Iggesund Paperboard, Sweden, reports that its new biofuel boiler is ready for operation in Workington, England, at a cost of 108 million pounds. The purpose is to supply the mill's entire energy requirements with self-produced energy in the form of steam and electricity.
Many nearby residents, the company notes, have seen the new structure being built on the mill site but so far few have realized that Iggesund's investment will also create a sustainable long-term market for biofuel in the local county of Cumbria. Iggesund will need 500,000 metric ton of combustible material annually. As a result, the company has launched a campaign to interest local farmers in cultivating energy forest in the form of willow.
"We've developed a package of measures that includes technical advice, financial support for the transition, and a harvesting and transport service, all based on long-term contracts," explains Ulf Lofgren (see photo), financial director and a member of the team who developed the offer, which was launched under the name of "Grow Your Income".
Britain's environment department, Defra, has identified large parts of Cumbria as being highly suitable for the cultivation of energy crops. The new market for these crops should be considerably larger than just Iggesund's requirements, as it is widely expected that energy produced from fossil sources like coal and oil will become far more expensive in the future.
Iggesund's investment is not due to any immediate need. The new boiler's fuel supply is already ensured for several years to come. However, it does take three years for newly planted willow seedlings to produce their first crop.
Already this spring, Iggesund has planted its own willow crop on about 10 hectares close to the mill for demonstration purposes. The company has also launched a website with information about energy crop cultivation, Iggesund's offer, and how participants in the project can share information with each other.
"We're not expecting Cumbria to become covered by energy crops but we do believe this can be a convenient way for farmers to gain an additional source of income," Lofgren says. "We can take care of harvesting and transporting the crop, and we will be offering index-linked contracts so farmers can count on a reliable, inflation-protected source of income for the long term."
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