Energy costs account more than 20 percent of the total production costs and this does not even take into account the rising fuel costs internally and for the supply chain. Therefore projects to identify energy efficiency are important and an energy efficiency project was kicked off with Metsä Tissue mills in 2022.
“We started with analyzing the current situation at the mills and identifying improvement potentials. Based on the analysis energy efficiency plans were created for the mills. Target was to find and define best available technology (BAT) area by area and use standardized technology at every mill. Our approach was to pilot BAT solutions first in one mill and then roll them out to other mills”, says Mikko Hänninen, Development Director, Operations. In addition, energy reporting and energy monitoring tools would be developed for the mills.
As part of the Sustainability roadmap, we also target to reduce process water usage by 35 % by the end of 2030. Decreasing water and energy use are together with our fossil-free mills target, Metsä Tissue’s main actions regarding climate change mitigation.
“Alternative energy sources are continuously investigated, especially regarding natural gas. Mitigating climate change and reducing emissions in addition to Sustainable production and efficient use of resources have been identified as one of the most relevant topics for Metsä Group and Metsä Tissue. These topics guide our 2030 targets and our strategy”, continues Mikko.
Energy efficiency projects proceeding in the mills
In 2023 one of our main focus areas is energy efficiency. Over 25 different energy efficiency projects are planned for 2023. Estimated specific energy savings are 57 000 MWh/a. Most of the projects have already been started.