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Bio-Insight

SETUBAL, Portugal, Dec. 15, 2020 (Press Release) -The Navigator Company recently inaugurated a new biomass boiler at its Figueira da Foz industrial complex, in an overall investment totalling €55 million. This investment will allow the company to cut its fossil carbon dioxide emissions at this complex by around 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes per year, or 30% of the group’s emissions, in 2021.

This investment is part of the decarbonization strategy of the company, who decided in 2019 to meet European targets early and achieve carbon neutrality at all of its industrial complexes by 2035, achieving an 86% reduction in its CO2 emissions by this date. Note that Navigator was the first Portuguese company, and one of the first worldwide, to set such an ambitious goal.

Achieving this goal will require a total investment of €154 million, €55 million (around 35%) of which has already been invested to date since Navigator took on the commitment.

Around 400,000 tonnes of biomass will be used each year to operate this new structure. Half of this is comprised of waste from the internal debarking of eucalyptus wood (bark and sawdust), coupled with 200,000 tonnes of residual forest biomass acquired from abroad from operations involving forest management and the cleaning of rural areas.

Using residual forest biomass, the new boiler will generate thermal energy for the company’s production processes, making power generation significantly more efficient (co-generation). The new equipment will have a higher capacity and much more rigorous environmental performance, as a result of The Navigator Company's investment in the best technology currently available for this purpose.

The Figueira da Foz mill will be the group’s first with electricity produced entirely from renewable sources. Navigator’s remaining mills will trend towards producing 100% of the electricity they consume from renewable sources, reducing fossil CO2 emissions using new technologies, decreasing specific energy consumption and, finally, offsetting 14% of the emissions they cannot eliminate through forests managed by the company or other technologies.

About The Navigator Company

The Navigator Company is an integrated forest producer, whose end products are pulp & paper, tissue and energy. Its operations are based at modern, large scale industrial units that use state-of the-art technology and are a benchmark for quality in the sector.

The Navigator Company produces pulp and paper from forests which are planted exclusively for this purpose. Every year, 12 million young plants start their lives in our nurseries. These nurseries are the largest in Europe, and produce 135 different species of trees and shrubs, most of which are not economically viable but are funded by Navigator in order to maintain diversity and ensure the species’ continuity.

In 2019, the forests under The Navigator Company's management in Portugal represented a carbon stock equivalent to 5.3 million tons of CO2, excluding carbon retained in the soil. This stock has remained stable thanks to the sustainable management model followed by the Company.

The Navigator Company has made a formal commitment to achieving carbon neutrality at its industrial complexes in 2035, 15 years ahead of the targets set by the European Union and Portugal. This makes it the first Portuguese company, and one of the first in the world, to set itself this ambitious goal, for which it has earmarked total capital spending of €158 million, of which €24 million was already invested in 2019.

This commitment is the culmination of a sustainability strategy that has already won our company a place in the A-list of top performers published by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a global leader in the fight against climate change. The Navigator Company won recognition for its achievements in 2018 in cutting emissions, reducing climate risks and developing a low carbon impact economy, and was the only Portuguese company to score the highest grade, making it one of a select band of only five companies worldwide in the pulp, paper and forestry sector to receive this distinction.

The Company is Portugal's third largest exporter, accounting for approximately 1% of GDP and around 3% of all the country's exports of goods. It is also the Portuguese exporter generating the most National Value Added. In 2019, the Navigator Company recorded turnover of € 1.68 billion. Around 91% of the Group's products are sold outside Portugal and shipped to approximately 130 countries.

As a vertically integrated forestry group, Navigator has its own forestry research institute, which leads the world in the genetic improvement of Eucalyptus globulus. The group manages a vast area of woodlands in mainland Portugal, all of it certified under international schemes: FSC® (FSC C010852) and PEFC (PEFC/13-23-001). It has production capacity for 1.6 million tons of paper, 1.6 million tons of pulp (of which 80% is integrated into paper) and 120 thousand tons of finished tissue. The Company accounts for between 4 and 5% of all electricity generated in Portugal. In 2019, 60% of the energy produced by Navigator at its four industrial complexes was obtained from biomass, making it the leading operator in this sector, producing approximately 52% of all energy derived from this ecological and non- fossil fuel in Portugal.

The Navigator Company reduces 30% of group’s CO2 emissions in 2021 by investing Euro 55 million in new biomass boiler to at its facility in Figueira da Foz, Portugal

Posted in: Bio-Insight 12/18/2020 - 11:11

SETUBAL, Portugal, Dec. 15, 2020 (Press Release) -The Navigator Company recently inaugurated a new biomass boiler at its Figueira da Foz industrial complex, in an overall investment totalling €55 million. This investment will allow the company to cut its fossil carbon dioxide emissions at this complex by around 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes per year, or 30% of the group’s emissions, in 2021.

This investment is part of the decarbonization strategy of the company, who decided in 2019 to meet European targets early and achieve carbon neutrality at all of its industrial complexes by 2035, achieving an 86% reduction in its CO2 emissions by this date. Note that Navigator was the first Portuguese company, and one of the first worldwide, to set such an ambitious goal.

Achieving this goal will require a total investment of €154 million, €55 million (around 35%) of which has already been invested to date since Navigator took on the commitment.

Around 400,000 tonnes of biomass will be used each year to operate this new structure. Half of this is comprised of waste from the internal debarking of eucalyptus wood (bark and sawdust), coupled with 200,000 tonnes of residual forest biomass acquired from abroad from operations involving forest management and the cleaning of rural areas.

Using residual forest biomass, the new boiler will generate thermal energy for the company’s production processes, making power generation significantly more efficient (co-generation). The new equipment will have a higher capacity and much more rigorous environmental performance, as a result of The Navigator Company's investment in the best technology currently available for this purpose.

The Figueira da Foz mill will be the group’s first with electricity produced entirely from renewable sources. Navigator’s remaining mills will trend towards producing 100% of the electricity they consume from renewable sources, reducing fossil CO2 emissions using new technologies, decreasing specific energy consumption and, finally, offsetting 14% of the emissions they cannot eliminate through forests managed by the company or other technologies.

About The Navigator Company

The Navigator Company is an integrated forest producer, whose end products are pulp & paper, tissue and energy. Its operations are based at modern, large scale industrial units that use state-of the-art technology and are a benchmark for quality in the sector.

The Navigator Company produces pulp and paper from forests which are planted exclusively for this purpose. Every year, 12 million young plants start their lives in our nurseries. These nurseries are the largest in Europe, and produce 135 different species of trees and shrubs, most of which are not economically viable but are funded by Navigator in order to maintain diversity and ensure the species’ continuity.

In 2019, the forests under The Navigator Company's management in Portugal represented a carbon stock equivalent to 5.3 million tons of CO2, excluding carbon retained in the soil. This stock has remained stable thanks to the sustainable management model followed by the Company.

The Navigator Company has made a formal commitment to achieving carbon neutrality at its industrial complexes in 2035, 15 years ahead of the targets set by the European Union and Portugal. This makes it the first Portuguese company, and one of the first in the world, to set itself this ambitious goal, for which it has earmarked total capital spending of €158 million, of which €24 million was already invested in 2019.

This commitment is the culmination of a sustainability strategy that has already won our company a place in the A-list of top performers published by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a global leader in the fight against climate change. The Navigator Company won recognition for its achievements in 2018 in cutting emissions, reducing climate risks and developing a low carbon impact economy, and was the only Portuguese company to score the highest grade, making it one of a select band of only five companies worldwide in the pulp, paper and forestry sector to receive this distinction.

The Company is Portugal's third largest exporter, accounting for approximately 1% of GDP and around 3% of all the country's exports of goods. It is also the Portuguese exporter generating the most National Value Added. In 2019, the Navigator Company recorded turnover of € 1.68 billion. Around 91% of the Group's products are sold outside Portugal and shipped to approximately 130 countries.

As a vertically integrated forestry group, Navigator has its own forestry research institute, which leads the world in the genetic improvement of Eucalyptus globulus. The group manages a vast area of woodlands in mainland Portugal, all of it certified under international schemes: FSC® (FSC C010852) and PEFC (PEFC/13-23-001). It has production capacity for 1.6 million tons of paper, 1.6 million tons of pulp (of which 80% is integrated into paper) and 120 thousand tons of finished tissue. The Company accounts for between 4 and 5% of all electricity generated in Portugal. In 2019, 60% of the energy produced by Navigator at its four industrial complexes was obtained from biomass, making it the leading operator in this sector, producing approximately 52% of all energy derived from this ecological and non- fossil fuel in Portugal.

Excellent mixing quality of stock and whitewater
Automatic adjustment and geometric optimization of the nozzle for consistently superior sheet quality
Maximum flexibility for paper producers thanks to an extended operating window

Voith has comprehensively optimized its HydroMix stock mixing system. The new generation of this tried and tested system features an automatically adjustable stock nozzle, ensures an excellent mixing quality of stock and whitewater, and guarantees consistently superior sheet quality. With a significantly expanded operating window, paper manufacturers benefit from maximum flexibility in the approach flow system of the papermaking process.

At the heart of the new generation of the stock mixing system is the automatically adjustable mixing nozzle that has been fundamentally optimized in terms of design and geometry, resulting in an excellent mixing quality of stock and whitewater and maximum homogeneity. The automated adjustment function of the patented nozzle aligns the stock consistency with the required target values and guarantees superior sheet quality further downstream the process chain.

In order to expand the operating window for the proven HydroMix and, in doing so, offer paper manufacturers the greatest possible flexibility, Voith has not only optimized the nozzle but also the geometry of the whitewater feed. “The new design uses the principle of an acceleration profile to optimize the flow pattern in the nozzle area,” states Hermann-Josef Post, Product Manager Wet End Process at Voith. “This prevents turbulence, significantly increases the effectiveness of the system, and achieves optimal homogeneity of the high-consistency stock and whitewater mixture. In parallel with these benefits, the largest possible operating window can also be accommodated and a high degree of flexibility achieved in the operation of the system.”

Due to the optimized shape and optimal adjustability to the respective operating point, the pressure drop in the high-consistency feed is lower and the load on the high-consistency stock pump is relieved, giving rise to significant energy savings. The differential pressure linearly adds to the power requirement. In addition, the pump is kept in the optimal operating range, which further increases efficiency.

The space requirement is also significantly reduced due to the compact design of the new HydroMix. The length of the mixing zone is reduced by around 50 percent compared with the previous design, which increases the application potential in restricted installation spaces and reduces building investment costs.

The new generation of HydroMix can be combined with various whitewater flow options. A digital measurement of the gas content also permits precise control of deaeration chemicals, which reduces the use of chemicals and lowers operating costs. The new generation of HydroMix is complemented by an automated cleaning system that guarantees excellent cleanliness in the entire mixing system, avoids deposits and reduces the risk of tearing.

About the Voith Group

The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has more than 20,000 employees, sales of € 4.2 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, and products on the market, and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from a single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and supports customers in significantly reducing their carbon footprint. With its comprehensive automation products and leading digitization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art, digital technologies to increase the availability and efficiency of their systems in all areas of the production process.

Voith optimizes its HydroMix stock mixing system, features automatically adjustable mixing nozzle and compact design

Posted in: Bio-Insight 12/15/2020 - 05:44

Excellent mixing quality of stock and whitewater
Automatic adjustment and geometric optimization of the nozzle for consistently superior sheet quality
Maximum flexibility for paper producers thanks to an extended operating window

Voith has comprehensively optimized its HydroMix stock mixing system. The new generation of this tried and tested system features an automatically adjustable stock nozzle, ensures an excellent mixing quality of stock and whitewater, and guarantees consistently superior sheet quality. With a significantly expanded operating window, paper manufacturers benefit from maximum flexibility in the approach flow system of the papermaking process.

At the heart of the new generation of the stock mixing system is the automatically adjustable mixing nozzle that has been fundamentally optimized in terms of design and geometry, resulting in an excellent mixing quality of stock and whitewater and maximum homogeneity. The automated adjustment function of the patented nozzle aligns the stock consistency with the required target values and guarantees superior sheet quality further downstream the process chain.

In order to expand the operating window for the proven HydroMix and, in doing so, offer paper manufacturers the greatest possible flexibility, Voith has not only optimized the nozzle but also the geometry of the whitewater feed. “The new design uses the principle of an acceleration profile to optimize the flow pattern in the nozzle area,” states Hermann-Josef Post, Product Manager Wet End Process at Voith. “This prevents turbulence, significantly increases the effectiveness of the system, and achieves optimal homogeneity of the high-consistency stock and whitewater mixture. In parallel with these benefits, the largest possible operating window can also be accommodated and a high degree of flexibility achieved in the operation of the system.”

Due to the optimized shape and optimal adjustability to the respective operating point, the pressure drop in the high-consistency feed is lower and the load on the high-consistency stock pump is relieved, giving rise to significant energy savings. The differential pressure linearly adds to the power requirement. In addition, the pump is kept in the optimal operating range, which further increases efficiency.

The space requirement is also significantly reduced due to the compact design of the new HydroMix. The length of the mixing zone is reduced by around 50 percent compared with the previous design, which increases the application potential in restricted installation spaces and reduces building investment costs.

The new generation of HydroMix can be combined with various whitewater flow options. A digital measurement of the gas content also permits precise control of deaeration chemicals, which reduces the use of chemicals and lowers operating costs. The new generation of HydroMix is complemented by an automated cleaning system that guarantees excellent cleanliness in the entire mixing system, avoids deposits and reduces the risk of tearing.

About the Voith Group

The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has more than 20,000 employees, sales of € 4.2 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, and products on the market, and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from a single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and supports customers in significantly reducing their carbon footprint. With its comprehensive automation products and leading digitization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art, digital technologies to increase the availability and efficiency of their systems in all areas of the production process.

Rooftop solar power at Ontex Segovia contributes to company’s goal of carbon neutral operations by 2030
One of the largest industrial auto-consumption rooftop systems in Spain and largest in the Castilla y León region
Ontex’s factories in Spain and eight other European countries run on 100% electricity from renewable sources
The new solar installation, operated by Menapy, will produce 3.900 MWh of green power per year, equivalent to the average consumption of 1,000 households
Ontex Segovia solar rooftop video

Ontex today inaugurated a large solar rooftop at its factory in Valverde de Majano, in the province of Segovia, Spain.

Annick De Poorter, Ontex’s Vice President for R&D, Quality and Sustainability, said: “We can now produce a large part of the electricity we need to manufacture essential hygiene goods. This is another step toward our goal to have carbon neutral operations by 2030. We will reach this goal through on-site renewable energy production, energy savings, purchasing energy from renewable sources, and carbon offsets via reforestation projects. Since 2017, all of Ontex’s European factories in nine countries run 100 percent on electricity from renewable sources, combining on-site production and purchasing of renewable electricity via Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC’s). Seventy percent of Ontex manufacturing plants on five continents run on electricity from renewable sources.”

The new solar installation was developed and financed by Menapy and will produce 3.9 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the yearly consumption of about 1,000 households. It is one of the top five industrial auto-consumption solar rooftop systems in Spain and the largest in Spain’s Castilla y León region.

Tom Pollyn, Menapy’s Managing Partner, said: ”This project marks an important milestone for Menapy in the Iberian market. It crystallizes our long-term experience in industrial rooftop solar projects in Belgium and it confirms that our ‘Solar as a Service’ can bring important added value to high-consuming industries in Spain. Ontex has clear and ambitious goals in sustainability and saving on energy costs, and with this project we help them achieve both, without the investment.”

Ontex Segovia plant manager José Ignacio Luengo said: “Our rooftop solar panels cover more than 20 percent of the Segovia plant’s electricity demand, and they offset 1,500 tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of 23,000 trees, over a 30-year period.”

The Segovia project follows Ontex’s successful solar rooftop development with Menapy in Eeklo, Belgium and the company is looking at more opportunities.

For the construction of this solar rooftop system, Menapy had to take into consideration the exceptional challenges posed by the climate of the Segovia region, with very high temperatures in summer and snow during the winter months.

Ontex inaugurates large solar power projects for on-site electricity consumption at its factory in Valverde de Majano, Spain

Posted in: Bio-Insight 12/15/2020 - 04:33

Rooftop solar power at Ontex Segovia contributes to company’s goal of carbon neutral operations by 2030
One of the largest industrial auto-consumption rooftop systems in Spain and largest in the Castilla y León region
Ontex’s factories in Spain and eight other European countries run on 100% electricity from renewable sources
The new solar installation, operated by Menapy, will produce 3.900 MWh of green power per year, equivalent to the average consumption of 1,000 households
Ontex Segovia solar rooftop video

Ontex today inaugurated a large solar rooftop at its factory in Valverde de Majano, in the province of Segovia, Spain.

Annick De Poorter, Ontex’s Vice President for R&D, Quality and Sustainability, said: “We can now produce a large part of the electricity we need to manufacture essential hygiene goods. This is another step toward our goal to have carbon neutral operations by 2030. We will reach this goal through on-site renewable energy production, energy savings, purchasing energy from renewable sources, and carbon offsets via reforestation projects. Since 2017, all of Ontex’s European factories in nine countries run 100 percent on electricity from renewable sources, combining on-site production and purchasing of renewable electricity via Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC’s). Seventy percent of Ontex manufacturing plants on five continents run on electricity from renewable sources.”

The new solar installation was developed and financed by Menapy and will produce 3.9 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the yearly consumption of about 1,000 households. It is one of the top five industrial auto-consumption solar rooftop systems in Spain and the largest in Spain’s Castilla y León region.

Tom Pollyn, Menapy’s Managing Partner, said: ”This project marks an important milestone for Menapy in the Iberian market. It crystallizes our long-term experience in industrial rooftop solar projects in Belgium and it confirms that our ‘Solar as a Service’ can bring important added value to high-consuming industries in Spain. Ontex has clear and ambitious goals in sustainability and saving on energy costs, and with this project we help them achieve both, without the investment.”

Ontex Segovia plant manager José Ignacio Luengo said: “Our rooftop solar panels cover more than 20 percent of the Segovia plant’s electricity demand, and they offset 1,500 tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of 23,000 trees, over a 30-year period.”

The Segovia project follows Ontex’s successful solar rooftop development with Menapy in Eeklo, Belgium and the company is looking at more opportunities.

For the construction of this solar rooftop system, Menapy had to take into consideration the exceptional challenges posed by the climate of the Segovia region, with very high temperatures in summer and snow during the winter months.

ESPOO, Finland, Dec. 7, 2020 (Press Release) -Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, and Linde have signed a preliminary agreement of an on-site oxygen supply to Metsä Fibre’s new bioproduct mill in Kemi. The preliminary agreement includes construction of an on-site oxygen plant based on VPSA (Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption) technology, as well as operation and maintenance of the plant.

Linde’s oxygen plant in Kemi, Finland would be one of the world’s largest oxygen plants based on the VPSA technology and it delivers many benefits including oxygen on demand and adjustable, high energy efficient, and fully automated operation. It will be monitored and operated from Linde’s remote operation center in Avesta, Sweden.

“We have co-operated for a long time with Linde and are used to trust the technology of Linde, for example we have very positive experiences with Linde VPSA technology and on-site oxygen supply to our mill in Äänekoski with a high efficiency and operational reliability. Oxygen is an essential chemical in pulp production, and the uninterrupted supply is of primary importance to the production process, product quality and operational safety”, says Project Director Jari-Pekka Johansson from Metsä Fibre.

“We are proud to be selected as the partner of Metsä Fibre in this project and are looking forward to a continued good co-operation between the companies. Oxygen produced on-site is the most efficient way to deliver large quantities of gases for industrial processes, and our solution meets the high environmental, material and energy efficiency targets for the Kemi bioproduct mill”, says Marika Kärki, Regional On-Site Account Manager, Linde.

The total investment of the new bioproduct mill is estimated to EUR 1.5 billion and it will produce some 1.5 million tons of softwood and hardwood pulp per year, as well as many other bioproducts. The bioproduct mill will not use any fossil fuels at all, and its electricity self-sufficiency rate will be 250%. This would further strengthen Metsä Group’s position as a major electricity producer relying on renewable Finnish fuels.

“We’ve set high environmental, material, and energy efficiency targets for the Kemi bioproduct mill. We therefore also expect our partners to deliver both the technologically most reliable solutions and to know our production requirements well. Linde is the leading industrial gases and engineering company with full focus on improving their customers sustainability performance,” says Johansson.

The Kemi bioproduct mill project of is progressing as planned. In addition to equipment purchasing, the project is at the moment focused on environmental permit process, the financing negotiations and the logistics required by the new mill. The decision of the EUR 1.5 billion investment in the bioproduct mill will be made at this autumn of 2020 at the earliest, after the environmental permit process has been completed and other prerequisites have been met. The project engineering started at the beginning of August 2020. This means the detailed planning of the mill’s technology, construction, installations and commissioning, as well as preparation for the construction phase. The work is be carried out in cooperation with the four main implementation partners: Valmet, ABB, AFRY and Fimpec. More than 400 people have been working in the project engineering organisation since the beginning of August.

During the bioproduct mill’s possible construction phase, its employment impact is estimated to be nearly 10,000 person-years, of which more than half would be carried out in Kemi. The number of employees working in the mill area over the entire construction phase is estimated to rise to around 15,000. The investment would secure the existing 250 jobs at the Kemi mill. Through its direct value chain, the bioproduct mill would employ a total of around 2,500 people in Finland, which would be 1,500 people more than the employment effect of the current pulp mill in Kemi.

Metsä Fibre

Metsä Fibre is a leading producer of bioproducts, biochemicals and bioenergy. Metsä Fibre is the world’s leading producer of bleached softwood pulp and a major producer of sawn timber. Currently employing approximately 1,300 people, the company’s sales in 2019 totalled EUR 2.2 billion. Metsä Fibre is part of Metsä Group.

Metsä Group

Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards and tissue and greaseproof papers.

In 2019, Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.5 billion, and it employs approximately 9,300 people. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 100,000 Finnish forest owners.

Metsä Fibre signs preliminary agreement with Linde for on-site oxygen supply for its planned new bioproduct mill in Kemi, Finland

Posted in: Bio-Insight 12/07/2020 - 04:36