Spanish Saica Group has inaugurated the new biomass boiler at its Champblain-Laveyron containerboard mill in France, driving the site’s energy transition. The project was supported by the environmental agency ADEME as part of the French BCIAT (Biomass Heat Industry Agriculture and Tertiary) funding programme.
According to Saica, the biomass boiler replaces the previous natural gas boiler, significantly reducing the site's carbon footprint. It is mainly fuelled by end-of-life wood recovered locally, but also by by-products from paper production. Around 105,000 t of end-of-life wood and 50,000 t of production residues are to be recovered for energy generation each year. Saica says the investment will reduce fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions at the Laveyron mill by around 60 per cent and natural gas consumption by 77 per cent. In addition, the amount of paper by-products sent to landfill can be reduced by 90 per cent.
The installation of the new boiler is part of a modernisation programme for the Laveyron site that Saica announced back in 2021. In addition to the biomass boiler, the project includes investments in raw material handling and end-of-life wood processing. The total investment sum for the programme, aimed at improving energy efficieny, reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing competitiveness, was put at €174m. Biomass boilers are already in operation at Saica's two other plants in France – Vénizel and Nogent-sur-Seine.
Saica produces recycled corrugated case material on two machines at in Laveyron. They have a capacity of 160,000 tpy and 340,000 tpy.
