Energy/Resource Conservation

FMC strives to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Fossil fuels are currently the most economical and readily available source of energy.  The company’s conservation initiatives seek to conserve these nonrenewable resources while reducing emissions of GHGs.  FMC participates in the American Chemistry Council (ACC) Energy and Greenhouse Gas Survey and has demonstrated continual improvement in energy efficiency over the past 15 years.

As an ACC member, FMC participates in the President’s Climate Vision Program to achieve an 18 percent reduction in GHG Intensity (quantity of GHGs emitted per ton of product) by 2012.  FMC also played a leading role in the Industrial Minerals Association (North America) initiative for voluntary GHG reductions.  Through this effort, most of North America’s soda ash, borates and silicates industry has joined the Climate Vision Program.

FMC’s soda ash plants in Green River, the company’s most energy intensive operations, have led the way with a comprehensive program to improve energy efficiency and reduce GHGs.  Many projects to improve the efficiency of steam and power generation and reduce GHGs have been completed and many more are planned over the next decade.  These include innovative techniques to improve process design and combustion controls, remove process CO₂ streams and reduce the release of methane from long wall mining.  FMC envisions continued progress in energy conservation and GHG reduction from its sites around the world.

Where possible, FMC seeks alternative and renewable sources of energy.  FMC’s Industrial Chemicals plant in Tonawanda, N.Y., for example, receives clean, renewable hydroelectric power produced locally at the Niagara Power Project’s electricity-generating facility.  The New York Power Authority supplies this "green" energy source, which is efficiently used to produce active oxidant chemicals.