E.ON and Imerys have inaugurated a 29 MW energy recovery plant at Imerys' Willebroek carbon black facility in Belgium. The plant captures syngas that was previously flared and converts it into electricity using a high-efficiency steam turbine. It powers the entire Imerys site and sends surplus electricity to the Belgian grid, enough for about 40,000 households annually. The facility also includes advanced flue gas treatment to cut NOx and SOx emissions, meeting EU standards. The project, announced in 2023 and now fully operational, is a partnership between E.ON and Imerys. Imerys' Willebroek site is the world's largest producer of high-purity carbon black, a key material for lithium-ion batteries in EVs and energy storage. By capturing and using syngas that was previously flared, the plant improves resource efficiency and reduces emissions from a major industrial source. This is a concrete example of industrial energy recovery tied to the battery supply chain.
