Germany-headed paper and energy group Koehler Holding SE & Co. KG (Koehler Group) has announced that it has begun preparation works for converting a lignite coal-fired combined heat and power (CHP) to biomass. The converted plant is scheduled to be commissioned at the end of 2022.
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In September 2021, Koehler Paper, a Koehler Group company, announced that planned to convert the power plant at its production location in Greiz, Germany from pulverized lignite to fine wood fraction fuel.
Koehler Renewable Energy GmbH (KRE), which is also part of the Koehler Group, has succeeded in developing an innovative technology that makes it possible for this type of biomass to be used as fuel in the existing coal-fired power plant in a completely new way.
The conversion project is part of Koehler’s sustainability strategy, as the Group has set a goal of producing more energy from renewable sources by 2030 than is required for its paper production operations.
With an investment of EUR 6.5 million in this power plant conversion, the company is again highlighting the fact that its focus on sustainability does not begin and end with sustainable products.
preparation steps for the start of construction in Greiz have already been taken. The converted plant is scheduled to be commissioned at the end of 2022.
Switching from lignite to fine wood fraction will allow us to save more than 24 000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year at the Greiz plant. We’re very happy to be able to kick off the construction phase with the corresponding preliminary work, said a delighted Udo Hollbach, CEO of Koehler Paper Greiz about the conversion.
Completion by year-end
Structural and engineering measures need to be taken and extra silos purchased so the new fuel can be used in the existing combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The site preparation work, such as setting up the worksite and building the site road for the planned construction, is currently proceeding.
One of the next steps is a slope removal stage that will include the corresponding rock removal and make it possible to start the actual construction work. The plan is to complete the structural changes at the plant by the end of the year.
The paper processing and drying processes require significant amounts of energy, which is why the company originally decided to build its own energy plant at the Koehler Paper Greiz location back in 2010.
It has a rated thermal input of 16.7 MW and generates up to 19 tonnes of steam per hour according to demand, as well as electricity to power the paper mill.
Pulverized lignite has been used as the fuel until now but this is set to change by the end of the year with the fuel conversion. Sieved fine wood fractions from wood processing and wood preparation are to be used as the new fuel.
In addition to reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, this will result in significantly lower sulfur emissions in comparison to pulverized lignite.
