Flåboda nursery – 100 percent fossil-free

Södra‘s nursery in Flåboda has now completed the transition to fossil-free operation. In 2016, efforts will continue to convert all sapling production at Södra Skogsplantor to eliminate the use of fossil fuels at this stage of operations. “This is a major step forward in our environmental efforts to reduce CO₂emissions and make us less dependent on fossil fuels,” says Johan Jonsson, Head of Södra Skogsplantor.

The process to changeover Södra’s nursery in Flåboda to fossil-free operation commenced three years ago. The goal has now been achieved, with boilers fuelled with vegetable oils, greenhouses heated by four pellet boilers, green electricity generated by Södra’s pulp mills and vehicles that run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).

“We evaluated several products and chose HVO for our vehicles, since it generates maximum climate benefits and works well with our existing fleet of diesel vehicles. For Södra, this initiative means that our environmental profile remains firm,” says Henrik Brodin, who is responsible for the Group’s energy purchasing.

HVO is a synthetic diesel produced by hydrogenating plant and animal fats, mainly sourced from abattoir trimmings and rapeseed oil. The pellets used come from Södra Wood’s nearby sawmill in Långasjö.

In 2016, Södra’s nursery in Falkenberg will also complete the changeover to fossil-free operation.