Emerson Helping Albioma Become a Fully Renewable Energy Provider

Global technology and software company Emerson has been selected by Albioma, a French independent energy provider, to help transition its coal-fired Bois Rouge plant to 100 percent renewable energy. As part of Albioma’s wider mission to transition all its existing fossil fuel plants to renewable energy, Emerson’s automation systems and software will enable the coal-fired power station to convert to biomass feedstock.

Emerson’s automation systems and software will enable the Albioma Bois Rouge coal-fired power station to be converted to biomass feedstock.
Photo Credit: Albioma

The multi-million-dollar project is the latest example of how Emerson technologies are helping customers accelerate their transition to more sustainable energy. The power plant, one of three that Albioma operates on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean, will be converted to use 100% biomass wood pellets. The overhaul of the 108-megawatt facility will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 640,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year, an 84 percent decrease in direct emissions compared to current operating levels.

“Our aim as a company is to reach almost 100 percent renewable energies by 2030 at the latest, and the complete discontinuation of coal at our flagship site represents a major milestone in this green revolution,” said Pascal Langeron, chief operating officer, Reunion Island of Albioma.

The Bois Rouge plant consists of three generating units. Two units are already controlled by Emerson’s Ovation distributed control system, which will be modified for use with biomass feedstock, and the third unit will be replaced with a new Ovation system. The units will also be modernized with new turbine protection and health monitoring systems, safety systems for the boilers, and upgraded boiler control elements and instrumentation.

Work on the transition project was scheduled to begin during a planned outage in June 2022 and is expected to be completed within five months.