CIB and Assocarta sign an agreement to decarbonise the paper industry

Biomethane represents one of the most effective ways for decarbonising the paper industry and achieving our country’s ambitious climate targets. In addition, it can represent an answer to daily energy price increases for energy-intensive industries.

For this reason, today CIB – Consorzio Italiano Biogas and Assocarta signed a collaboration agreement to support the conversion of existing biogas plants to biomethane and the development of new initiatives for the production of biomethane from the agro-industrial supply chain, as a boost for the decarbonisation of energy-hungry production cycles, in line with the provisions of the RED 2 directive and the measures envisaged by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).

“Our biomethane-producing farms are at the side of the paper supply chain in order to meet the decarbonisation targets, and the agreement we are signing today with Assocarta will be an important driver for the NRRP measures,” says Angelo Baronchelli, Vice President of the CIB. “Biomethane represents a great opportunity to achieve environmental goals and reduce fossil fuel dependence. By joining forces, we can help start an ecological transition process for the country that is fast, efficient and inclusive, while preserving the competitiveness of companies.” Baronchelli concludes.

The paper sector has always played a leading role in Italy’s circular economy as it puts renewable products on the market, using 85% certified virgin fibre and is the second largest user of recycled paper in Europe, with a recycling rate of 87% in the packaging sector. A record that has to face new challenges. For this reason, biomethane production is a key lever to tackle the energy transition.

“The paper sector is a gas user in cogeneration through which it has improved its energy efficiency by 20% in the last 15 years. Therefore, increasing the use of biomethane in our cogeneration plants means moving forward on the road to ecological and energy transition. A renewable energy vector, biogas, which also guarantees certainty of supply as its availability would not be linked to geopolitical dynamics and price fluctuations that today make business management very complex.”, says Lorenzo Poli, President of Assocarta.

Finally, the agreement between the CIB and Assocarta will also favour important moments of collaboration between the members of the two entities aimed at the development of biomethane and the valorisation of the paper industry. A symbiosis between agriculture and industry that allows for faster progress towards energy transition and an increase in the circularity rate of the two sectors.