UPM, Helsinki – During the past two years, UPM has improved energy efficiency significantly by effective process and equipment modifications as well as engaging employees in a global energy-saving campaign. Thanks to these measures, UPM's electricity and heat consumption has reduced by approximately 9% per paper tonne. In the past two years, UPM has gained a total of EUR 55 million from all its energy savings activities and 7 % reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

"UPM aims to continuous improvement of the energy efficiency in all its businesses. Our long-term target is to achieve the best carbon footprint in the industry by improving our energy efficiency and increasing the use of carbon neutral and bio-based energy", says Director Markku Taavitsainen from UPM's Paper Business Group.

In the campaign, conducted in 2009-2010, the staff committed to the development of energy efficiency, made innovations and investment proposals, as well as shared the best ideas and practices for the use of UPM's mills throughout business areas. During the campaign, EUR 9 million was spent on the implementation of 140 development ideas produced by the staff, which brought permanent and long-term improvements.

“We achieved significant improvement with relatively minor measures. For example at the Rauma mill, the manufacturing of mechanical pulp was developed. The renewals have resulted in major annual energy savings equivalent to heating 10,000 houses,” says Taavitsainen.

UPM's mills use energy as electricity and heat. Most of the energy used in paper-making is consumed in the manufacturing of mechanical pulp, pumping, vacuum systems and the drying of the products. UPM generates all the heat and one third of the electricity it needs for paper-making in combined heat and power production plants operating on paper mill sites. Energy generation in the mill power plants is based mainly on renewable, biomass-based fuels, such as bark and forest residues.

Biomass-based fuels make up 80% of fuels used by UPM in Finland and 68% worldwide. The company produces 30% of the renewable bio-energy in Finland. UPM is the second largest biomass-based electricity generator in Europe. Altogether 77% of UPM’s power generation is CO2 emission-free.