Energy and CO2 emissions
Our commitment to reduce emissions
Efficiency
We aim for maximum efficiency: with a certain amount of methane, our cogeneration plants achieve an energy production that is 50% higher than conventional plants. Paper mill operations require a lot of energy, in the form of electricity and heat.
In short, we need both electricity to run the machinery, and steam to dry the paper: indeed, paper production is a process that starts from a slurry made up of 90% water and reaches the final product that contains less than 10%. The company’s internal cogeneration plants supply both types of energy we need.
Since 2009, Favini has deployed a system to analyse and monitor its energy efficiency, showing a commitment to reducing consumption by continuous targeted investments.
A high-performance cogeneration plant has been in operation at the Crusinallo facility since January 2016, efficiently generating all the heat and most of electricity needed for the production process.
This leads to decreased pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions compared to producing heat and electricity separately. The Rossano plant has also been equipped with a state-of-the-art cogeneration engine.
The cogeneration plants decrease our reliance from using other and less efficient external processes with higher CO2 emissions.
A cogeneration plant is a combined heat and power system. The energy source is methane, less polluting than other fossil fuels because during combustion it generates only water and carbon dioxide and not carcinogenic substances, such as harmful hydrocarbons or fine dust.
During the process, the created heat, instead of being dispersed into the environment, is appropriately recovered and used in our factories. The conventional system creates energy and heat separately, using more fuel. We have instead chosen cogeneration plants because of their higher efficiency, which is rewarded by the white certificates TEE (Energy Efficiency Credit).
Self produced electricity
The cogeneration plant was not the only action Favini has undertaken to avoid polluting emissions and improve its performance. By harnessing the power of water from a stream near the factory, the company can take advantage of hydroelectricity.
ENERGY SOURCES
Favini’s path toward energy efficiency involves a constant evaluation of more environmentally responsible energy sources. Wherever possible, the company powers its activities using waterways near its site thanks to two in-house hydroelectric plants.
Favini has also taken into consideration the possibility of using local agricultural waste to create electricity, but unfortunately biomass plants would not generate sufficient energy to fulfil its needs.
The optimisation of methane use – which as of yet cannot be avoided – is the factor underlying the decision to invest in cogeneration plants. Currently, this is still the most efficient solution.
REWARD FOR ENERGY EFFICENCY
Continuous investments in energy efficiency – including the replacement of the paper press and installation of a new heat pump – have allowed Favini to obtain white certificates that were subsequently reinvested in new energy efficiency projects.
CO2 EMISSIONS
Emissions linked to the paper mill’s activities fall primarily into two categories: – some are generated directly by the company’s operations, such as the combustion of methane, a fossil fuel used to power machines and the cogeneration plant; – others are caused indirectly by energy consumption, including the purchase of electricity from the national grid, over which Favini has no control.
Following the GHG Protocol standard, the company monitors and accounts for all emissions associated with its production activities; moreover, through a voluntary agreement with Italy’s Ministry of Ecological Transition, the company has committed to the 2015 Paris Agreement, which requires Countries, companies and individuals to take action to reduce gas emissions greenhouses that alter the climate and damage ecosystems.
CO2 OFFSETTINGS
In conjunction with structural measures, Favini has taken action to tackle CO2eq emissions of processes it does not have direct control over by joining environmental programmes aimed at purchasing carbon credits generated abroad.
Biomass replaces fossil fuel generated electricity
Biomass, Heilongjiang, China
This carbon offset project is a biomass power-only plant located in the Heilongjiang Province, China. Local biomass feedstocks, (maize straw and rice straw), and other forestry residues, are collected and transported by local farmers. The residue is processed to generate electricity with the help of a 30 MW power generator. The project is designed to supply 190,440 MWh per year to the Northeast China Power Grid.
Without the project, the biomass residues would be burnt in an uncontrolled manner or would be dumped or left to decay, which would result in higher methane emissions.
The power generated in the biomass plant replaces the same amount of electricity generated by fossil fuel power plants and thereby avoids about 172,090 tonnes CO2 per year. The local community is also positively impacted by the improvement of the economy and living conditions.
How biomass projects help contribute to climate change
Biomass refers to organic residues such as tree branches, leaves, sawdust, wood chips or coconut shells. Those are of a biogenic, non-fossil nature that can be used to generate renewable energy.
One way to generate renewable energy, among others, is to fire kilns using biomass. This process prevents harmful smoke and large quantities of CO2 to be released. As an additional greenhouse gas reduction measure, biomass climate projects mostly prevent biomass from rotting in the open air, so that no methane (CH4) is released.
The emissions generated by eco-friendly papers Crush, Remake, Refit, Shiro Echo, Tree Free and Alga Carta, part of ‘Paper from our Echosystem’ collection, are fully offset by Carbon Credits that we acquire to finance activities that can absorb CO2 in the atmosphere.
The credits are generated from a CDM project, a United Nations carbon offset scheme.
As a consequence Favini has succeeded in offsetting the environmental impact of several product lines, such as eco paper lines Crush, Remake, Refit, Shiro Echo, Tree Free and Alga Carta, part of our eco collection Paper from our Echosystem.
Our commitment to energy efficiency and emission reduction is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals by United Nations. In particular, our approach in this area respects the principles:
- 7 clean and accessible energy;
- 8 decent work and economic growth;
- 9 support for innovation;
- 12 promotion of sustainable models;
- 13 fight against climate change;
- 15 life on land.
Explore our Sustainability areas to discover all the SDGs pursued by Favini.
COURAGE TO
