Energy Use
In 2011, we met approximately 77 percent of our operations' energy needs through the use of renewable and carbon-neutral
biomass fuels such as bark, wood residuals and other organic byproducts. Much of the fuel we use in our cellulose fibers
mills is consumed in boilers to generate high-pressure steam, which is used to generate electric power and heat. The latter
is used to soften and separate wood fibers from each other and to dry pulp and paper.
Boilers can run on fossil fuels, but they can also use biomass—for example, bark and lignin—that is a byproduct of making
pulp. Unlike fossil fuels, which emit carbon into the atmosphere from geologic sources that are not renewable, carbon associated
with the combustion of biomass is part of a natural cycle that maintains a carbon balance by removing emitted carbon from
the atmosphere through photosynthesis and storing it in plants, trees and soil. This balance is reflected in widely-accepted
science acknowledging that the combustion of wood biomass for energy in countries with increasing forest inventories (the
United States, for example) does not increase atmospheric carbon. This biomass fuel source helps reduce our dependence on
fossil fuels and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
We are leaders in the use of highly efficient co-generation, such as combined heat and power, which is much more efficient
than stand-alone generation. In some cases, we sell biomass-based renewable energy to the market.
During 2011, we entered into one transaction involving the sale of "Green Tags." A "Green Tag" is a renewable energy certificate
representing the environmental attributes associated with generating energy from renewable sources, including biomass fuel.
The energy associated with the sale of these renewable energy credits is less than 1 percent of the total biomass energy
used by the company.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
In 2011, we continued a focus on energy efficiency. We undertook significant investments to reduce our energy consumption
and further improve the competitiveness and sustainability of our operations. At our North Pacific Paper Corporation (NORPAC)
facility, where we produce newsprint and premium uncoated mechanical papers for publishers and printers, we started the
first stage of a project to reduce our mechanical pulping energy consumption by 10 percent. The project received support
from the conservation programs of Bonneville Power Administration and Cowlitz Public Utility District and, upon completion,
will be one of the largest energy conservation projects in the region. We also executed a project at our Grande Prairie
pulp mill in Alberta, Canada, which will reduce the mill's energy intensity by 10 percent, reinforcing its position as one
of the most efficient market pulp mills in Canada.
In addition, we continue to leverage the support and expertise found through government and utility-sponsored programs,
as well as the experience of other companies in various industries. We are actively involved in the Department of Energy's
Better Buildings, Better Plants Program, through which we have committed to reduce the energy intensity of our cellulose
fibers and wood products businesses by 25 percent over 10 years. We are also engaged with the U.S. Council for Energy Efficient
Manufacturing, which is spearheading the establishment of standards of practice and performance tracking of energy management
for industries within the United States.
Our real estate business, Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company (WRECO), and their five homebuilding subsidiaries, are leaders in building
energy-efficient homes. WRECO offers their LivingSmart®
green-building program to all new homes it builds. LivingSmart homes are designed to exceed local building codes
and be at least 15 percent more efficient than the applicable energy codes. Additionally, as part of our 2020 sustainability
goal to educate customers about the sustainability aspects of our products, our homebuilding subsidiaries started using
the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) as a measure of home
energy efficiency.
Sustainability in Action
Simple lighting changes equate with big savings
In 2011, two of our distribution centers implemented lighting conservation efforts and reduced their purchased electricity
by leaps and bounds.
Our Dallas Distribution Center, located in Carrollton, Texas, installed occupancy switches at the site and turned the light
off in the warehouse during the day, relying on natural lighting instead. Their purchased electricity dropped by 61 percent.
At the same time, our Santa Clarita, California, Distribution Center, made changes to the lighting in the service yard by splitting
circuits. The split circuits resulted in the ability to use specific lamps at certain times and locations, and a 44 percent drop
in purchased electricity.
These are just two examples of how simple, yet creative, solutions help us reduce our energy use.
ENERGY USE DATA
CELLULOSE FIBER MILL ENERGY USE
Millions of BTUs per ton of production1
| |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
| Fossil fuel consumption |
3.7
|
3.9
|
4.0
|
3.9
|
4.0
|
| Biomass fuel energy from chemical-recovery process and manufacturing residuals |
22.7
|
22.6
|
22.3
|
22.2
|
22.0
|
| Purchased electricity |
2.6
|
2.7
|
2.7
|
2.6
|
2.5
|
| Total energy consumed per ton of production |
29.0
|
29.2
|
29.0
|
28.7
|
28.5
|
| Percentage of energy consumed generated from biomass fuel |
79%
|
79%
|
77%
|
78%
|
78%
|
WOOD PRODUCTS FACILITIES ENERGY USE
Millions of BTUs per ton of production1
| |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
| Fossil fuel consumption |
0.42
|
0.41
|
0.37
|
0.38
|
0.37
|
| Biomass fuels |
2.37
|
2.24
|
1.97
|
2.41
|
2.41
|
| Purchased electricity |
0.41
|
0.40
|
0.42
|
0.41
|
0.38
|
| Purchased steam |
0.15
|
0.16
|
0.16
|
0.13
|
0.13
|
| Total energy consumed per ton of production |
3.35
|
3.22
|
2.91
|
3.33
|
3.28
|
| Percentage of energy consumed generated from biomass fuel |
71%
|
70%
|
67%
|
72%
|
73%
|
