Zoltek Companies, Inc., the global leader in low-cost industrial grade carbon fiber, has announced it is now using green energy for a portion of its carbon fiber production.

The Zoltek facility located in Nyergesújfalu, Hungary, began using electricity produced from renewable resources in early 2020. At 15,000 MT of annual capacity, this Zoltek location is the largest fully integrated carbon fiber plant in the world, with production of PAN precursor, carbon fiber, and downstream value added products like fabrics and pultrusion all produced at one site.   The facility has made arrangements to employ electricity from renewable resources through the entire process chain, resulting in an annual CO₂ savings of 5000 metric tons.  This change is being made as a part of Zoltek’s continued efforts to focus on sustainability in all areas of the business. “Our carbon fibers enable wind energy to compete with fossil fuels, automobiles to be lighter weight, and batteries to be more efficient” says David Purcell, Executive Vice President of Zoltek, “so the shift to renewables to power our own precursor and carbon fiber manufacturing was the next logical step.” The local electricity supplier in Hungary will issue CO₂ certificates to Zoltek based on actual consumption after a period of 12 months. The cost associated with the transition to renewable electricity will be taken on as a part of Zoltek’s Global Corporate Social Responsibility program.

Utilizing renewable energy is a proactive step forward that is in alignment with both the Zoltek corporate philosophy and the philosophies of many of the industries we serve across the globe. For years, Zoltek carbon fiber has been enhancing the performance of products that benefit the environment. As a result of this change, wind turbines and electric vehicles made with Zoltek fiber will not only generate renewable energy, but will now further contribute to offsetting CO₂ by utilizing Zoltek carbon fiber in their production process.  “At Zoltek we focus everyday on how to make life better for future generations. Utilizing electricity produced from renewable resources is our responsibility to our customers and everyone in our communities.” noted Nobuya Ando, CEO and President of Zoltek.

To learn more about Zoltek’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program, click here.