After launching its new Tissue Machine (TM) last February, ICT France is accelerating its decarbonization at its Pannes site, near Montargis, about 100 kilometers south of Paris. On April 9, Johan Lemarchand, Managing Director, Benoît Martin, Director of the Central-West Territory of Engie Solutions, Régis Castro, Sub-Prefect of the Montargis district, and Joëlle Colosio, Deputy Executive Director of Territories at Ademe (photo), signed the contract for the design, construction, operation, and financing of a biomass boiler plant at this site. With this project, supported by the French government through Ademe (French Environment and Energy Management Agency), and thanks to annual steam production 78% covered by biomass, 11,160 tonnes of fossil-fuel CO₂ equivalents will be avoided each year. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with industrial commissioning scheduled for late 2027.
This project is part of the paper mill’s expansion program. In mid-February, the site launched its second Valmet tissue machine with a capacity of 70,000 tonnes per year. Overall, the French subsidiary of the Italian family-owned group now boasts a capacity of 140,000 tonnes per year of tissue rolls at this site, supplemented by 11 converting lines (toilet paper, kitchen paper and paper handkerchiefs).
“This new biomass facility will significantly contribute to the ICT Group’s ambitions to reduce its carbon footprint,” said Johan Lemarchand.
The use of local biomass will also enable ICT to control its energy costs in a context of fluctuating energy prices, thus maintaining its competitiveness while meeting consumer expectations regarding environmental protection.
With a capacity of 9 MW, the future boiler will be fueled by wood energy from within a 100 km radius. Some 24,550 tonnes will be recycled each year. This will consist of forest chips (82%), pallet shreds (11%), and bark (7%). With a total cost of approximately €16 million (infrastructure), this facility is also a winner of the BCIAT 2022 call for projects (Biomass Heat for Industry, Agriculture, and the Tertiary Sector). As such, it will benefit from a €4.2 million government grant as part of the France 2030 plan managed by Ademe.
“This project demonstrates the expertise of our industry experts in designing a turnkey solution to reduce the energy bill and carbon footprint of the ICT site in Pannes,” emphasized Benoît Martin (Engie Solutions).
Valérie Lechiffre
Photo: Engie
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