Several of Södra’s bio based products are being launched with a fossil free value chain. They are produced without the use of fossil energy and constitute a new step in the company’s long term efforts as part of the transition to a fossil free society. The energy company, Kalmar Energi, will be first to use the products.
Zero fossil energy all the way from seedlings to delivery of the product. Södra is now launching products made and transported without the use of fossil fuel throughout the value chain. Its products are guaranteed independent of fossil fuel through mass balance – a method often used in environmental analyses – and verified by a third party.
‘Södra wants to show the way to a fossil free society and contribute to the transition together with our customers. We are doing this through these bio based products that are now also free from fossil fuels. The products from forests owned by our members can help more operators phase out finite resources and build a fossil free business. Fossil free production and transportation is essential if we are to succeed in the climate transition,’ said Södra’s CEO Lotta Lyrå.
Fossil fuel free products will be offered in the cross-laminated timber category in addition to selected energy products from forests owned by Södra’s 53,000 members. The products have been produced without the use of any fossil fuels. They were produced and transported fossil free throughout the value chain: from forestry operations, through the industrial process, to transportation to customers.
‘Developing and offering fossil fuel free forest products is the next step in the transition. This is the result of a long term process and we will continue to develop our fossil free offering. More operators can then transition to fossil free production as the world and climate face more difficult challenges than ever,’ said Henrik Brodin, project manager for A Fossil-Free Södra.
The energy company Kalmar Energi will be first to use Södra’s fossil fuel free products. It delivers electricity, district heating, fibre and energy services to almost 25,000 customers in the Kalmar region in Sweden. Kalmar Energi currently uses residues from the forest industry (branches and treetops, wood chips, bark) in its combined power and heating plants but from autumn 2021 the deliveries of residues will be completely free from fossil fuels.
‘Kalmar Energi feels very strongly about caring for our shared environment. We are therefore happy to take the next step together with Södra, and in the future we can heat and light up homes in Kalmar using fossil-fuel-free residual products from forests in our local area. This will help us to contribute towards a long term sustainable society that focuses on people and the environment,’ said Kalmar Energi’s CEO Anna Karlsson.