Salt and chemical company Nobian produces and processes salt that is needed for everyday products such as textiles, medicines, and disinfectants. But also for products that are important for the energy transition, such as insulation material, batteries, electric cars, wind turbines, and solar panels. Nobian aims to become and remain one of the most sustainable chemical companies in the EU.

The cabinet and Nobian already signed a letter of intent (Expression of Principles) at the end of last year, which included the plans for sustainability. With these plans, Nobian can accelerate its climate goals by 10 years, meaning that by 2030 it will emit virtually no CO₂ anymore. This is a reduction of over 0.6 million tons of CO₂ per year and is significantly more reduction than the company is required to achieve under the Climate Agreement.

Minister Micky Adriaansens (Economic Affairs and Climate): “What a beautiful milestone! Today, I signed the Joint Letter of Intent with the company on the premises of Nobian in Rotterdam. This is a very important and significant step in our joint goal to make the Netherlands more sustainable and to keep companies here. And how special to do that on location. Because that’s what it’s about: Nobian makes and processes salt, which we need in our daily lives. With the tailored approach, we encourage companies to innovate while simultaneously accelerating and enhancing sustainability. With these concrete plans, Nobian will have virtually no CO₂ emissions by 2030, which is 10 years faster and 3 times the reduction that the company must achieve according to the Climate Agreement. I look forward to quickly concluding the binding tailored agreement with the company.”

The 4 major projects that Nobian wants to implement will also have positive effects on the living environment, including a significant reduction in nitrogen emissions. Water consumption will also decrease. Natural gas consumption will decrease significantly. The gas reduction is equivalent to more than 1% of the total gas consumption in the Netherlands, which corresponds to the consumption of approximately 250,000 households, comparable to the city of The Hague. The company will also create space on the power grid in Rotterdam (comparable to the electricity consumption of 50,000 households) and the possibility to deploy electricity more flexibly to balance the electricity grid and reduce grid congestion. Additionally, there is a project aimed at the development of underground energy storage, which is crucial for the energy transition.

To accelerate and make these sustainability projects (financially) feasible, Nobian needs financial support from the government on top of its own investments. This is estimated to be an amount between €190 and €290 million. The exact amount will be determined during the binding tailored agreements early next year and depends on material and energy prices. It is also being looked at together with the provinces and environmental services to see how permitting processes can be improved to speed up the process. Finally, discussions with network operators will address the impact of the necessary energy infrastructure, both on the company and on the rest of the region.

The independent Advisory Committee on Tailored Agreements for Industrial Sustainability has assessed whether the plans are ambitious and feasible, whether the project plans are financially and operationally robust, and whether the set goals can be achieved. The proposed projects have been positively evaluated, and most recommendations for improvement have already been incorporated into the agreement signed today. The remaining points will still be worked out and incorporated in the final step: the binding tailored agreements. The advice has been made public together with the Joint Letter of Intent.