Carbon-neutral energy for DSM and surrounding plants
The biomass power plant supplies steam to the production facilities of DSM Nutritional Products in Sisseln and the Syngenta and Novartis plants. The electricity – enough to power 17,500 local households – is fed into the public grid. The wood chips required for energy production come from a maximum radius of 100 km. In contrast to old power stations powered by fossil fuels, the new wood-fired combined heat and power plant delivers carbon-neutral energy, making an important contribution to a climate-friendly future.
CALIQUA services
- Everything from project development to end-to-end solutions, including the building and surroundings: analysis, planning, concept, engineering, design, project management, implementation, installation, production.
- The entire power plant (biomass plant and gas boiler) was designed for a higher steam availability of 99.98%.
- Integrated sensor technology for measuring the moisture content of biomass fuel to determine its calorific value. This means the data is immediately available online. This is the first time that the technology has been used in this way in Switzerland.
- The wood-fired CHP plant was designed to achieve very high live steam parameters of 105 bar and 525°C in the biomass plant.
Customer benefits
- Important contribution to combating climate change:
Every cubic metre of wood that replaces fossil fuels saves the release of several hundred kilograms of CO2. At the Sisslerfeld wood-fired power plant, this amounts to approximately 50,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. - The plant enables a sustainable supply of green steam and electricity.
- No dependence on imports from distant countries:
Locally available, renewable fuels, high efficiency and the use of existing infrastructure are the hallmarks of these projects. - More value creation in the region and securing industry jobs:
The conveniently located industrial area offers well-developed infrastructure with potential for the future. The wood-fired power plant is intended to provide a sustainable, secure and economical energy supply.
There are currently 4,600 people working in the Sisslerfeld industrial area, including many in highly qualified occupations in the life sciences industry.
Challenges
The challenges in implementing the project included the very tight schedule and the tight space constraints at the construction site. Moreover, the customer’s plant had to be integrated without interrupting ongoing operations.
Technical data
Building
Length
Width
Height
129 m
22 m
max. 30 m
Fuel bunker
Size
5500 m3
Biomass boiler
Thermal firing capacity
Steam production
Electricity production
36 MW
45 t/h
7 MW
Three boilers for Sisseln peak and backup plant
Thermal firing capacity
Steam production
3 x 35 MW
2 x 45 t/h
Energy output from the wood-fired power plant to the entire plant
Electricity production per year
Steam production per year
42 GWh/a
267 GWh/a
CO2 emissions reduction
50,000 t/a
The fuel bunker is large enough to store fuel for three to five days. Roughly 22 truckloads of biomass are delivered daily, five days a week.
About DSM Nutritional Products
DSM delivers innovative solutions for human nutrition, animal nutrition, personal care and aromas, medical products, green products and applications, new mobility and connectivity. DSM and its affiliated companies employ over 23,000 people. The company was founded in 1902 and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. At its Sisseln site, DSM employs a workforce of just over 1,000, and a total of 3,300 in the tri-border region.