Nokian Tyres plc has invested in a joint venture to build a biomass power plant in Finland with the goal of reducing the environmental impact of its local factory.
The tire maker says energy consumption is one of the most significant environmental impacts of tire production. Nokian joined the joint venture to construct the Nokianvirran Energia biomass power plant to ensure the supply of eco-friendly and cost-efficient energy for its factory in Nokia, Finland. The plan to transition to renewable fuels and the rising operating costs of natural gas boilers were other important factors in the decision, the company says.
With the new biomass power plant, renewable energy sources account for approximately 70% of energy consumption at the Nokia factory.
“We wanted to participate in the project as an owner in order to better ensure the energy supply for our factories in the long term," says Esa Eronen, vice president of supply operations. "We value environmental aspects and want to contribute to reducing the emissions from energy production. For Nokian Tyres, the investment will also reduce our expenses."
In the past few years, Nokian says it has annually invested, on average, more than 45 million euros in different functions in Finland, and the company intends to continue at the same level of investment in the coming years. The investment in the biomass power plant supports the company’s competitiveness and energy-efficiency.
The Nokianvirran Energia Oy biomass power plant HK 16 was commissioned on June 16, 2016.
For more information about Nokian, visit www.nokiantyres.com
