Södra is developing and enhancing the efficiency of its processing of forest fuel and is transitioning to less invasive methods to reduce the risk of soil damage. As part of this effort, the Group is undertaking a comprehensive procurement of contractors to process forest fuel.
The procurement of contractors to process forest fuel encompasses the entire chain, from the work carried out in the forest to transportation to thermal power stations. To date, Södra has signed a number of large agreements with contractors throughout southern Sweden: EMJA AB, Verest AB, Sune Carlssons Åkeri AB, JDZ maskin och transport and Bröderna Johansson maskintjänst AB.
The procurement of resources will now continue and is expected to be completed later in the spring.
For some time now, Södra has focused on renewable fuels from the forest in the form of branches and treetops, which are a by-product of harvesting operations. These are subsequently sold to thermal power stations across southern Sweden to be used in the production of heating.
"Our forest fuel operations yield approximately 1.5 TWh annually; energy that corresponds to the total yearly power requirements of 75,000 homes. We now want to develop this process and make it more efficient, which requires, among other actions, a transition to less invasive methods in the forest to reduce the risk of soil damage. To a greater extent than we have done in the past, we plan to transport branches and treetops to roadways and chip them there, instead of doing this at the felling area. The procurement of forest fuel resources represents an important part of this initiative," says Håkan Larsson, President of the Södra Skog business area.
