Stora Enso's Skutskar biomaterials production site in central Sweden focuses on the production of fluff pulp for absorbent products such as diapers and other daily needed hygiene products, as well as producing innovative biomaterials using all parts of a tree.

The site has a long history of continuously reducing the environmental footprint of its operations and products, and for five years Skutskar biomaterials production site has not used fossil fuels in its operations. The next step towards climate positive operations in Skutskar is the start of a pilot for capturing biogenic CO2 from pulp production.

Already today, all energy, heat, and power produced at the site is based on biofuels. The recently started pilot captures CO2 emissions from these biofuels, and it is the first project in the world where the CO2 capturing equipment has been installed in a recovery boiler unit of a pulp production site. It is part of an EU-funded ACCSESS project, developing carbon dioxide capturing chemistry and technology with the goal to reach cost efficient storage of CO2 at large scale and support the society to reach net-zero and minimise climate warming.

'We have successfully phased out from using fossil fuels at our biomaterials production site. As a next step, we are very happy to be part of the ACCSESS project and test the carbon capture equipment, to further investigate the possibilities to reduce the environmental footprint of our operations and products,' says Christer Nordstrand, Director of Stora Enso's Skutskar production site.

To make full-scale carbon capture installation viable in the future, some technical issues need to be thoroughly evaluated in the ACCSESS project. In addition, whether the captured carbon will be stored or utilised in the future, will depend on many open topics still. At Skutskar production site, the chemistry and energy integration part of the biogenic carbon value chain is tested, storage or utilisation of the captured carbon are not part of this project. The pilot at Skutskar site aims to reach two tonnes of captured carbon per day, and one of the goals is to operate the pilot using only low-temperature waste heat from the site.

Stora Enso has an ambitious goal to offer 100% regenerative products and solutions by 2050. As the largest producer of fluff pulp in Europe, Skutskar biomaterials production site is paving the way towards carbon negative products.

Part of the global bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials and wooden construction, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has approximately 20,000 employees and our sales in 2023 were EUR 9.4 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Oy (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm AB (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs and Ordinary Shares (SEOAY, SEOFF, SEOJF).