Optimising energy balance and operational flexibility

Improving energy balance, resource efficiency and operational flexibility

The Kymi-700 investment project at UPM Kymi pulp mill in Finland began in 2014, and was finalised by the end of 2015. It comprised a new pulp drying machine, modernisation of the softwood fibre line, a new debarking plant and improvements in the energy balance, resource efficiency and operational flexibility of the Kymi complex of pulp and paper mills.

The purpose of the investment was to increase Kymi pulp mill’s annual production capacity and debottleneck the process to ensure better efficiency and capacity utilisation.The investment also improved the integrated mill site’s energy efficiency. Despite the major increase in production capacity, total emissions into the air and water will remain at the same level as before, thus reducing emissions per tonne.The improvements in energy balance, resource efficiency and operational flexibility meant that CO2 emissions per tonne were decreased remarkably through the project. With increased pulp production, the amount of biomass-based surplus heat and electricity increased, partially replacing fossil fuels in the integrated mill.