IFF's Benicarló Plant Embraces Green Hydrogen to Power Fragrance Production
The smell of clean energy success got a little sweeter with a new renewable hydrogen project underway in Spain.
Global fragrance producer IFF has installed a green hydrogen production facility at its scent research and production plant in Benicarló. The H2 installation is part of a 10-year renewable hydrogen energy agreement with utility power producer Iberdrola.
The Benicarló plant will utilize renewable electricity for hydrogenation reactions used in making fragrance ingredients. IFF produces ingredients such as well-known fragrances cashmeran and kharismal at the plant.
“The Benicarló site’s new hydrogen production capability is a major shift from traditional 'gray hydrogen' production methods like steam methane reforming, which relies on fossil fuels and offsite production,” said Jaime Gomezflores, senior vice president of global operations manufacturing for IFF Scent, in a statement. “This is the first step to providing technology and expanding the production to reduce operational emissions in the future.”
Hydrogen is an abundant, energy-dense and light gas which contains no carbon in its chain so does not produce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at the point of use. Also known by the symbol H2, it is difficult to generate at commercial level unless separated through steam reforming of methane gas, which is carbon intensive, or by electrolyzers which split the H2 from water.
To be classified as green hydrogen, it must be generated from electrolyzers which are powered by carbon-free resources such as wind, solar, battery storage, hydro or nuclear power.
The IFF Benicarló project will aim at producing 100 metric tons of clean hydrogen annually.
It includes a built-in compressor to store hydrogen on-site.
Powered by solar panels, the green hydrogen production facility at IFF’s Benicarlo site is used for hydrogenation reactions required to create more than 50 IFF ingredients.
The transition to green hydrogen will reduce 2,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year, helping IFF meet its sustainability targets, including cutting direct emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 50% and indirect emissions (scope 3) by 30% by 2030.
IFF expects to reach net zero emissions from its operations by 2040.