Drying paper is the most energy-intensive part of the papermaking process. Irish company Smurfit Kappa, which has set a goal of reducing its fossil-based CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030, has installed a new drying system at its Townsend Hook paper mill in the United Kingdom that reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Developed with many partners, this drying process has reduced steam energy consumption by 6% and total CO2 emissions by 5% at the English paper mill.
David Upton, managing director of Smurfit Kappa UK's paper division, said in a statement: "The new advanced drying process has allowed us to significantly reduce our energy consumption at the plant. With the continued rise in energy costs and market volatility, this technology will help us reduce costs and get us one step closer to achieving our net zero goal."
The group, which has 355 sites worldwide, has also tested this method, for which it does not give any details, at other stages of the manufacturing process and hopes to obtain further positive results.
