Biofuels

Developing and producing biofuels is both an efficient use of resources and beneficial for a low-carbon economy.

Update for 2015

Use of biofuel, 2006–2015

Use of biofuel, 2006–2015 (line chart)Use of biofuel, 2006–2015 (line chart)

SCA is working systematically to replace oil and coal with biofuel and natural gas, which has substantially increased biofuel’s share of the energy supply.

In 2015, SCA produced approximately 2.75 TWh (2.8) of biofuel-based energy, of which the production of forest-based biofuels accounted for approximately 610 GWh (687). The market situation, with a plentiful supply of competing fuels and low energy prices, held back production.

The forest-based biofuels comprise felling residue such as branches, crowns and stumps as well as fuel from peatland. Other biofuels are produced from the by-products of the mills, mainly sawdust, for pellet production.

Fuel pellets

SCA produces fuel pellets using sawdust from the mills at its pellet plants in Härnösand and Stugun in Sweden. In 2015, SCA began to source electricity to the two pellet plants from its Björkhöjden wind farm. SCA produced 174,000 tons of pellets of which 48% was sold to customers outside the Group. Fuel pellets are used in boilers of varying sizes, ranging from industrial scale to those used in the home. The market is currently characterized by narrow margins due to overcapacity. As a result of this situation, SCA is focusing on improving quality and increasing the internal use of pellets as a replacement for oil. SCA BioNorr also produces stall bedding pellets manufactured from sawdust. As of last year, the stall pellets are distributed in packs made of FSC® -certified paper and they earned the right to be marked with the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation’s eco-label “Good Environmental Choice”.