SCA is aiming to become completely fossil free. The Ortviken paper mill in Sweden has taken a major step in the right direction and last year reported the lowest level ever of emissions from fossil fuels, as the company says in the press release received by Lesprom Network.
In conjunction with BioCoop, Ortviken invested in a new combustion unit which made it possible to replace oil and LPG with wood powder. In 2012, Ortviken emitted 43,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, a figure that dropped to 17,000 tonnes in 2017.
"This is the lowest level of emissions of fossil carbon dioxide from oil and LPG ever. In 2017, we emitted 26,000 tonnes less carbon dioxide compared with five years ago. This is equivalent to 283,000 journeys in a Volvo car between Sundsvall and Stockholm," says Charlotta Lindberg, environmental engineer at the Ortviken paper mill.
The main reduction since 2012 has been in oil consumption, from 10,000 m3 to 2,000 m3. During the corresponding period, LPG has fallen by almost 10%.
Eventually, all of SCA will be fossil free, which means we have to find other alternatives to oil and LPG. One major challenge is that it can sometimes be difficult to obtain fossil-free fuel. During the harsh winter this year, for example, demand for pellets exceeded supply.
Based in Sweden, SCA produces solid-wood products, pulp, kraftliner, publication papers and renewable energy.
