IFF debuts fragrance industry’s “first” green hydrogen facility

International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) is introducing the fragrance industry’s “first” nature-based hydrogen production facility powered by renewable energy at its site in Benicarló, Spain. The facility is dedicated to the creation of fragrance ingredients and is developed in partnership with renewable energy provider Iberdrola. 

The company states that the facility will enable the annual production of 100 metric tons of green hydrogen, while reducing CO2 emissions by 2,000 metric tons. It also notes that it supports hydrogenation reactions for over 50 fragrance ingredients. 

“We have replaced the ‘grey’ hydrogen — manufactured using natural gas — that’s typically used in fragrance manufacturing processes with green hydrogen, produced on-site via renewable solar and hydroelectricity,” Jose Antonio Rojas, vice president of operations for Global Fragrance Ingredients, IFF Scent, tells Personal Care Insights. 

“This change is important because it significantly reduces the indirect carbon footprint associated with raw material procurement and supports our ESG commitments, ensuring that fragrance ingredient production has less impact on the environment and lives up to consumer demand for sustainable products,” he says. 

Jaime Gomezflores, senior vice president of operations at IFF, states: “This is the first step to providing technology and expanding the production to reduce operational emissions in the future,” says Gomezflores. 

The move marks a step toward a greener future for the fragrance industry, aiming to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030. By 2040, IFF aims to reach net-zero emissions for its operations.

Sustainable fragrance

Solar panels power the facility, which also features a built-in compressor for storing hydrogen on-site. This reduces the life cycle assessments of products, contributing to customers’ decarbonization goals on a global scale. 

“Our newly installed hydrogen plant currently operates with an electrolyzer capacity of 1.25 MW, which is more than sufficient to cover our operations. This essentially eliminates the need to transport hydrogen from external suppliers, helping us improve on-site safety and reduce exposure to supply risks for us and our customers,” says Rojas. 

IFF states that the site’s geographic location is ideal for supporting green hydrogen production. It attributes this to Spain’s natural resources and industrial demand. 

In terms of future plans, Rojas tells us that IFF is actively exploring opportunities to integrate green hydrogen and other renewable solutions across its global production network.

“Next on the agenda, we plan to directly reduce CO2 emissions by replacing the natural gas used in the site’s steam boilers with our green hydrogen,” shares Rojas. 

In July this year, IFF introduced Envirocap, a fragrance encapsulation technology for laundry detergents, designed to meet consumers’ growing sustainability demands and upcoming regulatory changes in the EU.

The solution is biodegradable, compliant with the EU’s 2023/2055 restriction on synthetic polymer microparticles, and developed in line with vegan certification standards.

In August, IFF partnered with Reservas Votorantim to establish its first research lab in Brazil’s Legado das Águas nature reserve. The move gives the fragrance and cosmetics company exclusive access to the area’s native flora for sustainable ingredient innovation.