b'RENEWABLE ENERGY INITIATIVESActive carbon is produced in a similarengineered wood dust which normallygreen products. Renewable process, mainly produced from coconutstruggles from elevated NOx emissionsenergy fibre. The biochar can be used as soil(derived from solid nitrogen in addedMaintaining leadership in sustainabilitysources improvement, working like a spongeglue). In the gasification process, theand increasing such a gap toallow more in the soil because of its ability to soaksolid nitrogen is transformed into normalcompetitors activities in the tissueenvironmentally up moisture and nutrition, then slowlyinert nitrogen gas which of course is notindustry is often key to achievingsustainable releasing it when the plants need it. Theharmful.the increasingly desirable trend forproduction; biochar is stablemore so than carbonenvironmental labelling and, eventhey can and from the natural degradation of fallenA fluctuating fossil gas price, togethermore importantly, private labelling.should be the woodland treesand will stay in thewith different site conditions (in termsThe share of private label is increasingway forward!ground for centuries. It thus also has aof access to local biomass) means thatin FMCG; this is also the case within carbon storage effect if used correctly. overall profitability needs to be carefullythe tissue industry, with 21% private assessed in each case; but in the case oflabelling worldwide and 55% in Europe FINE FRACTION BIOMASS RESIDUES ENABLEthe Swedish tissue mill discussed earlier,(according to Euromonitor International). LOWER COSTS the cost of renewable gas could matchAn incomparably low CO 2footprint Whilst the driving force for convertingthe cost of combustion with fossil gas.would also enable access to the private to a renewable solution is sustainability,labels own sustainable brands in order the economic aspect is of greatPREMIUM PRICING OF SUSTAINABILITY to secure an enviously strong market importance when considering replacingCost, as we know, is only one part ofposition.fossil gas in tissue drying hoods. Energyprofitability. Recent public opinion and constitutes a considerable share of themedia attention has shown an ever- An increase of either sales or price by cost for a mill. Fossil gas is subject toincreasing concern over climate change.only one or two percentage points can, a global market where price fluctuationin this business, make a huge difference is both frequent and hard to predict.Green products are thereforeand would more than justify a change to It is subject to far greater regulationssusceptible to premium pricing. Anew, renewable technology.and surcharges such as emissionrecent study (published in Bioresources) allowances, carbon tax and so onalldescribes sustainable products usedIn conclusion, it would appear that of which only serve to increase thewithin the tissue industry as being upbiomass gasification can play an overall cost of combustion. Switchingto 85% more expensive. However,important role in the future of the tissue to locally produced renewable syngasmany public studies have alreadyindustry. When considering machine could be favourable: biomass prices arehighlighted this situation. McKinsey has,developments, most initiatives designed more stable, having less sensitivity tofor example, estimated that within theto achieve higher quality paper or market fluctuations. packaging industry, 80% of customersincrease productivity usually result in a are willing to pay an extra 5% forneed for more gas. For instance, when The single most important parameterspecifying a green product. 65% wouldattempting to recirculate the heat from affecting the production cost ofeven be willing to pay an extra 10%. Athe hoods back into the yankee cylinder syngas is the feedstock price. Buyingrecent German study shows that two(and thus reducing the need of external standardized wood pellets or beingthirds of bio-based product suppliers,heat into the yankee), there will be charged a gate fee from receivingwho were questioned, reported thatan increasing demand for gas to heat a local residue will definitely impactcustomers are willing to pay a premiumthe drying hoods. Another technology, operating expenses. Meva Energysof at least 10% for green products.Through Air Drying, where the heat goes technology uses fine biomass fraction;Furthermore, the second strongestthrough the yankee has made a recent this means that residue that is normallygreen argument is lower greenhousecomeback but it also requires higher considered as waste can be ultitized. Ingas emissions. The study also findsgas consumption. Renewable energy fact, recent studies have shown that thethat end usersparticularly withinsources allow more environmentally technology is also suitable to be appliedthe consumer-goods industryaresustainable production; they can and in the manufacturing of MDF and otherincreasingly willing to pay a premium forshould be the way forward!76 TISSUE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL'