From fibre to biofuel
Established within the paper and packaging industry, International Paper and clean technology company Fiberight have struck a deal that will see the production of biofuel from unusable fibre.
From the beginning of May this year Fiberight has been converting residual material, which is produced at International Paper’s Cedar River paperboard mill in Iowa, US, into cellulosic ethanol. It is believed that the mill produces an annual supply of around 50,000 tonnes of waste fibre.
95% of the corrugated packaging can be recycled in to new paper and now the remaining 5% that cannot is being supplied to Cedar River for the production of ethanol.
‘This as a win-win for both companies,’ explained International Paper’s operations manager Tom Olstad. ‘As one of the largest recycled paper mills in the world recycling and reusing raw materials is a big part of how we operate.’
After Fiberight has spent $25 million (€20.5 million) converting a corn ethanol plant in Blairstown, Iowa, to process organic waste it will have the capacity to produce 6 million gallons of bioethanol each year. The plant is expected to begin operations in 2011.
Before this arrangement was made International Paper paid other agricultural firms to take the material and reuse it for land applications including fertiliser and animal bedding.
‘Through Fiberight’s new facility we can now be assured that whatever recycled fibre can’t be made into new packaging can be used to create green energy, while helping us offset our disposal costs,’ said Olstad.
From the beginning of May this year Fiberight has been converting residual material, which is produced at International Paper’s Cedar River paperboard mill in Iowa, US, into cellulosic ethanol. It is believed that the mill produces an annual supply of around 50,000 tonnes of waste fibre.
95% of the corrugated packaging can be recycled in to new paper and now the remaining 5% that cannot is being supplied to Cedar River for the production of ethanol.
‘This as a win-win for both companies,’ explained International Paper’s operations manager Tom Olstad. ‘As one of the largest recycled paper mills in the world recycling and reusing raw materials is a big part of how we operate.’
After Fiberight has spent $25 million (€20.5 million) converting a corn ethanol plant in Blairstown, Iowa, to process organic waste it will have the capacity to produce 6 million gallons of bioethanol each year. The plant is expected to begin operations in 2011.
Before this arrangement was made International Paper paid other agricultural firms to take the material and reuse it for land applications including fertiliser and animal bedding.
‘Through Fiberight’s new facility we can now be assured that whatever recycled fibre can’t be made into new packaging can be used to create green energy, while helping us offset our disposal costs,’ said Olstad.
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