Good Practice: Public-private Partnership Leading to a New CHP Plant Utilising Fibre Sludge and Biomass, Sweden

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The CHP plant

Summary: In 1993 the establishment of district heating started in Mariestad, Sweden. To develop the district heating network a new production system was needed. This was the first step towards today's new combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The only suitable location for the plant was in the middle of the community at Metsä Tissue, the paper industrial plant, so the scheme would require their co-operation. A feasibility study assessed that the best solution was to build a plant for both the community district heating and the paper plant. This meant that the new plant had to be able to supply steam which would give the opportunity to generate electricity as well as heat. A new company was founded, Katrinefors Kraftvärme AB which is owned jointly by Metsä Tissue and the local community owned utility MTEAB.

The new CHP plant is utilising the fibre sludge from the nearby paper industry together with biomass (forestry residues) to generate heat to the district heating system, steam to the paper industry and electricity to the grid. The fibre sludge is a residue from the recycled paper that cannot be used for soft paper production but gives energy when combusted. Prior to this the sludge was disposed of at landfill. The concept is built upon proven technology but a similar CHP plant of this size had not been built before in Sweden In April 1999 procurement was initiated and the new CHP plant went into operation in early 2002. The plant supplies about 240 GWh/year; 105 GWh as steam, 106 GWh for district heating and 29 GWh of electricity. The total investment was SEK 200 million.

Aims: The aim was to utilise the fibre sludge from the nearby paper industry together with forestry residues to generate heat for the district heating system, steam to the paper industry and electricity to the grid. In this way the community district heating network could be developed and the steam supply to the paper industry secured, all by utilising the residue fibre sludge and biomass.

Summary of Results: The CHP plant went into operation in early 2002. In 2005 the plant supplied about 227,5 GWh; 87,2 GWh as steam, 115,9 GWh for district heating and 24,4 GWh of electricity.

Planning Time: 7 years from conception to end of building

To find similar reports, click on a keyword below:
T@W: Sustainable Energy Technology at Work (2006-2008) : Biomass and Bioenergy : Combined Heat and Power : District Heating and Cooling : Forestry and Energy Crops : Heat Generation, Recovery and Use : Industrial Combined Heat and Power : Paper and Pulp Industries : Polygeneration : Power Generation and Use : Renewable Energy Technologies : Waste to Energy : Wastes and Residues

Katrinefors Kraftvärme AB