A blueprint for decarbonization to address 30−40% of global emissions
The Sustainable Business (SB) COP 30, led by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), is a global coalition of over 40 million companies in more than 60 countries. This group represents 77% of the world's total economic activity (GDP) and aims to highlight industry solutions and the private sector's role in accelerating the global climate agenda during COP 30, held from November 10-21.
As Chair of the Sustainable Business (SB) COP 30 energy transition group, we are demonstrating that industry can help solve the problem. Ahead of COP 30 in Brazil, Solvay led this strong group of global business leaders, including CMPC, Engie, ExxonMobil, and Microsoft. This group presented a critical report on the energy transition to the Brazilian authorities.
This joint effort gives clear policy guidance before the COP 30 summit in Belém, Brazil. It aims to speed up a fair global energy transition.
"The private sector's commitment is clear, with over 110 decarbonization projects shared. To speed up our efforts, we must tackle key challenges. These include policy uncertainty and grid limits. We can do this by focusing on important areas: mandates, incentives, infrastructure, and a value-chain approach."
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Policy and call to action: Scaling the solutions
The SB COP 30 report's core finding is clear: while private sector projects exist, they require a supportive government environment to scale. Solvay is proud to lead this working group, providing urgent policy ideas and actionable solutions ahead of COP 30. The resulting roadmap calls on authorities to prioritize: policy stability, infrastructure development, and strong market incentives to unlock the full potential of business-led climate solutions.
Solvay roots its heritage in challenging the status quo through essential chemistry and constant process innovation. Our actions not only reduce our own footprint but also actively enable our customers' transition.
This innovative work earned us inclusion in the SB COP 30 case studies, which recognized us for seven key innovative projects. These projects offer real, low-carbon solutions across various sectors:
Case study 1: e.Solvay process
The e.Solvay process is the future of the industry. With this new process, we will reduce CO2 emissions by 50% to produce soda ash. It also cuts energy, water and salt consumption by 20% and limestone usage by 30%. Furthermore, it will significantly reduce limestone residues. The piloting phase for this technology has begun a new stage at our Soda Ash R&I facilities.
Our bio-circular process is part of the solution. We transform agricultural by-products (such as rice husk ash) into high-performance silica, delivering a 35% reduction in CO2 emissions per metric ton compared to conventional methods. This powerful process is critical for tire manufacturers aiming for 40% sustainable raw materials by 2030, immediately achieving ∼10% of that goal in every standard passenger tire.
Our carbon neutral product portfolio in Brazil and the USA establishes a new model for verifiable climate action. By providing customers with carbon-neutral essential chemicals, we are actively influencing the chemical and textile sectors. This action accelerates value-chain decarbonization and positions our partners for future compliance.
This energy transition project provides sustainable power for our soda ash site in Dombasle, France. This solution stops the use of coal, replacing it with RDF - a material that cannot be recycled from waste and would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated. By using RDF for energy, the site achieves a 35% reduction in CO2 emissions and complies with all environmental rules.
Solvay and ENSO are building Spain's largest biomass energy unit at the Torrelavega plant. The project replaces 70% of the plant's coal with local waste wood, a move that is expected to nearly halve the site’s CO₂ emissions by 2027. Supported by the Spanish government, this initiative secures the long-term future of the Torrelavega plant and boosts its role in the regional economy.
Our Rheinberg, Germany site is the world's first soda ash facility to achieve 100% coal elimination, powering its operations entirely with sustainable waste wood. This transition immediately cut the plant's CO₂ emissions by 65% annually. This accelerates Solvay's carbon neutrality goal, and strengthens the site's long-term competitiveness.
Our Paulínia, Brazil site has driven continuous operational improvement and the energy transition since 1988. Focused on efficiency and sustainability, this program achieves significant dual wins yearly: €5 million in cost savings and an annual reduction of 1 to 5 kilotons of CO₂. This effective model highlights how we couple operational excellence directly with decarbonization for long-term growth.
Our broader commitment: For Generations
The work leading up to COP 30 is part of Solvay’s 'For Generations' sustainability roadmap, which is embedded across our entire business. We are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and reducing our impact on climate, nature and resources, while meeting our customers’ requests for more sustainable and competitive products.
The scale of our impact
Solvay’s products are largely invisible, but their impact is monumental. Here is the scale of our contribution:
One in five windows worldwide contains our soda ash.
Our bicarbonate-based solutions effectively eliminate over 99% of the key air pollutants from exhaust gases.
We purify microchips with hydrogen peroxide to an extreme level - comparable to finding a single grain of sand on a soccer field.
Our rare earths for permanent magnets are crucial to electrifying EV and wind turbines.
Our bio-based solvents replace fossil-fuel chemicals for cleaner, safer ingredients in fragrances, cleaners, and leather coatings.
Energy transition & process innovation
We are fully committed to decarbonizing our operations, setting clear targets: carbon neutrality by 2050 and a 30% emission reduction by 2030. To reach these milestones, our strategy prioritizes energy transition, energy efficiency, and process innovation.
Approximately 70% of our efforts are focused on phasing out coal by 2030 and transitioning to cleaner energy sources to significantly lower our carbon footprint. The remaining 30% centers on groundbreaking process innovations, such as reinventing the 160-year-old Solvay process.
We are committed to reducing our impact on nature by consuming fewer natural resources and increasing our use of circular materials.
Always meeting our compliance obligations, we proactively seek to go beyond to reduce our emissions. This focus includes clear goals for water and waste:
Reducing fresh water intake and water consumption in areas subject to scarcity.
Reducing the overall waste we produce and maximizing the valorization of unavoidable waste.
In addition, by 2030, Solvay will have allocated 30% of permeable land near biodiversity-sensitive areas to support nature conservation and restoration efforts.
Since 1863, Solvay has harnessed the power of essential chemistry to create innovative, sustainable solutions.
These solutions answer the world's most critical needs, including purifying the air we breathe and the water we use, preserving our food supplies, protecting our health and well-being, creating eco-friendly clothing, making the tires of our cars more sustainable, and cleaning and protecting our homes.
