Paarl Media install biomass boiler for energy efficient printing

The proposed roll out is for the end of this year.

Sustainable resources

"The boiler works on the principle of combustion and is fuelled by sustainable biomass that burns at intense heat to generate the steam required in the gravure process.

The gravure presses include the plant's newly acquired Cerutti Aurora press which is also arguably the most energy efficient presses in the world," says Christoff Botha, executive director of Paarl Media Western Cape.

There are several ways to generate steam, the traditional methods being electricity, oil or coal. The biomass boiler creates steam energy by burning wood chips produced from alien vegetation, such as Port Jackson and Black Wattle. Neither species are indigenous to the Western Cape with both being extremely high consumers of water.

"In addition to being a greener process, the new biomass boiler system will assist in creating jobs within the local community through the collection of natural material for the production of the chips needed to fuel the boiler."

Reducing consumption

The biomass boiler works towards creating a carbon neutral footprint for the company while reducing the plant's electricity consumption and resultant medium term production costs. It not only works towards creating a carbon neutral footprint for the company, it also reduces the plant's electricity consumption. With recent electricity tariff increases, this is a significant development, as it will reduce production costs in the end and create a buffer against electricity inflation.

"Despite the biomass boiler using large amounts of alien woodchips and capital cost being significant and dollar-based, the overall running costs are markedly lower than that of an electric boiler," says project head and operations director for Paarl Media Western Cape, Johan von Wielligh.

"We will continually evaluate extensions to this project to further the drive of reducing the impact on our environment and positively change the environment we operate within," he concludes.