Connecting agriculture and industry can help produce renewable energy. This will lead to lower-carbon soda ash and bicarbonate at Solvay’s Rosignano site.
Imagine the Tuscan landscape, where the legacy of the Marchesi Ginori Lisci estate stretches across rolling hills. Today, in this vibrant heartland, a new chapter unfolds - a story of collaboration blossoming between earth and industry.
Marchesi Ginori Lisci is partnering with the creativity of the SIAD Group and the innovative spirit of Solvay. Together, we are planting the seeds for a more sustainable future through a new biomethane and biogenic CO₂ plant. This plant aims to support a circular economy. The initiative will also help reduce the impact of Solvay's operations in Rosignano.
From the rich agricultural lands of the Ginori Lisci estate, a new resource will emerge. What were once by-products will be transformed into biomethane and biogenic CO₂.
Solvay will use local resources at its Rosignano plant. We commit to buy 24 GWh of biomethane each year for the next 15 years. This will lower its dependence on natural gas. The initiative will also cut CO₂ emissions from steam production by about 8,000 tons each year, starting in 2026.
"In a world that's constantly changing, honoring our roots means knowing how to look ahead," says Luigi Malenchini, managing director of Marchesi Ginori Lisci.
"Sustainability isn't just an ethical choice; it's a tangible commitment to the generations who will follow and to the community we've always been deeply connected with." Lionardo Ginori Lisci, President, emphasizes their enduring values: "All this while never losing sight of the quality that defines us and the central importance of our people, with company policies focused on the well-being of our workers and the valorization of local talent."
This project is a beautiful example of a circular flow: the land offering its bounty to fuel innovation. The SIAD Group is a leader in biomethane and CO₂ technologies.
They will use their skills to build and run the plant. This includes recovering and liquefying CO₂ produced during biomethane production.
The captured CO₂ will travel to Solvay in Rosignano. There, it will help make important sodium carbonate and bicarbonate. This process will reduce the need for fossil CO₂ and lower the site's carbon footprint.
Bernardo Sestini, Chairman and CEO of the SIAD Group, explains: "We are committed to innovation, which has always been a core value of our company, as the foundation for developing environmental sustainability. In the biogenic CO₂ supply chain, the SIAD Group has developed solutions by integrating its engineering know-how with that of industrial gases, enabling the recovery of a waste product and transforming it into a resource for various industries (such as chemicals and agri-food). The recovery and use of carbon dioxide from short carbon cycle processes enables the development of an increasingly circular and sustainable economy."
This inspiring initiative builds upon the success of Solvay and SIAD's 2018 project in Rosignano, which captures and reuses 40,000 tons of CO₂ annually from industrial fumes. Together, these projects are strengthening Solvay's energy independence, reducing emissions, and reinforcing the Rosignano industrial park as a center for both competitiveness and sustainability.
"This project represents a tangible step on our path to decarbonize our operations," declares Nicolas Dugenetay, Director of the Solvay Plant in Rosignano. "By integrating renewable biomethane and biogenic CO₂ into our processes, we are lessening our environmental impact. Our vision is to ensure the sustainable development of this territory, creating a model for the entire national industrial system."
In the hills of Tuscany, there is an important message. When farming and industry cooperate, we can build a better future for all.
GHG Emission Reduction
