Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Industrial  -  August 21, 2024

Rain Carbon Lowers Emissions, Assesses Scope 3

Rain Carbon Inc. (RAIN), a global producer of carbon-based products and advanced materials, announced the reduction of emissions at its plants.

In 2023, the company's German site in CastropRauxel underwent an overhaul of its steam pipeline network that resulted in 21.0 GWh less natural gas consumption in 2023 vs. 2022, reducing by approximately 4,300 metric tons of CO2-equivalents. 

At Rain Carbon’s Canadian site in Hamilton, the condensate return manifolds and steam tracing lines were replaced in 2023 to increase the recycling rate of condensate. This will allow for reduced steam consumption, leading to lower natural gas consumption and GHG emissions. 

Details were published in its second external sustainability report, "Resourceful, Reliable, Responsible. – Our journey toward a sustainable future."

Rain Carbon continues to evaluate major emission-reduction potentials in line with its overall climate ambitions, including switching to renewable energy sources, electrifying steam production, reducing electrical and steam consumption within its systems, expanding its waste-heat recovery capacities and various forms of process optimization. 

Based on various efficiency projects in the areas of carbon distillation and advanced materials, Rain Carbon sees a reduction potential of 12% in specific CO2 emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) for the business unit that combines these two areas and is realistic by 2030 (base year 2020). For the calcination area, the company will increasingly produce materials using its shaft calcination technology, which will bring the specific emissions of its calcination business down further. 

Rain Carbon aims to define a reduction target by the end of 2025. During 2023, Rain Carbon initiated a major cross-company project in order to assess its Scope 3 emissions in line with the GHG Protocol. All Scope 3 categories were evaluated, and based on relevance and data availability, the company selected the most significant categories for its initial Scope 3 data collection. 

In 2023, Rain Carbon started detailed process studies to better quantify CO2 emissions from its calcining plants. 

"We are pleased to share our second annual Rain Carbon Inc. Sustainability Report with the public, covering our activities during calendar year 2023, and we trust that you will appreciate the many, major steps which RAIN has taken since our 2022 Sustainability Report was published," said RAIN President Gerry Sweeney in a statement. "We have continued to actively move the company forward on our journey to meet the growing demands for a reduced environmental footprint, decreased energy consumption, 'doing what's right' when it comes to corporate social responsibility and much more."