Palm has launched a major modernization of its corrugated base paper mill in Wörth, Germany. The paper group will spend more than ?100 million to improve its energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
The the first blow of the pickaxe of this great construction site was given in February 2020. And on 21 September, an important milestone was achieved: the new 155-ton combustion chamber was installed, with a lifting crane, in the residual waste boiler.
30% more electricity produced
The boiler will be connected to a new steam turbine that will run on waste paper residues. And a gas turbine developed by Siemens, the only one of its kind in the world, will also be installed on the site. This new-generation turbine has the special feature of being able to be fuelled with half hydrogen and natural gas. The hydrogen will be converted into electricity and steam.
The cogeneration plant, which is expected to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2021, will produce electricity for the paper machine and steam for paper drying. Excess energy will be injected into the public power grid. The new plant will be able to adapt to fluctuations in the load on the power grid by rapidly reducing or increasing its output.
With these facilities, the paper mill's CO2 emissions will be significantly reduced while electricity production will increase by 30%.
Hydrogen in France too
The French paper industry, too, should have its hydrogen turbine. As part of an innovative energy research project on the storage of renewable energy called Hyflexpower, the Saillat paper mill of Smurfit Kappa in Upper Vienna is to be equipped with a turbine demonstrator of this type manufactured by Siemens.
During tests, the facility will be fuelled by a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen, with the ultimate goal of 100% hydrogen operation.
Work is scheduled to begin in 2021 and the pilot in 2022.
