Stora Enso’s Skutskär Site Initiates Pilot Project for Biogenic CO2 Capture, Pioneering Climate-Positive Operations

Stora Enso’s Skutskär Site Initiates Pilot Project for Biogenic CO2 Capture, Pioneering Climate-Positive Operations

(IN BRIEF) Stora Enso’s Skutskär biomaterials production site in Sweden, known for its sustainable practices, has embarked on a groundbreaking pilot project aimed at capturing biogenic CO2 emissions from pulp production, marking a significant step towards climate-positive operations. With a longstanding commitment to reducing environmental impact, the site has not used fossil fuels for five years, relying instead on biofuels for energy, heat, and power production. This pilot, part of the EU-funded ACCSESS project, pioneers the installation of CO2 capture equipment within a recovery boiler unit, aiming to develop cost-efficient carbon capture technology at scale. While technical evaluations are underway, the project signifies Stora Enso’s dedication to achieving its goal of offering 100% regenerative products and solutions by 2050, with Skutskär leading the charge towards carbon-negative products in Europe’s fluff pulp industry.

(PRESS RELEASE) HELSINKI, 29-Apr-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Stora Enso’s Skutskär biomaterials production site in central Sweden focuses on the production of fluff pulp for absorbent products such as diapers and other daily needed hygiene products, as well as producing innovative biomaterials using all parts of a tree. The site has a long history of continuously reducing the environmental footprint of its operations and products, and for five years Skutskär biomaterials production site has not used fossil fuels in its operations. The next step towards climate positive operations in Skutskär is the start of a pilot for capturing biogenic CO2 from pulp production.

Already today, all energy, heat, and power produced at the site is based on biofuels. The recently started pilot captures CO2 emissions from these biofuels, and it is the first project in the world where the CO2 capturing equipment has been installed in a recovery boiler unit of a pulp production site. It is part of an EU-funded ACCSESS project, developing carbon dioxide capturing chemistry and technology with the goal to reach cost efficient storage of CO2 at large scale and support the society to reach net-zero and minimise climate warming.

“We have successfully phased out from using fossil fuels at our biomaterials production site. As a next step, we are very happy to be part of the ACCSESS project and test the carbon capture equipment, to further investigate the possibilities to reduce the environmental footprint of our operations and products,” says Christer Nordstrand, Director of Stora Enso’s Skutskär production site.

To make full-scale carbon capture installation viable in the future, some technical issues need to be thoroughly evaluated in the ACCSESS project. In addition, whether the captured carbon will be stored or utilised in the future, will depend on many open topics still. At Skutskär production site, the chemistry and energy integration part of the biogenic carbon value chain is tested, storage or utilisation of the captured carbon are not part of this project. The pilot at Skutskär site aims to reach two tonnes of captured carbon per day, and one of the goals is to operate the pilot using only low-temperature waste heat from the site.

Stora Enso has an ambitious goal to offer 100% regenerative products and solutions by 2050. As the largest producer of fluff pulp in Europe, Skutskär biomaterials production site is paving the way towards carbon negative products.

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SOURCE: STORA ENSO OYJ