Tratos has partnered with Borealis and together they made it possibile the first use of Bornewables™ in the energy industry. Throughout the years Tratos and Borealis have strengthened their partnership and are contributing to creating new viable solutions for business to reduce their carbon footprint and align better their business with the principles of circular economy.
In 2021, Tratos received an invitation to join a tender, where a higher technical score was awarded to cable solutions that were built with sustainable materials and/or through a more energy-efficient process. Ultimately, the solution should reduce carbon footprint when implemented. This requirement has suggested that sustainable polyolefin sheathing compounds of vegetable origin for medium voltage (MV) and low voltage (LV) cables would be a viable solution.
Borealis recognised that the outlined criteria could be met with the Bornewables™ solution. Bornewables is Borealis’ portfolio of polyolefin products is manufactured with renewable feedstocks. According to the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification Plus (ISCC PLUS) classification, these premium polyolefins offer the same material performance as virgin polyolefins, but with a reduced CO2 footprint.
With the help of Borealis, Tratos was the first of the tender invitees to offer a solution based on renewable feedstock. This key distinction set them apart from their competitors and helped them to win a considerable part of the bid.
Along with it being the first cable presented with a jacketing made from renewable feedstock, it delivered a bigger CO2 footprint reduction per ton and with ICCS PLUS accreditation.
With the Bornewables solution, for a 185 mm2 MV cable, Tratos reduced in 320 kg/km the CO2 emissions when compared to traditional solution based on fossil feedstock.
What are Bornewables™?
Plastic is widely used for its many properties and benefits. At the same time, in order to save the planet, we must make and use plastics more sustainably, and ultimately in more circular ways, using recycled and renewable feedstocks.
In an effort to make it business more circular, Borealis has invented Bornewables™. Unlike renewable feedstocks produced with agricultural crops grown for food and livestock feed, the Bornewables are made of renewably-sourced feedstocks derived solely from waste and residue streams: from vegetable oil production as well as oil waste and residues; the timber industry; the food industry – for instance, used cooking oil. From a sustainability perspective, re-using waste to manufacture renewable feedstocks further enhances the Bornewables appeal. The Bornewables are ISCC PLUS certified polyolefins with reduced carbon footprint, enabling our customers to meet their sustainability targets while maintaining existing quality standards.
To learn more, please watch this video from Borealis:
