Eska Graphic Board to build gasification plant at Dutch mill

By Eva Nyman, News Editor, PPI Europe, RISI

BRUSSELS, Oct. 27, 2011 (RISI) - Eska Graphic Board has applied for the necessary permits to build a gasification plant at its Hoogezand mill in the north of the Netherlands in order to decrease its use of natural gas, minimize its carbon dioxide emissions and strengthen its competitiveness.

The firm, which produces uncoated board from recovered paper (RCP) at the site, will make use of the impurities left after processing the RCP. These rejects are now transported to an incineration facility, but the firm would like to gasify them at its own facility and use the energy produced to generate steam for its two machines at the site.

The gasification plant would reduce the firm's consumption of natural gas by approximately 10 million m³/yr. It would also decrease the number of trucks driving through the town of Hoogezand by some 400 per year, according to the company.

The project will cost some Euro 13-15 million ($18-21 million), part of which is covered by a state subsidy.

If the firm receives the permits required, it will start construction work next year. The plant should be operational in early 2013. The Dutch engineering and contracting firm HoSt will deliver the gasification unit. Eska Graphic Board will perform the building and reject preparation.

Eska Graphic Board operates two plants a few kilometers away from each other: the Hoogezand mill and the Sappemeer mill. The two have a total capacity of some 250,000 tonnes/yr of uncoated recycled board.