The company said an internal heat network will provide a contained, thermal energy distribution system, taking residual heat from the cooling of its uranium cylinders. Hot water will be generated and then circulated via insulated pipework throughout multiple buildings on-site to heat them.
The initial phase of the project will see the construction of a heat grid and utility building, with the remaining infrastructure to connect the network across the site being completed at a later date.
Urenco said the project will enable it to significantly reduce its natural gas consumption in Almelo and lower Scope 1 emissions – the result of the direct combustion of fossil fuels by a given company – by about 671 tonnes per year.
The network is expected to be operational by 2029 and is fully aligned with Urenco’s 2030 net-zero objectives.
Meanwhile, Urenco said the construction of a new office building at its Almelo site has focused efforts on choosing materials with a lower environmental impact to strengthen overall sustainability. Under Dutch legislation on the Environmental Performance of Buildings (MPG), buildings are given a score reflecting its environmental impact per square meter per year. The use of solar panels, low-carbon concrete, and other sustainable materials resulted in the building being given an MPG score of 0.7 – an improvement of 30% on the legally required score of 1.0 for all new office buildings in the Netherlands.
Furthermore, the building is BREEAM certified, meaning its sustainability has been independently assessed across nine different categories. The building received an Excellent rating, the second-highest possible level in the internationally recognised BREEAM system.
“Together, these measures make the new Almelo office building a leading example of sustainable office design, demonstrating how thoughtful planning, material choice, and construction techniques can significantly reduce environmental impact,” Urenco said.
In addition to the Almelo plant, Urenco also operates enrichment facilities in Eunice, New Mexico in the USA, Gronau in Germany, and at Capenhurst in the UK.
