Braskem Scales Electrification Across Three Sites, Replacing Steam Turbines With Electric Motors

Braskem is scaling electrification across three sites, replacing steam turbines with electric motors at its Vesta Project in São Paulo's ABC region, where energy consumption fell by more than 7.3% and emissions drop by about 100,000 tons of CO2e per year. In Alagoas, a biomass project developed with Veolia lets the PVC plant run entirely on renewable steam, cutting about 150,000 tons of CO2e annually. In Paulínia, an electric boiler built with ComBio is expected to cut emissions by about 65% and steam production costs by about 20%, with operations starting in the second half of 2026.

Key facts

Market context

PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is one of the most widely used thermoplastics, with demand driven by construction, including pipes, fittings, window profiles and flooring, as well as packaging, medical devices and consumer goods. Producing PVC is energy-intensive, since the process relies on steam for heating and separation steps, so the cost and source of that steam feed directly shape a producer's margins. Electrifying steam generation, replacing turbines with electric motors or boilers, and switching to biomass-based steam can lower operating costs and cut the carbon footprint of the product. For buyers, lower-emission resin is becoming more relevant as construction and packaging customers track supply-chain emissions. Producers that reduce energy costs gain flexibility when petrochemical feedstock and power prices move, which can help them compete on price with rivals whose plants depend on fossil-fired steam.

Source: official release on braskem.com.br. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.