

Not all planned projects could be implemented. The retrofit of cooling systems in Eersel did not take place, so there are energy-saving opportunities at this site. However, Dynamic Load Balancing was installed on the cooling systems in Son to better regulate energy consumption and reduce peak loads on the grid. This system will be further optimised in the coming year to achieve maximum efficiency.

Despite generating substantially less electricity ourselves in 2024 than in 2023 thanks to relatively few hours of sunshine, the total amount of electricity from renewable sources rose to 70%. This is because a good part of our electricity is linked to fixed solar farms or purchased green with a Dutch Guarantee of Origin (GvO).

Next year, we will continue our efforts to work more energy-efficiently and implement sustainable alternatives. A key project is making the Nuth site gas-free by installing additional heat exchangers and replacing the current cooling system using freon R134a with a CO₂ system.

At the Denekamp site, we will conduct a feasibility study to replace the old freon refrigeration plant with a new one using natural refrigerants and maximum heat recovery.

To reduce peak loads on the electricity grid, we are starting a project in Son in which electric charging stations will be switched on in phases.

At all sites, we will map compressed air leaks and thermal bridges in 2025. By targeting these, we can prevent considerable unnecessary energy loss.

In Eersel, we will realise a connection to ammonia heat recovery, possibly leading to complete gas boiler removal.

Finally, a feasibility study is being carried out at Best site to replace a gas-fired furnace with an electrically heated one.