Independent energy supply with waste-to-energy plant

In the direct neighbourhood of the PM3 paper mill, the Progroup a waste-to-energy power plant. It supplies the factory with the required process heat and electricity.

„Our goal is to be completely independent of fossil fuels and completely CO2-neutral by 2045. The new power plant will bring us a significant step closer to this goal.“

Maximilian Heindl, Chairman of the Management Board of Progroup

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The new building will Thermal utilisation of residual materials from the paper mill and from the private and commercial recycling process in the region - and thus generate as much energy as around 50,000 single-family homes require. The power plant covers 100 per cent of the steam requirements at the site and a third of the electricity needed. „This is clean energy in the truest sense of the word,“ says Heindl. Firstly, according to the company, it saves around 80,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. And secondly, the power plant fulfils the standards of emission protection.

With the new building, the company is consistently implementing the next building block of its sustainability strategy at the site. The high-tech PM3 paper mill, which is one of the most modern and efficient in the world, has been in operation there since August 2020. One Integrated circulation water treatment system reduces the use of fresh water by 80 per cent compared to conventional systems. Waste paper impurities are biodegraded during water treatment and converted into biogas. This alone the factory already consumes ten per cent less fossil resources.

„As a family business, we are committed to future generations. That's why we not only manufacture environmentally friendly, recyclable products with our paper and corrugated board formats, but also focus on efficient, resource-saving solutions in our production - including energy generation.“

Maximillian Heindl

Construction work on the new waste-to-energy power plant in Sandersdorf-Brehna has been underway since March. It is scheduled to go into operation at the end of 2025. It will be the company's second power plant. At the Eisenhüttenstadt site, Progroup is already successfully pursuing the zero-waste concept - a paper machine with a connected power plant. Now Progroup is once again setting an example in terms of sustainability and demonstrating how a perfect circular economy can be achieved.

Source: Progroup