Koole Tankstorage Pernis (KTP) and Recycling Kombinatie REKO B.V. (REKO) recently signed an agreement under which REKO will supply steam to Koole through the end of 2023, greatly reducing natural gas consumption and CO2 emissions at Koole. REKO has been a good neighbor of Koole for years. REKO cleans tar asphalt in a thermal cleaning plant, converting it into sand, gravel and fillers that can be reused in the construction industry. In addition to these valuable products, a lot of heat is also released, which is converted into steam. This is now used to make electricity.
At Koole, all kinds of vegetable oils are stored in heated tanks, for which steam is produced with a natural gas-fueled steam boiler. Given that REKO makes steam and Koole needs steam, the idea arose to join forces. REKO will not convert all the steam into electricity but will supply part of its produced steam directly to Koole, reducing Koole’s need to use natural gas. This coupling is many times more efficient. After all, the conversion of natural gas to steam at Koole and the conversion of steam to electricity at REKO involve loss of energy.
In the picture from left to right: Michel Brik (REKO), David Heijkoop (REKO), René Stoel (Koole Terminals), Marc Hordijk (Koole Terminals), Willem van Bentum (REKO), and Gregory Slob (Koole Terminals)
Koole is deeply committed to taking sustainable steps forward. KTP terminal manager René Stoel: “Using steam from our neighboring company REKO is a fantastic step that fulfills Koole’s ambition to become more sustainable. Chain responsibility is an important part of our objectives, and through initiatives such as these, Koole contributes to a more sustainable society.”