After Frans Timmermans (March 2023), King Willem-Alexander (June 2023) and Minister Micky Adriaansens (March 2024), it is now Queen Máxima's turn to visit Chemelot. The visit will focus on making raw materials and production processes in the chemicals sector more sustainable and is part of a series of visits by Queen Máxima connected with sustainability and circularity. It will give RWE the opportunity to tell her more about the FUREC project.
Chemelot industrial park aims to have fully sustainable and circular production by 2050. In order to make this happen, fossil raw materials need to be replaced by sustainable alternatives and chemical processes powered by renewable electricity. During her visit to the Brightland Campus in Geleen, Limburg, Queen Máxima will learn about the various projects and technologies under development there. One of those innovative technologies is RWE's FUREC project which produces hydrogen from non-recyclable household waste.
Denis Aarssen, FUREC project director: "The energy transition goes hand in hand with the raw materials transition and therefore we should all try to reuse valuable molecules as much as possible. The FUREC project turns residual waste streams into circular hydrogen that can be used again as a raw material for industry, thus enabling RWE to make a valuable contribution to making industry at Chemelot more sustainable."
An endeavour that Máxima warmly welcomes: "When I see those mountains of plastic that are often incinerated, I sincerely hope that the innovative companies at Chemelot get the positive attention needed to enable the transition to a circular economy. To be able to produce renewable raw materials for the automotive and food industries, for example."
About FUREC
FUREC which stands for Fuse Reuse Recycle is where non-recyclable household waste is turned into a raw material for the chemical industry, thus reducing natural gas consumption.
About Chemelot
Chemelot is an industrial complex covering more than 800 hectares and employing approximately 8500 people. The site is home to a range of companies from different sectors: from companies producing raw materials to companies developing new products and from start-ups to multinationals. At the Brightlands Chemelot Campus on the Chemelot site, companies, researchers and educational institutions develop new products and technologies to make products lighter, last longer and easier to reuse.