Jul 05, 2012. /Lesprom Network/. Mondi is investing in a modern recovery boiler at its kraft paper facility in Frantschach, Austria. The new recovery boiler 4 is a green power plant that will set new standards for the region's industry and the environment, as Packaging Europe reported. The ground breaking ceremony for the new recovery boiler 4 (RB4), which took place on 17 April 2012, was attended by high-ranking politicians and prominent members of the business community. Mondi is investing some Euro 60 million in its Frantschach pulp and paper mill. Peter J. Oswald, CEO of Mondi Europe & International, insists, "We are investing not only in one of our key facilities in Europe, but also in the Lavant valley in which it is situated. The green power plant forms part of our commitment to sustainability." In a call for action, he continues, "The existing incomprehensible disadvantage against the paper industry as regards green power – almost unique in Europe – must be changed: it is essential that black liquor is recognised by law as a biofuel." By steadily increasing the already substantial proportion of carbon-neutral biofuels used for energy recovery, moreover, Mondi will also be further improving its CO2 footprint. The Mondi Group currently obtains more than 57% of its energy from renewable sources. More than 96% of the electrical energy consumed by Mondi Frantschach GmbH derives from renewable sources. Forming part of the green power plant, recovery boiler 4 can further increase the portion of the mill's energy supply obtained from its own resources by contributing to the co-generation of heat and power. In future, the Frantschach pulp and paper mill will be energy self-sufficient. When it is commissioned in the second half of 2013, the new recovery boiler will replace the two existing plants that were installed in the 1950s and 1970s. "Mondi pursues the highest standards of quality and sustainability. Through a combination of reduced emissions, greater power generation and reliable workflows in our mill, we create tangible added value for our neighbours and customers," explains Gottfried Joham, managing director of Mondi Frantschach GmbH.