Koehler Group advancing biomass conversion plants at Oberkirch
Oberkirch, Germany - The Koehler Group has announced it is implementing plans to fully convert its power plant at its Oberkirch, Germany location to biomass three years earlier than originally planned.
The move is part of Koehler’s sustainability strategy, which includes the goal of producing more energy from renewable sources than is required for its paper production operations by 2030.
The change represents an investment of just under €60 million ($73 million) for Koehler.
Koehler Group CEO Kai Furler says: “By switching from bituminous coal to biomass as the primary fuel for our location here in Oberkirch, we will be cutting more than 150,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions a year.”
With its Fuel Emissions Trading Act, the German government made it more difficult to use fossil fuels, which has speeded Koehler towards the decision to implement its plans for the conversion earlier than originally planned.
The company has had a number of extremely successful projects designed to reduce the energy consumed in its paper production operations for many years now.
The Koehler power plant will enable the company to produce the energy it needs for its paper production operations in the future with wood chips, green waste, and mill residue. This means that the fuel will be CO2-neutral, as well as a renewable raw material obtained from the region.
