Koskisen Corporation press release, 13 June 2023, at 10:00 a.m. EEST
Wood products company Koskisen is investing EUR 1.6 million in solar power in Järvelä, Finland. With the Group’s investment, which supports the green transition, 3,670 solar panels will provide electricity to the plywood and chipboard mills in the Tehdastie industrial area.
“This investment in solar panels will increase our share of renewable energy, also in terms of the electricity we consume. In 2022, 96 per cent of the thermal energy consumed by the Group was already being generated by biofuels, most of which came from our production side-streams, such as bark chips and sawdust,” says Koskisen’s CEO Jukka Pahta.
In terms of the wood products manufactured by Koskisen, the biggest sources of emissions are glues and coatings, transports and the electricity used in production. According to Pahta, Koskisen aims to systematically increase the use of renewable energy and thereby increase the Group’s carbon handprint. In 2022, Koskisen’s carbon handprint was 2.9 times its carbon footprint.
“On clear, sunny weekdays, the solar panels will be able to instantaneously generate 30 per cent of the electricity required for the entire mill area, i.e. for birch plywood and chipboard production. On weekends, that share rises to as much as 65 per cent. On an annual level, solar power will account for an average of 4 per cent of the total electricity consumption. We strongly believe that demand for sustainably produced products that bind carbon for decades will continue to grow,” states Pahta.
Construction work on the solar power plant will begin in summer 2023, and the goal is for the plant to be ready for service by the end of the year. The solar power plant will reach full electricity production in the course of 2024. The project has received Business Finland’s energy aid, the objective of which is to promote the use of renewable energy and increase energy efficiency.
Once completed, the solar power plant will reduce the Group’s carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 219 tCO2e. In 2022, Koskisen’s direct and energy indirect emissions (Scope 1 & 2) amounted to 20,022 (2021: 20,054) tCO2e.
Additional information:
Sanna Väisänen, Director, Sustainability and Communications, Koskisen Corporation
sanna.vaisanen@koskisen.com
Tel. +358 20 553 4563
Koskisen is an international wood processing specialist with more than a century of experience and known for its agility and ability to listen to the customer. We utilise our valuable wood raw material as thoroughly as possible, up to the last particle of sawdust. At the same time, we bring the best carbon narrative to life: We manufacture high-quality and sustainable products that store carbon for decades. The Group’s revenue in 2022 was EUR 318 million. Read more: koskisen.com
