Saint-Gobain (Courbevoie, France) has announced the start of 100% decarbonized production of plasterboard at its Fredrikstad plant in Norway. The decarbonization of the manufacturing process was made possible by switching from natural gas to hydroelectric power, thus avoiding 23,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Thanks to the modernization of the plant, improved heat recovery and process efficiency, theenergy consumption of the site has been reduced by 30%. The work carried out has also enabled the plant’s production capacity to be increased by 40%. This reinforces the Group’s leading position in light construction in Norway, while meeting the strong demand for sustainable solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. This world first will enable Saint–Gobain to launch a full range of plasterboard products with the lowest carbon footprint on the market in 2023. This investment of more than €25 million included a €7 million subsidy from the Norwegian state enterprise Enova. This initiative is a clear manifestation of Saint–Gobain’s commitment to reduce its scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 33% by 2030 compared to 2017, with a commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
Saint-Gobain begins decarbonized plasterboard production
| By Mary Bailey