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Biomass
Glatfelter’s North American mills are fully integrated operations that
generate their own electricity for use in the production of pulp and paper.
40% of the electricity we produce is generated from Biomass and considered
to be carbon neutral. In addition, the steam produced from this Biomass is
used both to turn our generators to produce electricity and to dry the paper
on our paper machines. This makes our process much more efficient because we
use the steam twice and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
The Biomass itself comes primarily from our wood pulping and chipping
operations. Lignin (the glue-like material that holds trees together), bark,
saw dust and irregularly sized wood chips that can not be used in the
pulping process are used as Biofuel to power our generators as described
above.
What is Biomass Fuel or Biofuel?
Biomass is generally defined as biological material derived from recently living organisms. This includes plants, animals and their by-products, and trees. It is a renewable energy source unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels.
Biomass Fuel or Biofuel is considered a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide) and increasing energy security by providing an alternative to fossil fuels.
Biofuels and other forms of renewable energy aim to be carbon neutral. This means that the carbon released during the use of the fuel, e.g. through burning to generate electricity, is reabsorbed and balanced by the carbon absorbed by new plant growth - underscoring the importance of sustainable forestry. These plants or trees are then harvested and the cycle repeats itself. Theoretically, carbon neutral fuels lead to no net increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels which means they do not contribute to global warming.
Sustainable Forestry is important because forests do not continue to accumulate carbon indefinitely. They eventually approach maturity and achieve, over time, a balance between the carbon taken up in photosynthesis and the carbon released. So under good forestry stewardship, trees can be harvested for pulp, paper and energy while new ones take over to carry on the job of reabsorbing carbon.
What is Biomass Fuel or Biofuel?
Biomass is generally defined as biological material derived from recently living organisms. This includes plants, animals and their by-products, and trees. It is a renewable energy source unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels.
Biomass Fuel or Biofuel is considered a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide) and increasing energy security by providing an alternative to fossil fuels.
Biofuels and other forms of renewable energy aim to be carbon neutral. This means that the carbon released during the use of the fuel, e.g. through burning to generate electricity, is reabsorbed and balanced by the carbon absorbed by new plant growth - underscoring the importance of sustainable forestry. These plants or trees are then harvested and the cycle repeats itself. Theoretically, carbon neutral fuels lead to no net increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels which means they do not contribute to global warming.
Sustainable Forestry is important because forests do not continue to accumulate carbon indefinitely. They eventually approach maturity and achieve, over time, a balance between the carbon taken up in photosynthesis and the carbon released. So under good forestry stewardship, trees can be harvested for pulp, paper and energy while new ones take over to carry on the job of reabsorbing carbon.
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