Raw materials that cannot be used for pulp and timber at Södra’s pulp mills and sawmills – such as bark, shavings and chips – are turned into biofuel.

Bark is normally used directly as fuel without processing. Sawdust and shavings from planing/milling are used to produce pellets and briquettes. Dry chips are chips with a high and even dry solids content. To optimise combustion in boilers, a mix of materials such as bark, shavings and dry chips is often used.

Bark and shavings can be dried and pressed to form pellets which are easy to handle, store and transport. Pellets are also a price-effective and efficient alternative to fossil fuel due to their high energy value and high efficiency in the boiler.

Bark pellets are darker brown than pellets manufactured from shavings or chips. Södra Cell produces bark pellets at a factory in Mönsterås which are sold directly to major consumers (and not houses and apartments). Södra Skogsenergi sells raw materials to other pellets manufacturers who in turn supply to small consumers. Södra’s sawmills also produce briquettes from pressed shavings.

Availability of biofuel is reasonably constant throughout the year, but there is little opportunity to increase biofuel output from mills.

Södra mills are self-sufficient in terms of energy. They produce sufficient heating and electricity for their own needs as well as supplying the local community.